Wiki
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Release Date
1 January 1978
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Length
8 tracks
"Long Live Rock 'n' Roll" is the third studio album from 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 and the visible Rush t-shirts airbrushed to black.
"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 "L.A. 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.
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