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Vincent "Vinny" Appice


Member

1980-1982 Black Sabbath - drums  
1982-1989 Dio - drums  
1990-1992 WWIII - drums  
1991-1993 Black Sabbath - drums  
1993-1999 Dio - drums  
2005-2006 Power Project - drums  
2006-2010 Heaven And Hell - drums  
2008 Various Artists - drums (as Vinny Appice)  
2011-2014 Kill Devil Hill - drums  
2012- Last In Line - drums (as Vinny Appice)  
2013- Martiria - drums  
2014- Appice - drums  
2014- Dunsmuir - drums  
2015- Joel Hoekstra's 13 - drums  
2015- Resurrection Kings - drums  
2016- Serpent's Ride - drums  
2022- Scream Taker - drums  
2024- Leviathan Project - drums  

Studio musician

2001 Lana Lane - drums  
2002 Mark Boals - drums  
2003 Erik Norlander - drums  
2006 Lana Lane - drums  
2017 King Of Twilight - drums  
2017 Adrian Raso - drums  
2018 Tara Lynch - drums  

Live musician

1998 Black Sabbath - drums  
2005-2007 Lynch Mob - drums  

Guest musician

2005 Michael Schenker Group - drums  
2009 Tim "Ripper" Owens - drums  
2012 Suncrown - drums  
2012-2015 Will Wallner / Vivien Vain - drums  
2014 Scar For Life - drums  
2014 Thomsen - drums  
2015 Bastian - drums  
2016 AraPacis - drums  
2016 Stonehand - drums  
2018 Marius Danielsen's Legend Of Valley Doom - drums  
2018 Amoriello - drums  
2020 White Crone - drums  
2021 Stonehand - drums  

Personal information

Born on: 13.09.1957

Vincent "Vinny" Appice (born September 13, 1957 in Brooklyn, New York) is a rock drummer, best known for his work with the bands Dio and Black Sabbath. He is the younger brother, by 13 years, of rock drummer Carmine Appice, who was in Vanilla Fudge and Cactus. He is currently involved in Heaven and Hell, 3 Legged Dogg and a reformed Derringer.

Early years

Vinny took up the drums aged 9, taking lessons from the same teacher as had Carmine. At the age of 16, Vinny and his band BOMF met John Lennon at The Record Plant in NYC, which led to Vinny appearing on several Lennon projects. He then recorded and toured with Rick Derringer on Derringer (1976), Sweet Evil (1977) and Derringer Live (1977), before forming his own band Axis, releasing one album, It's A Circus World (1978).

The Black Sabbath and Dio years

Appice joined Black Sabbath in 1980 during the Heaven and Hell tour, and later appeared on the albums Mob Rules (1981) and the album recorded on that tour, Live Evil (1982). In late 1982, before Live Evil had even hit the shelves, he had left Sabbath with vocalist Ronnie James Dio, and formed the band Dio. He appeared on the Dio albums Holy Diver (1983), The Last in Line (1984), Sacred Heart (1985), Intermission (1986), and Dream Evil (1987). In December 1989 Appice left Dio for reasons somewhat unclear.

In 1990 Appice joined World War III and the band released an album. In 1992 Appice returned to Black Sabbath, with Ronnie James Dio, for the Dehumanizer album and tour. When Black Sabbath, with Rob Halford singing instead of Ronnie James Dio, opened as special guest on Ozzy's (supposed) final two solo shows in Costa Mesa, CA in November 1992, Appice still sat in the drum-stool. Thereafter, he rejoined Dio and is present on Strange Highways (1994), Angry Machines (1996) and Inferno - Last in Live (1998).

On the 1998 Black Sabbath tour he replaced original drummer Bill Ward, who was absent while he recovered from a heart-attack. Ward returned to the band in 1999.

In 2007 Appice took part in a reunion with Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Ronnie James Dio to tour under the name "Heaven and Hell", playing 98 shows. Initially Bill Ward was going to be the drummer for this project but once again Appice was asked to step in, Ward having stated he did not want to tour with the band.

Other recordings

His recorded output is extensive, as detailed on his official homepage. Recent sessions include those for Lana Lane, Mark Boals and, in 2003, Erik Norlander's Music Machine CD. He has also released instructional drumming videos and regularly appears at drum clinics, sometimes with brother Carmine. Despite being known as one of rock's heaviest drummers Vinny uses a single bass-drum.

He once said in an interview with a UK drumming magazine that the correct pronunciation of the family name is 'a-PEACH-ee' but he generally finds people pronounce it 'AP-a-sea' and doesn't lose sleep over it. Certainly the pronunciation in interviews and onstage by Ronnie James Dio was the latter way.

Vinny Appice also appeared on a Circle of Tyrants (Necro, Ill Bill, Goretex, Mr Hyde) rap CD, where he collaborated with Alex Skolnick (Guitars), Necro and Mr Hyde in the year of 2005.

In year 2006 Vinny recorded a someway nostalgic album as part of a group called Power Project, featuring Carl Sentance (ex Krokus, Geezer Butler Band) on vocals, Carlos Cavazo (Quiet Riot) on guitar and Jeff Pilson (Dokken, Dio) on bass. The album, produced by the Italian label Power Zone Recordspresents 10 original songs strongly inspired to the sound of the '80s. Music by Andy Menario and lyrics by Marco Roberto Capelli.