RSS Feed


LAST IN LINE Part Ways With Keyboardist Claude Schnell
November 10th, 2015

Claude Schnell

Last In Line, the group featuring founding Dio members Vivian Campbell (Def Leppard, guitars), Jimmy Bain (ex-Rainbow, bass), and Vinny Appice (ex-Black Sabbath, drums) – as well as vocalist Andrew Freeman, who previously fronted Hurricane and Lynch Mob – parted ways with keyboardist Claude Schnell, revealing this development on November 10th, 2015.

Campbell issued the following statement: “When we started this project a few years ago, the initial idea was to reunite the original Dio band to play the songs we wrote and recorded with Ronnie in the early 1980s. Joined by Andrew Freeman on vocals and original Dio keyboard player Claude Schnell, we played a handful of shows from southern California to the UK to Japan. It was a limited ambition, but one that brought us great joy in reconnecting to this great music, to each other, and to our collective history.

“Our ambition at that time didn’t extend to writing and recording any new music, but when we were offered the opportunity to do so by the Frontiers record label, we took that step forward. At that time, it was decided that we enter the studio to write this new album in the very same spirit as we did the Holy Diver record (1983): In autumn of 1982 Ronnie, Vinny, Jimmy and I went into Sound City studios to kick around ideas and riffs, and about six weeks later we started laying down the tracks for what was to become the Holy Diver album. It was after Holy Diver was written and recorded that we brought in Claude to embellish certain songs in a way that the guitar just couldn’t do. From that time forward, Claude became an essential part of the band’s live shows.

“In retracing our footsteps, we again started to write this new album as a four-piece band — thus keeping the emphasis on guitar-driven songs. In the course of doing so, we have decided to continue on that path and remain a four-piece band.

“We wish Claude every success and he remains a very close friend and confidant to all concerned.”

Debut studio record Heavy Crown will be released in February 2016.