Iommi (Featuring Dave Grohl) - Goodbye Lament (2000)
The only AOR solo hit for the legendary Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, who featured various vocalists/musicians on his 2000 CD "Iommi" in addition to Dave Grohl. I'm not as familiar with this CD as I should be, as this track was played heavily and then seemingly vanished from Rock Radio. But it (Iommi's solo work) sounds like a good candidate for discussion and song postings on the Heavy Metal thread. <shameless plug>
Speaking of Black Sabbath...
Black Sabbath - Children Of The Sea (1980)
This lost Rock hit from the "Heaven And Hell" album features the late Ronnie James Dio--another vocalist who belongs in any "best Rock vocalist" discussion-- on vocals. Just as he always did with Rainbow and later as a solo artist, RJD really delivers here with Black Sabbath.
Nothing against Ozzy Osbourne, but I'd really like to know why Commercial Rock stations today conveniently ignore the RJD and Ian Gillian eras of Black Sabbath, especially when you factor in the no fewer than four RJD era tracks, this one included, that received significant airplay at one time.
Speaking of Rainbow..
Rainbow - Stone Cold (1982)
The answer to the question of which track is considered to be the signiture track, not necessarily the best, for the band Rainbow--fronted by former Deep Purple members Richie Blackmore and Roger Glover--is likely going to depend upon the preference of the band's lead singer.
Fans of the Ronnie James Dio era will answer with "Man On The Silver Mountain". "Since You Been Gone", originally titled "Since You've Been Gone", with Graham Bonnet on vocals, is another fan favorite. But, IMHO, "Stone Cold" --which hit #1 on Billboard's Rock Tracks chart in June of '82 -- is unquestionably the signiture track of vocalist Joe Lynne Turner's era with Rainbow and it appears, at least to me, to receive far less Rock Radio airplay as the aforementioned two Rainbow tracks. And, if I have to pick a favorite Rainbow track, this is it, though I'm fairly certain that not all, if any, Redzoners agree with me. Oh, well.
Speaking of "Since You've Been Gone"..
Head East -- Since You've Been Gone (1978)
Best known for the AOR hit "Never Been Any Reason" -- which is still a staple of Classic Rock Radio playlists today-- Iowa band Head East covered this Russ Ballard penned track a full year before Rainbow followed suit.
Head East's version also gained quite a bit of AOR airplay over the years, and actually came closer to reaching the Pop Top 40 as a single than Rainbow's version. That stated, I prefer the Rainbow version, but, IMHO, this version is still very good and worth a listen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebbRsps3p38
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJQQWbr4cXM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPwy9ToKHpo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJKZL1EKpdY
As always, rock on Redszone!
Adieu from R4Blue.