Cherry Red Records Elf (feat. Ronnie James Dio)

Few singers can claim to have fronted three world-class bands that have made game-changing, genre-defining music; but with Rainbow, Black Sabbath and his own band, Dio, the late great Ronnie James Dio could proudly claim to have made his mark on rock history with all three. But not everyone will be aware that prior to 1975s Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow debut, Ronnie had fronted his own rock band ELF for three LPs. Founded by Ronnie on bass guitar as well as inimitable lead vocals, and then going by his birth name Padavona, he was joined by his guitar-slinging cousin David Rock Feinstein (later of The Rods), and future Rainbow alumni Mickey Lee Soule on piano and Gary Driscoll on drums. Coming to the attention of Epic Records in the States, ELFs 1972 debut was co-produced by none other than Deep Purples bassist Roger Glover and drummer Ian Paice, then the hottest rock property on either side of the Atlantic. Rather than the hard rock or heavy metal of Dios later bands, on songs such as the single Hoochie Koochie Lady, First Avenue and ''Never More, ELFs debut has a more Stonesy, honky-tonk, laid back, bluesier flavour, honed in and around the clubs of the bands native New York and New Jersey.