JERRY BLOOM – In the Shadow of the Wizard: Rainbow 1975-1976

I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a copy of noted Deep Purple expert Jerry Bloom’s latest literary endeavor entitled "In the Shadow of the Wizard: Rainbow 1975-1976", which is a huge, beautiful, and above all outstanding piece that focuses solely on what is arguably the best and most important era(s) of Rainbow.

This lavish-looking book is packed to the rafters with concerts photos, images of ticket stubs, various reviews of albums and shows, notes, letters, discographies, interviews, recollections by fans and bands who supported Rainbow, newspaper articles, and so on and so forth. It is literally a dream come true for a guy like me who worships the first two LPs as well as the "On Stage" live album by the legendary band. 

Absorbing its outstanding content is a glorious experience and at times it feels as if one is traveling with the band from gig to gig as a part of the crew, which is testament to Bloom’s great talent and his ability to evoke an atmosphere of a bygone era and place the reader right in the middle of it all. As much as I love and appreciate his previous books, this one might just be his finest creation yet. If one appreciates the self-titled debut album (1975), the majestic and flawless "Rising" (1976), and the aforementioned "On Stage" (1977), then "In the Shadow of the Wizard" will feel like a treasure trove and something akin to a revelation. You do not have to be a slightly crazed fan like me to appreciate the glorious thing; it is simply a fantastic work in and of itself that clearly shows just how much enthusiasm and joy went into weaving all the facts, stories, trivia, and visual documentation together. In some ways, this feels like the kind of thing that one experiences rather than reads, if that makes sense.

"In the Shadow of the Wizard" is a stunning tribute to Rainbow’s early years and perfectly encapsulates just how unique and visionary the incredibly skilled ensemble truly was in those days. On top of that, I cannot find a single thing missing from this compelling tome – I just wish that it was slightly longer and had included an extra chapter or two, but that is meant as a compliment. In short, this is an epic book that is nothing short of marvelous and it is obviously a must-buy for any admirer of Rainbow.