Your last listen

[CN211276]

Thanks for the background info CN, I think I'll pick up a couple more Rainbow CD's - there is a 5-disc budget set available. One of the (few) Hard-Rock acts to really incorporate keyboards in a good way. Love the Moog solo that opens 'Rising'.

Talking about 5CD budget sets, I am now working through the Iron Butterfly 'Original Album Series' set with their first 5 albums including the legendary 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida'.



Another group I have been meaning to check out for ages and my recent 'Bay-Area' listens brought them up again. Often compared to The Doors with their organ/guitar-driven psychedelic sound. The SQ on this set is remarkably good and this is a fine set of thoroughly enjoyable late 60's rock. Supposedly one of the acts that inspired Heavy Rock / Metal but I cannot say that I really hear that, mostly it is tuneful with some heavy-ish workouts from time-to-time. The later records have a distinct Soul/Funk influence and sound more like Blood, Sweat and Tears.

Interesting and fun!

[SteveTheShadow]

DSOTM on vinyl.
Had to be really, as yesterday was the 50th anniversary of its release. Would have been better to play it yesterday but better late than never.

A few more 1973 vinyls are lined up:
Elton John Goodbye - Yellow Brick Road
David Bowie - Aladdin Sane/Pinups
Deep Purple - Who Do We Think We Are
Stevie Wonder - Innervisions

[CN211276]

Thanks for the background info CN, I think I'll pick up a couple more Rainbow CD's - there is a 5-disc budget set available. One of the (few) Hard-Rock acts to really incorporate keyboards in a good way. Love the Moog solo that opens 'Rising'.

Talking about 5CD budget sets, I am now working through the Iron Butterfly 'Original Album Series' set with their first 5 albums including the legendary 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida'.



Another group I have been meaning to check out for ages and my recent 'Bay-Area' listens brought them up again. Often compared to The Doors with their organ/guitar-driven psychedelic sound. The SQ on this set is remarkably good and this is a fine set of thoroughly enjoyable late 60's rock. Supposedly one of the acts that inspired Heavy Rock / Metal but I cannot say that I really hear that, mostly it is tuneful with some heavy-ish workouts from time-to-time. The later records have a distinct Soul/Funk influence and sound more like Blood, Sweat and Tears.

Interesting and fun!

Led Zeppelin supported Iron Butterfly on their first US tour and blew them off stage.

Rainbow released seven studio albums between 1975 and 1983 covering three different eras. Hire em fire em Blackmore pulled the strings and the eras reflect changes in personal and musical direction.

The Dio era lasted three albums before egos and Blackmore's desire to perdue a more commercial direction with hit singles took hold. Dio continued the sword & sorcery, dungeons & dragons heavy metal direction in Black Sabbath, replacing the fired Ozzy. Two of the bands finest albums resulted. Rainbow had well known hit singles with Graham Bonnet, but this line up lasted for only one album. Blackmore did not like Bonnets short hair and choice of shirts. Cozy Powell also departed not happy with the commercial direction. He teamed up with Michael Schenker who had left UFO.

The third era with Joe Lynn Turner on vocals was another transition. Blackmore wanted a more AOR sound which would appeal to the US market. Of the three albums I rate the second two digitally recorded highest. Key boards are more prominent with less bombastic guitar. Was gutted to miss the Bent out of shape tour as I was on holiday.

Big bucks lured Blackmore back to Purple and the resulting album Perfect Strangers is one of their best IMO. But the old MK2 differences soon resurfaced and it was down hill from there. I wished Rainbow had continued. My favourite Purple album after Perfect Strangers is Slaves and Masters after Blackmore fired Gillan and brought in Joe Lynn Turner. It sounds similar to the later Rainbow albums. When Purple fired Blackmore one more Rainbow album with different personal resulted. It is nothing special. Blackmore then started Blackmore's Night with his partner Candice Night which continues to this day. Candice Night was a backing singer with Deep Purple. This is a complete change of direction, mellow but quite listenable if in the mood. The albums contain many covers including revamped Purple and Rainbow songs.

[Grumpytim]

I think that Rising is the best studio album by Rainbow. Their absolute best LP was On Stage, probably Blackmore's best live recording. That said I think Dio's best ever studio effort was Heaven & Hell with Iommi. when I'm being cantankerous with a certain crowd I say that Osbourne was Sabbaths second best singer, and wait for the spluttering.

Also can't see Iron Butterfly as one of Metals inspirations, Mountain from much the same period, maybe. They also have one of those 5 cd sets that is worth checking out at the price.

[CN211276]

I think that Rising is the best studio album by Rainbow. Their absolute best LP was On Stage, probably Blackmore's best live recording. That said I think Dio's best ever studio effort was Heaven & Hell with Iommi. when I'm being cantankerous with a certain crowd I say that Osbourne was Sabbaths second best singer, and wait for the spluttering.

Also can't see Iron Butterfly as one of Metals inspirations, Mountain from much the same period, maybe. They also have one of those 5 cd sets that is worth checking out at the price.

I slightly prefer Mob Rules to Heaven and Hell and don't think there was anyone to touch Dio between 1976-1984. Six classic albums from Rising to the Last in line. He brought out the best in two legendary guitarists and also the relatively unknown Vivian Campbell. At one of his solo concerts I was at the front and he handed me a glass of vodka and lemonade, something I will never forget. He had an ego to go with his talent, spurred on by his manager/wife. This caused friction with band members along with a creative spark.

[CN211276]

Rainbow 'On Stage' (1977)



As a teenager, pretty well everyone had Rainbow LPs in their collection - except me, I was more interested in The Stranglers and The Teardrop Explodes. So this musical snobbery has meant that these albums are, effectively, unknown to me and it is fascinating to now get to grips with them.

'On Stage' documents a mid 70's World Tour where Ritchie and his band were a well-oiled machine turning out top-flight Rock n' Roll with supreme virtuosity and panache.

Blown away by how good this all is.

[CN211276]

There was a lot of great heavy rock around in the mid and late 70s which was not considered fashionable by music critics who could not see further than punk/new wave. Rush UFO and Thin Lizzy immediately come to mind along with the emerging AC/DC and Judas Priest. This was at a time when Deep Purple were no more, Led Zep and Black Sabbath were in decline and prior to NWOBHM and Hair Metal.

Currently playing what I consider to be the last great Dio album - The Last in Line. He made mainly good albums for the rest of his life, but never reached the heights of 1976-84.

[CN211276]

Just ordered a stack of cheap 2nd-hand CDs: Dio, UFO, Deep Purple, Hawkwind & Gillan.

Gonna be some hard-rockin-mutha round here (or suchlike).

[CN211276]

Just ordered a stack of cheap 2nd-hand CDs: Dio, UFO, Deep Purple, Hawkwind & Gillan.

Gonna be some hard-rockin-mutha round here (or suchlike).

UFO's Strangers in the night is my all time favourite live album. They are the band I have seen more than any other.

[TheRealAleman]

Hawkwind - Black blade
Blue öyster cult - cultosaurus erectus