Rainbow

by Greg Prato

November 2016 saw the release of my 20th book overall, The Other Side of Rainbow, which tells the story of the band that is largely pointed to as the trailblazer of what is now considered "Medieval metal" - Rainbow.

And the band - led by former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore - sustained success despite a total of three singers fronting the band throughout their "golden period" of 1975-1984 (Ronnie James Dio, Graham Bonnet, and Joe Lynn Turner) - including such classic albums as Rising, Down to Earth, and Straight Between the Eyes, as well as the rock radio standards "Man on the Silver Mountain," "Since You've Been Gone," and "Stone Cold." After a brief resuscitation of the band in the mid-late '90s (with Doogie White behind the mic), Blackmore surprised the rock world in 2016 with a handful of Rainbow live performances (with newcomer Ronnie Romero fronting the group).

Do you consider yourself knowledgeable when it comes to Rainbow and Mr. Blackmore? If so, it's time to take the ultimate test, featuring quotes plucked directly from the aforementioned book...
The Other Side of Rainbow is available for purchase as paperback and Kindle version here, as an iBook, and as a Nook version.

Read a sample chapter here.

Further reading: Songfacts interview with Candice Night of Blackmore's Night.

More Fact or Fiction

Comments: 1

  • Jim from Mobile, AlI got them all right, though I did guess a few. Blackmore certainly is an interesting fellow.
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