In a collaboration that’s sure to have metal heads raising horns in salute, renowned vocalist Graham Bonnet and guitar maestro Marty Friedman have joined forces to breathe new life into the classic rock anthem “Since You Been Gone.” This iconic single dates back to 1976, but its best-known version was recorded in 1979 by Bonnet during his tenure with Ritchie Blackmore’s megalithic metal band Rainbow for their Down To Earth album. The song was a massive hit in the UK and a moderate one in the US, but it has since become a classic rock radio staple and one of Rainbow’s most recognizable singles, even landing at #82 in VH1’s “Hard Rock Songs Of All Time.”
Now, 45 years later, Bonnet revisits the track that made him one of the most celebrated vocalists in rock history. Indeed, the song’s success is simply inconceivable without Bonnet’s bravado, powerhouse vocal performance. Incredibly, one listen to the new version shows that he hasn’t lost an ounce of that vocal power. And stepping into Blackmore’s mighty boots, guitar shredder Marty Friedman showcases his own undeniable talent, bringing both muscle and finesse to this new recording. Check out the new version of “Since You Been Gone,” which is released today on all music platforms.
Stream/download the single:https://orcd.co/bonnetfriedman_sinceyoubeengone
Bonnet shares these reflections on the song, “When we first began recording the album ‘Down to Earth,’ we had already created a new sound that was quite different from the Ronnie James Dio era. It was meant to be more radio-friendly, but it also had a more modern sound with lyrical content that dealt with real life. When manager Bruce Payne brought the song ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’ to the band, everyone was a bit dismayed. It didn’t sound anything like the other songs on the record and was almost pop-like in comparison. Some of the guys were very vocal about their negative feelings about the song. The original version that was presented to us was very different from the song we ended up recording. We received a version recorded by a South African all-girl band called Clout. We changed the chorus ad-libs to sound harder, more hard rock but even then, Cozy threatened to leave the band if we did the song. When the final product was complete, we were all excited by the outcome. It turned out much better than expected. Roger suggested an intro with multiple voices in the vein of a madrigal and it added an unexpected aspect to the song that was quite favorable. Even though we all were happy with the end result, we were stunned by how the song was received. Everyone seemed to love it and to this day, when we play the song live, there isn’t one single audience member not singing along with us. It has appeared in countless movies and TV shows, the most recent being the 3rd installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy series. Russ Ballard, who penned Since You’ve Been Gone, is an incredible songwriter and to this day, is the only outside writer whose material I will record. In essence, I have to acknowledge that SYBG kickstarted my career in rock and there is no end in sight.”
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