Straight Between the Eyes

Straight Between the Eyes
Studio album by Rainbow
Released	June 10, 1982
Recorded	December 1981 at Le Studio, Morin Heights, Quebec
Genre	Hard rock, heavy metal
Length	40:58
Label	Polydor, Mercury (original US)
Producer	Roger Glover
Professional reviews
The reviews parameter has been deprecated. Please move reviews into the “Reception” section of the article. See Moving reviews into article space. Rolling Stone link* Allmusic link Sputnikmusic link
Rainbow chronology
Jealous Lover EP (1981) Straight Between The Eyes (1982) Bent Out Of Shape (1983)

Straight Between the Eyes is the sixth studio album by Rainbow, released in 1982. A remastered CD reissue, with packaging duplicating the original vinyl release, was released in May 1999.

The band line-up was the same as had recorded the previous year's Difficult to Cure album, with the exception of David Rosenthal, who replaced Don Airey on keyboards.

The title allegedly came from a phrase from Jeff Beck, describing Jimi Hendrix to Blackmore.

In an April 1982 interview with British Rock magazine Kerrang!, Blackmore stated of "MISS Mistreated", "Well it's to avoid confusion that the 'Miss' is written three times bigger than the 'mistreated' but I expect we'll have someone who shall remain nameless coming up to us saying 'I wrote that song'!" (That someone being David Coverdale, with whom Blackmore had co-written "Mistreated" for the 1974 Deep Purple album Burn.)

The tour would feature a giant pair of moving mechanical eyes as part of the stageset, with spotlights shining from the pupils. This is captured on the video release Live Between the Eyes.

The tour, although extensive, did not include the UK, which rankled British fans.

The sleeve-art is by British artist Jeff Cummins and Hipgnosis. The original vinyl issue had the lyrics printed on the inner sleeve.

The song "Stone Cold" was featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories on the radio station Emotion 98.3.

A video was made for Death Alley Driver which featured Sega's Turbo (video game). It is still occasionally aired on VH1's Metal Mania program.

Track listing

All songs written by Ritchie Blackmore, Joe Lynn Turner, and Roger Glover except where indicated.

1. "Death Alley Driver" (Blackmore, Turner) – 4:42
2. "Stone Cold" – 5:17
3. "Bring on the Night (Dream Chaser)" – 4:06
4. "Tite Squeeze" – 3:15
5. "Tearin' Out My Heart" – 4:03
6. "Power" – 4:26
7. "MISS Mistreated" (Blackmore, Turner, David Rosenthal) – 4:27
8. "Rock Fever" (Blackmore, Turner) – 3:50
9. "Eyes of Fire" (Blackmore, Turner, Bobby Rondinelli) – 6:37

Personnel

• Ritchie Blackmore - guitar (Fender Strat, Marshall)
• Joe Lynn Turner - vocals
• Roger Glover - bass (Hondo Longhorn 4 & 8 string)
• David Rosenthal - keyboards (Oberheim, Moog, Roland, Hammond & Hohner)
• Bobby Rondinelli - drums (Yamaha, Sonor & Paiste)

Additional infos

• Engineered by Nick Blagona (assisted by Robbie Whelan)
• Recorded at Le Studio, Morin Heights, Canada
• Digital mixing by Roger Glover and Nick Blagona
• Digital mastering by Greg Calbi, Sterling Studios, New York

Singles

• 1982 - Stone Cold/Rock Fever
• 1982 - Death Alley Driver/Power (Japan)