Stranger in Us All
Encyclopedia
Stranger in Us All is a 1995 album by the reformed Rainbow
. Ritchie Blackmore
put together a new version of Rainbow with little-known musicians in 1994. It was originally intended to be his solo album, but due to the label BMG
pressures, the record was billed as Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. This line-up only released the one album before Ritchie decided he wanted to pursue different musical styles and formed Blackmore's Night
with his companion Candice Night
. As such, this album marks Blackmore's final hard rock and roll recordings (to date.)
Released in the post-grunge
mid '90s, Stranger in Us All achieved a modest success, particularly in Europe.
Much of the album featured in the live concert sets. Drummer John O'Reilly was replaced for the tour, by the returning Chuck Burgi
. John Miceli
joined the band for the US shows, from February to May 1997, plus one in Denmark.
The album takes its name from a line in the song "Black Masquerade".
A few songs off the album were played live by Over the Rainbow
in 2008 and 2009, as the line-up of the band featured Greg Smith
and Paul Morris
, who played in Rainbow in 1995. The songs have been also performed occasionally by Doogie White
, for example in 2004 with a band called White Noise. An official DVD recording of the band titled In the Hall of the Mountain King was released in 2005.
and Doogie White
except where indicated
Japan pressing (RCA Records BVCP-862) adds the following
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...
. Ritchie Blackmore
Ritchie 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...
put together a new version of Rainbow with little-known musicians in 1994. It was originally intended to be his solo album, but due to the label BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
pressures, the record was billed as Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. This line-up only released the one album before Ritchie decided he wanted to pursue different musical styles and formed Blackmore's Night
Blackmore's Night
Blackmore's Night is an English-American traditional folk rock duo led by Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night .-Early:...
with his companion Candice Night
Candice Night
Candice Night is an American vocalist/songwriter and the musical partner of guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. She is the lead singer, multi-instrumentalist, and lyricist for the traditional folk rock project, Blackmore's Night since its origins in 1997.-Biography:Born in Hauppauge, Long Island, New...
. As such, this album marks Blackmore's final hard rock and roll recordings (to date.)
Released in the post-grunge
Post-grunge
Post-grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged in the mid-1990s as a derivative of grunge, using the sounds and aesthetic of grunge, but with a more commercially acceptable tone...
mid '90s, Stranger in Us All achieved a modest success, particularly in Europe.
Much of the album featured in the live concert sets. Drummer John O'Reilly was replaced for the tour, by the returning Chuck Burgi
Chuck Burgi
Chuck Burgi is an American drummer and session musician. Born in Montclair, New Jersey, he is the brother of actor Richard Burgi....
. John Miceli
John Miceli
John Miceli is the current drummer for Meat Loaf's backing band, the Neverland Express.-Meat Loaf:Miceli began touring with Meat Loaf in 1991, and was a part of the Neverland Express when Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell took off, launching a major industry comeback for Meat Loaf...
joined the band for the US shows, from February to May 1997, plus one in Denmark.
The album takes its name from a line in the song "Black Masquerade".
A few songs off the album were played live by Over the Rainbow
Over the Rainbow (band)
Over the Rainbow is a rock tribute band formed in 2008 by former members of Rainbow. Its members are Joe Lynn Turner , Bobby Rondinelli , Tony Carey and Greg Smith . Playing lead guitar is Rainbow founder Ritchie Blackmore's son, Jürgen Blackmore...
in 2008 and 2009, as the line-up of the band featured Greg Smith
Greg Smith (musician)
Greg Smith is a bassist and vocalist.Greg was born in 1963. He grew up in Valley Stream, New York and attended Valley Stream Central High School.He has collaborated with Wendy O...
and Paul Morris
Paul Morris (musician)
Paul Morris is a musician best known as a keyboardist in Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. He played keyboards on the Stranger in Us All album and co-wrote the song "Black Masquerade"....
, who played in Rainbow in 1995. The songs have been also performed occasionally by Doogie White
Doogie White
Doogie White , is a Scottish rock vocalist, who has sung for Midnight Blue, Rainbow, Cornerstone, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Praying Mantis and Rata Blanca...
, for example in 2004 with a band called White Noise. An official DVD recording of the band titled In the Hall of the Mountain King was released in 2005.
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...
and Doogie White
Doogie White
Doogie White , is a Scottish rock vocalist, who has sung for Midnight Blue, Rainbow, Cornerstone, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Praying Mantis and Rata Blanca...
except where indicated
- "Wolf to the Moon" (White, Blackmore, Candice NightCandice NightCandice Night is an American vocalist/songwriter and the musical partner of guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. She is the lead singer, multi-instrumentalist, and lyricist for the traditional folk rock project, Blackmore's Night since its origins in 1997.-Biography:Born in Hauppauge, Long Island, New...
) – 4:16 - "Cold Hearted Woman" – 4:31
- "Hunting Humans (Insatiable)" – 5:45
- "Stand and Fight" – 5:22
- "Ariel" – 5:39 (Blackmore, Night)
- "Too Late for Tears" (White, Blackmore, Pat Regan) – 4:50
- "Black Masquerade" (White, Blackmore, Paul MorrisPaul Morris (musician)Paul Morris is a musician best known as a keyboardist in Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. He played keyboards on the Stranger in Us All album and co-wrote the song "Black Masquerade"....
, Night) – 5:35 - "Silence" – 4:04
- "Hall of the Mountain KingIn the Hall of the Mountain KingIn the Hall of the Mountain King is a piece of orchestral music composed by Edvard Grieg for the sixth scene of Act II in Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt, which premiered in Christiania on February 24, 1876....
" (Edvard GriegEdvard GriegEdvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric Pieces.-Biography:Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in...
, additional arrgmt. by Blackmore, lyrics written by Night) – 5:34 - "Still I'm Sad" (Paul Samwell-SmithPaul Samwell-SmithPaul Samwell-Smith is best known as a founding member and bassist of the 1960s English band, The Yardbirds, a group that spawned such noteworthy musicians as Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Jimmy Page...
, Jim McCartyJim McCartyJim McCarty is an English musician, best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds and Renaissance.-Early life:...
) – 5:22
Japan pressing (RCA Records BVCP-862) adds the following
- "Emotional Crime"
- Track 10 originally recorded by The YardbirdsThe Yardbirds- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
on the album Having a Rave Up with The YardbirdsHaving a Rave UpHaving a Rave Up With The Yardbirds is the second American album by English rock band The Yardbirds. Released in 1965, the album is a mix of US-only tracks, previously released singles, and material from Five Live Yardbirds. The album spent thirty-three weeks in Billboard's Top LPs chart where it...
. The song was previously covered as an instrumental by the DioRonnie James DioRonald James Padavona , better known as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. He performed with, amongst others, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio, which means God in Italian. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser...
-era Rainbow on Ritchie Blackmore's RainbowRitchie Blackmore's RainbowNote: On the cassette version of the album, Side One features the last five tracks, while Side Two plays the first four. Also, on the case insert and on the cassette itself, "Sixteenth Century Greensleeves" is written as "Sixteen Century Greensleeves"....
and with vocals on Rainbow On StageOn Stage (Rainbow album)On Stage is a live album originally released by Rainbow in 1977 on Oyster - Polydor SPDLP6B . The album features a cover of a song from Blackmore's previous band Deep Purple: "Mistreated"....
and other live albums.
- Track 10 originally recorded by The Yardbirds
- Track 5, "Ariel", was performed live by Blackmore's NightBlackmore's NightBlackmore's Night is an English-American traditional folk rock duo led by Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night .-Early:...
on their 2007 Paris MoonParis MoonParis Moon is a long-form concert DVD/CD shot released by the band Blackmore's Night in 2007. This release celebrates the band's 10 year anniversary with a concert in the legendary Paris Olympia in 2006....
tour.
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... - Doogie WhiteDoogie WhiteDoogie White , is a Scottish rock vocalist, who has sung for Midnight Blue, Rainbow, Cornerstone, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Praying Mantis and Rata Blanca...
- 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... - John O’Reilly - 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 ....
- Greg SmithGreg Smith (musician)Greg Smith is a bassist and vocalist.Greg was born in 1963. He grew up in Valley Stream, New York and attended Valley Stream Central High School.He has collaborated with Wendy O...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Paul MorrisPaul Morris (musician)Paul Morris is a musician best known as a keyboardist in Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. He played keyboards on the Stranger in Us All album and co-wrote the song "Black Masquerade"....
- 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...
Additional personnel
- Mitch WeissMitch WeissMitchell S. Weiss is an American investigative journalist, and editor of the Charlotte Observer. He won the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting, with Joe Mahr and Michael D. Sallah.-Life:...
- harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes... - Candice NightCandice NightCandice Night is an American vocalist/songwriter and the musical partner of guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. She is the lead singer, multi-instrumentalist, and lyricist for the traditional folk rock project, Blackmore's Night since its origins in 1997.-Biography:Born in Hauppauge, Long Island, New...
- background vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
Production
- Mixing & Engineer – Pat Regan
- Assistant Engineers – Fran Flannery, Jesse Henderson, Ed Miller, Steve Moseley, John Reigart, David Shackney, Steve Sisco and Dug