Jimmy Bain

Scottish bassist (1947–2016)

This article is about the rock musician. For other persons with similar names, see James Bain (disambiguation).

Jimmy Bain

Bain performing in 1983

Background information
Birth name| James Stewart Bain
Born| (1947-12-19)19 December 1947
Newtonmore, Highland, Scotland
Died| 23 January 2016(2016-01-23) (aged 68)
The Bahamas
Genres|

* Hard rock
* blues rock
* heavy metal

Occupations|

* Musician
* songwriter
* singer

Instruments|

* Bass
* keyboards
* vocals
* guitar

Years active| 1975–2016

Musical artist

James Stewart Bain (19 December 1947 – 23 January 2016)[1] was a Scottish musician, best known for playing bass guitar in the bands Rainbow and Dio.[2] He also worked with Kate Bush and Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott, co-writing on his solo albums.

## Early life

[edit]

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Bain was born in Newtonmore, Badenoch and Strathspey, Highland, and played in several provincial amateur bands as a young teen. His parents and older brothers relocated to Vancouver. By this point, he was playing professionally in Street Noise. However, he did join his family for a brief stay in Canada. Before returning to Scotland, getting his band Harlot and then hitting the London music scene, Bain joined Harlot in early 1974, after turning down a job with The Babys.

## Career

[edit]

### Early career

[edit]

Bain was asked to join Rainbow after Ritchie Blackmore had watched him performing at The Marquee in London. He recorded the studio album Rising with them and played on their following world tour. While on the tour, he played on Rainbow's first live album, On Stage.[3] In January 1977, Bain was sacked from the band. He then toured Europe with John Cale.

### Wild Horses

[edit]

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

In 1978, Bain formed a band called Wild Horses. Jimmy was the lead vocalist, songwriter, as well as bassist for the band, which also included ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian Robertson, drummer Clive Edwards (Pat Travers, Uli Jon Roth's Electric Sun) and guitarist Neil Carter (who went on to UFO and Gary Moore). Wild Horses released two albums on EMI in Europe, Wild Horses (1980) and Stand Your Ground (1981), the latter featuring John Lockton (ex-The Next Band) in place of Carter, before Robertson and Edwards both left in June 1981. Robertson joined Motörhead the following year while Edwards joined former Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden's S.O.S.

Bain regrouped Wild Horses as a five-piece with ex-Lautrec members Reuben Archer (vocals) and Laurence Archer (guitar), and The Next Band's Frank Noon (drums), but they disbanded shortly after. Jimmy then worked with the former Family main-man Roger Chapman, Roy Harper, Gary Moore, and Kate Bush (on 1982's The Dreaming).

Bain co-wrote with his close friend Phil Lynott for the Lizzy man's two solo albums. A keyboard player as well as a bassist, he toured the material playing keyboards with Lynott's band. Their song, "Old Town" was re-recorded by The Corrs in 1999, and became a big hit worldwide.

He was secretly brought in by the German hard rockers Scorpions to play bass guitar on their 1984 album Love at First Sting. The leader of the band, rhythm guitarist Rudolf Schenker, wanted him to join the Scorpions as full-time bassist, but their management wanted to keep the line-up German, so Francis Buchholz was brought back and Bain's bass tracks were said to be deleted.[citation needed]

### Dio

[edit]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

In late 1982, Bain linked up again with ex-Rainbow vocalist Ronnie James Dio for the band Dio. A central figure within Dio, Bain co-wrote "Rainbow in the Dark", "Holy Diver" and two additional songs which appear on their 1983 released first album, Holy Diver.[3] Bain co-wrote several other songs for the following albums, The Last in Line (1984), Sacred Heart (1985), Intermission (1986), Dream Evil (1987) and Killing the Dragon (2002).[4]

In the mid-1980s, when the entertainment community became active in drawing attention to world charities, Bain founded Hear 'n Aid, a foundation in which he could involve the rock community to help eliminate world hunger. He also co-wrote the song, "Stars," with Vivian Campbell and Ronnie James Dio, which became the Heavy Rock world's answer to "We Are The World". "Stars" provided a major contribution to the famine relief charity appeal. Bain donated all of his shares of the proceeds to one of his favourite charities, Children of the Night.

In autumn 1989, Bain formed a band with vocalist Mandy Lion called World War III, but after their 1990 eponymous debut album, the band floundered. Bain's solo project The Key utilised a far more melodic and commercial approach. Guitarist on the project was Tracy G, borrowed from Dio's band, who was also the guitarist for World War III. Ronnie James Dio's concept project Magica (2000) saw Bain's return to the Dio lineup, and he played on the albums Magica and Killing the Dragon.

In 2005, Bain again joined forces with former Black Sabbath and Dio drummer, Vinny Appice, for two projects, The Hollywood All Starz and 3 Legged Dogg. While the Hollywood All Starz performed live concerts featuring greatest hits sets of the individual members, (Carlos Cavazo of Quiet Riot was another notable member of the band), 3 Legged Dogg produced a well received album of original material. In an interview with journalist, David Lee Wilson, Bain lamented Appice's eventual choice to leave both these groups so that he could tour with Ronnie James Dio in the Black Sabbath offshoot, Heaven and Hell.

### Later career

[edit]

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Bain toured with Hollywood Allstarz, a supergroup featuring a number of 1980s metal stars. The group has included former members of Giuffria, Quiet Riot, and Lynch Mob. The band Last in Line was put together in 2013 comprising Bain, Viv Campbell, Vinny Appice, Claude Schnell and Andrew Freeman. That line-up (excluding singer Freeman) were the original songwriters and performers on the early classic Dio albums, and so intended to play gigs and to perform those songs. Bain was in court-mandated rehabilitation during the recording sessions for their album Heavy Crown with a curfew that ordered that he return daily before 10 p.m.[5]

## Personal life

[edit]

In 1979, Bain married Lady Sophia Crichton-Stuart, daughter of John Crichton-Stuart, 6th Marquess of Bute.[6] They had one daughter, Samantha Ella Bain, born in 1981 (for whom Phil Lynott and John Sykes' song "Samantha" was written).[7]

## Death

[edit]

On 23 January 2016, Jimmy Bain died while in his cabin on Def Leppard's "Hysteria on the High Seas" cruise. He was due to perform on the cruise with his group Last In Line the following day.[8][9] The performance did not go ahead, and band members informed fans on the cruise that he had been battling pneumonia for some time. The cause of death was determined to be lung cancer. Bain had not been diagnosed with cancer and was aware only of his pneumonia.[10] He is interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills), not far from his bandmate Ronnie James Dio.

## Discography

[edit]

### With Rainbow

[edit]

* Rising (1976)
* On Stage (1977)
* Live in Germany (1990, recorded September 1976)

### With Mike Montgomery

[edit]

* Solo (1976)

### With David Kubinec

[edit]

* Some Things Never Change (1978)

### With Thin Lizzy

[edit]

* Black Rose: A Rock Legend (1979)

### With Phil Lynott

[edit]

* Solo in Soho (1980)
* The Philip Lynott Album (1982)

### With Kate Bush

[edit]

* The Dreaming (1982)

### With Wild Horses

[edit]

* Wild Horses (1980)
* Stand Your Ground (1981)

### With Gary Moore

[edit]

* Dirty Fingers (1983)

### With Dio

[edit]

* Holy Diver (1983)
* The Last in Line (1984)
* Sacred Heart (1985)
* Intermission (1986)
* Dream Evil (1987)
* Magica (2000)
* Killing the Dragon (2002)

### With World War III

[edit]

* World War III (1991)

### With 3 Legged Dogg

[edit]

* Frozen Summer (2006)

### With Last in Line

[edit]

* Heavy Crown (2016)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Hell-raising bassist with Rainbow who married into the aristocracy". The Independent. 25 March 2016. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
2. ^ Prato, Greg. "Biography: Dio". Allmusic. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
3. ^ a b Kreps, Daniel (24 January 2016). "Jimmy Bain, Bassist for Dio and Rainbow, Dead at 68". Rolling Stone. ISSN 0035-791X. Archived from the original on 30 September 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
4. ^ "Former Rainbow/Dio Bassist Jimmy Bain Dead At 68 - Blabbermouth.net". Blabbermouth.net. 24 January 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
5. ^ Gary Graff (18 February 2016). "Vivian Campbell Ponders Future of Last In Line After Bassist Dies Before Debut Album Drops". Billboard. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
6. ^ "Jimmy Bain, Obit". The Herald. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
7. ^ Byrne, Alan (1 February 2006). Thin Lizzy. SAF Publishing Ltd. p. 237\. ISBN 0946719810.
8. ^ "Jimmy Bain, Scots musician with Dio and Rainbow, dies at 68". Scotsman.com. 24 January 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
9. ^ "Obituary: Jimmy Bain, musician". Scotsman.com. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
10. ^ "Dio / Rainbow Bassist Jimmy Bain Died of Lung Cancer". Loudwire.com. February 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2016.

## External links

[edit]

* 2007 audio interview with Jimmy Bain on YouTube
* Jimmy Bain at IMDb
* Jimmy Bain discography at Discogs

* v
* t
* e

Dio

* Ronnie James Dio
* Vinny Appice
* Jimmy Bain
* Jake E. Lee
* Vivian Campbell
* Claude Schnell
* Craig Goldy
* Simon Wright
* Rowan Robertson
* Jens Johansson
* Scott Warren
* Tracy G
* Jeff Pilson
* Doug Aldrich
* Rudy Sarzo

Studio albums|

* Holy Diver
* The Last in Line
* Sacred Heart
* Dream Evil
* Lock Up the Wolves
* Strange Highways
* Angry Machines
* Magica
* Killing the Dragon
* Master of the Moon

Live albums|

* Intermission
* Inferno: Last in Live
* Evil or Divine: Live in New York City
* Holy Diver: Live
* At Donington UK: Live 1983 & 1987
* Live in London, Hammersmith Apollo 1993

Compilations|

* Diamonds: The Best of Dio
* The Very Beast of Dio
* The Very Beast of Dio Vol. 2

Singles|

* "Holy Diver"
* "Rainbow in the Dark"
* "The Last in Line"
* "Rock 'n' Roll Children"
* "Hungry for Heaven"
* "King of Rock and Roll"
* "Electra"

Videos|

* A Special from the Spectrum
* Sacred Heart "The Video"
* Time Machine
* Evil or Divine: Live in New York City
* We Rock
* Holy Diver: Live
* Live in London, Hammersmith Apollo 1993

Related bands|

* Black Sabbath
* Elf
* Hear 'n Aid
* Heaven & Hell
* Last in Line
* Rainbow

Tribute albums|

* Holy Dio: Tribute to Ronnie James Dio
* Dio (Jorn album)
* Ronnie James Dio – This Is Your Life
* The Dio Album

* Discography
* Members

* v
* t
* e

Rainbow

* Ritchie Blackmore
* Candice Night
* Jens Johansson
* David Keith
* Bob Nouveau

* Ronnie James Dio
* Gary Driscoll
* Craig Gruber
* Micky Lee Soule
* Cozy Powell
* Jimmy Bain
* Mark Clarke
* Tony Carey
* David Stone
* Bob Daisley
* Roger Glover
* Don Airey
* Graham Bonnet
* Joe Lynn Turner
* Bobby Rondinelli
* David Rosenthal
* Chuck Burgi
* Paul Morris
* Greg Smith
* Doogie White
* John O'Reilly
* John Miceli
* Ronnie Romero

Studio albums|

* Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
* Rising
* Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
* Down to Earth
* Difficult to Cure
* Straight Between the Eyes
* Bent Out of Shape
* Stranger in Us All

EPs|

* Jealous Lover

Live albums|

* On Stage
* Finyl Vinyl
* Live in Germany 1976 / Live in Europe
* Deutschland Tournee 1976
* Live in Munich 1977

Compilation albums|

* The Best of Rainbow
* The Very Best of Rainbow
* 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Rainbow
* Pot of Gold
* All Night Long: An Introduction
* Catch the Rainbow: The Anthology
* Winning Combinations: Deep Purple and Rainbow

Video albums|

* Live in Munich 1977

Songs|

* "Man on the Silver Mountain"
* "Stargazer"
* "Since You Been Gone"
* "All Night Long"
* "I Surrender"
* "Stone Cold"
* "Street of Dreams"

Related articles|

* Discography
* Members
* Blackmore's Night
* Elf
* Deep Purple
* Black Sabbath
* Whitesnake
* Dio
* Heaven & Hell
* Yngwie Malmsteen
* Elegant Weapons

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* France
* BnF data
* Italy
* Czech Republic
* Spain
* Norway
* Finland

Artists|

* MusicBrainz

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template