A New Appreciation of Long Live Rock 'N' Roll

[Stained Class]

This is one album which has taken a while to make an impact on me for some reason. After sitting down with it on my iPod and listening to it thoroughly a number of times and more on CD I've come to the conclusion that it is fantastic and it is shame more of it wasn't played live.

I'd always considered it the weakest of the three dio-era albums but it has really grown on me. I mean each album has it's own unique sound and style and LLRNR has impressed me alot, particularly with songs such as The Shed (Subtle), Sensitive, Rainbow Eyes, Kill the King and of course Gates of Babylon. It took a while but for me this is a grower and although it feels slightly less powerful than Rising I think it was good follow up.

I don't know what alot of others think of this album as Rising gets all of the attention generally speaking. So what do you people think of it? I've grown to appreciate it - even if the title track grates my nerves as much as Priest's Living After Midnight or Motorheads Ace Of Spades.

[The Sentinel]

"Long Live Rock 'n' Roll is the third studio album released by Rainbow, released in 1978.

Although Bob Daisley & David Stone are listed on the album credits for their contributions they joined the band part way through the recording sessions and only appear on a couple of tracks. (Stone part wrote "Gates of Babylon" but was never credited). Blackmore played most of the bass parts himself for the album.

"Kill the King" was already a staple part of the tour setlists, opening Rainbow concerts since mid-1976. It first appeared on the live album On Stage in 1977.

The original vinyl release was in a gatefold-sleeve, with a lyric-sheet insert. The crowd picture is actually from a Rush concert, with the wording on the banner the fans were actually holding replaced by the Rainbow album title.

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll was remastered on CD for the US market in April 1999, with the European version following later. The US version had a matte booklet/ insert, which matched the original vinyl sleeve for all markets, whereas the European issue was the standard glossy type.

In the 1977-78 live concerts the title track and "Kill the King" were the only songs performed, although "LA Connection" did get a few airings on the US tour before being dropped from the set.

This was Rainbow's last album to feature Ronnie James Dio on vocals. He left to join Black Sabbath, and was replaced by Graham Bonnet.

Since 2004 Dio's solo shows have featured a live version of "Gates of Babylon."

The title song was covered by the fictitious heavy metal band Steel Dragon for the 2001 movie Rock Star."



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Sick of all of this
The suffering and we just carry on
Isn't it time we care and lose the hate
Understand our fears

[Spyke005]

Its all about "The Shed" very aggressive and fun sounding song, wish there were in that style even if it wasn't exactly Rainbow.

[Elbereth]

It's quite strange, before reading the posts in this forum I used to think most people preferred Long Live Rock 'N' Roll to the previous albums (I like Rising best, but one of the reasons is that it's the first Rainbow album I bought). In fact most of the "casual" Dio fans I know like it best.

I think Ronnie's vocal talent doesn't show up as much in LLRNR as in the previous albums, but I do love the drums from Cozy Powell, and Gates of Babylon is a great song. Strangely enough I only started appreciating Rainbow Eyes's true quality a while ago, it wasn't among my favourites at first.

In my opinion the overall level of the album is great, I don't feel any of the songs are out of place or have evidently less quality than the others. I like to listen to it, in fact I think I listen to it more often than Rising, mainly because I don't get carried along so much by the songs, so I don't start singing while I work or study
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We rock!