RAINBOW – Monsters Of Rock: Live At Donington 1980 (CD+DVD via Eagle Vision)
One of Britain’s greatest ever rock bands, who helped define Classic Rock. And one of their most talked about performances. And too easy to think “here we go again, another hash”. And until we get the complete show on both CD and DVD, that will always be the case. That said, there is much here long overdue, the performance is just jaw=droppingly fantastic and the music is to match. Classic British hard rock at its absolute best. Five Virtuosos rocking the park. This period was to Rainbow what Slide It In was to Whitesnake – a gorgeous blend of early creativity and latterday commerciality.
Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, firebrand, talent extraordinaire, creative masterforce, had already found fame and a lot of hits with Deep Purple, a band he co-founded in the late 60s. Inspired to cover Quatermass’ ‘Black Sheep Of The Family’ (Quatermass a band featuring former session man in league Mick Underwood), he would start a solo project featuring American rock band Elf, who had previously supported Deep Purple. That project became Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, and featured legendary vocalist Ronnie James Dio.
(in)Famously changing the line-up with the wind, Rainbow Rising featured drummer Cozy Powell, bassist Jimmy Bain and pianist Tony Carey alongside Dio and Blackmore, and would prove to be the creative peak. Long Live Rock’n’Roll added keyboard player David Stone take their places. 1979’s ‘Down To Earth’ took a much more commercial direction, and alongside Blackmore and Powell, featured keyboard player Don Airey, singer Graham Bonnet and bassist and former Purple cohort Roger Glover. The album sold well and featured two hit singles; ‘All Night Long’ and Russ Ballard’s ‘Since You Been Gone’.
Which brings us to the inaugural Monsters Of Rock in 1980, which Rainbow headlined. April Wine, Judas Priest and Saxon were also on the bill. Much of this set has already been released, in various guises and edits (never, as yet, complete, bar bootlegs).
The audio kicks off with the intro, including a countdown and the Wizard Of Oz quote, a crash bang wallop, before ‘Eyes Of The World’. This is a wonderful track with keyboards and guitar in equal power, Cozy Powell’s drums really kicking. ‘Since You Been Gone’ follow with a huge roar from the crowd.
‘Stargazer’, over 8 minutes of highlight, one of several where Bonnet lapses on the lyrics (although his vocal power suits the song well), and Blackmore’s guitar really stands out. The solo work is just sublime. Things are really slowed down for the 12 minute ‘Catch The Rainbow’. Proof that even when the band went commercial, Blackmore could still jam and enjoy the music, the riffing and shred just wonderful. ‘Lost In Hollywood’ kicks off with some solo work before the fast paced track kicks in, and culminates in a serious guitar solo.
This builds up to ‘Difficult To Cure’. Interesting that Roger Glover is credited as a co-arranger as this was jammed by Blackmore and Airey before Glover joined the band. ‘Difficult To Cure’ is probably my favourite latter day Rainbow track so to hear it with this line-up (i.e. Cozy Powell) is just wonderful, and it finished with a keyboard solo (a roar with a few bars of Smoke).
Always worth checking out (ALWAYS) is a Cozy Powell drum solo, building to the ‘1812 Overture’ and firework display, and a reprise of ‘Lost in Hollywood’. A few bars of Deep Purple’s Lazy, before the hit ‘All Night Long’. The crowd-play sing-along bit here. A blues workout follows, before ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’ (this so suits Bonnet, Rainbow should have released a studio version). The set closes with ‘Long Live Rock’n’Roll’.
Performance – fantastic if tumultuous. Blistering and it’s too easy (and actually quite sad) if you concentrate on any performance issues. I have no time for those naysayers. But what should be commented on (ok, heavily criticised), is the recording (poor in places) and the edit. Ok this is less edited than some previous releases, but still missing are ‘Loves No Friend’, ‘Man On The Silver Mountain’, and the closing instrumental segment of ‘Kill The King’.
Excellent though the CD release is, how and why it isn’t complete when it exists and is available (look at the Japanese release) – you have to feel short changed.
Over to the DVD, which is where the disappointment overtakes the joy. Talk about chopped up and mixed around. This is the original edited-for-TV 30 minute already available malarkey, which kicks off mid-set with some guitar work leading to ‘All Night Long’.
While there are some Don Airey shots, and of Roger Glover too (clearly both having a great night), most of the camera work concentrates on Blackmore and Bonnet. Eyes Of The World looks as good as it sounds. There’s some concentration on Blackmore for the extended solo work, and the DVD closes with the excellent ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’ and ‘Long Live Rock’n’Roll’. For such a short edit of a show, some more full stage shots and less close-ups would have been better.
Overall, well, it’s more than welcome and overdue and a wonderful performance, that so much more could have been made of.
Music – 8/10
Release / edit – 6/10
Joe Geesin