Denim and Leather

The fourth album appeared on 25 September 1981 and reached nine in Britain, nineteen in France, twenty-one in Sweden, thirty-seven in Germany and thirty-nine in the Netherlands, going gold across Europe. It was made in 1981 at Aquarius Studios in Geneva and Polar Studios in Stockholm, produced by Nigel Thomas, with two tracks produced by the band. The title simply names what a metal audience wore in the early eighties. "Princess of the Night" is about a steam locomotive. "And the Bands Played On" is about the 1980 Monsters of Rock festival and calls Rainbow by name. Three singles came from it: "And the Bands Played On" in March, "Never Surrender" in July and "Princess of the Night" in October. It is also the last record made by the founding five. Pete Gill left the drum stool afterwards, following an injury to his hand.