"The brainchild of former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, Rainbow quickly developed into one of the '70s most successful heavy metal bands behind charismatic front man Ronnie James Dio. Together, the duo would produce a string of acclaimed albums which are still considered classics of the genre." - Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide
Rainbow was formed in 1975 when Ritchie Blackmore suddenly announced he was quitting Deep Purple to form a new band. Ritchie drafted the band Elf, minus guitarist David Feinstein, as his new band, Rainbow. This included Ronnie James Dio on vocals, Craig Gruber on bass, Mickey Lee Soule on keyboards, and Gary Driscoll on drums. Later in 1975, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow was released in Europe to an embracing audience.
Blackmore and Dio were not fully satisfied with the album's sound, however, and decided to improve their band. Jimmy Bain became their bassist, Tony Cary became their keyboardist, and Cozy Powell became their drummer. In 1976, this lineup recorded Rainbow Rising, voted the greatest heavy metal album of all time in a 1981 Kerrang Magazine. This album included neo-classical compositions such as "Stargazer," featuring orchestral accompanyment. Throughout the 1976-1977 Rising tour, several shows were recorded, which led to the release of three live albums, including 1977's "On Stage".
Rainbow's history continues from here, however, this page is dedicated to the early days of Rainbow, in particular their first two studio albums.
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