A variety of mystic and melody...

This collection does a wonderful job of showing a band going from one point of view to another. Ronnie James Dio brought a more dark-agish and cutting edge approach; while Joe Lynn Turner brought a more soulfull and meloncholic approach. To go from, "The Man on the Silver Mountain," to "Street of Dreams," is a wonderful and enjoyable ride to any ears.

Since They've Been Gone...

Rainbow was started when former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore based his own band. There was at first Ronnie James Dio in vocals. Dio's voice is just perfect for Rainbow's hard rock style. The songs in the first album weren't so good but at least two of them was included in this album "Man on the Silver Mountain" and the peaceful ballad "Catch the Rainbow". The next album "Rainbow Rising" was a perfect one...no bad songs at all. That's why I'm surprised that only two songs ("Starstruck", "Stargazer") were included here. I think also "Tarot Woman" should have been here. The next album is one of critic's favourites. "Long Live Rock'n'Roll" is much more commercial than the earlier ones. Three tracks for this collection: "Kill the King", "Long Live Rock'n'Roll", and "Gates of Babylon". I think "Long Live Rock'n'roll" has been heard too many times. The next vocalist for the album "Down to Earth" ("Since You Been Gone", "All Night Long") was Graham Bonnet. The lyrics were no more about the superstition...they were about love. The rest of the songs were sung by Joe Lynn Turner. He managed to sing hits like "I Surrender", "Stone Cold", and "Street of Dreams".

Stars: Stargazer, Gates of Babylon, I Surrender, Since You Been Gone

The point below zero...sorry guys

Compared to REBEL ROUSING RICHIE's Blackmore's Night-(BLACKMORE'S "NIGH") THIS IS A MASTERPIECE!!! But comparing something to nothing ISNT saying a heck of a lot is it? TO the rabid lovers of guitar protechnics, BLACKMORE IS GOD, along w/MALMSTEEN SATRIANI VAI BORLAND VAN HALEN LIFESON SCHENKER etc

But tell me my brothers why did you leave out this thing call 'soul'-can I get a witness? Okay to give credit where its 'due', Blackmore has had a few descent singers in his lineups: GRAHAM BONNET(his cousin was the first bassist with the BEEGEES-oh no!!!!) and JOE LYNN TURNER(though he had a terrible tendency toward the LOU GRAMMALDI school of warbling!)

And as for RONNIE D, the guy should really thought about staying with his original career as a pharmicist! (It was REALLY humourous when he fronted BLACK SABBATH-yeah if wasnt for the comedy it would be tragedy) There is a few humblable toons like he ex-Argent guitarist RUSS BALLARD'S 'SinceYou Been Gone', done much BETTER by the writer hisself and several others. But mostly, there is a lot of 'difficult to care' indigestion plaguing this record!

Ask the man himself who was quoted as saying: 'Im not technically good enough to be a classical musician.' 'I lack the discipline.' When youre dealing with classical music, you have to be rigid, Im NOT a rigid player.' 'Id always thought you couldnt just play four notes like in blues.' 'I was always stuck between the two.' Yeah and it shows too! Nothing like being honest,innit?