RAINBOW

1. Ritchie Blackmore's Musical Ideal and the Genesis of "Rainbow"

In the rock scene of the mid-1970s, the formation of Rainbow, or originally officially named Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, held a significance far beyond the mere birth of a supergroup. It was an experimental ground and the construction of a sanctuary for Ritchie Blackmore, the guitarist of the hugely successful band Deep Purple, to perfectly fuse his own musical roots in classical music—particularly Baroque melodies—with the fierce energy of hard rock.

1.1 Departure from Deep Purple and "Black Sheep of the Family"

In 1974, Deep Purple was producing the album "Stormbringer" and touring, but irreparable rifts had formed within the band. Blackmore felt a strong sense of discomfort toward the funk and soul music elements brought in by new members David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes, an approach he disparaged as "shoeshine music."

The decisive conflict arose over the recording of a cover version of Quatermass's song "Black Sheep of the Family." Blackmore strongly proposed recording this song, but the other members refused, arguing that priority should be given to creating original material. Infuriated by the rejection of his creative proposal, Blackmore resolved to record the song as a solo project. It was during this time that Blackmore took notice of Ronnie James Dio, the vocalist of Elf, an American band serving as the opening act for Deep Purple's US tour.

1.2 Fusion with Elf and the Start of the Band

Blackmore was captivated by the quality of Dio's voice—powerful and operatic, well-suited for narrating medieval tales. In December 1974, Blackmore enlisted Dio along with Elf members Mickey Lee Soule (Keyboards), Craig Gruber (Bass), and Gary Driscoll (Drums) as session musicians to record "Black Sheep of the Family" and Blackmore's original track "Sixteenth Century Greensleeves" at a studio in Tampa, Florida.

The response from this session far exceeded Blackmore's expectations. Seeing potential in a songwriting partnership with Dio, he left Deep Purple and formed a new band by absorbing the members of Elf (excluding guitarist Steve Edwards) as they were. The band's name is said to be derived from the famous bar & grill "Rainbow Bar and Grill" on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, though there are various theories. Thus, a new legend merging hard rock with a medieval worldview began.

2. First Period: The Ronnie James Dio Years (The Dio Years 1975-1979)

This period is characterized by lyrics themed around "Sword and Sorcery" and melodies influenced by classical music (particularly Bach and Beethoven). It is regarded by many fans and critics as the artistic pinnacle of Rainbow, or the definitive form of "stylistic hard rock."

2.1 Construction of the Debut Album "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow"

From February to March 1975, the recording of the debut album took place at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany. Production was handled jointly by Blackmore and Dio, in addition to Martin Birch, who was well-known for his work on Deep Purple's albums.

Released in August 1975, "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow" became a work where Blackmore's guitar riffs and Dio's fantastic lyrics beautifully fused.

• Man on the Silver Mountain: The band's iconic anthem, characterized by a simple riff and powerful vocals. With this song, Blackmore presented a rock style that was more straightforward and melodic, differing from Deep Purple.
• Catch the Rainbow: A ballad influenced by Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing." While the studio version is compact, it became an important repertoire that featured long improvisations in later live performances.
• The Temple of the King: An acoustic guitar-driven medieval ballad that highlights not only their aspect as a hard rock band but also Blackmore's strong devotion to Renaissance music.

However, almost simultaneously with the completion of the album, Blackmore began to feel dissatisfied with the band's lineup. Gary Driscoll's R&B-style drumming and Craig Gruber's funky approach on bass were deemed unsuitable for the heavy and meticulous hard rock sound that Blackmore pursued. As a result, Blackmore made the cold and drastic decision to fire everyone except Dio.

2.2 Completion of the Classic Lineup and the Masterpiece "Rising"

To realize his ideal, Blackmore recruited top-class musicians from around the world.

1. Cozy Powell (Drums): A drummer known for his overwhelming power and double bass drum technique, who had been active in groups like The Jeff Beck Group. With his joining, Rainbow's sound evolved dramatically into something heavy and dynamic.
2. Jimmy Bain (Bass): A bassist who supported the bottom end with his solid playing.
3. Tony Carey (Keyboards): A keyboardist with a classical background who could use synthesizers (particularly the Moog synthesizer) to add orchestral depth.

Recorded in February 1976 and released in May, the album produced by this lineup was the timeless masterpiece "Rising," which remains a landmark in rock history.

Although this album consists of only six tracks, its density is extremely high. Side A features fast-paced tracks such as "Tarot Woman" and "Starstruck," and "Tarot Woman," with its impressive synthesizer intro by Tony Carey, defined the band's new direction.

However, the true essence of this album lies in the two epic tracks recorded on Side B.

• Stargazer: A grand epic exceeding 8 minutes. It depicts a tale of a wizard who uses slaves to construct a stone tower in an attempt to fly into the sky. Combining orchestration featuring the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Cozy Powell's thunderous drum intro, and Blackmore's passionate guitar solo, it achieved a grand scale comparable to Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir," incorporating Middle Eastern melodies.
• A Light in the Black: Positioned as a sequel to "Stargazer," it depicts the conclusion of the story. Riding on a fast double bass drum beat, the guitar and keyboards engage in a thrilling solo battle, establishing a style that can be called the origin of later power metal and speed metal.

2.3 The Essence of Live Performance and "On Stage"

The world tour conducted from 1976 to 1977 proved that Rainbow was the ultimate live band. Songs that were meticulously constructed in the studio versions were boldly altered in tempo and arrangement during live shows, unfolding tense improvisations among the members.

In particular, their first visit to Japan in December 1976 became a legendary event for Japanese rock fans. At performances in venues like the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium and the Nippon Budokan, Blackmore's fierce guitar playing and Dio's overwhelming vocal power drove the audience into a frenzy. The state of this tour (performances in Japan and Germany) was captured in the double live album "On Stage," released in 1977. On "On Stage," unreleased new tracks (at the time) like "Kill the King" served as the opening, and songs like "Mistreated" and "Still I'm Sad" extended into long performances exceeding 10 minutes.

During the 1977 European tour, a notable incident occurred at the Munich performance on October 20 (Live in Munich 1977). Due to a trouble with a venue security guard at a performance in Austria, Blackmore was arrested, released on the day of the Munich show, and went straight to the venue. Blackmore played that night with tremendous tension as if unleashing his anger into his performance, and the event was recorded by the German TV program "Rockpalast" and later released as a video work.

2.4 "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll" and Dio's Departure

From 1977 to 1978, the recording of the third album "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll" took place at the ancient castle "Château Pelly de Cornfeld" in France. However, discord had already arisen within the band during this period, particularly between Blackmore and the rhythm section. Bassist Jimmy Bain and keyboardist Tony Carey were fired, and Bob Daisley (Bass) and David Stone (Keyboards) joined as successors. In reality, it is said that Blackmore himself played many of the bass parts on the album.

While the album included anthems like "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll," epics with oriental melodies like "Gates of Babylon," and beautiful ballads like "Rainbow Eyes," Blackmore was gradually becoming conscious of commercial success in the US market, namely hits on the single charts. On the other hand, Dio strictly oriented himself toward the worldview of "Sword and Sorcery" and heavy hard rock, refusing to sing love songs or pop tracks aimed at the radio. This divergence in musical direction became decisive, and in 1979, Ronnie James Dio departed the band to move to Black Sabbath.

3. Second Period: Graham Bonnet and Commercial Transition (1979-1980)

Dio's departure became a turning point that fundamentally changed the identity of Rainbow as a band. Blackmore made the decision to steer drastically toward a more popular, sophisticated, and "radio-friendly" sound.

3.1 Joining of Roger Glover and the Search for a New Vocalist

To reform the band, Blackmore brought in his former Deep Purple colleague Roger Glover as a producer. Although Glover was initially scheduled only to produce, he ended up joining the band as a bassist as well, becoming an important songwriting partner for Blackmore. Additionally, Don Airey, known as a virtuoso from groups like Colosseum II, joined on keyboards.

However, the selection of a vocalist faced difficulties. Many candidates underwent auditions, but ultimately, Graham Bonnet, formerly of The Marbles, was chosen. Bonnet came from a background in R&B and pop, and his look—slicked-back hair, a suit, and sunglasses—was far removed from the conventional hard rock singer's style of the time (long hair and a leather jacket), but the power of his high-toned voice was overwhelming.

3.2 The Album "Down to Earth" and Single Hits

Released in 1979, "Down to Earth" brought commercial success just as Blackmore had aimed.

• Since You Been Gone: Composed by Russ Ballard, this song featured a catchy melody and a pop arrangement, becoming a massive hit that peaked at No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart. Through this, Rainbow succeeded in acquiring a new fan base.
• All Night Long: A track with a traditional rock 'n' roll rhythm, which also became a hit, reaching No. 5 in the UK.
• Lost in Hollywood: A speedy number driven by Cozy Powell's intense drumming, which became one of the highlights in live performances.
• Eyes of the World: A track featuring a grand intro based on "Mars" from Holst's suite "The Planets," where Don Airey's keyboard work shines.

3.3 Monsters of Rock and Collapse

On August 16, 1980, Rainbow performed as the headliner at the 1st "Monsters of Rock" festival held at Donington Park, UK. This performance was an event symbolizing the band's peak, but at the same time, it marked the end of this lineup.

Drummer Cozy Powell was dissatisfied with the band's rapid shift toward pop-rock, and he departed after this festival. His departure meant that Rainbow lost its "heavy metal dynamism."

Furthermore, Graham Bonnet left shortly after. Regarding Bonnet's departure, a famous anecdote involves him cutting his hair too short, which provoked Blackmore's anger. Blackmore disliked Bonnet's short hair, which he felt did not look good on stage, and had instructed him to grow it out, but Bonnet reportedly rebelled and cut it even shorter. Bonnet himself later mentioned this episode, admitting that in addition to differences in musical direction, such personal conflicts were also a factor in his departure.

4. Third Period: Joe Lynn Turner and Conquest of the American Market (1980-1984)

Having lost Cozy Powell and Graham Bonnet, Blackmore pursued a more sophisticated AOR (Adult Oriented Rock) style to solidify success in the American market.

4.1 Joining of Joe Lynn Turner and "Difficult to Cure"

Joe Lynn Turner from the American band Fandango was recruited as the new vocalist. Turner possessed a sweet look and a flexible singing ability capable of handling everything from pop to hard rock, making him the perfect fit for the "rock played on the radio" that Blackmore sought. Bobby Rondinelli was welcomed on drums.

Released in 1981, "Difficult to Cure" became one of the greatest commercial successes in the band's history.

• I Surrender: Once again taking up a song by Russ Ballard, it recorded No. 3 on the UK chart. It is a track with an exquisite balance between a sophisticated melody and a heavy backing track.
• Spotlight Kid: A track for hard rock fans, featuring a solo battle between neoclassical fast guitar playing and keyboards.
• Difficult to Cure: A rock instrumental arrangement of the fourth movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 "Choral." It blends Blackmore's reverence for classical music with a sense of humor (such as laughing sounds at the end of the track), and became a climax in subsequent live performances.

4.2 Deepening of the AOR Route: "Straight Between the Eyes" and "Bent Out of Shape"

On 1982's "Straight Between the Eyes," the keyboards were replaced by David Rosenthal. The single "Stone Cold" from this album reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, becoming the band's first number-one hit in the US. Throughout the album, catchy hard rock tuned for American FM radio unfolds.

On 1983's "Bent Out of Shape," the drums were replaced by Chuck Burgi.

• Street of Dreams: A mid-tempo ballad with a beautiful, sorrowful melody. A promotional video (MV) was also produced and gained popularity through broadcasts on MTV.
• Can't Let You Go: A track starting with a church organ-style intro, merging stylistic beauty with pop elements.
• Snowman: An instrumental cover of "Walking in the Air," the theme song from the animated film "The Snowman" composed by Howard Blake, allowing listeners to enjoy Blackmore's lyrical guitar playing.

4.3 The 1984 Disbandment and the Finale at Budokan

In 1984, big news swept through the music industry. It was decided that Ritchie Blackmore and Roger Glover, along with Ian Gillan, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice, would reunite the golden era lineup (Mark II) of Deep Purple. As a result, Rainbow brought down the curtain on its activities.

Rainbow's last tour was held in Japan. The performance at the Nippon Budokan on March 14, 1984, was magnificent and fitting to close the band's history. During the performance of "Difficult to Cure," the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra appeared behind the stage, marking the moment Blackmore's long-held dream of a guitar and orchestra co-performance was realized. The state of this performance is recorded in the video work "Live in Japan 1984."

After the disbandment, a compilation album "Finyl Vinyl" collecting unreleased tracks and live recordings was released in 1986, serving as a final gift to the fans.

5. Fourth Period: Doogie White and Return to Roots (1993-1997)

In 1993, having reached a standstill in his activities with the reunited Deep Purple and departing once again, Blackmore resolved to restart Rainbow.

5.1 New Lineup and the Album "Stranger in Us All"

An unknown singer from Scotland, Doogie White, was recruited as a new member. Blackmore initially considered acting under an alternative name like "Rainbow Moon," but used the name Rainbow due to requests from the record company. Other members included Paul Morris (Keyboards), Greg Smith (Bass), and John O'Reilly (Drums).

Released in 1995, "Stranger in Us All" became a work that felt like a return to the stylistic hard rock of the Dio era, differing from the AOR route of the Joe Lynn Turner era.

• Ariel: Candice Night, who would become Blackmore's future wife and partner in the folk-rock duo "Blackmore's Night," participated in writing lyrics and backing vocals. It is a track steeped in medieval mysticism.
• Black Masquerade: A track incorporating elements of flamenco guitar, where a sense of speed and passion coexist. It enjoyed high popularity in live performances.
• Hall of the Mountain King: An arrangement of Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King."

5.2 Tour Troubles and Activity Suspension

Just before the tour accompanying the album, an accident occurred where drummer John O'Reilly was injured during a soccer game, making him unable to participate in the tour. As a substitute, former member Chuck Burgi was hastily called back to complete the tour. The performance in Düsseldorf, Germany in October 1995 was recorded on "Rockpalast" and later released as "Black Masquerade." In this video, one can confirm Blackmore commanding his Stratocaster freely and Doogie White beautifully singing the tracks of successive vocalists.

In 1997, to dedicate himself to his long-held dream of Renaissance music and folk rock, Blackmore formed "Blackmore's Night" with Candice Night, suspending Rainbow's activities indefinitely.

6. Fifth Period: Temporary Resurgence (2015-2019)

Having held acoustic instruments (such as the lute and hurdy-gurdy) for a long time, Blackmore declared a temporary return to hard rock in 2015.

6.1 Recruitment of Ronnie Romero and Limited Activities

Blackmore appointed Ronnie Romero from Lords of Black, who was born in Chile and based in Spain, as the new vocalist. Blackmore highly praised Romero, describing his voice as "a cross between Ronnie James Dio and Freddie Mercury." Other participating members included Jens Johansson (Keyboards) from Stratovarius, David Keith (Drums) from Blackmore's Night, and Bob Nouveau (Bass).

This reunion was not for conducting a large-scale world tour but was a limited activity consisting of performing a few times at festivals across Europe (such as Monsters of Rock) and solo shows. The setlist included not only Rainbow's songs but also many famous tracks from Deep Purple (such as "Highway Star" and "Smoke on the Water"). In 2016, new tracks like "Waiting for a Sign" were also digitally distributed, but it did not lead to the production of a full album, and following the performance in Spain in 2019, Blackmore returned to the activities of Blackmore's Night.

7. Discography

Below, detailed data of all studio albums, major live albums, and important video works of Rainbow are presented in a table format.

7.1 Studio Albums

7.2 Major Live Albums

7.3 Key Singles (Key Singles with UK Chart Positions)

The table below shows the highest positions in major charts in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US)

8. Lineup Genealogy

The history of Rainbow is also a history of member changes centered around Ritchie Blackmore. The transitions of the major lineups are detailed below.

9. Special Relationship with Japan and Historical Incidents

Rainbow's relationship with Japan runs deep, and numerous legends and tragedies were born in this land.

9.1 December 1976: Shocking First Visit to Japan

The first visit to Japan was a major event in the foreign rock scene in Japan. Blackmore's destructive guitar performance and the massive rainbow illumination set blew the audience away. The enthusiasm at this time has become a legendary story in the liner notes of "On Stage" and music magazines of the era, solidifying Rainbow's popularity in Japan.

9.2 January 27, 1978: Tragedy at Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center

The event that cast the darkest shadow over Rainbow's history was the performance in Sapporo in 1978. Simultaneously with the opening, approximately 5,000 excited fans rushed to the front of the stage, causing a crowd crush. This accident resulted in the painful death of one female university student near the front row. The band side did not grasp the seriousness of the accident during the performance (the show continued with the lights on), and was informed of the tragedy after the performance. This incident became a turning point to fundamentally review concert security in Japan, making "block designation" and strict security standardized for subsequent rock concerts.

9.3 March 14, 1984: Grand Finale at Budokan

Japan was also chosen as the final location before the band's disbandment. At this performance, which was the culmination of the Joe Lynn Turner era, a co-performance with the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra was realized during the song "Difficult to Cure." Blackmore played Beethoven's melodies along with the orchestra, completing his ambition from the early stages of his career—the fusion of rock and classical music—at the final moment of the band Rainbow.

10. What Rainbow Left Behind

Looking back at the history of Rainbow, one can see that it is the trajectory of the unyielding curiosity of a rare guitarist, Ritchie Blackmore. In the early Dio era, they brought medieval melodies and storytelling into hard rock, establishing the genre of "stylistic beauty." This exerted a profound influence on later artists like Iron Maiden and Yngwie Malmsteen. In the middle Bonnet/Turner era, by making songs compact and incorporating catchy melodies, they proved that hard rock could function as popular music through radio and MTV. This blazed a trail for the success of bands like Bon Jovi and Def Leppard in the 1980s.

Furthermore, Rainbow served as an incubator for excellent musicians. Cozy Powell, Don Airey, Bob Daisley, and others continued to be pillars supporting the hard rock scene from the 1980s onward, active with Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Gary Moore, and others after departing Rainbow.

Currently, activities as Rainbow are suspended, but their musical legacy remains unfaded, continuing to be listened to as rock classics. The "rainbow" drawn by Blackmore is carved into music history as a beautiful yet fleeting artistic pinnacle that arches after a fierce storm (hard rock).