Graham Bonnet Reflects on Time in Rainbow: Inside the Creative Process With Ritchie Blackmore and the Unsung Heroes of ‘Down to Earth’
By Greg Prato | June 6, 2025
Graham Bonnet, the powerhouse vocalist known for his brief yet impactful stint with the legendary hard rock outfit Rainbow, has opened up about the unique songwriting dynamics within the band—particularly his collaboration with guitar virtuoso Ritchie Blackmore—during a revealing conversation on Disturbing The Priest with Brandon Battick.
The discussion shone a new light on the making of Rainbow’s 1979 album Down to Earth, the only record Bonnet lent his vocals to. Though Rainbow was always known as Blackmore’s band and his name dominated the songwriting credits, Bonnet’s recollections paint a far more collaborative—and at times surprising—picture of the songwriting process behind one of hard rock’s most enduring albums.
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“The Bloody Song Would Be Written by Ritchie First”
Speaking candidly, Bonnet explained that Blackmore typically initiated the songwriting process. “Basically, the first person that would write the bloody song would be Ritchie,” he said, revealing a chain of creative handoffs that involved several key members of the band, despite only a couple being officially credited.
“Then he passed it on to somebody else—like Don [Airey] to do some keyboard parts, and then obviously Roger [Glover],” Bonnet said. Glover, Rainbow’s bassist and producer, became a crucial partner to Bonnet during this stage. “Roger would come up with words that I couldn’t write,” Bonnet continued, highlighting his own initial struggle with lyrics and melodies in the face of Blackmore’s instrumental complexity.
In fact, Glover’s involvement was hands-on: “He’d say, ‘This bit here, do it something like this.’ And he would, y’know, ‘La la la’ to me, and say, ‘Yeah, sing it like that.’ ‘OK.’ ‘Now try it again, but do it a different way with those words I’ve written.’ And that was what happened there.”
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Cozy Powell: The Drummer With the Final Say?
One of the most surprising insights from Bonnet’s interview was the creative influence wielded by drummer Cozy Powell. Often overlooked in discussions about songwriting, Powell played a more significant role than fans or even some band historians might expect.
“And then Cozy would come in and say, ‘That song’s too bloody long, that’s too short, you should have a different section here,’” Bonnet revealed. “Cozy was very much involved in the songwriting—even though he’s a freaking drummer.”
His role extended far beyond simply keeping time. “He would involve himself in the way a song should be,” Bonnet emphasized. “Because you know with guitar players, I’m sorry to say, they go on forever and ever. For a year. If you just have them keep going, they will. So, he had to cut down a lot of the things that Ritchie did.”
That comment, laced with humor, underlines a real tension that often exists in bands fronted by guitar virtuosos. Powell, a seasoned musician with a sharp editorial instinct, acted almost like a creative director—ensuring the songs were concise and impactful, rather than indulgent.
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Learning From a Legend
Despite the challenges of working with such towering musical personalities, Bonnet made it clear that he took valuable lessons from the experience. “I learned a lot of stuff from Ritchie on certain songs,” he admitted. “He was playing me something on his acoustic and that was easier for me to sort of imagine how it would be when the whole frickin’ orchestra would come in.”
This moment reflects the rare harmony between artistic vision and performance execution that defined the best moments of Down to Earth. Bonnet, whose voice could shift from bluesy grit to operatic power within a phrase, found new layers of depth in his vocal interpretations thanks to Blackmore’s guidance.
Though often perceived as a demanding bandleader, Blackmore’s influence on Bonnet seems to have been more nurturing than domineering. Rather than dictating every vocal line, he helped Bonnet visualize the grander musical landscape—a valuable lesson that would follow the singer into his future projects.
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Behind the Curtain of ‘Down to Earth’
Released in 1979, Down to Earth marked a significant departure from Rainbow’s earlier mystical and neo-classical influences. With Bonnet at the mic, the band embraced a more radio-friendly, melodic hard rock sound. Songs like “Since You Been Gone” and “All Night Long” demonstrated a commercial sensibility that appealed to a broader audience, moving Rainbow into the mainstream spotlight.
What many fans may not have known—until now—is just how many fingerprints were on those songs.
“It was a chain of input,” Bonnet implied. Blackmore may have provided the spark, but Airey, Glover, Powell, and Bonnet himself helped shape that raw material into something palatable, exciting, and enduring.
And while Blackmore’s guitar was at the center of Rainbow’s sonic identity, it was clear from Bonnet’s remarks that teamwork was critical behind the scenes—even if only a few names appeared on the credits.
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Rainbow: A Band of Many Faces
Rainbow’s lineup over the years reads like a who’s who of rock royalty, from Ronnie James Dio to Joe Lynn Turner. Bonnet’s time in the band was brief, but crucial. His departure after just one album was followed by continued success for both parties—Bonnet went on to form the Michael Schenker Group and later Alcatrazz, while Rainbow further embraced a more AOR-oriented style in the 1980s.
Bonnet’s reflections serve as a reminder that even one album can leave a deep impression—both for the artist and the fans. His unique vocal timbre, grounded stage presence, and pragmatic songwriting style offered a stark contrast to the more theatrical inclinations of previous frontmen, which helped set Down to Earth apart in Rainbow’s discography.
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Legacy and Reflection
Today, more than four decades later, Bonnet’s insights help demystify a band often cloaked in myth. While Ritchie Blackmore continues to command reverence for his guitar work—from Deep Purple to Blackmore’s Night—interviews like Bonnet’s provide a fuller picture of the interpersonal and creative dynamics that powered one of rock’s most respected acts.
Rainbow’s songs, especially from the Down to Earth era, continue to resonate. And now, thanks to Bonnet’s candid recollections, fans have a deeper understanding of how those songs came to life—not just through the fire of Blackmore’s fretwork, but also through the careful, collaborative construction from every member of the band.
In a time when musical credits often obscure the real story, Bonnet’s transparency is refreshing. It’s a testament to the idea that great music is rarely the product of a single mind, but rather the result of a collaborative effort—messy, opinionated, passionate, and ultimately, timeless.
