RAINBOW - Long Live Rock and Roll - 12" Vinyl LP Album

Production and Recording Information

Bruce Payne - Management

The album: "RAINBOW - Long Live Rock and Roll" was produced by: Martin Birch

Album cover design: Maxi Chan

Album cover illustration: Debbie Hall

Musicians:

• Ritchie Blackmore - Lead Guitar
• Ritchie Blackmore – Guitarist, Songwriter

  The guy who made the guitar sound both medieval and radioactive, often in the same solo.  Read more...

  Ritchie Blackmore is the sort of name I see on a sleeve and instantly expect sparks: born Richard Hugh Blackmore (1945), he’s an English guitarist who helped hard-rock riffing grow teeth and then politely refused to stop. His era-stamps are basically whole chapters of rock history: Deep Purple (1968–1975, 1984–1993), where the riffs got louder, sharper, and more dramatic; Rainbow (1975–1984, 1993–1997), where he leaned into melody and fantasy like it was a weapon; and Blackmore’s Night (1997–present), where the electric storm calms down into Renaissance-folk textures without losing that unmistakable Blackmore touch. I love that arc: from amp-stacks and arena thunder to lutes-and-candles vibes, like he just swapped dragons for different dragons.

  "Blackmore Signature Strats" I’ve spent too many nights chasing that Blackmore chime. Fender’s Artist Series Strat is a love letter to his ‘70s obsession—Olympic White with a graduated scalloped rosewood board that makes your fingers feel like they’re floating. The electronics are pure Ritchie logic: two Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounds for the bite and a dummy middle pickup. It’s a prop, a plastic decoy for us mortals. Then there’s the Fender Japan ST72-145RB. MIJ builds have a surgical precision, keeping the ‘72 vibe alive for the obsessive collector. We hunt these like lost relics, justifying the cost because a standard neck feels one-dimensional by comparison. It’s a specialized tool for a very specific kind of madness. But then, isn't that the whole point?

  Ritchie Blackmore Wiki
• Ronnie James Dio - Vocals
• Ronnie James DIO – Vocals

  DIO is straight-up one of my all-time favorite hard rock and heavy metal singers. I clock him as a once-in-a-generation voice: pure power, ridiculous control, and that storyteller energy that makes metal feel like a myth you can actually hold in your hands  Read more...

  I always track his timeline like chapters I keep re-reading: Elf (1967–1975) where he sharpened the blues-rock grit, Rainbow (1975–1979) where the fantasy thunder really took off, Black Sabbath (1979–1982, 1991–1992) where he helped reboot the doom machine, Dio (1982–2010) where he built his own kingdom, and Heaven & Hell (2006–2010) where the classics came roaring back live.

  Ronnie James Dio, I don’t just hear a singer here — I hear a frontman who could make a chorus feel like a battle standard and a quiet line feel like a warning whispered in a cathedral. When he lit the fuse in Rainbow on “Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow” and especially “Rising” (yeah, that one), it was all high drama and sharpened melody. When he walked into Black Sabbath and dropped “ Heaven and Hell ” and “Mob Rules,” he didn’t “replace” anyone — he gave the band a whole second spine. And when he planted the flag with Dio on “Holy Diver” and “The Last in Line” (and later “Sacred Heart” for the big-chorus arena punch), the signature stayed the same: massive hooks, bigger conviction, and that unmistakable “this matters” intensity that makes you sit up like the record just called your name. Ronnie James Dio Wiki

Ronnie and the Rumblers, Ronnie and the Red Caps, Elves, Elf, Black Sabbath, DIO, Heaven and Hell)
• Cozy Powell - Drums
• Cozy Powell – Drums

  Cozy Powell is the kind of drummer I file under “human avalanche”: big hands, bigger feel, and a groove that hits like a freight train in leather pants.  Read more...

  Cozy Powell, for me, is the textbook example of “power that still swings”—he can be thunderous without turning stiff, flashy without turning messy, and he always leaves space for the riff to breathe. When I hear him, I hear commitment: the snare cracks, the toms roll like incoming weather, and the whole band suddenly sounds like it got upgraded to arena mode. Timeline-wise, I always map his career in loud chapters—The Jeff Beck Group (1970–1972), Rainbow (1975–1980), Michael Schenker Group (1980–1982), Whitesnake (1982–1985), Emerson, Lake & Powell (1985–1986), Black Sabbath (1988–1991, 1994–1995), and the Brian May Band (1991–1992, 1993–1994, 1998).

  Cozy Powell Wiki
• Bob Daisley - Bass
  Explore the extraordinary career of Bob Daisley, the bass maestro behind some of heavy metal's most iconic albums. From his groundbreaking work with Ozzy Osbourne to collaborations with Rainbow, Uriah Heep, and more, discover the stories, the riffs, and the enduring legacy of a true rock legend.
• David Stone - Keyboards

    David Stone (Birth-name: Michael David Stoyanoff ) an English keyboardist and pianist who is best known for his work with the legendary rock band Rainbow. He joined Rainbow in 1981 and appeared on their album "Difficult to Cure." Stone was with the band for three years and performed on several tours with them.

   Before joining Rainbow, Stone was a session musician and worked with several notable artists, including The Alan Parsons Project, Kate Bush, and Gary Moore. He has also released several solo albums and continues to perform and record music.

   As a keyboardist, Stone is known for his versatility and dynamic playing style, which combines classical, jazz, and rock influences. He has received critical acclaim for his work with Rainbow and is regarded as one of the best keyboardists in the rock genre.

   Overall, David Stone is an accomplished musician with a long and varied career in the music industry. He continues to be a respected and sought-after performer and has made a significant impact on the rock music world.

Tracklisting Side One:

1. Long Live Rock and Roll
2. Lady of the Lake
3. L.A. Connection
4. Gates of Babylon

Tracklisting Side Two:

1. Kill the King
2. The Shed (Subtle)
3. Sensitive to Light
4. Rainbow Eyes