JIMMY BAIN


Biography

Bands/Discography:

  • Street Noise
  • Harlot
  • Rainbow
  • John Cale Band
  • Animal justice (Sep 77, Illegal) (12" EP)
  • several lineups:
  • Seducing down the door (Jul 94, Rhino) (compilation)
  • The Greedy Bastards
  • Wild Horses
  • Robertson/Carter/Bain/Edwards lineup:
  • The first album (Apr 80,)
  • Robertson/Lockton/Bain/Edwards lineup:
  • Stand your ground (May 81,)
  • Scorpions
  • Phil Lynott Band
  • Dio
  • Dio/Campbell/Bain/Appice lineup:
  • Holy diver (1983, Mercury)
  • Dio/Campbell/Bain/Schnell/Appice lineup:
  • The last in line (1984, Warner)
  • Sacred heart (1985, Warner)
  • Dio/Goldie/Bain/Schnell/Appice lineup:
  • Intermission (1986, ) (mini-LP, live)
  • Dream evil (1987, Vertigo)
  • several lineups:
  • Diamonds - The best of Dio (1992, Vertigo) (compilation)
  • Cinderella
  • Band of Thieves
  • WWIII
  • WWIII (1990, Hollywood)
  • project with C.C. De Ville
  • Dio (again)
  • The Key
  • Dio (again!)
  • Magica (1999)
    • Very powerful bassist, he has played with some of best bands in hard rock scene, and he's still active, which makes me very glad! Jimmy Bain was born in Newtonmore, Scotland.

    STREET NOISE  

    This was one of the first bands where Jimmy played, but I don't have any other details. Help, please!

    HARLOT  

    This was the lineup for the band, formed in January 1974:

    Jimmy Bain left the band in July 1975, when he got a call from Ritchie Blackmore.

    RAINBOW  

    Everybody knows that, Rainbow was the band that Ritchie Blackmore put together after leaving Deep Purple. With a superb vocalist, Ronnie James Dio, this band always had fantastic musicians in it.

    In July 1975, Jimmy Bain joins the band, after turning down an invitation to join The Babys:

    It starts the change of musicians in Rainbow's band...

    In August 1975, the great Cozy Powell replaces Gary Driscoll:

    In October 1975, new lineup: This was one of the more stable (and superb) lineups.

    They released a fantastic album, Rising.

    They also released a very good live album On stage (2LP, now 1CD).

    Along the years, as it happens with Deep Purple, there has been released more live material from the band. In 1990, it was released Live in Germany, a double CD from the Rainbow 1976 European tour (On stage was recorded in the Japanese tour).

    In January 1977, Jimmy Bain is fired.

    Images/scans available:

    JOHN CALE BAND 

    For a while, he played with John Cale, but I haven't details about the lineups. Help, please!

    He recorded a 12" EP with Cale, Animal justice. The musicians featured are: Chris Spedding (guitar), Ritchie Fliegler (guitar), Jimmy Bain (bass), Bruce Brody (keyboards), Kevin Currie (drums).

    Going solo 

    Around 1978, Jimmy Bain recorded some demos, produced by Matthew Fisher (from Procol Harum fame), but they still remain unreleased. A pity...

    THE GREEDY BASTARDS 

    This was a fun band, usually comprising members of the band Thin Lizzy. This was the lineup announced for a February 1978 gig:

    Finally, the gig was cancelled.

    A different lineup in July 1978 was:

    WILD HORSES 
    (scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

    The first news about Brian Robertson and Jimmy Bain making plans for a joint project, Wild Horses, arise in March 1977, a few months before Robertson leaves Thin Lizzy.

    In a very unknown episode, Jimmy McCulloch was for a very short time a part of Wild Horses.

    They were rehearsing for a while, but Jimmy was soon to be replaced by Neil Carter on early 1979. The drummer chosen is ex-Small Faces drummer, Kenny Jones: But Kenny Jones left them to join The Who, just when Wild Horses were to start a tour. So, they need to get a new drummer: But Dixie left them soon, and new drummer was Clive Edwards:
    (scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

    This was the lineup that recorded The first album. After several tours (where they had some special guests from time to time, such as Phil Lynott or Michael Schenker), Neil Carter left them in October 1980 to join UFO:


    (scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

    They released a 2nd album, Stand your ground. But the group's stability was damaged when Brian 'Robbo' Robertson and Clive Edwards left the band in June 1981. Jimmy Bain recruited new musicians in August 1981:

    But Reuben & Laurence Archer soon leave the band to form Stampede, and they finally split in October 1981.

    SCORPIONS 

    In a very confusing episode, I remember how I read in a magazine that Jimmy Bain and Bobby Rondinelli had joined Scorpions for their new studio album, thus considering Francis Buchholz and Herman Rarebell out of the band:

    But, according later magazines, they finally decided calling Francis and Herman back to the band. The album, Love at first sting, was finally released, and Bain and Rondinelli are not credited. But, many years later, I read in an interview that Bobby Rondinelli confirms the fact, and he says he still thinks some of the tracks in the album feature Jimmy and Bobby. Who knows the truth? :)

    PHIL LYNOTT BAND 

    During Thin Lizzy, Phil Lynott also made a short tour in December 1982, with this lineup:

    Yes, Jimmy Bain played as keyboardist in the tour! :) Many people don't know, but Jimmy is a very skilled keyboardist.

    I guess the missing member must be guitar player Gus Isidore, but I can't confirm it. Help, please!

    DIO 

    A great new band arises. Ronnie James Dio and Vinny Appice had just left Black Sabbath. Dio called his old mate Jimmy Bain, and they search for a new, young guitarist, who turned out to be the great Vivian Campbell. Originally called Bible Black, they changed their name to Dio (the band). They start this new venture around October 1982:

    They release a superb debut, Holy diver, a must in everybody's heavy collection. Everybody's playing here fantastically.

    In 1983, their lineup is augmented with keyboardist Claude Schnell for their first tour:


    (scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

    Their 2nd album is The last in line.

    This lineup also released a song, 'Hungry for heaven', in the soundtrack for the movie Vision quest (1985). Other artists appearing in the soundtrack: Journey, John Waite, Red Rider, Sammy Hagar, Foreigner, etc.


    (scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

    After their 3rd album, Sacred heart, Vivian Campbell leaves the band in March 1986, being replaced by Craig Goldie (from the band Driver).

    Their next work is a live mini-LP, Intermission.

    This lineup also released a song, 'Hide in the rainbow', in the soundtrack for the movie Iron Eagle (1986). Other artists appearing in the soundtrack: Queen, King Kobra (with Carmine Appice), Helix, Eric Martin, etc.


    (scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

    In 1987, they release Dream evil. But soon after, Ronnie James Dio started making lots of changes in the band. First to leave is Craig Goldie. After a long period, Dio chooses a very young player, Rowan Robertson:

    But very soon, Jimmy Bain and Claude Schnell also leave.

    CINDERELLA 

    In July 1988, while he still was a member of Dio, Jimmy lends a hand to the band Cinderella, as their bassist Eric Brittingham had a baby, and decided not to tour with them. So, Jimmy Bain is called to play the American tour:

    He was supposed to come back to Dio to record a new album during Christmas 1988.

    BAND OF THIEVES 

    Spanish edition of Metal Hammer magazine announced in November 1989 that Jimmy was playing with this band, but I can't find info on them! Help, please!

    WWIII 

    This was next project by Jimmy and Vinny Appice.

    They released a self-titled album, WWIII, including a cover of a T.Rex song, 'Children of the revolution'. But after some time, Bain and Appice leave the band.

    project with C.C. De Ville 

    Around February 1992, rock magazines told that guitarist C.C. De Ville (from Poison) had formed his own solo band, with:

    But I never heard about it again. Has anybody more info about it, please?

    DIO (again) 

    In 1992, after leaving Black Sabbath for a 2nd time, Dio and Vinny Appice call his old mate Jimmy Bain again, trying to resurrect Dio.

    They started looking for a guitarist, but in March 1993, Jimmy Bain is out of the band again.

    THE KEY 

    Next I heard about Jimmy was a new project called The Key, around 1996. Info needed, please!

    DIO (again!!) 

    And in 1999, it happens again. After different temptative lineups for recording a new studio album, Magica (at first, rumour had it about the album scheduled to be recorded with Aynsley Dunbar and Bob Daisley, although the musicians used were Bain and Wright), it finally marks Jimmy's return to Dio. In fact, all the musicians had been in Dio in the past.


    Sessions

    Press here to read about Jimmy Bain sessions

    Related links

    From the comprehensive Rockpalast site (by Michael Marsch), we have:
    Musicians mentioned in this page that I have projected to cover in my site someday: And short tributes to:

    Family tree

    Coming soon (I hope so!).


    Thanks section

    Very special thanks to: Soren Lindberg, for his very interesting info.

    Special thanks to: Alex Gitlin, for all his great help.


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    Page created by Miguel Terol on: 09/May/2000. Last modified on: 28/September/2000.