Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow have released their first new studio material in 22 years. The two songs are a re-working of the band’s 1981 hit I Surrender — originally sung by Joe Lynn Turner, now voiced by new singer Ronnie Romero — and a cover of Edward Elgar’s famous Land Of Hope And Glory, a patriotic song written in 1902, and perhaps best known for its use at the close of The BBC’s annual Last Night At The Proms broadcast.
In April, Blackmore told Japan’s Burn Magazine, “We recorded some songs for Blackmore’s Night and two songs with the new singer for Rainbow. I wrote one new song, and also recorded one of the old ones. Ronnie, who is in Madrid now, added his vocals and sent it back. Rather than make an album, we may release as singles.”
Rainbow’s performance at the Genting Arena in Birmingham from June last year is to be released on June 9th as a double album titled Live In Birmingham 2016.
Rainbow also have four live UK shows scheduled for next month.
additional source: Classic Rock via teamrock.com
6 Responses
Why re-record a classic like I Surrender if you aren’t gonna improve on it? I much prefer the original with Joe Lynn Turner. And The Land of Hope and Glory sounds like a Blackmore’s Night throwaway song.
Ritchie, you’re an iconic musician with a great catalog of rock albums/songs and I’m glad you’ve returned to rock again, even if only for a brief time. But I know you are capable of so much more…
I agree, disappointing.
The re-recording of “I Surrender” with Cesar Romero or whomever on vocals is about as necessary as KISS re-recording “Beth” with Eric Carr on vocals.
I have to agree with the other comments I really like Ronnie Romero’s voice , but this song sounds wimpy no balls whatsoever , the other song did nothing for me either , listen to Ronnie Romero’s version of stormbringer that’s what it should have sounded like – very disappointed with this crap
JLT absolutely killed this song vocally the first time. He just nailed it.
I do however think Ronnie is a very good vocalist.
To my mind, the only good thing that has come out of “reforming” Rainbow is that it has made Ronnie Romero deservedly better known.
I’ll take him doing Dio songs over a hologram any day.