01 Tarot Woman
02 Run With The Wolf
03 Starstruck
04 Do You Close Your Eyes
05 Stargazer
06 Light In The Black
Rainbow’s debut album, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, was released on 4 August 1975 to modest success. Reviewers praised aspects of the record but often criticised its lack of energy, comparing it with Stormbringer, Deep Purple’s then-most recent album, a work English band leader and guitarist Ritchie Blackmore despised for its funk and soul leanings.
The album featured guest vocals from Blackmore’s girlfriend, Shoshana Feinstein, though their intense relationship ended abruptly in May 1975. Distraught, Blackmore retreated to his new home in Hollywood, immersing himself in alcohol and parties. With his life increasingly based in California, it was natural for the band to relocate from New York City to Los Angeles to rehearse for their upcoming tour. Management booked a rehearsal space at Pirate Sound Studios in Los Angeles, but Blackmore soon grew dissatisfied with the musicians, members of Ronnie James Dio’s former band Elf, criticising their sound and stage presence. Dio alone earned his full respect, thanks to his vocal power, creativity, and shared interests in classical music, medieval lore, and the occult.
Bassist Craig Gruber was the first to go, quickly replaced by Jimmy Bain of the unsigned Scottish band Harlot, whom Blackmore and Dio had seen performing at The Marquee in London. Soon after Bain's arrival, drummer Gary Driscoll was dismissed and keyboardist Mickey Lee Soule departed voluntarily. Dio, though regretful about the purge of his former bandmates, accepted its necessity and assisted in recruiting replacements. Auditions in Los Angeles took the form of extended jam sessions designed to test stamina and chemistry with Blackmore. The English drummer Cozy Powell, who was the thirteenth to audition, proved exceptional and was immediately hired. Renowned for his work with the Jeff Beck Group and Bedlam, as well as two UK hit singles, Powell had been considering a career shift to professional motor racing in Europe when Blackmore called. Despite inevitable clashes, his forceful personality and a similar sense of humour allowed him to coexist with the mercurial guitarist for five years. Several keyboardists were considered, including Eddie Jobson of Curved Air and Roxy Music, but the spot ultimately went to the young American Tony Carey. Bain had discovered him in a nearby studio, and during his audition, Carey impressed everyone by trading note for note with Blackmore, earning an immediate place in the band.
With the line-up complete, Rainbow returned to Pirate Sound to rehearse and write new material. In the same facility, Deep Purple were preparing their US tour with new guitarist Tommy Bolin, forcing the manager to schedule sessions carefully to avoid Blackmore’s meeting with his former bandmates. Visitors included members of Bad Company, as well as Robert Plant and John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, who occasionally joined the jams. Rainbow made their live debut on 10 November 1975 in Montreal, Canada, followed by a twelve-date US tour featuring songs from their debut and new compositions "Do You Close Your Eyes", "Stargazer", and "A Light in the Black". On stage, the centrepiece was a vast, 40-foot illuminated rainbow, powered by 3,000 lightbulbs. Though visually striking, it often interfered with the guitars and amplifiers, causing frequent disruptions.
Blackmore and Dio began collaborating when Elf supported Deep Purple on the Stormbringer tour. Blackmore found the partnership "refreshing" and natural, as both shared an interest in classical and folk music. Dio could seamlessly weave his vocal melodies and lyrics into Blackmore’s riffs, some of which originated in the guitarist’s live improvisations with Deep Purple. Together they wrote all the material for Rainbow’s debut, presenting the finished songs to the other Elf members only at the recording stage. The guitarist's original intention for the music of Rainbow was "to carry on and expand upon the essence of Deep Purple – aggressiveness – and at the same time add a kind of medieval feel to it."
For Rainbow’s second album, Blackmore’s mood and listening habits deeply shaped the music. During his California retreat, he immersed himself in classical and medieval works and even learnt cello from his friend Hugh McDowell of the Electric Light Orchestra, an instrument he felt mirrored his lonely, melancholic state. Blackmore was also stung by critics who claimed the debut lacked intensity and set out to prove his point to the press and his former bandmates.
When rehearsals with the new line-up began in September 1975, Blackmore and Dio already had ideas, but unlike the debut, they encouraged the musicians to improvise in extended jam sessions. This freer process birthed the album’s centerpiece, the "Kashmir"-inspired "Stargazer". Originating from a cello riff by Blackmore and expanded with Dio’s vocal melody, the track evolved into a sprawling arrangement featuring Arabic scales and an extended slide guitar solo. However, despite the contributions of all the musicians involved, official credit for all the album's songs remained with Blackmore and Dio alone. In December 1975, Rainbow relocated for two weeks to a farmhouse in Fürstenfeldbruck near Munich, West Germany to develop more material. Working with minimal equipment, they relied again on jams sparked by riffs or phrases, while Dio withdrew to craft lyrics. These sessions not only produced the songs for Rising, but also "Kill the King", which Rainbow played as the opener of their live shows in the 1976 tour, and "Long Live Rock ’n’ Roll". Both songs were recorded in the studio for the following album Long Live Rock 'n' Roll of 1978.
Dio penned all the lyrics, indulging his fascination with fantasy and ancient history. "Tarot Woman", at Blackmore’s request, depicts a fortune-teller; "Run with the Wolf" explores werewolf lore; while "Stargazer" and "A Light in the Black" form an epic tale about the downfall of a wizard and the liberation of his slaves in ancient Egypt. More grounded were the love song "Do You Close Your Eyes" and "Starstruck", about a persistent female fan who had stalked Blackmore.
Rising features no ballads, instead offering fast, heavy tracks, powered by Powell's drumming, Carey's sweeping keyboards, and Dio's "ferocious" vocal delivery. Critics praised Blackmore’s guitar work as some of his finest, noting how successfully he fused classical influences with hard rock in a band that was both dynamic and cohesive. Carey later called this line-up a "hard rock progressive blues band" and reviewers described the sound as spanning hard rock to early heavy metal. Ian Christe in his book Sound of the Beast even listed Rainbow among the proto-metal pioneers who shaped the next generation of musicians, while modern critics highlight Rising as a blueprint for the power metal subgenre, with its rapid tempos, classical flourishes and mythic themes. From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rising_(Rainbow_album)
The album featured guest vocals from Blackmore’s girlfriend, Shoshana Feinstein, though their intense relationship ended abruptly in May 1975. Distraught, Blackmore retreated to his new home in Hollywood, immersing himself in alcohol and parties. With his life increasingly based in California, it was natural for the band to relocate from New York City to Los Angeles to rehearse for their upcoming tour. Management booked a rehearsal space at Pirate Sound Studios in Los Angeles, but Blackmore soon grew dissatisfied with the musicians, members of Ronnie James Dio’s former band Elf, criticising their sound and stage presence. Dio alone earned his full respect, thanks to his vocal power, creativity, and shared interests in classical music, medieval lore, and the occult.
Bassist Craig Gruber was the first to go, quickly replaced by Jimmy Bain of the unsigned Scottish band Harlot, whom Blackmore and Dio had seen performing at The Marquee in London. Soon after Bain's arrival, drummer Gary Driscoll was dismissed and keyboardist Mickey Lee Soule departed voluntarily. Dio, though regretful about the purge of his former bandmates, accepted its necessity and assisted in recruiting replacements. Auditions in Los Angeles took the form of extended jam sessions designed to test stamina and chemistry with Blackmore. The English drummer Cozy Powell, who was the thirteenth to audition, proved exceptional and was immediately hired. Renowned for his work with the Jeff Beck Group and Bedlam, as well as two UK hit singles, Powell had been considering a career shift to professional motor racing in Europe when Blackmore called. Despite inevitable clashes, his forceful personality and a similar sense of humour allowed him to coexist with the mercurial guitarist for five years. Several keyboardists were considered, including Eddie Jobson of Curved Air and Roxy Music, but the spot ultimately went to the young American Tony Carey. Bain had discovered him in a nearby studio, and during his audition, Carey impressed everyone by trading note for note with Blackmore, earning an immediate place in the band.
With the line-up complete, Rainbow returned to Pirate Sound to rehearse and write new material. In the same facility, Deep Purple were preparing their US tour with new guitarist Tommy Bolin, forcing the manager to schedule sessions carefully to avoid Blackmore’s meeting with his former bandmates. Visitors included members of Bad Company, as well as Robert Plant and John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, who occasionally joined the jams. Rainbow made their live debut on 10 November 1975 in Montreal, Canada, followed by a twelve-date US tour featuring songs from their debut and new compositions "Do You Close Your Eyes", "Stargazer", and "A Light in the Black". On stage, the centrepiece was a vast, 40-foot illuminated rainbow, powered by 3,000 lightbulbs. Though visually striking, it often interfered with the guitars and amplifiers, causing frequent disruptions.
Blackmore and Dio began collaborating when Elf supported Deep Purple on the Stormbringer tour. Blackmore found the partnership "refreshing" and natural, as both shared an interest in classical and folk music. Dio could seamlessly weave his vocal melodies and lyrics into Blackmore’s riffs, some of which originated in the guitarist’s live improvisations with Deep Purple. Together they wrote all the material for Rainbow’s debut, presenting the finished songs to the other Elf members only at the recording stage. The guitarist's original intention for the music of Rainbow was "to carry on and expand upon the essence of Deep Purple – aggressiveness – and at the same time add a kind of medieval feel to it."
For Rainbow’s second album, Blackmore’s mood and listening habits deeply shaped the music. During his California retreat, he immersed himself in classical and medieval works and even learnt cello from his friend Hugh McDowell of the Electric Light Orchestra, an instrument he felt mirrored his lonely, melancholic state. Blackmore was also stung by critics who claimed the debut lacked intensity and set out to prove his point to the press and his former bandmates.
When rehearsals with the new line-up began in September 1975, Blackmore and Dio already had ideas, but unlike the debut, they encouraged the musicians to improvise in extended jam sessions. This freer process birthed the album’s centerpiece, the "Kashmir"-inspired "Stargazer". Originating from a cello riff by Blackmore and expanded with Dio’s vocal melody, the track evolved into a sprawling arrangement featuring Arabic scales and an extended slide guitar solo. However, despite the contributions of all the musicians involved, official credit for all the album's songs remained with Blackmore and Dio alone. In December 1975, Rainbow relocated for two weeks to a farmhouse in Fürstenfeldbruck near Munich, West Germany to develop more material. Working with minimal equipment, they relied again on jams sparked by riffs or phrases, while Dio withdrew to craft lyrics. These sessions not only produced the songs for Rising, but also "Kill the King", which Rainbow played as the opener of their live shows in the 1976 tour, and "Long Live Rock ’n’ Roll". Both songs were recorded in the studio for the following album Long Live Rock 'n' Roll of 1978.
Dio penned all the lyrics, indulging his fascination with fantasy and ancient history. "Tarot Woman", at Blackmore’s request, depicts a fortune-teller; "Run with the Wolf" explores werewolf lore; while "Stargazer" and "A Light in the Black" form an epic tale about the downfall of a wizard and the liberation of his slaves in ancient Egypt. More grounded were the love song "Do You Close Your Eyes" and "Starstruck", about a persistent female fan who had stalked Blackmore.
Rising features no ballads, instead offering fast, heavy tracks, powered by Powell's drumming, Carey's sweeping keyboards, and Dio's "ferocious" vocal delivery. Critics praised Blackmore’s guitar work as some of his finest, noting how successfully he fused classical influences with hard rock in a band that was both dynamic and cohesive. Carey later called this line-up a "hard rock progressive blues band" and reviewers described the sound as spanning hard rock to early heavy metal. Ian Christe in his book Sound of the Beast even listed Rainbow among the proto-metal pioneers who shaped the next generation of musicians, while modern critics highlight Rising as a blueprint for the power metal subgenre, with its rapid tempos, classical flourishes and mythic themes. From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rising_(Rainbow_album)
