New Rainbow Project - Over the Rainbow

How cool is this...

FORMER RAINBOW STARS GATHER:
Former Rainbow musicians Joe Lynn Turner, Tony Carey, Bobby Rondinelli and Greg Smith have united with a second generation Blackmore to form Over The Rainbow.
Over The Rainbow is: Vocals: Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow 1980-1984) Keyboards: Tony Carey (Rainbow 1975-1978) Drums: Bobby Rondinelli (Rainbow 1980-1983) Bass: Greg Smith (Rainbow 1994-1997) Guitar: Jurgen ("J.R.") Blackmore.
Carey, who has produced several artists including Joe Cocker and David Knopfler since his Rainbow days says, "Having done everything from country to opera, I thought it would be fun to play some rock again without the burden of singing everything."
Rondinelli adds, "Over the Rainbow re-unites members of one of the most distinctive sounding bands of all time and introduces a hidden treasure to the world in J.R. Blackmore.''
The son of the iconic Rainbow founder/guitarist, Ritchie Blackmore, is Jurgen ("J.R.") Blackmore. J.R. is a critically acclaimed guitarist in his own right and agreed to join this endeavor after realizing how intense the demand was for a Rainbow "reunion." Over The Rainbow marks the first time that four members from three different eras of Rainbow will take the stage together along with J.R. Blackmore.
Rainbow has spawned over 20 albums (five Gold, four Silver), seven Billboard Hot 100 and Mainstream Rock tracks, six Top 75 UK songs and at least seven MTV frequently played videos. Their longest tenure was from its inception through 1984 when it went on hiatus so Blackmore could reform Deep Purple. A decade later, Rainbow toured and recorded an album. Since then, Ritchie Blackmore has turned his focus toward Blackmore’s Night.
Since 1998, former members of Rainbow and their respective management offices have been bombarded with requests for Rainbow to reunite. Carey, Rondinelli, Smith and Turner answered "the call" but agreed that the only legitimate way that this could be accomplished was with a Blackmore on guitar. Enter: J.R. Blackmore.
How does the younger Blackmore feel about sharing the stage with musicians he grew up watching perform in concert with his legendary father? "I have not worked with them," says Blackmore, "But, I have admired them since I was young. That makes them like brothers.”
Greg Smith agrees that the market for Rainbow’s brand of rock is under served. "I know there is a big demand for this music,” he says, “The fact that all members are ex-Rainbow from different periods in the band's history will give the music the integrity it deserves. A Blackmore on guitar will give it even more authenticity."
While Joe Lynn Turner has fond memories of collaborating with and great respect for Ritchie Blackmore, he's looking forward to working with his son. He states, “J.R. is the only logical choice for the guitar slot for Over The Rainbow. I have followed some of his projects over the years now. He's very talented."
Over the Rainbow will begin touring in Russia during February of 2009.

Right on. Had a chance to hang out with bassist Greg Smith this past summer. He is a very cool dude.

I am huge Rainbow fan and it seems it bit gimmicky adding Blackmore's son in the mix, but what the hell, Joe Lynn Turner is a very talented vocalist as are the rest of the members of this incarnation, plus I like the name of the band 'Over The Rainbow' I do hope they are more than oldies act and record new material.

If they kid can play like his old man....more power to em! I would buy this.

I'll wait and see how it sounds...could be decent. JLT is a good singer...

I would buy this too. Especially since I'm a huge Tony Carey fan.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

I'll wait and see how it sounds...could be decent. JLT is a GREAT singer...

Edited for clarity.

Hopefully they make an US tour on 2009.

I'll be keeping an ear out for them.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

I'll wait and see how it sounds...could be decent. JLT is a good singer...

JLT has turned every band/project he has joined into pop cheese rock!

Candlemass if you hire Joe Lynn Turner for any project I am assuming that you are hiring for him to bring in a more commerical direction to the music, that is what he does. I am personally a fan, so I look to this to sound like Rainbow when he led them not when Dio was the vocalist.

manny wrote:

Candlemass if you hire Joe Lynn Turner for any project I am assuming that you are hiring for him to bring in a more commerical direction to the music, that is what he does. I am personally a fan, so I look to this to sound like Rainbow when he led them not when Dio was the vocalist.

I'm sure it will, wich is why I'll pass. He brings instant pop success to a band, but no longevity, his music has little staying power.

candlemass wrote:

his music has little staying power.

I have to disagree. JLT led Rainbow has always gotten more play from me than DIO led Rainbow. Sure "Rising" is arguably the band's best, but if I pull out a Rainbow (that sounds funny) album, I'll always pick Straight Between The Eyes or Difficult To Cure long before any others. But that's just a personal preference.

It's radio friendly pop rock, ear candy if you will, little to sink your teeth into or sustain you for the full lp.

I also disagree I think Joe Lynn Turner's work with Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen, and his sole Deep Purple are solid albums that hold up very well. I understand you may not care for the direction he led this bands when he joined but I think they co-wrote some classic commerical songs with Blackmore when he was in Rainbow.

A few songs maybe, but not the entire lp, not so w/Dio. The material he made w/Yngwie and DP is nowhere to be found on the radio today.

candlemass wrote:

It's radio friendly pop rock, ear candy if you will, little to sink your teeth into or sustain you for the full lp.

Very true Candlemass it is radio friendly but that does not always equate forgottable or throw away, IMO " Straight Between the Eyes" and " Bent Out of Shape" are solid albums not an album filled with a couple hit songs surrounded by filler.

candlemass wrote:

A few songs maybe, but not the entire lp, not so w/Dio. The material he made w/Yngwie and DP is nowhere to be found on the radio today.

Neither is the material that Rainbow recorded with Dio apart from " Man on the Silver Mountain" and your not discounting that line up due to radio play.

I actually had never heard of JR Blackmore before, but because of this thread I was able to search his name out and hear his work on his myspace. He plays a very similar style as his father did, but I here more Tony MacAlpine in his playing than Richie Blackmore. At least on the four tracks on his myspace.

Interesting. I doubt if it'll rival their early stuff, but I'll give it a listen.

I heard an interview with Roger Glover and he said that JLT was the most versitile and best singer he had ever worked with. He also stated that Joe's main fault was that he could sing most anything but never really came up with a stlye that was all his own. I thought this was an interesting comment and may explain why he is always the hired gun but never really sticks with a band for too long.

I happen to really like the stuff I have heard him sing on. The dude is mega-talented in my opinion.