Description
After initially finding mainstream success with pop duo The Marbles, Graham Bonnet enjoyed a solo career throughout the 1970s, until truly making his mark with Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow in 1979. The album Down To Earth was propelled to global success by the hit singles ‘All Night Long’ and ‘Since You Been Gone’, but would be the sole studio record to feature Bonnet, who would make the inaugural Monsters Of Rock festival at Castle Donington in 1980 his final Rainbow show. Signing to Vertigo in the UK, the release of Line Up in 1981 was preceded by the top 10 hit single ‘Night Games’. Produced by John Eden, famed for his work with Status Quo, a band was assembled around Whitesnake’s Jon Lord on keyboards and Micky Moody on guitar, former Rainbow and future Whitesnake drummer Cozy Powell – then drumming with Michael Schenker – as well as guest spots from Quo’s Andy Bown, Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi, who co-produced two of the album’s tracks.
Although continuing in the melodic hard rock vein of Rainbow, Bonnet still brings much of his R&B roots to the record, and draws on material from some classic songwriters, such as Russ Ballard (‘S.O.S.’ and ‘Liar’), The Kinks’ Ray Davies (‘Set Me Free’), Chuck Berry (‘Anthony Boy’) and The Ronettes’ ‘Be My Baby’. Bob Young and Micky Moody also contribute three songs to the set.
