In late 1982 Ronnie James Dio and Vinny Appice formed a band that was not meant to be a solo project but a band as a whole. Ronnie recruited an old bassist that had served time with him in the band Rainbow, Jimmy Bain. Along with a hot new guitarist out of Ireland, Vivian Campbell, this band was to become DIO!
Their first album was recorded at the Sound City studios in Los Angeles. All the keyboard work on the new project was done by Ronnie and Jimmy, and so a search for a quality keyboard player would be needed to support the tour.
The album was named as Holy Diver, and it made platinum in the United States.
