Tuesday 19 January 2021

UK Number 40s: Rainbow - L.A. Connection (1978)


What we have here is a well known band who you wouldn't call a singles band, though they would have 3 big hits around the turn of the decade.

Rainbow are basically what Ritchie Blackmore did after Deep Purple. In their original run, they had 18 different members in just 9 years with Ritchie Blackmore being the only constant member.

They formed in 1975 and when they first charted in 1978 with "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll" they were on their 3rd album. This was the follow up single to that. Other members of the band at this point included Ronnie James Dio and Cozy Powell. With the members mentioned being in their 30s by this point, it perhaps wasn't typical of the type of music the youngsters were listening to at the time.

However, the following year with Ronnie James Dio replaced by Graham Bonnet and former Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover joining the group they had perhaps their best known hit with "Since You've Been Gone" which made number 6. A couple of Top 5 hits would follow, then a couple of minor hits would mark the end of their singles chart career.

The band are currently on their second reunion, though none of the current band apart from Ritchie Blackmore were in any previous line ups of the band.

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