Rainbow Reissues
Ronnie James Dio is a name that links in every possible way to the world of heavy metal, not only for his solo work and his days with Black Sabbath, but largely for his time with Rainbow along with Ritche Blackmore. Synonymous with some of the most well recognised and regarded rock songs of the seventies and eighties, Rainbow pushed the boundaries of what people thought they knew about music, and developed a sound which hadn’t been come across until they burst onto the scene. To celebrate this massive impact, On Stage and Long Live Rock N’ Roll have been re-released as deluxe reissues, showcasing the best of Rainbow and showing us why they are as relevant today as they were back in the seventies.
On Stage presents us with a live album, originally released in 1977 and including recordings from German and Japanese dates in 1976 from their Rising world tour. Opening with Over the Rainbow (a nod to the film) we’re led through track after track of classic Rainbow, each one showing off the bands ability to perform live and to hammer out tracks which sound as fresh now as they did all that time ago. From the moment the band hit the stage it’s a captivating recording, each track seeming to showcase the bands ability, the musicians within the band, and the power that they were able to harness on a live stage. Stand out tracks include Man On The Silver Mountain, Starstruck, Kill The King and Do You Close Your Eyes – all tracks which (personally) demonstrate just how revolutionary a band Rainbow really were. The reissue includes a bonus disc featuring tracks from Osaka, once again adding to the collection of tracks which true fans will want to hear, and presenting us with yet more evidence of the bands ability to captivate and control their audience.
Ronnie James Dio may well have been a part of a lot of music over his time, but to me it will always be his days in Rainbow which were his finest. These were the times when he was setting out on his musical journey, honing his style and skills, and really building the reputation which lives on in music today. Add in Ritchie Blackmore and the result is, and always has been, something special, something which even on CD captures the magic within the band, and reminds us where the music we love today came from.
Long Live Rock N’ Roll is the third studio album from Rainbow, original released in 1978 and the final Rainbow album to feature Ronnie James Dio on vocals. I remember hearing this album whilst growing up and even then, sitting back and listening to the bands style and ability. Combining the captivating vocals of Dio with the musicianship of Blackmore, Powell, Stone and Daisley to once again create an album which has stood the test of time. Opening with title track Long Live Rock N’ Roll before treating us to, what many may consider, an almost ‘best of’ selection of tracks, this is an album which stands out as something every true rock and metal fan should own in their collection. Lady of the Lake flows into L.A. Connection, into Gates of Babylon and onto live classic, Kill the King. Finishing the album with Rainbow Eyes it’s an album which you want to hear all of, it would be impossible to pick a track to skip as simply, each one is as much of a classic as the one before.
The reissue on hand now also features a second disk, this time featuring rough mixes and live tracks from across 1977 and 1978. It’s incredible sitting and listening to the likes of Lady Of The Lake as a rough mix, hearing where the track came from and how they developed it into the finished product. There’s also rough mixes of Kill The King and Long Live Rock N’ Roll (amongst others) as well as live tracks from the Don Kirschner Show (1978), presenting us with a complete collection of this era of the band. To me, it’s tracks like these which make these reissue albums so special as they show us the other side of the band, the side that makes them human, and the side which allows us to see that they were just a band who just happened to understand their music and what the audience wanted at that moment in time.
The two reissues we’ve got on hand here are both special albums in their own right, but the extra tracks included here propel them to a new level, showing us a side to the band that we’ve not seen before, and reminding us why they hold such a special place in our hearts. There isn’t a single person out there who can deny the influence that Rainbow have had on modern rock and metal, but for those who don’t yet know why they’ve impacted the way they have – listen to these albums and you’ll understand.
Words: Dave Nicholls
On Stage presents us with a live album, originally released in 1977 and including recordings from German and Japanese dates in 1976 from their Rising world tour. Opening with Over the Rainbow (a nod to the film) we’re led through track after track of classic Rainbow, each one showing off the bands ability to perform live and to hammer out tracks which sound as fresh now as they did all that time ago. From the moment the band hit the stage it’s a captivating recording, each track seeming to showcase the bands ability, the musicians within the band, and the power that they were able to harness on a live stage. Stand out tracks include Man On The Silver Mountain, Starstruck, Kill The King and Do You Close Your Eyes – all tracks which (personally) demonstrate just how revolutionary a band Rainbow really were. The reissue includes a bonus disc featuring tracks from Osaka, once again adding to the collection of tracks which true fans will want to hear, and presenting us with yet more evidence of the bands ability to captivate and control their audience.
Ronnie James Dio may well have been a part of a lot of music over his time, but to me it will always be his days in Rainbow which were his finest. These were the times when he was setting out on his musical journey, honing his style and skills, and really building the reputation which lives on in music today. Add in Ritchie Blackmore and the result is, and always has been, something special, something which even on CD captures the magic within the band, and reminds us where the music we love today came from.
Long Live Rock N’ Roll is the third studio album from Rainbow, original released in 1978 and the final Rainbow album to feature Ronnie James Dio on vocals. I remember hearing this album whilst growing up and even then, sitting back and listening to the bands style and ability. Combining the captivating vocals of Dio with the musicianship of Blackmore, Powell, Stone and Daisley to once again create an album which has stood the test of time. Opening with title track Long Live Rock N’ Roll before treating us to, what many may consider, an almost ‘best of’ selection of tracks, this is an album which stands out as something every true rock and metal fan should own in their collection. Lady of the Lake flows into L.A. Connection, into Gates of Babylon and onto live classic, Kill the King. Finishing the album with Rainbow Eyes it’s an album which you want to hear all of, it would be impossible to pick a track to skip as simply, each one is as much of a classic as the one before.
The reissue on hand now also features a second disk, this time featuring rough mixes and live tracks from across 1977 and 1978. It’s incredible sitting and listening to the likes of Lady Of The Lake as a rough mix, hearing where the track came from and how they developed it into the finished product. There’s also rough mixes of Kill The King and Long Live Rock N’ Roll (amongst others) as well as live tracks from the Don Kirschner Show (1978), presenting us with a complete collection of this era of the band. To me, it’s tracks like these which make these reissue albums so special as they show us the other side of the band, the side that makes them human, and the side which allows us to see that they were just a band who just happened to understand their music and what the audience wanted at that moment in time.
The two reissues we’ve got on hand here are both special albums in their own right, but the extra tracks included here propel them to a new level, showing us a side to the band that we’ve not seen before, and reminding us why they hold such a special place in our hearts. There isn’t a single person out there who can deny the influence that Rainbow have had on modern rock and metal, but for those who don’t yet know why they’ve impacted the way they have – listen to these albums and you’ll understand.
Words: Dave Nicholls