Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow

by Rainbow

Overview

Perhaps the first example of "dragon rock" -- a style perfected by bands like Iron Maiden and Dio in the early to mid-'80s -- was Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, a rather pretentious 1975 collection from the guitarist's first post-Deep Purple project. Fittingly enough, a young Ronnie James Dio provides the goblin-like frontman presence required by the increasingly Baroque Blackmore. The young Dio is at his best when he fully gives in to his own and Blackmore's medieval fantasy leanings, in hard-rocking tracks like "Sixteenth Century Greensleeves" and "Man on the Silver Mountain." The dark, trudging doom rock of "Self Portrait" most clearly showcases what they were capable of. The album's ponderous lyrics are occasionally punctuated by poetic phrases such as "crossbows in the firelight." Rainbow become a true embarrassment when they try to lighten up and boogie down. "If You Don't Like Rock ]n' Roll" is really an abomination, a pale imitation of second-rate radio-rockers like BTO. Although Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow provides a few listenable tracks, its primary value is historical. Look to Rainbow's next album, Rainbow Rising (1976), to grasp the heavy metal potential that is only hinted at here. ~ David L. Kent-Abbott

Product Details

Release Date:	04/27/1999
Label:	Polydor
UPC:	0731454736022
Rank:	32212

Tracks

1. Man on the Silver Mountain
2. Self Portrait
3. Black Sheep of the Family
4. Catch the Rainbow
5. Snake Charmer
6. The Temple of the King
7. If You Don't Like Rock 'N' Roll
8. Sixteenth Century Greensleeves
9. Still I'm Sad

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Rainbow   Primary Artist
Micky Lee Soule   Piano,Clavinet,Keyboards,Mellotron,Organ
Gary Driscoll   Drums
Ritchie Blackmore   Bass,Guitar
Ronnie James Dio   Vocals
Craig Gruber   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Shoshana   Vocals

Technical Credits

David Willardson   Cover Design
Steve Hammond   Composer
James McCarty   Composer
Jim McCarty   Composer
Martin Birch   Mixing,Producer
Ted Nugent   Composer
Ritchie Blackmore   Composer,Producer
Ronnie James Dio   Composer,Producer
Dennis M. Drake   Mastering
Fin Costello   Cover Design
Paul Samwell-Smith   Composer