Graham Bonnet was picked immediately by Ritchie Blackmore for the Rainbow job the moment he sang ‘Mistreated’ at the audition! Despite the James Dean image in contrast to Ronnie James Dio, the subsequent album ‘Down To Earth’ became one of the band’s most successful.
In 1981, Graham resumed his solo career and ‘Night Games’ charted at No 6, although craving to be a band member again he joined MSG, reuniting with long-time friend Cozy Powell. After recording “Assault Attack”, Bonnet returned to Los Angeles to form and release several albums with Alcatrazz which produced guitar greats Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai.
Subsequent solo albums ‘Underground’ and ‘The Day I Went Mad’ were well received and in 2000/1 he joined the Anthem reunion and toured with Don Airey in Bonnet/Airey and Dario Mollo in Elektric Zoo.
From 2002-2006, Graham recorded and toured the world with Iain Ashley Hersey, Michael Schenker, Moonstone Project and Taz Taylor, forming a new Alcatrazz with Howie Simon, Tim Luce and Glen Solel and his Rainbow successor Joe Lynn Turner.
Our hero from Lincolnshire, influenced by The Beatles, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry, continues to tour worldwide and 2014 heads in to Europe on the “Catch The Rainbow” tour, celebrating the 35th Anniversary of Rainbow album “Down To Earth”, responsible for a number of hits for Rainbow and Graham Bonnet.
A show of raw power and nostalgia with Graham re-visiting the vast Rainbow back catalogue of favourites such as I Surrender, Catch the Rainbow, All Night Long, Night Games, Since You’ve Been Gone, Long Live Rock n Roll and many, many others!
