RAINBOW with Ritchie Blackmore Vinyl LP Albums Gallery

Rainbow is a British hard rock band that was formed in 1975 by the former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore . The band has gone through several line-up changes, and their sound has evolved over the years, but their music has always been characterized by Blackmore's virtuoso guitar playing and a blend of hard rock, heavy metal, and progressive rock. This page will provide a brief history of Rainbow, explore the band's music, and discuss their impact on the world of hard rock.

Rainbow was formed in 1975 by Ritchie Blackmore after he left Deep Purple. The original line-up of the band consisted of Ronnie James Dio on vocals, Craig Gruber on bass, Gary Driscoll on drums, and Micky Lee Soule on keyboards. This line-up recorded the band's debut album, "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow," which was released in 1975. The album was a critical and commercial success, and it established Rainbow as one of the leading hard rock bands of the 1970s.

Over the years, Rainbow went through several line-up changes. Ronnie James Dio left the band in 1979 to join Black Sabbath, and he was replaced by Graham Bonnet. Bonnet sang on the band's third album, "Down to Earth," which was released in 1979 and featured the hit single "Since You've Been Gone." The band's next album, "Difficult to Cure," was released in 1981 and featured a new lead singer, Joe Lynn Turner. This line-up recorded three more albums, including "Straight Between the Eyes," "Bent Out of Shape," and "Stranger in Us All."

Rainbow disbanded in 1997, but Ritchie Blackmore re-formed the band in 2015 for a series of concerts in Europe. The new line-up of the band featured vocalist Ronnie Romero and keyboardist Jens Johansson, among others.

Rainbow's music is characterized by Ritchie Blackmore's virtuoso guitar playing, which combines elements of classical music with hard rock and heavy metal. The band's early albums, such as "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow" and "Rainbow Rising," are considered to be classic examples of the hard rock and heavy metal genres. These albums featured epic, riff-heavy songs with soaring vocals from Ronnie James Dio.

As the band's sound evolved, Rainbow began to incorporate more progressive rock elements into their music. The album "Difficult to Cure" featured a cover of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, and the band's later albums featured more complex song structures and instrumental passages.

Rainbow is considered to be one of the most influential hard rock bands of the 1970s and 1980s. Their music has inspired countless other bands in the hard rock and heavy metal genres, and their influence can be heard in the work of bands such as Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Dream Theater.

Ritchie Blackmore's virtuoso guitar playing has also had a significant impact on the world of rock music. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest guitarists of all time, and his influence can be heard in the work of countless other guitarists.