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Rainbow – On Stage
Rainbow – On Stage [Remastered] (1999, Polydor Records)
Original Release: 1977, Polydor Records
1. “Kill The King” … 5:31
2. Medley: “Man On The Silver Mountain/Blues/Starstruck” … 11:15
3.”Catch The Rainbow” … 15:36
4. “Mistreated” … 13:07
5. “Sixteenth Century Greensleeves” … 7:37
6. “Still I’m Sad” … 11:05
Band:
Ronnie James Dio – Vocals
Ritchie Blackmore – Guitar
Jimmy Bain – Bass
Cozy Powell – Drums
Tony Carey – Keyboards
Producer: Martin Birch
This seems to be one of those live albums that everyone likes to point to as a live-album-gone-wrong. Not really sure why. I can understand some of the bitching about the track listing but Ritchie has always done whatever he’s wanted to — fans be damned. So I’m sure he had his reasons for not including “Stargazer”, probably just to tick people off. Whatever the case was, with only the debut and Rising under their belt, I think the collection of songs here is just fine. Especially when you factor in the band debuts “Kill The King” from the forthcoming Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll album, plays Deep Purple’s “Mistreated” and basically plays an extended version of the songs.
I’ve even read some state this album is boring, that is lacks energy. I just don’t see it that way. I’m one of those guys that LOVES going to a concert and watching guitar solos and drum solos and all of that stuff. I don’t see how anyone who truly appreciates rock music or music in general can say stuff like that is boring. Just listen to Blackmore and keyboardist Tony Carey as they duel together in the middle of the medley. Listen to that bit of blues played in that medley as well. That’s great and classic stuff. I love it whenever a band stretches out a song in concert and segues in and out of different songs and solos. The crowd obviously was having a blast because they started clapping to a beat while Ritchie fiddles around in the middle of “Mistreated”.
This is one of the grandest and most epic live albums I have ever heard and not for one second was I bored with it. It’s like actually being there in concert. This is what you would have heard. Extended versions like these are where you really get to see a band act like a band and play off each other. It’s amazing. This a true classic featuring Ronnie James Dio and Ritchie Blackmore — two of the most legendary figures in the world of rock and metal. Essential listening as far as I’m concerned because the Dio era of Rainbow can really do no wrong.
Highlights: ALL!
Like this:
RAINBOW – Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow
Rainbow – Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow (1987, PolyGram Records/Polydor Records)
Original Release: 1975, PolyGram Records
1.”Man on the Silver Mountain” … 4:37
2.”Self Portrait” … 3:12
3.”Black Sheep of the Family” … 3:19
4.”Catch the Rainbow” … 6:29
5.”Snake Charmer” … 4:30
6.”The Temple of the King” … 4:43
7.”If You Don’t Like Rock ‘n’ Roll” … 2:35
8.”Sixteenth Century Greensleeves” … 3:29
9.”Still I’m Sad” … 3:52
Band:
Ronnie James Dio – Vocals
Ritchie Blackmore – Guitar
Craig Gruber – Bass
Gary Driscoll – Drums
Mickey Lee Soule – Piano, Mellotron, Clavinet, Organ
Producer: Martin Birch
I’m so sorry I ever took so long to get into Rainbow. I really like all eras of the band but obviously the Dio years were the best and the debut is also the best of the band’s catalog. I can’t stop listening to this CD, there is NO filler here at all. The only song that comes close to being filler is the cover of Quatermass’ “Black Sheep of the Family”, which is funny because that song is the one reason Rainbow existed — Deep Purple refused to cover it at Ritchie Blackmore’s request so he went out on his own to do it and the recording session morphed into a full album and a new group (Blackmore + Elf = Purple Elf?).
Yes, there are a number of epic songs from the next two studio albums but this whole album just really pulls me in. The album has such a classic rock ‘n’ roll sound coupled with some really cool melancholy tunes (“Catch the Rainbow”, “The Temple of the King”) and a bit of a loose, bluesy feel at times (“Snake Charmer”, “If You Don’t Like Rock ‘n’ Roll”) all while playing into Blackmore & Dio’s sword & sorcery obsessions and setting the blueprint for the next generation of rock bands.
“Man on the Silver Mountain” and the cover of The Yardbirds’ “Still I’m Sad” are the hardest rocking songs of the bunch but the previously mentioned melancholy laid back tunes really get to me and have gotten the most play from me thus far. The album really is almost perfect, such a great balance between ballads, “heavy rock” and good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll swagger.
Really what else can be said that hasn’t been said since 1975? Easily one of the best rock albums of all-time! Everyone should own this!
Highlights: “Man on the Silver Mountain”, “Catch The Rainbow”, “Snake Charmer”, “The Temple of the King”, “Still I’m Sad”
DEEP PURPLE – Burn
Deep Purple – Burn [30th Anniversary Edition - Remastered] (2005, Warner Bros. Records/Rhino Records/Purple Records)
Original Release: 1974, Warner Bros. Records
1. “Burn” … 6:00
2. “Might Just Take Your Life” … 4:36
3. “Lay Down, Stay Down” …4:15
4. “Sail Away” … 5:48
5. “You Fool No One” … 4:47
6. “What’s Goin’ on Here” … 4:55
7. “Mistreated” … 7:25
8. “”A” 200″ … 3:51
BONUS TRACKS
9. “Coronarias Redig” [2004 Remix] … 5:30
10. “Burn” [2004 Remix] … 6:00
11. “Mistreated” [2004 Remix] … 7:28
12. “You Fool No One” [2004 Remix] … 4:57
13. “Sail Away” [2004 Remix] … 5:37
Band:
David Coverdale – Lead Vocals
Ritchie Blackmore – Guitar
Glenn Hughes – Bass, Lead Vocals
Ian Paice – Drums
Jon Lord – Keyboards
Producer: Deep Purple
Years ago, during a Columbia House or BMG Music binge, I ordered Deep Purple’s Perfect Strangers and then I never bothered with another Purple album. I wasn’t overly impressed by the album at the time and I’ve always had this hang-up on Deep Purple that they were “too 70s” and too heavy on keyboards and organs and that’s just not my style of rock.
Well, years later I decided to give the band a chance again by picking up Burn featuring the Deep Purple debut of two of my favorite rock vocalists – David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes. It didn’t hurt that I found this anniversary edition online, brand new, for only six bucks and some change.
Again, everything about this album screams 1970s. The keyboards, the album cover, the funky & bluesy bass lines. I should really hate this album but somehow, I like it. I don’t love it, but I like it a lot and its a real treat listening to Coverdale and Hughes share lead vocals. Coverdale didn’t play any instruments in the band, so I’ve always wondered how he felt about sharing vocals with a band member who is playing an instrument as well. Just seems like a weird deal to me, but it was the 70s after all!
This album began the end of Ritchie Blackmore’s involvement in the band he co-found as he hated the bluesy and funky direction Hughes and Coverdale were taking the group in. I will say this, this album features some GREAT performances by Coverdale. Just listen to “Mistreated”.
The remixes I guess are nice if you have a really good ear or sound system for that type of stuff. I don’t have either, but I appreciate the effort put into this package to make it something special. “Coronarias Redig” was a B-side and is a pretty cool funky jam. There’s a very comprehensive booklet as well that’s full pictures and talks about the history about the band during this time frame. I love it when reissues include retrospectives like that. It oughta be a law.
Highlights: “Burn”, “Might Just Take Your Life”, “Sail Away”, “You Fool No One”, “Mistreated”, “Coronarias Redig”
RAINBOW – Down to Earth
Rainbow – Down to Earth [Remastered] (1999, Polydor Records)
Original Release: 1979, Polydor Records
1. “All Night Long” … 3:49
2. “Eyes of the World” … 6:39
3. “No Time to Lose” … 3:41
4. “Makin’ Love” … 4:36
5. “Since You Been Gone” … 3:16
6. “Love’s No Friend” … 4:51
7. “Danger Zone” … 4:27
8. “Lost in Hollywood” … 4:51
Band:
Graham Bonnet – Vocals
Ritchie Blackmore – Guitar
Roger Glover – Bass
Cozy Powell – Drums
Don Airey – Keyboards
Produced by: Roger Glover
Don’t get me wrong, I like Dio-era Rainbow, but it’s their more AOR/commercial-minded efforts that I enjoy most. I’ll put the slick mainstream hard rock of “Since You Been Gone”, “Street of Dreams” and “Stone Cold” against anything they did when Ronnie James Dio was in the band.
And Dio wasn’t the only Rainbow member to exit the band: Bob Daisley and David Stone were replaced by former Deep Purple bandmate Roger Glover and keyboardist Don Airey. With journeyman Cozy Powell on the drums, this is an incredibly strong line-up.
It’s a shame things didn’t work out with Graham Bonnet (this is his only Rainbow album) because he’s a fantastic vocalist turning in some great performances on “Makin’ Love”, “Eyes of the World” and “No Time to Lose” especially.
The sound is different from the medieval so-called “dragon rock” of the Dio years, but as far as I’m concerned this is another classic release and is fantastic from start to finish it… even if my woman said she didn’t like it and “they should like they’re trying to be KISS”.
I love the album’s cover. It’s so very 70s and happy thanks to the use of the cosmic rainbow. =-) It would be the last Rainbow album to feature a rainbow on the cover though. =-(
Highlights: All of it
DEEP PURPLE – Perfect Strangers
Deep Purple – Perfect Strangers [Remastered] (1999, Mercury Records)
Original Release: 1984, Mercury Records
1.”Knocking at Your Back Door” … 7:04
2.”Under the Gun” … 4:38
3.”Nobody’s Home” … 3:59
4.”Mean Streak” … 4:21
5.”Perfect Strangers” … 5:28
6.”A Gypsy’s Kiss” … 5:12
7.”Wasted Sunsets” … 3:55
8.”Hungry Daze” … 4:58
9.”Not Responsible” … 4:47
BONUS TRACK
10.”Son of Alerik” … 10:07
Band:
Ian Gillan – Vocals
Ritchie Blackmore – Guitar
Roger Glover – Bass
Jon Lord – Organ, Keyboards
Ian Paice – Drums
Produced by: Deep Purple
I bought this album close to 10 years ago basically just for “Knocking at Your Back Door”. I ended up liking “Perfect Strangers” as well, but quickly disregarded the rest of the album. It was nothing more to me than bad 70s keyboard/organ heavy rock. That was then, this is now and this album rocks!
I’ve become much more easy going when it comes to 70s hard rock/metal acts like Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple (all three of these bands kinda ran in the same circles, didn’t they). After initially passing this album off as an oddity for something released during the 80s, I can now appreciate the “classic” sound Deep Purple brought to this comeback release. In striving to to match their “classic” sound, Deep Purple ended up putting out something in 1984 that didn’t really sound like anything else going on at the time and as much as I love the 80s, that’s really cool of them and it payed off in a big way.
This would be the popular “Mark II” line up of the band making the comeback. Deep Purple hadn’t released an album since 1975 and the Mark II grouping hadn’t released one since 1973. The reunion was a success with the album reaching #6 on the Billboard charts and the subsequent tour selling out. The album went on to go platinum in the States and double platinum in the UK.
The 1999 remastered version features the instrumental bonus track “Son of Alerik” which previously had only been released as a B-side to the “Perfect Strangers” single.
Highlights: “Knocking at Your Back Door”, “Under the Gun”, “Mean Streak”, “Perfect Strangers”, “A Gypsy’s Kiss”, “Wasted Sunsets”, “Hungry Daze”, “Not Responsible”
