Rainbow Rising: Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow

LONG LIVE ROCK 'n' ROLL because it's time for some DOWN TO EARTH Hard Rock from RITCHIE BLACKMORE'S RAINBOW. Ritchie Blackmore (born 1945) - the legendary "Man in Black" - quickly became a RISING star of the guitar when he joined Deep Purple way back in 1968. Who can forget the now infamous California Jam episode in 1974 when he nearly hit the poor cameraman STRAIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES in a fit of anger, and his guitar ended up being BENT OUT OF SHAPE after being smashed against the amps ON STAGE. Ritchie Blackmore's famously fiery temper may have been DIFFICULT TO CURE, but there's a STRANGER IN US ALL and there's an altogether gentler side to his nature. Who would have guessed Ritchie Blackmore would mellow out in his later years by going on to form the Folk-Rock band Blackmore's Night in 1997 with his American wife Candice Night.

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - December 20 2023 at 16:23

Raff wrote: Love all the Dio albums, and like the one with Graham Bonnet (Down to Earth). Never managed to get into the later albums - mostly because I cannot stand Joe Lynn Turner's vocals. I haven't heard the very last one, though I believe it was recorded with a different vocalist.

^ I like the Rainbow Rising album best of all too.

chopper wrote: Lost interest in them after Ronnie left, Rising is the bet by a mile with the debut and LLRNR about equal. I don't really listen to the live album much now. I saw them play at the Rainbow once!

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - July 20 2020 at 03:48

chopper wrote: The problem with Rainbow was it was pretty much the Richie and Ronnie show. Cozy Powell was a good enough drummer to get a look in but the bass and keyboards were always mixed down. When I saw them at the Rainbow the keyboard player was behind a pillar so you couldn't see or hear him.

NotAProghead wrote: Psychedelic Paul wrote: I wasn't even aware Rainbow had a keyboard player when I saw them Live in Leicester.   Have you tried to listen to the albums? Some keyboard sounds are clearly heard on them.

NotAProghead wrote: ^ I found it was "Difficult to Cure" tour, thus the singer was Joe Lynn Turner. It's very strange to miss a keyboard player because keyboards were always a big part of Rainbow sound.

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - July 20 2020 at 17:34

Tom Ozric wrote: Tony Carey and his mini-moog. Who could miss that ?? Tarot Woman all the way !!

Raff wrote: Love all the Dio albums, and like the one with Graham Bonnet (Down to Earth). Never managed to get into the later albums - mostly because I cannot stand Joe Lynn Turner's vocals. I haven't heard the very last one, though I believe it was recorded with a different vocalist.

Cactus Choir wrote: My three favourite Rainbow albums are Rising, Long Live Rock and Roll and Down to Earth which are all excellent and, maybe not coincidentally, feature the great Cozy Powell. His drumming really powered the band along I think and it was a big loss when he left. Joe Lynn Turner was okay but his vocals were not as distinctive as Dio or Graham Bonnet. They also seemed to get more AOR oriented, probably encouraged by the hit singles from Down To Earth.