The Ghost Of Randy Rhoads
Published October 17, 2002
Randy Rhoads hangs out with me. He used to just kind of chill out in the periphery, a ghost on the outskirts of my vision, flowing me the vibe, but not actually kicking it and conversing. Now it's to the stage where we play gin rummy and tank beers with a football game on the television, the noise of the cheers faded into the background. He doesn't really like to listen to his old records, I think it makes him sad. He likes to play his new stuff, which let me tell you, it's pretty intense. I can't describe it - it's that otha level style. A dead legend banging out impossible chords.
He's not the best gin player, but neither am I really. We don't really care who wins or loses, as long as we enjoy ourselves and we swap some good stories. Even though he died at only 25 years of age, he's got way more cool stories than me. Stories of drunken debauchery with Ozzy, coming up with Quiet Riot, the throngs of women that were jocking him from the time he was a pup, a guitar prodigy with feathered hair and lightning fast fingers.
His best work is probably evident on the Ozzy stuff, two studio albums and the live album Tribute. Tribute is the it in the land of those. Tribute frikken rocks harder than sharks with laser beams attached to their frikken heads. The solo on Suicide Solution will make you cry. I've got a soft spot for the Quite Riot Randy Rhoads Years album myself. It's really raw, but dang you can hear this kid just whaling on that guitar and you know he was already something special and so did the kids in LA in the late 70's, because QR was the band of the people, even though their records only came out in Japan. Check out the guitar solo on Laughing Gas (song # 2) which is insanely phat considering its raw da kine.
This letter written by Ozzy, found in the Tribute album liner notes, gives kind of an idea of how big a talent the world lost in a senseless airplane accident 20 years ago.
"March 19th 1982 is a day that will live with me forever. Not only did I lose my best friend but the greatest musician I had ever known
Randy Rhoads came into my life in 1979. At that time I was incredibly depressed, and he was what I had dreamed about in a guitar player. He helped make all my dreams come true. Along the way we became buddies and business partners. Randy was a very special person, he inspired, cheered, and made everyone in contact with him, feel good. Building the band with Randy was one of the happiest times of my life.
What you are about to hear are the only live recordings of Randy and I, they were recorded late 81. I have hesitated to release this album for many reasons, but now Mrs. Rhoads and I feel that this is the right time. I know his playing will continue to inspire you all.
This album is my Tribute to Randy Rhoads.
God bless you Randy my friend
Ozzy"
Ok gotta go, me and Randy are gonna play some lawn-darts. Peace.
- The Ghost Of Randy Rhoads
- Published: October 17, 2002
- Type: Opinion
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: Hard Rock, Music: Rock
- Writer: Berkeley Joe
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Comments on this articleComments
How does Randy Rhoads play new material for you? Do you have a guitar rig of your own? I'd like to get some mp3s of his material. I heard from a friend of mine that Randy is actually Carlos Cavazo....Take a look at Carlos' hands and forearms. The resemblance in regard to body size, hands, arm hair,etc.is uncanny. Some believe that Randy went back to Quiet Riot and left Ozzy...HMM? What do ya think? Is Carlos Cavazo hanging out with you?
Nice writing, Berkeley Joe. I've often wondered what Rhoads would be doing today had he lived. Nobody played guitar quite like he did, and I've never heard anyone come close since.
I got into Ozzy because of the devil worship aspect. But I stayed because of Randy Rhoads.
Long live Randy Rhoads.
Jim S... the Dee out-takes are on the Tribute album, bro.
Great writing, Berkeley Joe... I miss Randy so much... hopefully you can share his impossible chords with us all...
you guys are on glue.lawn darts with randy rhoads?wake the fuck up!
Quit starting rumors, folks.
randy rhoads is one of the most greatest musicians who ever lived. If ur serious then thats fucking awsome.
nice writing but i got a question...how are you playing lawn darts with him if hes dead?lol srry if im stupid and sorta off topic but i dun get it
Man...gotta think... The world lost an excellant musician. I was born 7 years after his death... Listening to Ozzy's early stuff really inspired me. In some way, I felt that he is in the room when I need inspiration for when I can't think of anything ta play on my Fender Strat... Tell ya what, Jesus has got one awesome supergroup now... Randy, Bon Scott, Jimi Hendrix, Dimebag Darrell, Cliff Burton, John (I froget his last name, The Drummer from Led Zeppelin). Man... Awesome writin' man, one of the best I've read.
R.I.P. Shredder
Rhandy ability was a "force" of musical nature,drawing too many,too fast toward Ozzy's "dark" image.Unfortunetly,I believe that's why he was taken home.
That was pretty cool. It definately put a smile on my face. I've always wished I could hang with Randy... even though he's dead. I definately wouldn't mind private lessons. From what I hear, he was a great teacher.
Randy died exactly one year before my birth, and even though I never met him... I miss him. I would have loved to have been able to hear his style and technique progress over the years.
Ok......lay off the acid mate
God bless ya m8..i know ur still out there somewhere! - a guy from Norway
People speculate what Randy Rhoads would sound like had he lived a long life. Randy would have always sounded like Randy. No matter his choice of genre. His guitar riffs would be flawless. And you'd put on any Randy Rhoads record and be blown away!
You've been duped. The ghost you are playing gin rummy with isn't Randy Rhoads. He hasn't spent ten minutes with Randy.
You see Randy Rhoads didn't reflect sad vibes. He didn't brag about women. The ghost of Randy Rhoads would talk about his Gibson, not Randy Rhoads.
i wish i could just meet Randy, even though he died ten years before i was born, he inspired me to play guitar, when i first heard him i knew he was the guitar god,my friend says i look like him i think thats cool ,after i heard him i learned crazy train in 4 days.Rhoads is my idol
I am a family member of someone that was involved in the accident and would like to be contacted for more information.
i do not really know if you are telling the truth
if im sorry if i am being rude. but i dont really beleave it but his music is inspiring and it reaches out to all of use and we will all miss him.
i don't beleve it ether but if it is real then that is freaken sweet im trying to play crazy train on my gutar and thats like my favoret song o ya one more thing why are you playing lawn darts?
hey man yea randy rhoads didnt visit u need to stop getting high r.i.p randy
i did hang out with ozzy i come from heaven god is awsome
do not be scared i will teach you sweet songs i made
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Whooaaa... nice. I loved Randy. Ozzy has never been that good since, even though I liked his stuff after. "Tribute" rocked harder than anything else put out in that time period.
A friend of mine had a copy of the outtakes that "Dee" was taken from. They've still not been officially released, but I wish I could get a hold of them again, because they showed Randy at his rawest, in the studio, picking out the songs over and over in his quest for the perfection that became "Blizzard of Oz."
Thanks for the trip down memory lane! I hope Randy kicked your ass at lawn-darts, by the way.