The Great Rainbow Debate (Part 3): Tip-Top Turner
The raging three-day debate reaches its dramatic – some might say demented – conclusion! Yes, it’s the final part of Classic Rock’s Ronnie vs. Graham vs. Joe triple-threat Rainbow mash-up.
Yesterday, Malcolm Dome took an 007 route in putting the case for Graham Bonnet.
Today Geoff Barton flies the flag for Joe Lynn Turner.
(No disrespect to Doogie White, but this is strictly a three-way symposium.)
Right, seconds out! Here comes the concluding round. Will JLT deliver a knockout blow? Take it away, Geoff…
I am unchastened. Unbowed. I have no regrets. I will not backtrack. I shall not yield.
I stand by my judgment that Joe Lynn Turner was – indeed, still is – the best singer in Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow.
My review of Rainbow’s Anthology 1975-1984 in the October issue of Classic Rock caused a bit of a rumpus… and maybe even ruffled Ronnie James Dio’s romper suit along the way, who knows?
One CR reader was so incensed, he wondered if my wife has been sleeping with Dio. I can positively state that this is not the case. She wouldn’t fit in the cot!
Indeed, my review caused so much of a rumpus that no one noticed a terrible mistake in my interview with Kiss’s Paul Stanley, where the title of the band’s Animalize album somehow got changed to Adrenalize. Thank heaven for small mercies, eh?
But… thank heaven for small vocalists? Gimme a break.
It hasn’t always been the case. Way back in the May 22, 1976 edition of the late, lamented Sounds music weekly, I celebrated the release of Rainbow Rising with a delirious dose of hot-flushed hyper-enthusiasm, describing the album as being jam-packed full of ‘thermonuclear rock’n’roll’.
Uncannily predicting the future, I wrote: ‘If court minstrels of yesteryear had electric guitars instead of lutes, their odes could well have sounded like this.’
I also penned the following paragraph: ‘Through his work with Elf, Dio has always been recognised as a talented vocalist. Yet with this album, lyrically, he comes into his own. His words lean towards fantastical, sword and sorcerous subjects; truly epic tales! His hook-lines – i.e. ‘Lady Starstruck, she’s nothing but bad luck/Lady Starstruck, coming after me’ – make an instant impression.’
But, like I said in my Anthology review, times – and opinions – change: ‘Rising might’ve been the greatest album of all time in ’76 but colour TVs were the size of brick outhouses and the Austin Allegro was the peak of automotive excellence.’
In other words: would you rather watch Stan Mortensen clodhopping around a bog-like pitch in his hobnails in grainy Super-8, or witness Cristiano Ronaldo ponce his way past hapless defenders like a slippery eel in eye-boggling hi-def?
I concluded: ‘It’s time for a reassessment of Rainbow… Ronnie James Dio has been getting away with the same old stodge for 35 years.’
What cemented my belief that JLT was/is better than RJD was seeing Over The Rainbow perform at Sweden Rock this past summer.
Helmed by Turner and featuring Jürgen Blackmore (Ritchie’s son) on guitar, plus Rainbow alumni Bobby Rondinelli (drums), Greg Smith (bass) and Paul Morris (keyboards), OTR were a revelation.
The Dio-fronted Heaven And Hell, who also appeared at Sweden Rock, were, by contrast, dull, clunky, old, doddery, decrepit, uninspiring.
What’s more, as well as excelling on his own songs such as Death Alley Driver and Can’t Happen Here at Sweden Rock, Turner handled Dio-era tracks like Tarot Woman and Man On The Silver Mountain with ease and aplomb.
Can you imagine Dio trying to twist his truculent tonsils around Turner’s tunes? Talk about putting the pixie boot on the other foot. Ronnie’d be severely outside his comfort zone of pitchfork-wielding gnomes and suchlike. He’d be bent out of shape completely. The results would be horrendous. Unlistenable. Grimace-inducing. Calamitous.
Dio has had a long and distinguished career, of that there is no doubt. But, again, as I said in my Anthology review, his broadsword has become well and truly blunted over the years.
Picture, if you will, a man with very thick glasses in a Gore-Tex jacket and Wellington boots stumbling across a recently ploughed field. He waves his metal detector about and – breeeeeeep! – discovers the aforementioned broadsword half-buried in the mud. The next thing you know, the crusty weapon is on display inside a hermetically sealed cabinet in a museum.
Well, that’s exactly what Dio’s work in Rainbow sounds like now: a decaying old curio.
It’s like having medieval porridge washed down with rancid gruel for your breakfast.
The undeniable fact is that when Joe Lynn Turner joined Rainbow he immediately sparked a lighthouse beacon of brilliance. And as a consequence, the wearisome wizard’s shadow was well and truly obliterated. (And of course there’s no sun in his bleedin’ shadow. It wouldn’t be a shadow then, would it?!)
JLT embraced wholeheartedly Ritchie Blackmore’s glittering new commercial vision and helped create AOR-tinged ditties of liquid gold. Scintillating, streamlined songs such as Street Of Dreams and Stone Cold that today sound totally timeless. Like I might’ve mentioned, we’re talkin’ ‘Toto times 10,000’ here.
Porridge and gruel? Do me a favour. Turner’s time with Rainbow was a giant supercharged cereal bar laced with gallons of Red Bull and Lucozade. And sprinkled with amphetamines.
Just the sort of thing that gets me going of a morning, while I’m slumped in my armchair at the retirement home for rock writers.
– Geoff Barton
i honestly think that “rising” has stood the test of time supremely well and it still rocks and kicks major ass…the point is not Ronnie’s lyrics but the immense musical output of the whole band…jlt’ stuff sounds dated and i could imagine only overweight middle-aged man listening to it…Bonnett has a cool voice but he went to sing shitty songs through all his career, rainbow included…hm, actually i really dig “love’s no friend of mine”.
Ronnie James Dio blows the others out of the water. Although Bonnet and JLT output a few good tunes while they were with Rainbow they were completely different to the original Rainbows sound. The real Rainbow died the day Dio left.
Dio amazing…plus his obsession with mentioning the word ’Ale’ in interviews is so bizarre that it’s righteous.
Clearly Mr Barton wasn’t at Knebworth then! Heaven and Hell played a great set. In case you hadn’t noticed, that band HAVE grown old but it doesn’t impede their ability to play a storming set or stop Dio from singing his heart out for us. Be happy that we still have the opportunity to see this historical band play live, dont slate them because they’re getting on a bit!
I’ve considered all the arguments presented in these three parts and have come to the conclusion… Who really cares?
It seems the writers (and fans) want to force artists to consider not only what they’re doing at the time, but what impact it will have decades later.
Whether any of those Rainbow albums are still “fresh” or “relevant” today is somewhat meaningless. They were made for their time as quickly as possible so they could get back out on the road.
So it’s a bit silly to say that Dio-era Rainbow sounds, like “a decaying old curio” today. It wasn’t made for “today”… it was made for the era it was recorded.
Each era of Rainbow had its charms and its purpose (in Ritchie’s mind.) Other than filling space and giving CR writers something to do, I don’t see the point of trying to diminish the output of one era to build up another.
What an absolute jackass. Dio has one of the most impressive ranges in rock history, he doesn’t sing pop out of pride, but he certainly good. Turner’s aor-drenched vocals can’t even come close to Dio’s, and him singing the original stuff is disgusting.
As Dio said, no one is clamoring for a reunion with Turner. The first 3 albums have stood the test of time, while JTL’s were foreigner knock-offs and tied to their time. Just check which ones are out of print and which ones are still available. People only buy the Dio ones now.
I’ve never seen the JLT fronted Rainbow but listened to the vinyl & CD’s.
The Powell/Dio/Blackmore Rising album and Stargazer in particular, like the Montrose record three years previously ushered in a new era and level of performance for metal.
Nothing JLT has penned or performed will never, ever come close to that record. Geoff, I read your reviews in Sounds at the time and you like me were captivated by the album.
Opinions change over time just as we do but talent and greatness are timeless. RJD Rainbow was the best then and still is.
As a comment to the Part 1 article, I said that Dio is the best of the singers due toi the greatness of the first 3 albums. But I must also add that if Dio could not be part of a classic Rainbow reunion, then I would choose Doogie White for second choice. Stranger in us all is definitely a great album, even though Mr. Blackmore had not originally intended it to be a Rainbow album. I have no complaints with the other two singers, Joe Lynn Turner and Graham Bonnet, but they would be my third and fourth picks respectively. J.L. Turner is doing quite well with his own solo efforts, his partnership with Glenn Hughes, and with the group Sunstorm. Mr. Turner must be the energizer bunny because he is constantly recording a CD, and doing a good job at it.
1. Doogie and Ronnie
2. JLT
3. Graham Bonnet
Rainbow rising probably my favourite album, i do have a tattoo of the cover on my arm, such power emotion pure musical brilliance can`t really be said of any jlt Rainbow albums.
Barton, you need to change your medication!
Another complete miss-match, Turner again was in the wrong genre of music.
Lame and very generic, basically a pop type singer nothing more nothing less.
Outside Rainbow/Dio it was Doogie White and Stranger In Us All with that line up. I doubt my views will pass the moderation, but it`s simply the truth.
PowerKnight.
Hard to disagree with Geoff barton, I still like listening to Rising now and again but the Turner era material just hasn’t dated.
Controversy is usually a good thing, and this issue has at least got us all thinking! By my reckoning, Long Live Rock’n'Roll only contained three sorcerous numbers – Lady of the Lake, Gates of Babylon, and Kill the King. It’s not unthinkable that Rainbow could have progressed into hit 45 territory with RJD – Purple did it, after all! JLT is a great vocalist (and his work with Purple was of a high standard, say what you will), but he does sound very like Lou Gramm; Dio sounds like no one else. PS Dougie White’s era is remembered with great affection – won’t someone at CR give him and his Rainbow album a chance?
TV’s may be better now than in the 70s but what has that got to do with music?
Next you’ll be saying the ‘Slaves & Masters’ album is better than ‘In Rock’ or ‘Machine Head’ just because it is more recent.
I’d say if anything in the Rainbow catalogue was dated then it is definitely the JLT era with it’s 80s production.
If Rainbow Rising had been released this year, then it would have been hailed just as it was back in the day. Still sounds fresh and exciting to me.
Really think Classic Rock should give the Doogie White album some attention, it really is an overlooked gem.
Dio has the voice still and always has .Bonnet one album from the gravelled voiced powerhouse was brilliant but Turner the best????? ere na i think not Barton, like they say if its too loud ya too old, old man!
put ya slippers on and listen to your over the top “here performing at Butlins ” singer !!!!!!!!!!
No matter how mr. Barton explains himself, this is still complete bullshit.
go compare.go,if u start comparissons in bands,u’ve the rest of your days.purple,rainbow.van halen,floyd,genesis,etc.
I thought that this was supposed to be a debate regarding the merits of each of the Rainbow vocalists, parts 1 & 2 have done this admirably however it appears that Mr Barton has taken the opportunity to merely continue ranting about RJD instead of promoting JLT. A missed opportunity Geoff.
The real star of Rainbow was Ritchie Blackmore, because he was clever enough to use the right vocalist for the music style he wanted to produce at the time. Each one great at his own style, but can you imagine Dio trying to sing “I Surrender” or “Street Of Dreams” and JLT fronting Sabbath! Ain’t gonna happen – wrong styles. So the debate is really moot, they are all great vocalists (including Doogie), but the real star was Ritchie.
Just a shame it’s no longer his “head” that rules his affairs.
The 3 are great, but Dio is a legend! He´s problably the only guy at his age to keep an amazing voice….unfortunately, the same doesn´t happen to other vocalists who are even younger than Dio.
Rainbow had four good singers but Ronnie James Dio is by far the best i’ve seen all but Doogie White in Rainbow live and the Dio era songs are classics Rainbow Rising is still my favourite album of all time.My wife is a big Joe Lynn Turner fan but she likes the lighter side of Rainbow.
Ritchie was the star…yes but Ronnie was the other star. Why do people fail to see that all the classic HR/HM bands have a general partnership singer/guitar player.
Do I really have to spell it out, Plant/Page etc, that`s what creates the magic. Hence Blackmore/Dio, the end of the dream was back in 78.
And with it the dream died back then, suffice, PowerKnight.
The problem is Geoff I remember very well you slagging off Difficult to Cure when it was released.
Anyway JLT could never do justice to RJDs songs before so what has changed.
The only songs Doogie couldn’t handle were Bonnet’s he sang RJDs and JLTs stuff equally well as well as Stranger In Us All – if you don’t believe me go and see La Paz in November in Edinburgh or Glasgow when the band will be doing Rainbow and Purple classics along with originals
dio still rocks can still out sing most of his peers at 60+ years of age give the guy a break and rising is in my top ten albums it’s just a great feel good rock n roll album that every rock fan should own a copy,
On both of the Over the Rainbow concert reviews Ive read had one large minus about the gig: JLT+Stargazer. Nuff said
But I have to add that Dio beats Bonneth by miles (thou Bonnet has strong pipes too), blows Turner (Rainbows only female vocalist) and his poppy tunes away and smites White to the ground.
[...] Or Joe Lynn Turner? [...]
Heaven & Hell ‘dull, clunky, old, doddery, decrepit, uninspiring’???? True, I wasn’t at Sweden Rock but I’ve seen H&H live before and they’re the last words I’d use to describe them! They’re bloody brilliant and blow away the competition, not only from their peers but from bands half their age! JLT was very good (as was GB) but he never got close to matching RJD, then or now!
[...] Have Classic Rock’s recent comments that Dio might not have been the best singer in Rainbow pu… [...]
First off GEEE-OFF the fucking name is JEFF. That’s J-E-F-F. And second, you’re a stupid know nothing, limburger stench, yeast infected, cottage cheese spewing twat. In a room full mongoloids, the mongoloids point at you and say, ” Look at the mongoloid.” Go eat a bowl o’ code brown.
Rainbow have and still have great vocalists. Blackmore will attract good vocalists.
As for Dio being a great- I dont get it. Barton is on the money, JLT.
Dio- I cant wait for him to stop warbling sometimes and let Blackmore/Iommi/Aldridge rip out the solo. There we have it- Blackmores guitar is the best voice in Rainbow. Sorted.
Barton must have a short memory,in 79 he gave Down to earth 3 out of 5 stars in the Sounds paper.In early 81 he gave Difficult to cure 2 only.I don’t think he ever reviewed another Rainbow album after 81.So for him to make out JLT is the best Rainbow vocalist is bollocks.I have enjoyed them all,but prefer the Dio era.I have seen them live with Bonnet and Turner,but still nostalgic for the Dio years.Sadly Graham Bonnet only made the 1 album,they were good for at least one more…….
Hey Barfin,
Sounds to me like you’re in love with JLT. Do you have a poster of him on your celing over your bed? I thought so. You are delusional. JLT on his best day can’t hold a candle to Dio. And that is the undeniable truth!!!
ok joe might have been a wee bit journey or whatever but has a fine voice and some of the songs from that era are brillant surrender cant let u go miss mistreated etc but again like bonnet no match for dio u just cant kill the king
Joe Lynn Turner’s tenure with Rainbow is so indebted to 70’s Foreigner and Bad Company as to be hopelessly outdated. Granted, Joe wan’t entirely to blame, as the record company (and Blackmore) were pushing for a far more commercial sound than the eras preceeding.
The albums with Dio and Bonnet were way ahead of their time, in fact the entire Power Metal movement of today is heavily indebted to those eras. Bands like Dream Evil, Axel Rudi Pell, Symphony X, and hundreds more were influenced by those albums. My Metal Opera, Lyraka was impacted greatly by the albums from the debut to and including Down To Earth.
Ask how many bands today were influenced specifically by post-Down To Earth Rainbow, and you will come up very short.
All respect to Joe Lynn Turner, who became a far far better singer after his bid in Rainbow (and today is even better than that!).
I think you people are very narrow-minded. Geoff’s article is intended to be kind of humorous or something. I ‘m not even sure if he does believe that JLT was Rainbow’s best vocalist, he’s just playing his role which is defending JLT…just like the other two guys flew the flag for RJD and Graham Bonnet respectively…
In my opinion RJD had a unique voice, one of the best in the heavy metal genre. The albums the band released with him in the microphone must be their greatest in terms of quality and, let’s be honest, much more representing of the band’s trademark sound when compared to their JLT’s era counterparts.
Joe Lynn Turner, on the other hand, posseses a great voice -different than Dio’s but surely great- and is one of my favourite vocalists. His technique is astounding, you should check out his work with Yngwie Malmsteen as well. If youre asking me I may even prefer his voice to Dio’s but that’s another story!
Graham Bonnet was very good too, I love Down To Earth, don’t have much to say…
Doogie White is, again, great, maybe lacks a bit in personality compared to the other 3…The truth being said, Rainbow only had great frontmen.
My standings would be:
1.Ronnie James Dio / Joe Lynn Turner
2.Doogie White
3.Graham Bonnet (I like Down To Earth more than Stranger In Us All though!)
I think Joe Lynn Turner has a terrific voice, and he’s no slouch in the writing department. But I think he was a bad match for Blackmore. None of the Rainbow or Deep Purple material with JLT does much for me. Unlike most hard rock singers, Joe started getting better and better after he parted ways with Blackmore, and today he often sounds jaw droppingly powerful. Check him out with Brazen Abbot, or on Kostev’s “Nostradamus”. He sounds really good with Over the Rainbow as well. He’s definitely still class A rock vocalist material today. I just never “got” the ’80’s Rainbow, believe me I’ve tried.