Straight Between the Eyes
Encyclopedia
Straight Between the Eyes is the sixth studio album by Rainbow
, released in 1982. A remastered CD reissue, with packaging duplicating the original vinyl release, was released in May 1999.
The band line-up was the same as had recorded the previous year's Difficult to Cure
album, with the exception of David Rosenthal
, who replaced Don Airey
on keyboards.
The title allegedly came from a phrase from Jeff Beck
, describing Jimi Hendrix
to Blackmore.
In an April 1982 interview with British Rock magazine Kerrang!, Blackmore stated of "MISS Mistreated", "Well it's to avoid confusion that the 'Miss' is written three times bigger than the 'mistreated' but I expect we'll have someone who shall remain nameless coming up to us saying 'I wrote that song'!" (That someone being David Coverdale
, with whom Blackmore had co-written "Mistreated" for the 1974 Deep Purple album Burn.)
The tour would feature a giant pair of moving mechanical eyes as part of the stageset, with spotlights shining from the pupils. This is captured on the video release Live Between the Eyes.
The tour, although extensive, did not include the UK, which rankled British fans.
The sleeve-art is by British artist Jeff Cummins and Hipgnosis. The original vinyl issue had the lyrics printed on the inner sleeve.
The song "Stone Cold" was featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
on the radio station Emotion 98.3.
A video was made for Death Alley Driver which featured Sega's Turbo (video game)
. It is still occasionally aired on VH1's Metal Mania program.
, Joe Lynn Turner
, and Roger Glover
except where indicated.
Rainbow (band)
Rainbow were an English rock band, controlled by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore from 1975 to 1984 and 1994 to 1997. It was originally established with American rock band Elf's members, though over the years Rainbow went through many line-up changes with no two studio albums featuring the same line-up...
, released in 1982. A remastered CD reissue, with packaging duplicating the original vinyl release, was released in May 1999.
The band line-up was the same as had recorded the previous year's Difficult to Cure
Difficult to Cure
Difficult to Cure is the fifth studio album by the British rock band, Rainbow, and was released in 1981. The album marked the further commercialization of the band's sound with Blackmore once describing at the time liking for the rock band, Foreigner....
album, with the exception of David Rosenthal
David Rosenthal (musician)
David Rosenthal is an American keyboardist, music producer, and songwriter mostly known for working with the English hard rock band Rainbow and Billy Joel...
, who replaced Don Airey
Don Airey
Donald Airey has been the keyboardist in the rock band Deep Purple since 2002, succeeding Jon Lord...
on keyboards.
The title allegedly came from a phrase from Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
, describing Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
to Blackmore.
In an April 1982 interview with British Rock magazine Kerrang!, Blackmore stated of "MISS Mistreated", "Well it's to avoid confusion that the 'Miss' is written three times bigger than the 'mistreated' but I expect we'll have someone who shall remain nameless coming up to us saying 'I wrote that song'!" (That someone being David Coverdale
David Coverdale
David 'Jack' Coverdale is an English rock singer, most famous for his work with the his own hard rock band Whitesnake which achieved massive commercial success.-Early life:...
, with whom Blackmore had co-written "Mistreated" for the 1974 Deep Purple album Burn.)
The tour would feature a giant pair of moving mechanical eyes as part of the stageset, with spotlights shining from the pupils. This is captured on the video release Live Between the Eyes.
The tour, although extensive, did not include the UK, which rankled British fans.
The sleeve-art is by British artist Jeff Cummins and Hipgnosis. The original vinyl issue had the lyrics printed on the inner sleeve.
The song "Stone Cold" was featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories is a 2006 sandbox-style action video game developed by Rockstar Leeds in association with Rockstar North. It was published by Rockstar Games for the PlayStation Portable in late 2006 and later for the PlayStation 2 in March 2007. The game is the eighth...
on the radio station Emotion 98.3.
A video was made for Death Alley Driver which featured Sega's Turbo (video game)
Turbo (video game)
Turbo is a racing game released in 1981 by Sega. The game was brought into arcades in both the standard upright cabinet format, and a semi-enclosed sit-down version to better simulate driving a real car.. The cars in the game resemble Formula 1 race cars. It was the first game to feature the now...
. It is still occasionally aired on VH1's Metal Mania program.
Track listing
All songs written by Ritchie BlackmoreRitchie Blackmore
Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was known as one of the first guitarists to fuse Classical music elements with rock. He fronted his own band Rainbow after leaving Deep Purple where he was unhappy because his favourite musical style wasn't adequately...
, Joe Lynn Turner
Joe Lynn Turner
Joe Lynn Turner , is an American rock singer, known for his works with Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Deep Purple. From the late 1990s, he continued to perform in a large number of solo albums and other studio projects...
, and Roger Glover
Roger Glover
Roger David Glover is a Welsh bassist, songwriter, and record producer. Glover is best known as the bassist and lyricist for the hard rock band, Deep Purple.-Early career:...
except where indicated.
- "Death Alley Driver" (Blackmore, Turner) – 4:42
- "Stone Cold" – 5:17
- "Bring on the Night (Dream Chaser)" – 4:06
- "Tite Squeeze" – 3:15
- "Tearin' Out My Heart" – 4:03
- "Power" – 4:26
- "MISS Mistreated" (Blackmore, Turner, David RosenthalDavid Rosenthal (musician)David Rosenthal is an American keyboardist, music producer, and songwriter mostly known for working with the English hard rock band Rainbow and Billy Joel...
) – 4:27 - "Rock Fever" (Blackmore, Turner) – 3:50
- "Eyes of Fire" (Blackmore, Turner, Bobby RondinelliBobby RondinelliBobby Rondinelli is a rock drummer best known for his work with the hard rock/heavy metal bands like Blue Öyster Cult, Rainbow, Quiet Riot, Black Sabbath, The Lizards, and Rondinelli.-Background:...
) – 6:37
Personnel
- Ritchie BlackmoreRitchie BlackmoreRichard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was known as one of the first guitarists to fuse Classical music elements with rock. He fronted his own band Rainbow after leaving Deep Purple where he was unhappy because his favourite musical style wasn't adequately...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(Fender Strat, Marshall) - Joe Lynn TurnerJoe Lynn TurnerJoe Lynn Turner , is an American rock singer, known for his works with Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Deep Purple. From the late 1990s, he continued to perform in a large number of solo albums and other studio projects...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Roger GloverRoger GloverRoger David Glover is a Welsh bassist, songwriter, and record producer. Glover is best known as the bassist and lyricist for the hard rock band, Deep Purple.-Early career:...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(Hondo Longhorn 4 & 8 string) - David RosenthalDavid Rosenthal (musician)David Rosenthal is an American keyboardist, music producer, and songwriter mostly known for working with the English hard rock band Rainbow and Billy Joel...
- keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(Oberheim, Moog, Roland, Hammond & Hohner) - Bobby RondinelliBobby RondinelliBobby Rondinelli is a rock drummer best known for his work with the hard rock/heavy metal bands like Blue Öyster Cult, Rainbow, Quiet Riot, Black Sabbath, The Lizards, and Rondinelli.-Background:...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(Yamaha, Sonor & Paiste)
Additional infos
- Engineered by Nick Blagona (assisted by Robbie Whelan)
- Recorded at Le Studio, Morin Heights, Canada
- Digital mixing by Roger Glover and Nick Blagona
- Digital mastering by Greg Calbi, Sterling Studios, New York
Singles
- 1982 - Stone Cold/Rock Fever
- 1982 - Death Alley Driver/Power (Japan)