Vivian Campbell guitarist for Def Leppard and formerly of DIO, has opened up about his complex relationship with Ronnie James Dio. In a recent interview with dopeYEAH talk, Campbell shared a mixture of admiration, emotional struggle, and unresolved tension from his years with the legendary frontman.
“Ronnie was a very complicated person,” Campbell said. “People always ask, ‘What was Ronnie like?’ But you can’t sum up a person in a sentence or two.”
VIVIAN CAMPBELL On Working With RONNIE JAMES DIO ‘I Could Tell He Was Very Proud Of Me’
From Fan to Bandmate
Campbell described what it felt like joining Dio’s band at such a young age. As a fan growing up listening to Dio’s work with Rainbow and Black Sabbath, stepping into a bandmate role was surreal.
“I always felt like an imposter,” he said. “One day you’re just a fan, the next you’re writing songs with him in L.A.”
Despite his nerves, Vivian Campbell recognized Dio’s support. He shared a special memory from a European tour.
“We were on a ferry, watching the water. Ronnie said, ‘I told Ozzy you were my Randy Rhoads.’ That meant everything to me. It made me feel like I finally belonged.”
A Powerful Collaboration, a Tense Partnership
Though they created some of DIO’s most iconic albums together, Campbell said their personal dynamic was often strained.
“It was like being in a band with your stepfather. He was older, I was young and insecure, and we came from completely different worlds.”
Campbell knew Dio was proud of him, but their personalities clashed. They had moments of strong connection, followed by cold distance. Their bond grew complicated as Campbell pushed to expand creatively.
“I asked Ronnie if I could sing backup vocals,” Campbell recalled. “He flat out said no. He told me, ‘Blackmore didn’t sing. Iommi didn’t sing. You’re not singing.’”
The Fallout and Lingering Pain
Campbell said he was fired from DIO — not the other way around, despite years of public statements suggesting he had left.
“That’s the part that always stung,” he explained. “I gave everything to that band. I didn’t walk away — I was fired.”
He added that Dio’s wife and manager, Wendy Dio, never saw him as valuable to the group. He believes her influence kept any chance of reconciliation out of reach.
“If Ronnie and I had met one-on-one later in life, I think we could’ve worked things out.”
Although they both said negative things about each other in the press, Campbell said he carried deep regret over their unresolved fallout.
Music Above All
Despite the personal friction, Campbell acknowledged that their musical chemistry was something special.
“Ronnie could be difficult. So could I. But when we played together, that tension turned into something powerful.”
Today, Campbell continues to honor that legacy through his work with Last In Line, a band formed with original DIO members Vinny Appice and Jimmy Bain. They began by performing classic DIO songs and eventually recorded new material in the same spirit.
“Ronnie believed in me,” Vivian Campbell said. “He called me his Randy Rhoads. That stayed with me. That’s something I’ll always carry.”
