'Down To Earth' meant for Rainbow
a turning point in his career, besides being his fourth publication of study. After three such gems as 'Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow', 'Rising' and 'Long Live Rock' n 'Roll', the tandem Dio - Blackmore, one of the most brilliant that humanity has seen, is undone by leaving Dio ship to continue their upward career with Iommi in Black Sabbath. A Blackmore gives exactly the same, and without thinking twice he decided to focus the sound of Rainbow from a view more commercial and accessible, and not the epic of the above mentioned work. Hence, it seems very significant title of the album, Down To Earth, where they forget the rainbows and stars, men in the mountains of silver, the ladies of the lakes, the regicide, spells, wizards and dragons, etc ... to play and sing issues more 'worldly' and terrestrial, only Rock 'n' Roll, girls and nights of revelry. And no one better suited to sing the theme that a guy who seemed straight out of a casino in Las Vegas, or some nightclub in Outskirts, looking like a pimp three fourth, or 'Tony Manero', but .. . fuck ... with a great voice for rock 'N' Roll!.
Graham Bonnet became known to the world thanks to this album, in the end the first and last recorded Blackmore, and run after their adventures and misadventures with other geniuses of the six strings (Yngwie in Alcatrazz, Impelliteri Michael Schenker ...). Our talented guitarist completed the play convincing his old friend Roger Glover to take over production, and did so well to assume responsibility over the bass. Cozy Powell on drums and Don Airey on keyboards training was recorded in a French chateau, this work. As I say, it Rainbow Style distance themselves from their previous albums, and, sure with an eye on the lucrative U.S. market, which still did not succeed, the album marked a more 'light', with a couple of potential 'singles', and 'All Night Long' and 'Since You've Been Gone' , suitable for conventional radio stations. But mistake not, genius and sound quality of the old Rainbow still there, and it is quite noticeable in songs like 'Lost In Hollywood', 'Danger Zone', and the magnificent 'Eyes Of The World', the issue that most recalls previous eras. An album that served as perfect and logical transition between the two different major stages of Rainbow (RJ Dio - JLTurner), in addition to head the first Festival Poster Donington in 1980, with April Wine, Scorpions and Judas Priest. Simply end by saying that Rainbow has been one of the coolest bands in the history of Rock ... and anything that passed through his hands was a pure delight for the senses, and 'Down To Earth' is no exception. Enjoy.