Last in Line, featuring former Dio members, and Lynch Mob come to Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe on March 22
From a press release:
Following many shows in Stroudsburg, it was announced today that Last in Line, a heavy metal band formed by the original core lineup of Dio’s 1984 album “The Last in Line,” will perform at Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe on Sunday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m. with special guests Lynch Mob, which features former Dokken guitarist George Lynch.
Tickets for the Penn’s Peak show, which are $24 in advance or $29 the day of the show, go on sale this Saturday, Jan. 18 at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster outlets, the Penn’s Peak box office (325 Maury Rd., Jim Thorpe), and Roadies Restaurant and Bar (325 Maury Rd., Jim Thorpe). Penn’s Peak box office and Roadies Restaurant ticket sales are walk-up only; no phone orders.
Drummer Vinny Appice, bassist Jimmy Bain, and guitarist Vivian Campbell – Ronnie James Dio’s co-conspirators and co-writers on the albums “Holy Diver,” “Last in Line,” and “Sacred Heart” – formed Last in Line with esteemed vocalist Andrew Freeman in 2011. Their debut album, “Heavy Crown,” was released in February of 2016, landing at No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. Initially, the release was preceded by tragedy when Bain unexpectedly passed away at the age of 68 on Jan. 23, 2016. Last in Line, honoring what they knew would be Bain’s wish to keep the band moving, brought in renowned bassist Phil Soussan (ex-Ozzy Osbourne) and committed to sustained touring in support of the album, hitting festivals, headlining clubs, and sharing the stage with metal luminaries such as Saxon and Megadeth.
In late 2017, the band gathered in Los Angles to start the recording of the second album, which was produced by the band members and Jeff Pilson (Foreigner, Dokken, The End Machine), who also produced the debut album. Having really gelled as a band while touring in support of the first album, the songwriting on the aptly named “II” came readily to them, creating a record that shows a big progression in sound while immediately being recognizable as Last in Line thanks to Appice’s rhythms, thunderous bass from Soussan, amazing vocals from Freeman, and the roaring guitars of Campbell.
“The musical style of ‘II’ is different from ‘Heavy Crown,’ but it wasn’t something that we planned to do,” Campbell explained. “Phil is a more intricate player than Jimmy was and that, together with the natural growth and development of the band, led us to the songs on the album. As always, we simply started to jam on ideas and see where they led us. But it’s fair to say that the songs on this album sound more developed, with more parts and more experimentation than the songs on ‘Heavy Crown.’ The first album set a tone, but on ‘II,’ we developed that idea and took it to the next logical stage.”
On the sound of the new record and songwriting process, Appice said, “I always sound like me. Viv and I have been playing together for years and have the same feel and pulse and attitude. Now with Phil on bass, he allows a more melodic approach on the bass parts, making the songs even more interesting. He fits in perfectly being from the same musical family and time as me and Viv. Mr. Freeman sings from his soul and completes the band’s sound with his melodies and amazing range.”
“The songwriting process was the same as Dio’s ‘Holy Diver,'” he continued. “First, we have fun writing together. We get in a room and jam on riffs and chords until we hit on something good, then continue to build it into a song. Andy puts his magic on it and it all works out very well.”
Asked about the first single, “Landslide,” Freeman said, “‘Landslide’ was the first song we wrote for this record. It was really easy to write, as all of the parts fell into place quickly. The title ‘Landslide’ is a metaphor relating to the day to day struggles that we all go through as people. Trying to keep on course when dealing with adversity, manipulation through media, and leadership. It’s meant to inspire strength and resolve.”
“[It] was refreshing to be able to write songs in such an organic fashion – by jamming and developing ideas as a group, without bringing in preconceived songs – something I haven’t done for ages. The result was a true collaboration, a concept that is so rare these days!” Soussan added, speaking about how it was joining Last in Line and the development of the songs.
“Vinny has a unique style of drumming that, beyond keeping beats, inspires riffs and arrangements, and Vivian has a way of playing that has a conviction to every note. He is able to turn every riff into a signature. Andrew was creative and unrestricted, focusing his contemporary influences into vocal stylings and hooks that are outside the classic rock clichés. He is very much a perfectionist. Beyond trying to remain true to Jimmy’s playing and to the heritage of the relationship between Viv and Vinny, everyone was completely open to exploring any possible idea. I am honestly prouder of our efforts on this album than anything in which I have been involved in for a very long time. With ‘II,’ I would like to think that we have stretched out from ‘Heavy Crown’ to test some uncharted waters… the evolution of Last in Line!”
“II” was released on Feb. 22, 2019 via Frontiers Records.
George Lynch came to fame in the 1980s through his work as the lead guitarist in the band Dokken. Dokken had a string of successful platinum albums, including “Under Lock and Key” and “Back for the Attack,” both of which featured Lynch’s inventive and intricate guitar work, including his signature instrumental track “Mr. Scary.”
Lynch Mob was formed in 1989 from the ashes of Dokken. The band’s original lineup also featured Dokken’s drummer, Mick Brown. The first Lynch Mob album was released in 1990, titled “Wicked Sensation,” peaking at No. 46 on the U.S. Charts. Subsequent releases included “Lynch Mob” (1992), “Smoke This” (1999), “REvolution” (2003), and “Smoke and Mirrors” (2009).
In 2012, Lynch Mob released “Sound Mountain Sessions,” which included original Lynch Mob vocalist Oni Logan as well as bassist Robbie Crane (Ratt, Vince Neil, Black Star Riders) and drummer Scot Coogan (Ace Frehley, Brides of Destruction, Lita Ford).
In 2013, Lynch Mob released “Unplugged: Live from Sugar Hill Studios” (Rat Pak Records), an all‐acoustic performance of their classic hits. That same year, the band hit No. 6 on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart with the critically acclaimed album “Sun Red Sun” (Rat Pak Records). “Sun Red Sun” was their 11th release and was written and recorded with the same lineup as the “Sound Mountain Sessions” EP. It once again highlights the unique pairing of Oni Logan and George Lynch and showcases their ever-evolving songwriting abilities.
Nominated for a Grammy Award, George Lynch has been voted “Best Rock Guitar Player” countless times, has a signature line of guitars and amps with ESP and Randall, had video hits on MTV with “Wicked Sensation” and “Burning Like a Flame,” played a featured guitar solo on Hear ‘n Aid song “Stars” with Ronnie James Dio, and performed on the soundtrack for “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.”
