The revamped version of RAINBOW recently entered the studio to record band's first new music in more than two decades.
Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore stepped away from his Renaissance-inspired brand of music with BLACKMORE'S NIGHT last year to perform a handful of shows with a brand-new lineup of the band he had formed after quitting DEEP PURPLE.
Although Ritchie initially said that he had no plans to make a new RAINBOW album — explaining in early 2016 that he wanted to "just get back to playing the old songs one more time" — he appears to have changed his mind. He told Japan's Burrn! magazine for its May 2017 issue that the current incarnation of RAINBOW — which includes singer Ronnie Romero, originally from Chile but now settled in Madrid, Spain — is in the process of recording two tracks. "I wrote one new song, and also recorded one of the old ones," he said, according to The Highway Star. "Ronnie, who is in Madrid now, added his vocals and sent it back. Rather than make an album, we may release as singles."
Blackmore was also full of praise for Romero, who spends some of his time fronting the Spanish metal band LORDS OF BLACK and is a member of a new project called THE FERRYMEN. "When I heard him, he seemed like the right guy to sing the [Ronnie James] Dio-era songs of RAINBOW," Ritchie said. "He is versatile, he can sing like Freddie Mercury or Ronnie James Dio or Graham Bonnet.
"The reason I did not ask [former RAINBOW singer] Joe Lynn Turner [to get involved in the RAINBOW comeback] is because I thought European fans wanted to hear the Dio lineup of RAINBOW.
"I was very surprised that tickets [to the first RAINBOW comeback shows] sold out in 15 minutes. It was nice to know so many people wanted to hear RAINBOW at this time."
Joe Lynn Turner last year slammed Blackmore for the guitarist's decision to go out and perform classic DEEP PURPLE and RAINBOW material with a new group musicians instead of reforming RAINBOW with a more "authentic" lineup.
Less critical of the new RAINBOW lineup was former DEEP PURPLE bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes, who admitted to Metal Express Radio earlier this year that he had watched some YouTube clips of the new RAINBOW lineup performing in 2016. "Singing Ronnie's [James Dio] songs needs a special kind of singer and I think the young chap did a reasonably good job and I think Ritchie may well have found the guy for him," Hughes said of Romero. "He was certainly a good fit for RAINBOW."
In addition to Romero, Blackmore was joined at last year's RAINBOW gigs by STRATOVARIUS keyboardist Jens Johansson, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT drummer David Keith, bassist Bob Nouveau (a.k.a. Robert "Bob" Curiano, ex-BLACKMORE'S NIGHT), and backing singers Candice Night and Lady Lynn.
The two shows RAINBOW played in Germany last June were caught on camera to produce "Memories In Rock - Live In Germany", which was released in November via Eagle Rock Entertainment on DVD+2CD, Blu-ray+2CD, and digital formats.
After Ritchie left DEEP PURPLE for the final time in 1993, he reformed RAINBOW for one album (1995's "Stranger In Us All") and one tour, ending things in Denmark in 1997.
Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ritchie-blackmore-reactivated-rainbow-is-recording-new-music/#67fce6RilWdoRMeS.99
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
Very interesting! Hmm!
I thought Rainbow was at its best with
1. hard rock epics
2. guitar-heavy instrumentals
3. live material
The Joe Lynn Turner albums did have some good songs like "Can't Happen Here," even some well-written pop songs, but some very cookie cutter stuff too.
The reunited Rainbow album "Stranger In Us All" was also fairly formulaic to me.
So, I would hope that this line-up embraces their weird and self-indulgent side and does not aim for the charts or try to pursue current trends.
I wonder if he is going to revamp the band at all for this years tour and recording. I know it was mentioned by some that they thought his supporting cast, drummer and bassists more so, were kind of weak. It was hard to tell from the fan filmed footage and then I got the official release. Yeah, it seemed to be lacking something. I was surprised he made that decision to release a live recording form just a few shows and also from what Ronnie said, they did not really rehearse all that much.
It will be interesting to see what direction this single might be.
I agree it would be nice to see them "embraces their weird and self-indulgent side ". Not sure that would happen with this being a single, and wanting maybe to get some play. But to hear something in the vein of Tarot Woman would be great!!! 😉 😉 😛 😛
[Edited on 4/19/2017 by jszfunk]
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
The sound I'm hoping for is a purplish riff with Dio like lyrics.
