Rainbow Rising (1976): The Album That Changed Everything

Ritchie Blackmore, Ronnie James Dio and the Moment Rock Became Truly Epic

There are certain albums that don’t just arrive in your life — they explode into it.

For me, Rising by Rainbow was one of those records. Released in the hot summer of 1976, it didn’t merely sound different. It felt different. It felt dangerous, mystical, larger than life. And nearly fifty years later, I can still remember the exact emotional impact of hearing it for the very first time.

I’ve been asked to cover this album many times over the years, and perhaps part of the reason I kept putting it off is because Rising means so much to me personally. Some albums become part of your identity. This is one of them.

In 1976, the rock world was in flux. Deep Purple had imploded. The aftermath of Stormbringer and Come Taste the Bandleft many of us wondering what would happen next. There were rumours everywhere in the music press — and remember, that was all we had back then. No internet. No YouTube clips. No leaks. Just the weekly anticipation of Sounds, Melody Maker, NME and Record Mirror.

Then came the advertisements.

That iconic cover.

The rainbow rising from the sea. The giant fist. The wizard-like imagery. The sheer scale of it all.

Even before hearing a single note, I knew this album was going to matter.

Queuing Outside Virgin Records

One of my clearest memories is travelling into Birmingham city centre and queuing outside Virgin Records on release day. I wasn’t alone either. Friends from pubs like The Costa Monger and Bogarts were there too — all of us staring at the sleeve, reading the track listing, wondering what awaited us.

And there was something else.

Only two tracks on side two.

Now younger music fans raised on streaming might not understand why that mattered so much, but vinyl records told stories visually. Long tracks meant something special was happening. You could see it in the grooves themselves. There were no “light” sections in the vinyl — this looked dense, loud, intense.

We knew we were about to hear something epic.

And we were right.

Tarot Woman — One Note That Changed Everything

I got home, put the record on my Hitachi music centre upstairs, lowered the needle… and then came that synthesizer introduction to “Tarot Woman.”

The anticipation was unbearable.

Slowly the keyboards build… and then you hear that guitar note from Richie Blackmore. Just one note. One string. Tremolo picked in that unmistakable way that immediately told you who it was.

That was the genius of Ritchie Blackmore.

You knew it was him instantly.

Then the band crashes in and suddenly Ronnie James Dio arrives like a force of nature. I’d seen him before supporting Purple with Elf on the Burn tour, but this was something else entirely. His voice had evolved into the perfect heavy rock instrument — powerful, authoritative, theatrical and utterly believable.

“Tarot Woman” remains one of the greatest opening tracks in rock history.

Not because it’s flashy.

Because it announces intent.

The Band Were On Fire

Every member of Rainbow sounds hungry on this record.

Cozy Powell in particular was a revelation. In the UK, many people still associated Cozy with chart singles and session work. But on Rising you suddenly realised he was one of the most powerful drummers on the planet.

“Run With the Wolf” brought a more muscular British hard rock feel, while “Starstruck” — famously inspired by a female stalker following Blackmore around the world — showed the band could still produce concise, punchy rock songs.

And then came “Do You Close Your Eyes,” a track that almost felt playful compared to what was about to happen next.

Because side two…

Side two changed everything.

Stargazer — The Moment Rock Became Mythology

I can still picture myself sitting on the edge of the bed as “Stargazer” began.

That rolling Cozy Powell drum pattern.

That dark, brooding riff.

And suddenly you realised this wasn’t simply a rock song anymore.

This was mythology.

People often compare “Stargazer” to “Kashmir,” and I understand why — both have that hypnotic, Eastern-influenced grandeur. But “Stargazer” feels even darker, denser and more obsessive somehow.

And Ronnie James Dio completely sells the fantasy.

That’s the key.

You believe him.

By 1976, songs about wizards and mysticism could easily have sounded ridiculous. But Dio’s delivery transformed the lyrics into something cinematic and real.

Then Blackmore’s solo arrives.

And what a solo.

The band locks into that hypnotic groove while Blackmore unleashes one of the most emotional, fluid and dramatic guitar solos of his career. The phrasing, the tension, the sheer sense of momentum — it’s extraordinary.

I remember physically standing up during that first listen because I simply couldn’t believe how intense it was. And when the orchestra enters…

My God.

The Munich Philharmonic Orchestra doesn’t merely decorate the song. It elevates it into something almost operatic.

And when Dio sings:

“I see a rainbow rising…”

You look straight back at that album cover and realise the entire thing — music, artwork, lyrics, atmosphere — has become one complete experience.

That’s what great albums used to do.

A Light in the Black — Full Velocity Rainbow

If “Stargazer” was the mystical centrepiece, then “A Light in the Black” was Rainbow proving they could outplay virtually anyone on the planet.

Fast. Ferocious. Precision rock music.

The interplay between Blackmore and keyboard player Tony Carey is astonishing throughout this track. Neo-classical runs collide with pounding double bass drumming from Cozy Powell, creating something that felt futuristic in 1976.

And then comes the guitar solo.

I genuinely remember feeling almost overwhelmed hearing it for the first time. There’s a clarity and melodic structure to Blackmore’s playing that prevents it becoming mere speed or chaos. Even at full intensity, every phrase means something.

By the time the album ended, I was exhausted.

And utterly convinced I’d just heard one of the greatest rock albums ever made.

The Night Everyone Talked About Side Two

That evening in the pub, nobody talked about football.

Nobody talked about girls.

Nobody talked about anything except side two of Rising.

I was in my first band at the time and when we got together in rehearsal, we barely played a note because all we did was discuss the album.

That’s how seismic this record felt.

And for me personally, it became something even deeper than entertainment.

I was working long factory days as an apprentice at the time, and I’d come home exhausted, put side two on at full volume and let it transport me somewhere else entirely.

Music can genuinely protect you emotionally sometimes.

This album did that for me.

Seeing Rainbow Live in 1976

A few months later came the next life-changing moment: seeing Rainbow live in September 1976.

Again, younger fans today might not fully appreciate this, but back then you never saw your heroes move unless you physically attended a concert. There were no live clips online. No social media snippets. Rock stars felt mythical because they were largely inaccessible.

So seeing Blackmore walk onto a stage again after Deep Purple felt monumental.

And the concert itself?

Absolutely astonishing.

“Mistreated” was colossal. Dio completely made the song his own. And somehow — somehow — they managed to recreate the majesty of “Stargazer” live as well.

It was one of those nights you carry with you forever.

Which Version Should You Buy?

My original Oyster label vinyl copy still means the most to me emotionally. The artwork alone is one of the greatest sleeves ever created.

But if you’re looking for the best CD version, I always recommend the deluxe 2CD edition with both the New York and Los Angeles mixes included.

The Andy Pearce remastering sounds excellent, and the rough mixes and rehearsal versions — particularly “Stargazer” — are fascinating insights into how this masterpiece evolved.

Why Rising Still Matters

Nearly fifty years later, Rising still sounds enormous.

Not nostalgic.

Not quaint.

Not “good for its era.”

It sounds timeless.

And I think that’s because this album represents complete artistic conviction. Nobody compromised. Nobody played safe. Nobody worried about radio formats or trends. Rainbow simply created the most ambitious, dramatic and emotionally overwhelming rock album they possibly could.

And they succeeded.

If someone asked me where to begin with classic rock — truly classic rock — this would absolutely be one of the first albums I’d hand them.

Because Rising isn’t just an album.

It’s an experience.

And once it gets inside you, it never really leaves.

Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine

Become a patreon of Now Spinning and get to see all my videos before general release