\u201cIt\u2019s an awful thing,\u201d Appice said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s pretty popular right now, let\u2019s put it that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
His comments come as health experts continue to track a troubling trend: more young individuals are being diagnosed with cancer despite overall improvements in detection and treatment over the past few decades.<\/p>\n
![\"Vinny](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/92d2e72eec784b7c452e06c93162f41f.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Vinny Appice and Phil Soussan of Last in Line perform onstage at the NI Music Awards.Photo by Carrie Davenport/Redferns<\/p>\n
Appice, known for his work with iconic bands like Black Sabbath, Dio and Heaven & Hell, pointed to possible environmental factors behind the increase in cancer diagnoses. While he admitted uncertainty, he shared personal observations and concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably all the junk in the air and the food and the water and all that stuff, so who knows\u2026\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He also spoke about seeing unusual patterns in the sky, referencing what some call \u201cchemtrails.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, scientists explain that these are actually contrails\u2014condensed water vapor from airplane engines at high altitudes. Studies and agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency<\/a> have clarified that there is no verified evidence supporting claims that these trails are harmful chemical releases.<\/p>\n Despite differing views, Appice\u2019s main concern remains clear: more people are getting sick, and it\u2019s happening earlier in life.<\/p>\n Cancer has already left a lasting mark on his journey. Ronnie James Dio, his longtime collaborator and friend, passed away from stomach cancer, a disease that often shows symptoms only in its later stages, making it harder to treat.<\/p>\n For Appice, the loss of Dio is not just a chapter in rock history, it\u2019s personal.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s kind of a sad ending,\u201d he said while reflecting on their final years together in Heaven & Hell. \u201cBut I\u2019m glad we got to do it [and that we\u2019re] putting this out, being Ronnie\u2019s last [album].\u201d<\/p>\n The two musicians shared decades of music<\/a> and friendship<\/a>. From their time in Black Sabbath during the early 1980s to forming Dio and later reuniting under Heaven & Hell, their bond was strong both on and off stage.<\/p>\n Appice described their creative process as natural and joyful. \u201cWe were just having a great time,\u201d he said of recording classic albums like Holy Diver. \u201cWe didn\u2019t sit there and go, \u2018Let\u2019s make an album that\u2019s going to last 45 years.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Their final project together, The Devil You Know, was released in 2009, just a year before Dio\u2019s passing. Plans for more music and tours were cut short when the singer became ill.<\/p>\n Even today, Appice keeps Dio\u2019s memory alive. \u201cHe\u2019s always in my heart,\u201d he shared. \u201cI always think about him and maybe crank up a Dio song or something.\u201d<\/p>\n Now 68, Appice remains active in the music world. From performing with tribute projects to teaching drum clinics, he continues to influence new generations<\/a> of musicians.<\/p>\n He recently celebrated the release of Breaking Out of Heaven, a box set that highlights the final years of Heaven & Hell. The collection serves as both a tribute to Dio and a reminder of the band\u2019s powerful legacy.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I saw the package, I didn\u2019t know that we had that much stuff,\u201d Appice admitted to Loud Wire<\/a>. \u201cThis is more of a celebration\u2014it\u2019s bringing it to the front.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond the stage, Appice\u2019s reflections show a deeper message: life is fragile and health challenges can affect anyone, even rock legends.<\/p>\n Related: Iconic \u201970s Rocker Addresses Bandmate\u2019s Maternity Leave Amid 2026 Tour<\/a><\/p>\n This story was originally published by Parade<\/a> on Apr 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the Celebs<\/a> section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Legendary hard rock musician Vinny Appice is speaking out about the growing impact of cancer, a disease that…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":577619,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[88,253660,216,8809,253659,25980],"class_list":{"0":"post-577618","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-music","8":"tag-entertainment","9":"tag-heaven-hell","10":"tag-music","11":"tag-ronnie-james-dio","12":"tag-stomach-cancer","13":"tag-vinny-appice"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/577618","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=577618"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/577618\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/577619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=577618"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=577618"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=577618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}