Originally formed by singing bass guitarist Ronnie James Dio in 1967, as the psychedelic sounding Electric Elves, shortened to the Elves, they settled on the more straightforward ELF in 1972. After discovering them in their native New York, Deep Purples Roger Glover and Ian Paice took them into the studio to record their eponymous debut for Epic Records.
Switching to Deep Purples own in-house record label Purple Records for 1974s Carolina County Ball, they followed it up with third LP, Trying To Burn The Sun in 1975. Both albums feature a collection of originals penned by Ronnie with Elf pianist Mickey Lee Soule, and both produced by Roger Glover alone. Glover was evidently impressed with Ronnies skills as a singer, inviting him to appear on the 1974 album, The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast, plus hit single, Love Is All (also to be reissued on Purple Records).
For those expecting to hear the hard rock and heavy metal that made Dio famous in Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Dio might be surprised by the more laid-back, Stonesy rock n roll of Elf, but Ritchie Blackmore, dissatisfied with the funky direction Deep Purple had taken with Stormbringer, was sufficiently impressed to base his new solo band, Rainbow, using four of Elfs five members. Trying To Burn The Sun was released in June 1975, by which time Elf had all but split up, as the debut Ritchie Blackmores Rainbow LP was readied for an August release.
This version features a brand new and extensive liner note by Classic Rock and Metal Hammers Malcolm Dome, based on new interviews conducted with producer Roger Glover, photographer Fin Costello, and Elf bandmates Mickey Lee Soule and Mark Nauseef.
trying to burn the sun