Veteran rock drummer Vinny Appice — he performed with the heavy metal legend Ronnie James Dio in the bands Dio, Black Sabbath and Heaven & Hell — has lashed out at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for not including more of the late singer in its museum.
In fact, he called the institution “fucking assholes.”
After all, the Rock Hall has a history of what many of us metal fans perceive as snubs to our favorite music. The Hall will finally include metal pioneers Judas Priest just this year, and in what some see as a rather backhanded way.
As Appice shared with Talkin’ Bout Rock this month, he clearly feels the same way about its treatment of Dio.
“They’re a bunch of fucking assholes,” Appice said of the Rock Hall, according to Metal Injection. “I mean, Sabbath wasn’t in it for how long? They [finally] got in it [16 years ago].”
The drummer continued, “I’ve been to that place, and there wasn’t really much of Ronnie in there either. It’s like, Ronnie? C’mon! Rainbow, ‘Man on the Silver Mountain,’ ‘Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll.’ And then Sabbath, the Heaven and Hell album and the rest of the albums we did, and then Dio, and he’s only [featured in the Rock Hall with] this 12-inch square placemat or something.”
Appice added, “They don’t mention me. Hey, you know what? I’ve been around. … I’m still around from all these years. [But] I guess it doesn’t count for anything.”
This year, the Rock Hall’s performer inductees are Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie and Carly Simon. On top of Priest, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis will also receive the Musical Excellence Award. The induction ceremony takes place Nov. 5 in Los Angeles. The Rock Hall’s 2021 inductees were Foo Fighters, The Go-Go’s, Jay-Z, Carole King, Todd Rundgren and Tina Turner.
Other metal backlash against the Hall has included singer Corey Taylor claiming his band Slipknot would reject a nomination. KISS figurehead Gene Simmons called it “disgusting” that Iron Maiden aren’t inducted.
Vinny Appice on Talkin’ Bout Rock – Sept. 11, 2022
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