Inspirations The Randy Rhoads Legacy

By Diane Pearson
It warms my heart to know
That we will meet again
For now I hold the memories
I have of you my friend
Running around in Junior High
Playing in a band
Living out all our dreams
Turning out just like we planned
ven though we drift apart
!n one thing I "an depend
That I may walk for all my days
#nd say you are my best friend$
Kelly Garni
Best friend to Randy Rhoads/former bass player in the band Qiet
Riot/Photographer
Randy and I !ere in the same "nior high school together# $e met in the
se%enth grade# I !as ele%en and someho! he seemed to be a year older than
me& bt he really !asn't# (%en at that yong age he seemed %ery artistic and
!as clearly different than all the other )ids arond# *o "st coldn't help
bt notice# +ince there !as something abot him that !as so different& a lot
of the other )ids really pic)ed on him# There !as "st something abot him
that !as %ery different than e%erybody else# I mean& he !as !eird and he
loo)ed !eird# ,e had more of a Beetle li)e hair ct# It !as )ind of cool
actally# I recently !ent p to a )id that had a hair ct li)e the one Randy
had and said -hey& that is a cool loo)ing hair de'# Randy dressed different
and he !as small# ,e !as artfl loo)ing and not athletic.loo)ing !hat so
e%er# *o cold tell he !as artistic and %ery introspecti%e and "st all in all
different# That is !hat attracted me to him# /ne day I "st !al)ed p to him
and said -hey& ho! ya doin0' 1fter that !e "st started tal)ing and hanging
ot together# I started going o%er to his hose# It !as immediately clear that
his family !as %ery msical# 1t that time& Randy )ne! his gitar chords
already and !as "st starting to learn his leads# ,e basically didn't )no!
anything# ,is sister played gitar and his brother played the drms# ,is
mother played e%erything# +he o!ned a msic school and taght msic#
(%erybody !as al!ays playing something in that hose# +ome of the
neighbors e%en played and if yo didn't play anything& yo felt li)e a
complete otcast# +o& I decided that I !anted to play an instrment# Randy
sggested that I play the bass gitar# +o& he got me a bass and started
teaching me# 1s he !old learn his leads he !old teach me some bass and I
!old e%entally learn to do patterns that he !old practice his leads o%er#
That !ent on and on e%eryday for years ntil !e !ere abot t!el%e# That
!as !hen !e started ptting together little bands& playing together at
neighborhood parties and par)s# 1ny!here !e cold# $e started "amming
!ith other people# $e !ere obsessed !ith it# $e played any!here&
anytime& any!ay !e cold# It !as al!ays a constant battle to pgrade or
e2ipment# $e !old do odd "obs for Randys mother to ma)e enogh
money to by amps and things# $e !ere best friends and !e al!ays hng
ot together# The older !e got& the !eirder !e got# $e both got into 1lice
3ooper soon after !e met# The first 1lice 3ooper sho! that !e !ent to !as
in 4564# $e got really into 1lice and !e e%entally started loo)ing li)e
1lice#
3alifornia is a party state# I don't care !here yo li%e in 3alifornia& it is a
party state# People "st lo%e to party7 $e !ere in Brban)& 3alifornia
!here there is a lot of srfers and stff# 1ll of the srfers !ere good friends
!ith each other and they had parties li)e cra8y# $e !ere fre2ently as)ed to
attend these parties and "am# It !old be some type of deal !here a )ids
parents !old go ot of to!n& they !old get together and by a fe! )egs&
pt some fliers p all o%er the city and thro! a hge party !here literally si9
hndred )ids !old sho! p# I am not e9aggerating either# The party !old
ta)e o%er the entire bloc)# It frea)ed ot all of the neighbors becase there
!old be )ids scre!ing and thro!ing p on their front la!ns# Beer bottles
!ere e%ery!here7 /f corse the cops !old al!ays get called ot to sht the
party do!n# $e !ere %ery familiar !ith the police and they !ere al!ays
%ery cool !ith s# They ne%er ga%e s any problems and e%en seemed to li)e
s# They )ne! that !e !ere "st trying to play and they ne%er blamed s for
anything# $e !old at least get in a good hor before the cops e%er sho!ed
p or cold e%en ma)e their !ay to s throgh the cro!d of people# They
had to !al) throgh sch a sea of )ids# If the party !asn't at someone's
hose& it !as at a local par)# There !ere se%eral par)s that !e played at
!here in the picnic areas there !old be plgs so that !e cold hoo) p or
e2ipment# The plgs !ere hot and !e !old bring long e9tension cords and
or brea)er bo9 or !hate%er and "st plg e%erything in# $e had lights and
the !hole bit# $e "st played any!here !e cold# ,oses& par)s&
any!here# It didn't matter# $e spent a lot of time playing in peoples li%ing
rooms& in bac) yards& !here%er# It !old be Randy& me& and !e had
se%eral different drmmers that !e sed# $e !ere t!el%e at the time# Qiet
Riot !as formed !hen I !as si9teen# +o& from the time !e trned t!el%e&
!e !ere pretty happening :sicians# $e had or o!n songs and !e made
or o!n msic# ;or three years& that is !hat !e did# It !as a cool !ay to
gro! p& especially in the smmer time becase !e !old %irtally play
some!here e%ery single night# $e had se%eral names that !e called
orsel%es# If nothing big !as going on& !e !old go o%er to someone's
hose !here they !old ha%e a fe! friends o%er and !e !old "st "am# $e
ne%er got paid# $e ne%er as)ed for mch# $e !ere "st content !ith
sho!ing p& maybe ha%ing something to drin) for free and then "st being
able to play in front of people# That's !hat or -thing' !as# $e !old meet
girls at the parties and "st basic teenage stff# It !as definitely a good place
to bm cigarettes#
Randy and I had three to fi%e drmmers that !e sed to se# $e !old call
them on occasion !hen !e had a gig# $e !old hear of a party and then
trac) someone do!n to as) if !e cold play# They !old say <ya<& and
then !e !old ha%e to find a drmmer# $e !old get on the phone and call
this gy or that gy to see if they had any plans for that particlar night# /r
ne9t obstacle after finding a drmmer !as finding a car# Lc)ily& most of
or drmmers had %ans and !ere mch older than !e !ere# +ome !ere e%en
in their thirties# That is ho! !e pt all of that together# $e had to get a
drmmer and get transportation# 1s far as singers !old go& !e rarely sed
them# $e did e%erything instrmental# Throgh the years prior to Qiet
Riot& !e had t!o singers that I can remember# $e had one girl singer# $e
had one singer named +mo)ey# $e !old fre2ently go do!n to the Gitar
3enter in ,olly!ood and loo) at the blletin board# That !as al!ays a really
big deal for s# To go do!n to the Gitar 3enter and loo) at that blletin
board7 That is !here !e !rote do!n +mo)ey's name# The post said that he
!as a singer !ho !as loo)ing for a band# $ell& !e !ere loo)ing for a
singer and so !e called him# +mo)ey came to Brban) and sa! s play# ,e
!as blo!n a!ay7 ,e !as li)e <!o!& loo) at these t!o )ids7<# $e both had
really long hair by then and !ere %ery accomplished players# $e easily ble!
a!ay people in to!n !ho !ere mch older than s#
+mo)ey !as the gy !ho really introdced s to ,olly!ood# ,e !as a %ery
tall& gay gy !ho loo)ed better than most girls# ,e !as gorgeos7 ,e !as a
singer# ,e !as li)e the !orld's !orst singer7 Bt& he !as "st so cool
loo)ing# The time that !e spent !ith +mo)ey broght Randy and I to a
!hole ne! le%el of some!here to play# =o!& !e !ere playing ,olly!ood#
$e called the band +mo)ey#
$e started off playing !hat !as Rodney Bingenheimer's clb !hich !as
called Rodney's (nglish Disco# Rodney !as a male gropie type of a person
!ho al!ays !anted to be seen !ith the roc) stars# ,e opened this clb p in
,olly!ood !hich !as e9tremely cool loo)ing# I had ne%er seen anything li)e
it before# *o !old go in there and Da%id Bo!ie !old be sitting there&
and sometimes Led >epplin and Lo Reed# 1ll )inds of roc) stars !ere in
there "st hanging ot# There !as no age limit& and that meant that yo cold
literally "st !al) p the bar and order a beer# This !as of corse all throgh
the glitter era and so e%eryone had on glitter# $e !ere all %ery glittery and
e%erything "st shined# $e !ere the hose band there for a !hile and it !as
a %ery cool scene# The band e%entally bro)e p#
/ne day Randy and I !ere at this girls hose named ,illary# +he !as tal)ing
on the phone to one of her girlfriends abot some singer named Ke%in# I !as
li)e& <singer0 Ke%in0 $ho is this gy0<# +o& I thoght that I !old gi%e the
girl the third degree and find ot some more information on this singer named
Ke%in# ,illary said that he loo)ed li)e Rod +te!art& thogh she had ne%er
heard him sing# +he didn't )no! mch abot him and so she "st ga%e me his
phone nmber so that I cold call him myself# Randy and I called him and
spo)e to him abot !hat !e !ere loo)ing for# $e !anted to chec) him ot
and so !e !ent o%er to his hose and too) a loo) at him# /r first thoght
!as that he loo)ed pretty gee)y# $e didn't see a !hole lot of potential there7
Randy and I "st sort of loo)ed at each other and rolled or eyes# $e
immediately started loo)ing for a !ay to get ot of there7
Bt& Ke%in !as %ery persistent $e !old try a%oiding him thogh he !old
)eep calling s# $e relctantly had him come o%er to Randys hose one day#
$e !ent into Randys garage and "ammed !ith Ke%in# Ke%in !as "st
horrible7 Randy and I loo)ed at each other and basically !eren't too
sprised# $e )ne! that# 1fter that& he still !old not lea%e s alone# ,e
)ept calling and as)ing <!ell& !hen is or band going to play0 $hen are !e
going to rehearse0<# $e !old ma)e p e9cse after e9cse# $e !old say
things li)e !e had a cold & or one of the amps !as blo!n p& or there !as
no !here to play# ,e "st !oldn't gi%e p thogh and )ept calling# +o& !e
finally "st ga%e p and said& <!ell& let's see !hat !e can do !ith him<#
$e started !or)ing on his singing and ga%e him a fe! pointers#
1s time !ent on he actally became a %ery good singer# ,e !as e%entally
acceptable and once he !as definitely in the band& he too) o%er e%erything#
,e ran the !hole sho!# It !as fine !ith Randy and I becase p ntil then I
!as the one doing e%erything# ,e too) o%er s getting a manager& rnning
the band& finding s a place to rehearse& finding s a gig# ,e !as a
bsiness man throgh and throgh# $e "st )ind of said& <!ell& o)ay# ,e
certainly "stifies his in%ol%ement here<# It !as cool# There !as ob%iosly
no getting rid of him7 $e !ere stc) !ith him7 That !as it7 ,e !asn't
going any!here7 /r drmmer Dre! ;orsyth !as one of the drmmers that
!e had sed throgh the years# $e had decided to permanently bring him
into the pro"ect# $e !ere then& Qiet Riot#
Ke%in came p !ith the name Qiet Riot# 1s I recall he heard a gy say that
if he e%er had a band& he !old call it Qiet Riot# ,e sholdn't ha%e said
that in front of Ke%in becase Ke%in said <I'm going to ha%e a band and I am
going to call it Qiet Riot7<# +o& he did# That same gy is probably going&
<!o!& yo )no! I said that once# =o! it's a big name7<#
/r first real gig !as at !hat !old ha%e been me and Randy's ,igh +chool
Prom# $e had a lot of problems in school !ith "oc)s and stff beating s p
becase of the !ay !e loo)ed and dressed# $e too) a lot of heat becase of
it and so I did not gradate# I "st said <scre! this<# I "st didn't !ant
anything to do !ith school# Randy gradated throgh the adlt school
program# I did get a G(D also# Bt& or first gig as Qiet Riot !as at the
+enior Prom !hich shold ha%e been ors# It !as the first place that !e had
e%er played as a grop# 1fter !e performed !e !ere %ery acceptable# 1ll of
the "oc)s !ere really cool !ith s& and they had all seemed to gro! p a
little# They had time since it !as actally dring ?nior ,igh !here !e
!old get beat p and chased#
The second gig that !e did !as a ,allo!een party in Brban)# It trned into
a real big riot7 It literally trned into a riot7 I mean& it !as hge# (%ery cop
in Brban) !ond p being there becase of all the tremendos fights that
!ere going on# There mst ha%e been si9ty people fighting7 1ll of the people
that !or)ed there got bro)en arms or concssions# (%erybody !ent to the
hospital# 1ll the !hile& !e !ere p there playing# It !as pretty scary#
The third place that !e played !as the 3hili ;esti%al# Then from there !e
started playing the clbs# $e !old play at the +tar!ood on +nday nights
and e%entally became the hose band there throgh the ne9t for years or
some stagnating amont of time# 1ll of this too) place o%er a period of for
years# $e recorded t!o albms that !ere released in ?apan# Prior to that !e
did some stff that is recorded on the Randy Rhoads Tribte 1lbm from
Qiet Riot#
By then I !as eighteen or nineteen years old and I decided that I really didn't
li)e doing !hat I !as doing# I !as "st ready for a change since I had
basically been doing this all of my life# +o& I left the band# I became a
parametric and did that for many years# Randy didn't stay !ith Qiet Riot
too mch longer# The /88y thing came p and he !ent for that# Then&
Randy really !asn't arond mch longer# I !old hear from him e%ery once
in a !hile throgh phone calls# 1 time or t!o he !old come home and I
!old dri%e to !here he !as and hang ot !ith him for a cople of days# ,e
came bac) to 3alifornia one time for the Bli88ard of /88 Tor# ,e sho!ed
p a day early and !e !ent ot all night# ,ad a great time# Then& shortly
after that %isit& he !as gone fore%er#
Randy and I had a %ery interesting life together# /r pbringing !as %ery
ni2e and !as %ery nli)e the pbringing that most )ids ha%e# $e !ere
)ids !ho !ere li%ing ot their dreams and doing !hat other )ids only
dreamed abot# $e !ere li%ing it# $e !ere fifteen years old and !e had
gropies7 $e !ere hanging ot !ith roc) stars7 $e !ere treated li)e roc)
stars7
If !e !eren't "amming& !hich is !hat !e did ninety percent of the time& !e
did little else# This is ho! !e got so good in sch a short period of time# $e
really didn't do a !hole lot else# If !e did stop& !e !old go to a big party
and hang ot !ith friends or !hate%er# Do things that yo do at a party# /ne
fn thing that !e did !as go to thrift stores and loo) for !eird clothes to
!ear# $e li)ed doing that# Randy had a cople of cars that !e sed to !or)
on# I loo) bac) on that no! and thin) of ho! strange that !as& bt !e !ere
actally pretty good mechanics# $e had "n)ers for cars and !ere forced to
ha%e to fi9 them p orsel%es#
Randy and I !ere li)e a cople of !ild party )ids and really didn't
ac)no!ledge all the legalities that !ere occrring arond s in Qiet Riot#
$e !ere too bsy en"oying or yoth# I remember these managers that !e
had& !old sit s do!n !ith these La!yers in Be%erly ,ills# Randy and I
!old "st be li)e <!hat are !e doing here0 This is so boring7<# They !old
read these contracts to s and !e !old "st be falling asleep or ma)ing faces
at each other# It !as all "st going in one ear and ot the other# It meant
absoltely nothing to s# Ke%in& of corse& !as all ears# This !as his thing#
$e really depended on Ke%in to loo) after s and he did# 1nd& he did a
%ery good "ob at it as he did and has done throgh all of the years of Qiet
Riot#
The !ildest thing that Randy and I e%er did& !as there !ere se%eral
neighbors !ho had these tiny little sport cars that only for people cold fit
in# $e fond it great fn to go dri%ing li)e maniacs throgh the 3anyons in
,olly!ood ,ills# Loo)ing bac) on it no!& it is a !onder that !e e%er
sr%i%ed7 It really is# $e !old call them -rns'#
$e didn't !atch a lot of tele%ision& bt or fa%orite sho! !as the Be%erly
,illbillies# =o matter !hat !as happening msically& !hen that sho! came
on e%erything else stopped and the Be%erly ,illbillies !as !atched#
I remember ho! Randy !old loo) at the old 1lice 3ooper& and his gitar
player Glen B9ton# Glen ma)es a lot of noises and feedbac) !hen he plays#
,e really !asn't a good player& bt he made p for it by ptting in a lot of
frea)y noises# ,is style !as %ery abstract and not based on msical theory# I
!as more based on dramatics# Randy !as able to gain a lot more from that#
That !as a ma"or inspiration to him& that yo really didn't ha%e to ha%e
training to come p !ith a ni2e style# Then& :ic) Ronson is another good
e9ample# ,e has ne%er been sited as being a ma"or inflence on Randy bt I
ha%e to say that he definitely did ha%e the most inflence on him# Right do!n
to the image# If yo ha%e access to the old Da%id Bo!ie %ideo called >iggy
+tardst and the +piders from mars& yo !ill see an ncanny resemblance
bet!een him and Randy# That is %ery !eird# There is :ic) Ronson playing
a Les Pal !ith Randys hairct7 The maga8ines al!ays say that he !as
inflenced by Leslie $est and all that& !hich is tre& bt :ic) Ronson !as
the one# That !as the gy7
The last time I sa! Randy !as !hen he came here to Las @egas# ,e came a
day early for the Bli88ard of /88 tor& li)e I had mentioned earlier# ,e
didn't ha%e any of his clothes !ith him since they !ere all on the bs# ,e
came to my hose and I remembered that I had actally borro!ed some
clothes from him and that I still had in my closet# +o& I got them and said
<loo)& here's some clothes and they "st happen to be yors<# ,e than)ed
me for sa%ing them#
$e !ent ot and ad%entred to a bnch of bffets and bars that !ere there in
to!n# $e hoo)ed p !ith /88y and the rest of the band at one of the
casinos# They all !anted to see a sho! bt Randy and I decided that !e "st
!anted to hang ot together and catch p# $e stayed ot that !hole night
and didn't end it all ntil ABCCa#m# the ne9t morning#
That !as the day that they played at the 1laddin# Randy as)ed me to come
to the sho! and I said that I !old thogh I had a girl !ith me# ,e "st said
<!ell& yo ha%e t!o choices# I ha%e t!o seats for yo in front ro! center&
the best seats in the hose& or yo can "st hang ot bac)stage<# I said that I
!old "st rather hang ot bac)stage and he said <o)ay<# $hen !e arri%ed&
he plled p a big road case on !heels and pt it right along the side of the
stage !here he !as# ,e loo)ed o%er at me throghot the sho!# $e !old
ma)e faces at each other and I !old ma)e him lagh# It !as really cool#
1fter!ards& !e had "st enogh time to say good.bye and then he !as ot of
there# ,e !as on the bs and the bs !as mobbed by people# That !as the
last time that I sa! Randy# It !as nice that !e had that time together# It !as
a rare occasion to be able to do that# $e "st had so mch fn7 I coldn't
belie%e ho! mch food !e ate !hile !e !ere together7 $e !ere both %ery
s)inny and !e mst ha%e made a %isit to three or for bffets# Randy thoght
that the bffet !as the greatest thing he had e%ery seen7 ,e had ne%er seen
anything li)e that before#
I spent more time playing !ith Randy than anyone has# Randy and I played
together for nine years and I am the only person !ho can say that# I !as
there !hen he didn't e%en )no! ho! to play a lead# I !as there !hen he
learned# I !as so accstomed to his playing that I got to the point !here I
really didn't hear it anymore# It is all these years later !hen I sit do!n and
listen to these old records and thin) to myself& <!o!& he !as really good<#
Becase to me& Randy !as Randy# ,e !asn't the Gitar God that other
people are able to appreciate# I can't %ie! him that !ay# It is not in me to
hear it& see it& or anything# I barely recogni8e it# It's )ind of !eird# Bt& I
"st )no! his style and his msic# I am able to pictre in my mind his fingers
and !hat they are doing# :ainly& becase I spent so many years !atching
those fingers and doing !hate%er they !ere doing# It "st really !ent o%er my
head ho! good he !as# Throgh all of the years and e%en !ith Qiet Riot#
,e !old do this ama8ing gitar solo and I !old hear it and it !old "st be
the same old stff to me#
I pic)ed p playing the bass %ery easily# Randy !as an e9cellent teacher# It
became a matter of !atching his fingers# $hate%er his hands did& my hands
did# That's ho! he taght me# ,e said that the gitar is "st li)e bass& !hich
it is# If his finger !as there& then go there# It became a matter of copying
him# That is !hy o%er the years of playing !ith him& I cold anticipate
!here his fingers !ere going and I )ne! !hat he !as going to do# That is
probably !hy !e played so !ell together# ,e cold literally say to me& <I
learned a ne! song today<& and I !old say <o)ay& let's do it# Don't teach
it to me& let's "st do it<# ,e !old play it and I !old play right along !ith
him# It is not that hard of a tric) for anyone to learn# I !as an accomplished
player after abot a year# :aybe e%en si9 months# $e !ere then playing in
front of people#
:rs# Rhoads helped ot in a lot of !ays# +he o!ned a msic school# /ne of
the problems that Randy and I had !as being able to play lod some!here
and not ha%e the cops called ot on s for distrbing the neighbors# /r& !e
!old distrb his brother or sister# Distrbing anything7 +o& :rs# Rhoads
had this band called the +i9 :sonians# They !ere a real goofy band and
!ere the )ind of gys that !ore ties !ith short slee%e shirts# Real nerdy#
They played big band msic and the deal !as& if !e !anted to play do!n at
her school& ndistrbed and as lod as !e !anted& !e had to play !ith the
+i9 :sonians# The idea of ha%ing to play !ith them !as degrading and
demorali8ing to Randy and I bt that !as the deal# If yo !ant to play lod&
the +i9 :sonians !ant yo7 +o& it !as li)e a trade off# These gys had
real thic) glasses and !ere all real goofballs# 3omplete nerds# They !ere all
scared to death of Randy and I# They played mainly brass instrments and so
Randy and I played bac) p# :rs# Rhoads ga%e s some sheet msic that !e
had to read off of and play# =either of s )ne! ho! to read msic and so !e
!old "st fa)e it all the !ay throgh# That !as the deal thogh# If yo play
!ith the +i9 :sonians& yo can then go into the big room and play as lod
as yo !ant for an hor or t!o# +o& Randy and I forced orsel%es to play
!ith the +i9 :sonians#
/ccasionally& :rs# Rhoads !old recrit me to play bar mit8%ah's and
things li)e that# I !old ma)e abot fi%e dollars playing at a bar mit8%ah#
That !as probably the most money that I e%er made playing msic# Playing
!ith the +i9 :sonians7
Randy started teaching !hen he !as abot si9teen# ,e made pretty good
money# ,e had forty to fifty stdents a !ee) and made abot fi%e or si9
dollars a lesson# Bac) then& that !as a lot of money for a si9teen year old
)id# Probably more money than most adlts !ere ma)ing fll time#
$hen !e !ere in ,olly!ood& the cool thing to do !as to fa)e an (nglish
accent# It !as cool to be from (ngland and so all of the poser types !old be
!al)ing arond !ith these fa)e (nglish accents# $e !old ma)e fn of that
li)e cra8y7 If some chic) came p to s and started tal)ing !ith an (nglish
accent& Randy and I !old "st loo) at each other and start crac)ing p7
They !old ne%er figre ot !hat !as so fnny7 $e !old "st be rolling on
the floor laghing7 $e !old finally cle them in and say <nice accent& ho!
long ha%e yo had it& an hor0<# They !eren't fooling s7
The real fnny thing abot all of it is Randy de%eloped his o!n (nglish
accent after spending so mch time in (ngland !ith /88y /sborne# ,e
coldn't help it7 $hen he came to see me& he had this (nglish accent# I "st
)ept loo)ing at him and going <yor )idding right0<# ,e !as so embarrassed
that he trned bright red and said <I can't help it& I "st can't help it7<# I
!old "st ma)e fn of him saying things li)e <!ell& I had better tal) that
!ay too# I don't !ant to feel left ot<# I ga%e him sch a hard time abot
that# ,e !as almost in tears becase he coldn't stop doing it# That !as the
e9tent of or con%ersation abot ho! he li)ed li%ing in (ngland#
Randy really !asn't a ladies man# 1s a matter of fact& the last time !e !ere
together he said that he cold cont all of his past girlfriends on one hand# I
"st coldn't belie%e that becase here he !as this big roc) star in a giant
roc) band# It !as nheard of7 ,e "st !asn't the )ind of gy to go pic) p
girls# The relationships that he did ha%e !ere 2ite long# ,e really !asn't
into the !hole relationship& dating thing at all# Girls !ere really into him7
They lo%ed Randy7 They !old thro! him on the grond and "st be all o%er
him# I lost so many girlfriends to Randy7 I !old meet a girl and e%erything
!old be going along "st fine ntil he came along# 1ll of a sdden& the girl
and I !old be ha%ing all of these problems and I !old as)& <!hat's
!rong0<# The girl !old trn to me and as) <does Randy ha%e a girlfriend0<#
That happened to me all the time7 I cold ne%er bring any girls to meet him#
I !old get really mad at him and he !old be li)e& <!hat did I do0<# I
!old loo) at him and say <God damn it7 *o did it again7<# ,e ne%er
encoraged it or anything either# 1ll he had to do !as tal) to the girl and
B1=G7 It !as all o%er# +he !as hit# Then& I !old find ot that the girl
!old call his hose and sho! p at his front door# I !as li)e& <!hat is the
deal here0<#
I lagh all the time at the things !e se to do# 1ll of the memories# $e !ere
%ery a%id practical "o)ers# =o one !as safe7 $e !ere pretty daring and
creati%e too# $e !ere really into crashing parties# =ot "st any party either#
$e are tal)ing Be%erly ,ills parties# I personally& crashed ,gh ,efners
party# I !ent to the Playboy :ansion on =e! *ears (%e and actally got in7
=ot many people can do that# I !as there the entire night and didn't get
thro!n ot ntil DBCCa#m# the ne9t morning# I hng ot !ith Rod +te!ert the
entire night# I tried to e9plain to him !ho I !as bt he !as so !asted that he
really didn't care# ,is girlfriend had him on a short leash that night& yelling
at him if he dared to loo) at another female# +o& he felt pretty safe sitting
there !ith a yong& 8it faced )id all night#
Randy and I !old "st go dri%ing arond the hills& loo)ing for these rich
parties to crash# $e !old )noc) on the door and "st say <hi<& li)e !e
)ne! e%erybody there# They !old all be loo)ing at s fnny& bt !e !ere
sch good actors that they rarely e%er loo)ed t!ice# /ccasionally& !e !old
get )ic)ed ot right a!ay& bt for the most part !e got in !ithot a hitch#
$e !old al!ays do things that !eren't %ery nice# $e !old get a bnch of
food and snea) pstairs to their bedrooms and hide it in their dra!ers and
inside their shoes# $e !old do all of these things that !e )ne! !e !old
ne%er be a !itness to the otcome of# $e !old ne%er get to go <ha& ha& that
gy "st pt his shoe on and there !as an egg inside7<# $e "st thoght that it
!as hilarios that someday& that !as going to happen# Bt& sally by the
time !e left the party& !e had completely forgotten !hat !e had done#
In Qiet Riot& !e really didn't play "o)es on Ke%in# Ke%in didn't ha%e mch
of a sense of hmor bac) then# =o!& yo can get a!ay !ith anything on
Ke%in# *o can terrori8e him no!& !here certainly bac) then yo cold not#
Ke%in and I !ere on bad terms bac) then anyho!# $e did not get along at
all# +o& I coldn't play a "o)e on Ke%in !ithot him pnching me in the face#
If I played a "o)e on Ke%in& he too) it as a ma"or offense to!ards him# =o
matter ho! innocent the "o)e& it "st !asn't fnny# I cold pt a sign on his
bac) that said something fnny or crde and he !old "st !al) arond !ith
it on for the longest time before noticing !hat e%erybody !as laghing abot#
$hen he did figre ot !hat !as so fnny& I got slgged# Randy thoght
that !as hilarios7 =o& !e "st didn't mess !ith Ke%in too mch bac) then#
1nybody else& loo) ot7
$e had special names for most e%erybody# They cold ne%er figre ot !hy
!e called them that certain name# Then& other people !old hear Randy and
I calling that person a name and so they !old start calling them that same
name# That person cold ne%er figre ot !hy e%erybody !as calling them
that name and nobody else really )ne! either# The only people !ho )ne!
!ere Randy and I# People !old as) the gy& <hey& !hy does e%erybody
call yo that0<# The person !old be li)e <I don't )no!# Those t!o gys
o%er there call me that and no! e%erybody is calling me that# I don't )no!
!hat it means<#
Li)e I said before& Randy and I had the greatest pbringing# /r parents
!ere %ery spporti%e of !hat !e !anted to do and !hat !e !ere doing#
They ga%e s or freedom !hich is al!ays %ery important# They !old help
s by e2ipment and go see s play at the +tar!ood# They contined to
spport s e%en thogh !e !ere totally ot of control# They ob%iosly cold
not control s so they "st ga%e p and hoped for the best#
The most important thing that cold be said abot Randy is ho! hmble he
!as# ,e had no idea ho! good he !as# ,e didn't thin) of it that !ay# ,e
didn't loo) at ho! good am I& he loo)ed at ho! good can I be# $hat he did
accomplish trly didn't please him# $hat he did ne%er left a big impression
!ith him# It !as "st something that he had done& then it !as onto something
else# That is !hy yo hear people say <Randy didn't !ant these Qiet Riot
recordings to be released<# I ha%e to say& that is totally ridiclos# It is the
most ridiclos thing I ha%e e%er heard in my life# It is "st not tre# It is li)e
some big shot football 2arterbac) saying <gee& I hope that nobody e%er
finds ot that I played football in high school<# *o !old "st ne%er hear
one of those gys say something li)e that# /f corse yo played football in
high school7 Then& say somebody sho!s a %ideo of that person in high
school thro!ing a pass and hitting the referee in the head# It !oldn't mortify
people7 That is ho! I see Randy listening to those tapes# They are not bad
at all# *o are listening to a se%enteen year old )id playing# =o!& yo sho!
me a se%enteen year old that can play li)e that7 There aren't any# +o& it is
ridiclos to say that Randy !old be embarrassed by those old Qiet Riot
recordings# Randy !old nderstand the need for the band to ha%e stff li)e
that ot there# Ke%in needs to )eep his name ot there# It !as nice for me to
finally ha%e the ?apanese things in some!hat of a format so that people here
cold prchase them# 1 big baring on the Qiet Riot tribte coming ot !as
all of these fans sho!ing p at Randys gra%e sight !ith these bootleg 3D's of
or ?apanese records that they paid E4DC#CC for7 That is the main reason !hy
:rs# Rhoads decided to endorse the albm#
;e! people can die and still li%e on the !ay Randy has# It's easy to be a
legend if yor famos# 1s mch as he !as a legendary Gitarist& he !as a
great hman being as !ell# People still gather at the +an Bernadino gra%e
sight on his birthday and the day that he died# The day that he died dra!s the
most people# The amont of people does seem to be lingering as the years go
by# There se to be abot fifty or si9ty people !ho sho!ed p& thogh no!
it is more li)e t!enty# The people still come from %ery far a!ay# +e%eral
tra%el all the !ay from ?apan# I go there for the family and for the fans# 1s
far as I am concerned& Randy is here& !ith me& e%eryday#
Danie Po!ers
:sical 1rtist/+inger/+ong!riter/Gitarist for 1merican Po!er :etal Band
I don't recall the year !hen I disco%ered Randy Rhoads& bt it !as after his
death nfortnately# I !as partying !ith some people in a par) and my
drmmer that I had "st met pt a tape in his stereo# It !as a li%e bootleg of
/88y !ith Randy# (%erything "st stopped for fragments of time and I !as
transported a!ay to this !onderfl realm# I !as li)e& <!ho is that on
gitar7<# ,e proceeded to tell me abot Randy# I !as already familiar !ith
/88y throgh the Blac) +abbath days& bt hadn't follo!ed his career# I had
admired +abbath& bt !as not a hge /88y fan ntil my association !ith this
drmmer& and his constant playing of that tape and other albms that Randy
Rhoads appeared on# It ingrained his gitar playing into my being# It !as as
if his sol came ripping throgh the spea)ers that %ery first time that I heard
the tape# It !as beyond any other gitar !or) I had heard then or since#
Randy trly spo)e to me#
Randy definitely is my gitar idol# I don't stri%e to sond li)e him so mch as
I do to be li)e him& !hich is a %ery lofty goal# ,e had far more lo%e for his
instrment than I thin) I !ill e%er ha%e# $hen I loose focs& I immediately
thin) of Randy and it plls me bac) in line# Bt& !hile I thin) it's flattering
to his memory to learn and copy e%ery lic) of his and try to sond "st li)e
him& I thin) that Randy !old ha%e preferred !e ta)e the art that he created
and se it for inspiration# *o )no! -don't imitate& inno%ate'# To me& it
!old be an inslt to his sheer genis to try and sit do!n and copy e%erything
note for note and become a Randy clone& and nothing beyond that !hich
reflects yor o!n sol# I am not )noc)ing those !ho do& I am "st saying
that for me& I thin) he !old ha%e "st !anted s to ta)e his )no!ledge and
incorporate it into or %arios different styles# There is only one Randy
Rhoads and ne%er !ill there be another# I !old hope that his prity and self
effacing personality along !ith his tendency !old be as mch an impact on
e%eryone else as it has been on me# ,e !as so far beyond "st being a roc)
star#
To me& Randy is a symbol of constantly stri%ing to do more& be more !ith
yor instrment# :sic to Randy !as more li)e a lo%er than a means to
stardom# ,e nrtred it and lo%ed it# I ha%e a pictre of Randy that I )eep
!ith me for inspiration#
(%en beyond "st msic& there !as "st something him# ,e !as sch a
gentle& peacefl sol# ,is thirst for )no!ledge !as genine and honest#
Gitar !as not a science to him as it !inds p being to so many %irtosos# It
!as an honorable& chaste& ntainted art form# ,e !as a genis# That same
brilliance !ill al!ays be e%ident to people# Tre genis ne%er dies#
I began a !eb page on the Internet dedicated to Randy Rhoads# $hen I
started my page there !ere only for others ot there that I had fond and
t!o of those 2ic)ly folded# The sites that !ere p had %ery little information
and !ere largely ta)e.off's of each other# /ne had some pretty nice photos#
I "st came p !ith my small tribte page and it's lin)ed in my msic lin)s
hoping that the crios !ill chec) it ot and read the inter%ie!s that I fond
and typed on it# I ha%e also added some lin)s to some other sites that ha%e
some %ery e9tensi%e information no!# I !as so glad to see those ot there#
I offer a metal a!ard for sites on the !eb& and !as %ery 2ic) to a!ard the
people !ho too) the time to research and share their )no!ledge of Randy
!ith s# I created a special 3eltic cross that appears ne9t to the lin)s& that is
my R(:(:B(R R1=D* R,/1D+ graphic# If !e can )eep him in the
pblic eye& his legacy !ill only contine to gro!# To me& that is the most
important thing# $e cannot allo! the memory of Randy and his
accomplishments die# ,e is %ery mch ali%e throgh his msic#
I )no! that I )eep going bac) to Randys stellar gitar !or)& bt I can't help
that being a Gitarist myself# ,is lead !or) !as "st phenomenal and it's not
"st his de9terity# The !ay he cold go from a classical rn into a bles riff
!ith sch ease and smoothness# The leads al!ays sore so !ell !ith the
msic# $ith some Gitarists& the lead is "st an afterthoght& and not mch
actal thoght has been pt into it& yet they are toted as being so
astonding# If yo sit do!n and dissect the songs that Randy has done and
all the sections& it's "st so fll of heart and sol along !ith e9ceptional s)ill
le%el# That is a !ic)ed combination# :ost ha%e one or the other# To be able
to achie%e both and do it so !ell0 I am "st in a!e of his talent#
The team of Randy and /88y !as "st e9traordinary# ,is loss !as sch a
tragedy# Imagine !here /88y's msic !old be right no! if Randy !ere still
ali%e# I mean& e%en if Randy had left the band in order to prse other
pro"ects& yo )no! that he !old still be looming in /88y's msic# I'm sre
he'd ha%e 2est solo.ed# They !ere so tight and that is !hat ga%e their msic
sch depth and beaty# T!o sols flying free and dancing on the edge of hell#
They created sch memorable& ndying msic together# It still hrts to thin)
abot he tragic impact that his death had on /88y /sborne# It is so ob%ios
that a piece of him died along !ith Randy# They seemed so close# $e all
sffered from the loss& thogh yo can tell that it really affected /88y#
That %ery first song that I heard !as -+icide +oltion' !ith that astonding&
ripping solo in it# That made sch a hge impression on my psyche# I !old
ha%e to say that -+icide +oltion' is my fa%orite song follo!ed by -:r#
3ro!ley' and of corse& -Dee'# -Dee' is toching and has sch a pre&
medie%al flair to it# It's "st gorgeos in it's technical simplicity#
/f corse& -Good.Bye To Romance' is a fa%orite# ,a%ing heard /88y tal)
abot ho! this song !as created and ho! Randy rged him to get that tne
ot and !or) on it# That he !as insistently hmming the song also sho!ed
that he allo!ed /88y to be /88y and becase of that& some !onderfl msic
came into being dring that creati%e period# That is the sign of an e9cellent
partnership# $hen yor partner opens yo p and doesn't try to )eep yo in
a !ell established bo9# +o& there is one more sperb characteristic of Randy#
The ability to bring ot greatness in others he toched#
I as) all !ho read this to please hold Randy dear in yor hearts and minds
and trn as many others onto him as yo can# ,is legacy shold li%e on
fore%er for his accomplishments& his sheer lo%e of the gitar& his beaty and
his gentle sol# ,e !as a genis& pre and simple# The !orld of hea%y
metal msic is a mch richer place for or ha%ing been blessed by his
presence#
Rob :c(llhiney
Randy Rhoads 1dmirer
I sa! the Bli88ard of /88 tor and !as really blo!n a!ay by Randys playing#
I !as in high school at the time and "st beginning to mess arond !ith
playing the gitar# This sho! !as definitely the catalyst for my contining
lo%e of playing gitar# 1 fe! months later I !as called by a friend and he
told me that he had "st heard that Randy !as )illed# It !as really a sad day#
I !as going to see the Diary of a :adman tor in "st a fe! !ee)s# I spent
that night ma)ing blac) arm bands to pass ot at school the ne9t day# To this
day& I still stdy Randy's !or) as a tool for learning and simply becase I
lo%e his stff so mch# I am not a professional :sician& "st a fanatic gitar
hobbyist# I o!n se%eral gitars inclding a ?ac)son Rhoads offset @#
I !oldn't be able to gi%e an ob"ecti%e opinion abot ho! the msic scene
!as changed by Randy# I !as yong at the time and these albms shaped my
%ie! of msic# It !old be a %ery s)e!ed opinion# Loo)ing bac) no!& I
can see that Bli88ard of /88 and Diary of a :adman !ere a ma"or part of
!hat began the metal scene of the early eighties# Listening to Randy certainly
inspired me to !ant to play# ,is playing nailed e9actly !hat I !as searching
for# It !as li)e a person searching for something and then finally finding it#
It !as so good that yo tended to listen to it again and again#
/b%iosly& his msic is his lasting accomplishment# There is so little !e
)no! abot Randy other than his msic# ,is !or)s are my Bible of gitar
)no!ledge and I tend to 2ote different passages for different reasons and
occasions#
I listen to your laughter
%lowing in the wind
The big bow&tied "ourt jester
Is at his tri"ks again
'ot a day passes
(hen I don)t think of you
The pranks you use to play
The trouble we)ve been through
!h how I miss your laughter
*y heart will never mend
+o I)ll keep on the Riot
#nd think of you, my friend$
Ke%in DBro!
:sical 1rtist/lead singer of Qiet Riot/best friend to Randy Rhoads
I am a hge ,mble Pie fan and I !ent to see them play in 456D in +an
Diego& 3alifornia# The sho! had cancelled so I came bac) home and there
!as a message for me that said -Randy from +mo)ey's band called and !ants
yo to call him'# +o& not )no!ing !hat this !as abot& I called Randy and
!e discssed his sitation# There !as this gy named +mo)ey !ho !as a
singer in a band that Randy and Kelly !ere in# They se to play in a clb
called Rodney's (nglish Disco in ,olly!ood# Kelly and Randy had left the
band and !ere told abot me throgh a mtal friend# They !ere told that I
!as a singer# Randy and I started tal)ing on the phone and he told me that he
!as a gitar player and it "st trned ot that !e both had a lot in common#
$e then got together# It !as fnny becase !hen I first heard him play& he
!as actally playing the songs that !ere e%entally on the first Qiet Riot
albm# 1ll !ith a little gitar amp and a Gibson +G# ,e !as pretty ama8ing#
$e "st started playing in the garage of his mom's hose# Randy ga%e me my
first gidance as a singer# I !as singing really lo! and he sggested that I try
singing a bit higher#
The !ay that yo hear him play later on is actally pretty mch ho! he
played early on as !ell# $e soon became Qiet Riot#
/r first real band argment !as that Randy and Kelly !anted to play a lot of
1lice 3ooper stff and I !asn't a big fan of 1lice 3ooper# 1lso& Randys
girlfriend at the time had a big inflence on the decision ma)ing that !as
happening in the band# I !as li)e <hey& !hy is she ma)ing decisions !hen
she is not e%en in the band0<# I certainly broght the bsiness sense into the
band that !as most definitely lac)ing# I actally shoo) things p a bit at the
time# Randy and Kelly !ere "st )ids# I !as eighteen& bt still had a
bsiness sense# $e finally got things organi8ed#
The first thing that !e reali8ed !as that !e needed a place to rehearse#
+omebody I had )no!n mentioned this gy named Dennis !ho o!ned a
plmbing company# ,e had a stdio bilt behind his hose !here he !old
let s rehearse for free# ,e )ne! that !e didn't ha%e any money# ,e also
became or manager# ,e got s a recording in +ond 3ity in @enice !here
!e did or first demo# $e recorded three songs# This !as the smmer of
456D# $e really pressed orsel%es !ith this single# +oon& !e reali8ed that
the manager !as not getting s from point 1 to point B& and so !e let him
go# $e !ere then pic)ed p by this company called GT/# They !anted to
manage Qiet Riot and they really helped form or image# 1n e9ample of
that is the pol)a dot bo! tie that Randy !ore#
In 456F& in the middle of recording Qiet Riot T!o& Kelly Garni decided to
lea%e the band# ,is final sho! !ith s !as at the +anta :onica 3i%ic 3enter&
opening for 1ngel# Rdy +ar8o "oined the band and stayed from 456F.4565#
$e did some demo's !ith Rdy and "st )ept trying to get a record deal bt
the trend !as so against !hat !e !ere doing# @an ,alen !as the only band
that !as getting anything#
In /ctober of 4565& Dana +trm from +laghter as)ed Randy to adition for
/88y /sborne# Randy aditioned and he got the gig# Randy did his final
sho! !ith Qiet Riot the !ee)end of /ctober G5& 4565# 1t that point&
Randy left for (ngland !ith /88y# ,e !ent bac) and forth a fe! times#
Rdy left the band soon after Randy and !ent to play !ith /88y# $e did a
renion gig in ;ebrary of 45FC and !ere spposed to do another gig thogh
Randys management !ith /88y /sborne !old not allo! it# /r friendship
!as %ery strong ntil he bailed on that sho!# $e didn't tal) for abot three
months#
I boght a ne! car and Randy had heard abot it# ,e sho!ed p one day at
my hose and as)ed me to ta)e him for a ride# I !as still pretty mad at him
thogh he !asn't at all mad at me# ,e !as in a sitation !ith those people
!here they really rled !ith an iron fist# $e started tal)ing and I soon "st
reali8ed that he and I !ere best friends and there !as no point in being angry
any longer# *o can't e9pect for people to be the !ay yo are and if that
!ere the case& yo !old probably al!ays be disappointed# $e became
friends again# $e !ere al!ays %ery close friends thogh in a different !ay
than him and Kelly# Randy "st lo%ed Kelly# They had that childhood
closeness and Randy "st absoltely adored Kelly# Kelly !as the one person
!ho cold really ma)e Randy lagh hard#
I en"oyed my entire e9perience !ith Randy Rhoads# ,e !as a really fnny
gy and I don't thin) that is said enogh# ,e !as totally hilarios and "st a
great person#
Brett Le%ac
:sical 1trist/gitarist/song!riter for ;rench
:y first enconter !ith Randy !as !hen I !as probably abot three years
old# :y sisters and their friends se to listen to Bli88ard of /88 and Diary of
a :adman arond 45F4 and 45FG# It !as !hen Randy !as still ali%e# I
remember the msic& bt Randy meant nothing to me at the time# 1fter all& I
!as only abot three years old# The first time that I recogni8ed Randy for
himself as !ell as his msic& !as throgh a taped copy of the Tribte albm
by /88y /sborne# $hat caght my attention at the first listen !as actally
all of the instrments coming together so perfectly# I !as "st starting to get
interested in the gitar& so I didn't )no! !hat to pic) ot of the msic as far
as the gitar !as concerned# +hortly after I boght the Tribte albm and I
boght my first gitar# Things happened so fast after listening to the Tribte
albm# It !as almost li)e instinct# It !as li)e the msic had a message for
me& !hich is !eird becase I !asn't in tne !ith the gitar at that time& bt
"st hearing it sbconsciosly told me to learn from him# I can't really
e9plain it becase I'm nsre myself !hat cased my sdden interest in the
gitar#
,is inspiration li%es on more than fifteen years after his death and !ill
contine to li%e on for se%eral reasons# The most important is his dedication#
This can only be seen throgh the people !ho can see Randy throgh his
playing# +ome people& e%en big Randy Rhoads fans& only see Randy as a
great gitar player and try to play e%erything note for note li)e he did# Then&
they thin) that they !ill be as good as he !as# $ell& I don't e%en consider
people li)e that to be tre Gitarists# 1 Gitarist to me& is someone !ho can
create msic from !hat they feel# If yo try to ma)e a song for it's technical
in%ol%ement on the gitar& yo are "st moc)ing the sond and style of past
Gitarists# *es& they might ma)e a name for themsel%es& bt the tre
:sicians !ill not respect them and I feel that the respect of a tre :sician
is !hat e%erybody !ho is trying to ma)e it in the msic bsiness stri%es for#
:y definition of a tre :sician is someone !ho let's e%ery once of talent
ot the !indo! and plays from pre heart and emotion# Randy had the talent
and the emotion& and the feeling he pt into his msic "st made that talent
stronger# ,e is a :sician becase he had the ability to se his talent and his
emotion together for the ltimate blend of msic#
Randys style differs from any other Gitarist& especially (ddie @an ,alen&
for the e9act reason that I mentioned before# (ddie plays the same msic and
has been for t!enty years# It "st doesn't seem to ha%e any feeling to it# It's
"st (ddies style and it sells records and so he contines to play it# $ith
Randy& he played !hate%er he felt !as right# ,e too) the chance# That sold&
too# It didn't "st sell records thogh& it sold on the ones !ho ma)e msic
!hat it is& the :sicians# The people !ho don't "st play msic&& bt create
msic# Pt simple& Gitarists play msic and :sicians create msic# (%ery
person !ho feels a certain !ay abot a song& sch as a cople ha%ing -their'
song or a person thin)ing of a lo%ed one !hile listening to a certain song&
feels that !ay becase the :sician intended the song to gi%e people an
emotional otlet# Gitarists !ho "st play to impress !ill only impress other
Gitarists#
Randy !as so msically inclined that a drmmer& a singer or another gitar
player can learn an a!fl lot more from Randy# That has to be his biggest
msical achie%ement# ,e can appeal to anyone in msic& not "st a gitar
player# ,is )no!ledge of msical theory is something that any :sician of
any )ind cold learn from and se in their style of msic# I see the closest
Gitarist to Randy as being ?immy Page# ,e didn't care !hat anyone
thoght& and "st played from the heart# (%en thogh his playing didn't ha%e
the perfection that Randys did& he has the right mind set !hen he plays# Pre
feeling and emotion# That is the essence of a :sician# ?immy has the
)no!ledge also# Prodcing all of the albms as !ell as playing them# (%en
thogh Randy did not prodce& his )no!ledge goes far beyond anyone that I
ha%e e%er seen in msic# In reality& msic is !hat )eeps s going# Thin) of
a !orld !ithot msicH#I can't#
+am ,all
Randy Rhoads 1dmirer
I first heard abot Randy !hen my best friend boght the Bli88ard of /88
albm and told me that I had to listen to it# I feel that Randy had a
tremendos impact on the entire msic scene# ,e !as no !anna.be and he
!as a real :sician !ho set the standard for those !ho follo!ed# ,e greatly
inflenced me in my personal gitar playing and I learned many %alable
things by "st listening to his msic# I learned to ta)e time !ith a song and
ma)e it into something more than a song# +omething that ma)e yo and other
people happy#
I feel that Randy "st toches so many people# ,is msic doesn't "st captre
people becase it's fast# *es& that is %ery cool# Bt it is more of the !ay he
did it# ,e played !ith his heart and !ith so mch passion# If yo don't ha%e
those t!o things then yo sholdn't be playing msic# I am only se%enteen
and I am a :sician according to the people !ho hear me play# I play my
gitar !hene%er I am a!a)e& so basically all day long# It is sad thogh
becase some people thin) that "st becase I am yong& I can't play# Bt&
stdying Randy Rhoads and his msic along !ith other %arios 1rtists& has
helped me de%elop into the Gitarist that I am today#
Bill $ard
:sic 1rtist/nationally )no!n as the drmmer for the band Blac) +abbath
I first heard of Randy Rhoads throgh /88y /sborne# /88y and I& at that
point in or relationship !old tal) to each other fairly reglarly and he
!old "st be ra%ing abot this ne! Gitarist that he !as !or)ing !ith# ,e
!old often tal) abot Randy in the sense that he !as a good )id and a )ic)
ass gitar player# 1 lot of nice things# I almost got to )no! Randy throgh
/88y# It !as li)e a medim or something# /88y only had good things to say
abot Randy# I )no! that Randy !as %ery important to /88y# I thin) that
one of the things that Randy did !as almost come into an era# 1lmost a post
+abbath era !here there had been a ten or t!el%e year period of roc) and
hea%y metal that !as& in a sense& almost disciplined# It !as reglar# It !as
an era of -records !ill come ot and then there !ill be roc) sho!s'# I thin)
that dring the time period !here +abbath first started to brea) p& at least
from my o!n e9periences& at that point it seemed li)e there !as a lot of
chaos# It also seemed li)e there !ere a lot of bands that !ere arri%ing and
!ere playing a sdal metal )ind of feel# Randy came into an era !here he
almost sort of pic)ed p the baton# I felt that Randy !as nli)e any other
Gitarist that I had listened to at that time# ,e seemed li)e a %ery serios
:sician and he seemed to )no! !here his roots !ere# I cold feel that in
his gitar playing# I thin) that it !as one of the most important things abot
him# It "st felt so real# I thin) that he also in%ented some really good things#
,e !as so mch li)e a pioneer by himself and nto himself# ,e carried some
e9tremely !ell )no!n songs !hich are no! legendary# The msic scene !as
so chaotic at the time and Randy came in and !as li)e an anchor# ,e held
something# /88y has a sond in his %oice that is li)e no other# /88y's sond
is /88y's sond# I feel that Randy enhanced /88y's %oice and the entire
band for that matter# I thin) that /88y's earlier !or) !as pretty incredible#
There is a lot of stff there that I particlarly li)e#
$hen Randy died& /88y shared a lot !ith me# I !ent throgh& !ith /88y&
the loss of Randy Rhoads# I !old "st listen to !hate%er it !as that /88y
!anted to share# /ften& he !old reflect on !hat a good player he !as and
ho! mch he missed him# ,e !old "st tal) abot the loss& and this !as
!ell after Randys death !hen these con%ersations too) place# +o& in that
sense& I felt that I !as a part of the grie%ing process# That !as a reality for
me and it !as my only real attachment to Randy& !hich !as throgh /88y#
Keith Lynch
:sic 1rtist/Gitarist for Bill $ard
That sond in 3ra8y Train really caght my attention# Randy had a real f88y
tone& mch different than !hat Blac) +abbath had done# They !ere mch
dar)er and Randy had a mch brighter sonding distortion# Randy !as a
%ery clean player# *o can "st hear e%ery note that he plays and he is so
inno%ated# ,is sond# ,e has most certainly inspired me as a :sician#
I thin) that the Bli88ard of /88 !as a great accomplishment for Randy# That
!hole albm !as great# -3ra8y Train' is the one song that stic)s ot in my
mind as being my fa%orite Randy Rhoads song# I'%e played it before& thogh
my sond is so mch different than his# ,e had a real bright sond !here
mine is a Tony Iommi meets @an ,alen meets (ric 3lapton sond# 1 mch
dar)er& more looser sond#
Ronnie 3iago
:sic 1rtist/Drmmer for Bill $ard
Randy Rhoads !as one of the ne! p and coming roc) gitar greats# ,e !as
ni2e in his o!n techni2e and style# ,is death !as a tragic loss to s all#
3ort ,llinger
Randy Rhoads 1dmirer
I !ent to see the Bli88ard of /88 tor on 1gst G5& 45F4 in +oth Bend&
Indiana# I !as bac)stage before the concert and Def Leppard !as !arming
p# It !as !ild# I remember that Randy !as hanging ot & sitting on the side
of a bilding on a cement !al)# (%eryone !as saying <there's Def Leppards
gitar player< and I "st )ept saying <man& that ain't Def Leppards gitar
player<# I had ne%er seen !hat /88y's gitar player loo)ed li)e# 1t the time&
Randy "st loo)ed li)e some little girl sitting o%er there# $hen /88y came
ot& Randy !al)ed ot to# I !as li)e <!o!& that is the same gy that !as
bac)stage7<# /88y !al)ed off stage throgh the song -I don't )no!' and
Randy stayed and "st "ammed !ith the rest of the band# The cro!d !as
e9cellent7 They did not play -3ra8y Train' and I can remember that there
!as a big !rite p in the paper the ne9t day head lining -/88y's Bli88ard !as
a big sno! "ob7'# The paper praised the instrmental#
+imon Partridge.
:sic 1rtist/Gitarist for +eer's Tear
I first disco%ered the Bli88ard of /88 albm in 45FI& li)e most people I
sspect# 1t the time I only heard ne! and e9citing msic# I !as ele%en and
had no classical listening bac)grond at all# I am still trying to conte9tali8e
all of !hat Randy is doing on those songs today# Randy !as a classical
:sician# ,e broght these s)ills& sch as )no!ledge of msical theory&
and combined them !ith the pre energy of roc) in a !ay that no one had
e%er done before& or has since in my opinion#
,e also re%itali8ed /88y's career# Imagine Bli88ard of /88 or Diary of a
:adman !ithot Randys inpt and sond# It "st !oldn't ha%e happened# I
am sre that /88y !old be the first to ac)no!ledge that#
I remember reading a print of one of the small nmber of inter%ie!s that
Randy did in one of the 1merican gitar maga8ines# Randy said that he
al!ays played throgh e%erything completely clean before adding distortion#
I thin) that he referred to distortion as f88# ,e said that some players se
distortion partly to mas) their falts# This idea really stc) !ith me as that
!as e9actly !hat I !as doing at the time#
Randy !as constantly !anting to stdy and impro%e himself and others
arond him# ,e !as a %ery !ell ronded performer& paying attention to all
aspects of his art& both on tape and in concert& gitar tone& rhythm playing&
effects& mlti trac)ing and especially his acostic playing !ere all de%eloped
and focssed on# This concentration on the !ider pictre rather than "st ho!
many notes per second that he cold play shold be inspirations to s all#
1lthogh some hea%y metal msic has dated %ery badly& the melodies and
approach that Randy sed are %ery mch timeless# ,e !as an inno%ator and
an originator& and is remembered as sch#
I am in (ngland and Randys poplarity here is not as high as he deser%es it to
be# 1t least not as high as it is in the Jnited +tates or ?apan# /88y still has a
high profile mainly de to Blac) +abbath and his -madman' image#
Kno!ledge of the albms !ith Randy seem %ery confined to people !ho li)e
metal in the eighties#
The msical "mp from Qiet Riot to /88y !as ama8ing# In am not )noc)ing
Qiet Riot& bt Randy seemed to de%elop so mch dring his short time !ith
/88y# I lo%e all of Randy's msic& thogh if I ha%e to narro! it do!n to
t!o& it !old be -Re%elation :other (arth' and -:r# 3ro!ley'# I ha%e to
say that the impro%ised fade ot on -Tonight' is also a stro)e of genis7
?eremy $agner
:sical 1rtist/Gitarist/Lyricist for Bro)en ,ope
I don't remember ho! old I !as !hen I first heard Randy# I !as ten or
something li)e that# I had some Blac) +abbath stff and !as listening to hard
roc)# I sa! the albm co%er to /88y /sborne's Bli88ard of /88 and
thoght <!o!& this loo)s pretty hea%y<# That !as basically !hen I first got
to hear Randy Rhoads# I lo%ed that albm# I heard the solo in -3ra8y Train'
and had ne%er heard anybody play li)e that7 I "st thoght that Randy !as
totally a!esome7 $hen yor a )id& yo thin) that people in hea%y metal
bands ha%e the most coolest names# *o )no!& li)e /88y /sborne and
no! Randy Rhoads# There !as "st something abot that name7 It "st
sonded right# ,e had the right name& the right loo) and he played that
gitar li)e nobody else cold7
I play the gitar myself and am still finding ot things abot Randy Rhoads
that I ne%er )ne! before# I gess that he dobled all of his solos0 =ote for
note0 ,e !old do t!o solo trac)s in the stdio# That !as ama8ing7 *o
hear solos li)e -3ra8y Train'& and -I Don't Kno!' and it's li)e totally
shredding# $hen yo hear them& it's "st perfect# There's a million gitar
players ot there !ho are real shredders and !hatnot& bt Randy "st had
that ability to pt do!n a solo that !as not only memorable& bt he did so
!ith sch perfection# ,e !as ama8ing# ,e !as almost li)e the :ichael
?ordan of gitar players#
I thin) that one of Randys greatest accomplishments !as gi%ing the entire
!orld sch fablos msic# I thin) that perhaps ha%ing the time to record his
!or) and share it !ith e%eryone is a great accomplishment# Jnfortnately&
it seems that these great& gifted people !ho are "st shining stars and !ho
capti%ate people& are ta)en a!ay from s mch too yong# *o al!ays
!onder !hat they !old be doing no!# I& personally being a fan of gitar
playing am %ery than)fl for !hat he !as able to do !hile he !as here# I am
than)fl for !hat he has gi%en to me& personally#
I thin) that Randy !as really ahead of his time# $hen Bli88ard of /88 came
ot& it !as before a lot of these hea%y metal bands made it big# If yo listen
to his playing& yo can almost hear a million people !ho are no! trying to
imitate that sond# It is not "st someone !ho is prodcing msic# This is
someone !ho really pt honest feeling into e%ery single note# This is before
:T@ and before a lot of radio stations !old play that )ind of stff# This
!as a gy !ho not only played hea%y metal msic& bt a lot of other )inds of
msic as !ell# There is a lot of melodies and a lot of feeling in his msic# ,e
introdced classical msic to hea%y metal# I don't thin) that there ha%e been
that many people !ho ha%e been able to do that# ,e certainly set a standard
for other Gitarists# ,e !as a great& gifted person#
:ar)o Pe))anen
Randy Rhoads 1dmirer
It !as the early eighties !hen I first heard of Randy Rhoads# I !as fifteen#
,e really introdced classical msic to hea%y metal# I played the bass gitar
and he sort of taght me ho! to -fly' !hen I !as playing a solo# ,e !as the
best7 ,e cold play all )inds of msic# Bles& "a88& hea%y metal& classical&
yo name it#
I li%e in +!eden# Randy is still nmber one here bt the ne! generation only
)no!s Randy as one of /88y's Gitarists# They shold )no! better7
Dyc)son Dyorgio Dolla
Randy Rhoads 1dmirer
I disco%ered Randy Rhoads !hen I listened to /88y's li%e Tribte albm to
Randy# I al!ays read things abot ho! good his talents !ere# I grabbed a
copy of the Tribte& listened to it and !ondered ho! a person cold ma)e
sch beatifl msic li)e that# ,is solos !ere absoltely !onderfl&
especially -:r# 3ro!ley' and -+icide +oltion'#
I gess that a lot of :sicians tried to follo! his steps especially after his
death# It's sad& bt some artists become more famos after their death#
:aybe it's my problem& bt !hen I listen to these ne! artists& I see a little
shado! of Randy there# I gess that after his demise& some people started to
pay attention to his msic#
I li%e in Bra8il and I ha%en't read mch inter%ie!s !ith Bra8ilian Bands# I
did read !here one Gitarist mentioned Randy as his inspiration# It's strange&
bt in Bra8il& !e ha%e more contact !ith otside bands than or o!n#
Bra8ilian bands aren't really hea%y at all#
+tacey Blades
:sical 1rtist/Gitarist for Ro99 Gang
I !as "st a )id !hen I first heard of Randy# I thin) that I !as ele%en or
t!el%e# I !as on my !ay to school and I had a !al)man on and !as listening
to the radio# 1ny!ay& they played -3ra8y Train' and I heard the gitar solo
and !as blo!n a!ay7 I thoght <!ho the fc) is that0<# I soon pic)ed p
Bli88ard of /88# =eed I say more0
Randys playing !as definitely re%oltionary# +re (ddie @an ,alen !as ot
bt Randy had sch a different approach# =o matter !hat )ind of gitar
player yo are& I thin) that Randy made an impact on e%eryone# ,e !as the
first gy to incorporate classical notes in his roc) n' roll gitar# The gy !as
fc)ing fla!less7 I am sre that he is still inflencing a ton of gitar players
as !e spea)7
:y main inflences consisted of ?imi ,endri9& 1ce ;rehley& ?oe Perry and
?ohnny Thnders& bt Randy definitely had an impact on my playing# I
definitely stole a fe! lic)s here and there#
I gre! p in Toronto and I remember !hen I !as abot fifteen& the main
radio station& Q.4C6& played li%e concerts on ;riday nights# /ne night they
played li%e /88y from the Diary of a :adman tor# I frea)ed7 =eedless to
say& I taped it off the radio# I belie%e that the sho! !as actally from
Toronto# The :aple Leaf Gardens# They played abot se%en or eight songs#
God& I !ish I still had those tapes7 1ny!ay& Randys sond and playing !as
so fc)ing intense# I remember listening to his gitar solo o%er and o%er and
o%er again in complete astonishment7
The ama8ing thing abot Randy is that yo can still listen to his records today
and feel the magic of his playing# It's timeless& "st li)e ,endri9# ,e !as a
genis !ay before his time# I am sre that is often said abot Randy#
I thin) that Randys most memorable accomplishment !as "st his o%erall
playing in general# I still listen to his leads and am blo!n a!ay7 Randy and
/88y !ere great together# They !rote some really good msic# Randy
definitely ga%e ne! meaning to hea%y metal gitar playing# ,is style !ill
al!ays be priceless#
Dan 1brigg
Randy Rhoads 1dmirer
I first heard Randy !hen the Bli88ard of /88 record came ot# I thin) that I
!as forteen years old# I remember my ncle& !ho also plays gitar and got
me started on gitar& called me p one day and said <yo ha%e to listen to
this record7 *o ha%e to hear this gy play gitar on this record7 It is
nbelie%able7<# +o& I too) a listen and I !as "st blo!n a!ay7 The only
other gitar player that impressed me at that time !as (ddie @an ,alen# I
thoght that (ddie !as great and e%erything& bt there !as something special
abot Randy Rhoads that "st caght my ear#
Randy had tremendos inflence on me in my gitar playing# The first cople
of years that I !as playing& I pretty mch "st too) lessons form a local
teacher from the to!n !here I gre! p# I !as "st learning yor basic chords
and open chord formations# I !asn't really at the point !here I cold learn
songs or pic) p things from other players# $hen I first heard the Bli88ard of
/88 record& all I !anted to do !as learn e%ery song from it# It !as a goal of
mine and to this day I still listen to that stff# +ometimes I go throgh slmps
and I get bored !ith my playing# I !ill then "st pic) p those old records&
pt them on and listen to them# It gi%es me inspiration to play and maybe
come p !ith something ne! and get some ne! ideas for things#
1t the time !hen he came arond& there really !asn't too many gys that
!ere playing or incorporating classical msic into roc) n' roll or hea%y metal#
I !old say that Randy !as a pioneer of that style# ,e !old incorporate
classical lines& scales and feel into a lot of their songs# ,is gitar playing on
certain songs can be compared to %iolin playing# ?st becase of ho! flo!ing
and staccato it is#
:att +trang!ayes
:sical 1rtist/@ocalist for the band $indigo
I !as a little too yong to remember !hen Randy first started !ith /88y# It
mst ha%e been 45F4 or 45FG !hen I first started to get into Randy Rhoads# I
actally disco%ered /88y before I disco%ered Blac) +abbath# I )ne! !ho
Randy Rhoads !as before I )ne! !ho Tony Iommi !as# I remember ho!
s)inny Randy !as and I can remember thin)ing that it !as so cool# I !as an
ele%en or t!el%e year old )id !ho !as into sports& seeing this gy !ho !as
so s)inny yet sch a bad ass in the !ay that he played that gitar7 It !as )ind
of li)e that episode in the +impsons !here Bart imagines the !hole roc) n'
roll thing and he's getting drn) !hen all of a sdden yo hear <it se to be
abot he msic<# Then Bart is li)e <!oa& cool<# That's )ind of ho! it !as
for me becase I !as "st li)e <!oa& this gy is "st so bad ass and thin7<#
This !as my %isal image of Randy Rhoads# ,e "st had that roc)er shei)#
I !as playing the trmpet at the time and !asn't singing or anything bt I did
)no! msic# It !as right arond that time !hen I really got into msic# I
began to get really obsessed !ith it# The !alls in my room !ere "st co%ered
!ith posters and pllots from 3ream and ,it Parader maga8ine# I had that
stff all o%er my room# I !as ama8ed and intriged !ith roc) n' roll& e%en
before I !as playing#
I thin) that there is )ind of a time line !ith gitarists !ith their fans !here
there is a 2estion of !ho is the best and !ho is the most famos# I gre! p
in =e! *or)& and Kiss !as "st massi%e there !hen I !as yong# I can "st
remember )ids getting really angry and almost to the point of %iolence !ith
the 2estion of !ho !as the best gitarist& 1ce ;rehley or ?immy Page0 It
!as %ery intense and those !ere all of the older )ids !ho !old be arging
abot that# Then it !as passed do!n to my generation& !here there !as
Randy Rhoads or (ddie @an ,alen0 It !asn't so %iolent !ith s& thogh it
!as %ery important# $hich songs displayed their best and !hich songs did
they sho! off the best0 It !old "st constantly go bac) and forth# I had a
best friend !ho !as so into Randy Rhoads and then my other friend !as into
(ddie @an ,alen# It !as difficlt#
It !as really cool thogh becase it ga%e yo the opportnity to really get to
)no! the songs# (%en if yo !eren't a gitarist& yo !old )no! things li)e
the thirty second bridge in an /88y song& !here as yo may not )no! all the
lyrics# *o cold basically play air gitar to it# These battles bet!een !ho is
or !as the best is a real legacy since it has been strng ot o%er the years# In
the early se%enties it !old ha%e been ?immy Page& and then in the later
se%enties it !old ha%e been 1ce ;rehley& and then it !ent to (ddie @an
,alen& and then finally to Randy Rhoads# Randy !as the ne9t in line of
gitar !i8ards#
(%en thogh Randy e9perienced sch a short time in ma)ing records& I thin)
that the body of !or) spea)s beyond# In regards to the amont of songs that
are still remembered# (%ery )id that pic)s p a gitar today learns -3ra8y
Train' or -:r# 3ro!ley'& and this is so many years after these songs first
came ot# It is )ind of li)e a right of passage that e%ery gitarist has to go
throgh# To go throgh Randy Rhoads' !or)# (%ery roc) gitarist goes
throgh it# It is li)e& if yo ha%en't to a certain degree& learned Randy's
stff& yo are not a roc) gitarist# +ince it is something that yo learn at the
beginning of yor playing& it stic)s !ith yo fore%er# $hen somebody gro!s
p and they are in !hate%er band& sch as +tone Temple Pilots or :etallica&
yo )no! that ten years earlier they !ere pic)ing a!ay at -Dee'# *o "st
ne%er loose that#
?ason $ilhite
:sical 1rtist/Gitarist for the band $indigo
I played drms all throgh "nior high school and didn't start playing the
gitar ntil abot 4554 !hen I gradated from high school# I had the
ad%antage of ha%ing the only parents !ho allo!ed a band to practice in their
hose& so e%eryone left all of their e2ipment !ith me# +o& I definitely had
the ad%antage of al!ays being able to mess arond on the gitar since it !as
al!ays at my disposal# The Tribte albm from /88y is one of my fa%orite
albms of all time# I se to play it constantly# That !as !hat I se to listen
to in the initial phases of pic)ing p the gitar and learning to play# I listened
to a little bit of Diary of a :adman and The Bli88ard of /88 albms#
Randy inflenced me a great deal !ith playing the gitar# /r bands' style
doesn't carry a !hole lot of flashy leads& so it's not really a part of my
personal style thogh !hen I first started playing the gitar it !as the era# It
!as all that mattered in ho! a gitar player !as identified# I remember that I
se to sit there and listen to -:r# 3ro!ley'& and that !as the first gitar solo
that I e%er really figred ot# That really got me e9posed to a lot of the
different modes on the nec) of the gitar and !here Randy Rhoads !as
playing# It also e9posed me to a lot of notes that I cold se and really got
me started in a !ay to lead gitar playing# I "st remember that I mst ha%e
listened to -:r# 3ro!ley' a million times dring the corse of a fe! !ee)s#
Randy is a gitarist !ho "st by hearing a fe! notes of !hat he is playing&
yo )no! that it is him# That really means a lot and it is also one of the !ays
that yo can differentiate the greats from the passer.bys# *o can "st
immediately tell !ho is playing that song#
-Dee' is an a!esome& a!esome song# I really lo%e it# Randy had sch a
le%el of emotion that he pt into all of his msic# I thin) that also identifies
the greats from the a%erage player# The greats ne%er really settle for "st
anything that comes ot of the gitar# They ha%e to create that feeling& and
Randy did that# I thin) that Randy really created the breeding gronds for
great msicians# ,e set standards# ,e !as able to manage both ends of the
spectrm !ith great ease# To be intricate and simplistic both at the same
time# I !as really ama8ed by that and especially !ith that in the song -:r#
3ro!ley'#
I thin) that it !as a really good brea) for Randy !hen he hoo)ed p !ith
/88y# /88y still sells albms and the )ids are still bying them li)e mad# It
!as a %ery inflential time for Randy and /88y# I don't )no! if /88y
necessarily had anything to pro%e !hen he left Blac) +abbath& or if it !as
"st the connection that him and Randy had& bt I thin) that the t!o first
albms that they did together !ere "st ama8ing# =o!adays& !hen )ids get
trned onto /88y& they research bac) and ta)e a loo) at his pre%iosly
released albms# They then stmble pon Randy Rhoads# I thin) that the
legacy of Randy Rhoads has a lot to do !ith /88y /sborne#
Pete :ihelcic
Randy Rhoads 1dmirer
I !as thirteen years old !hen I first heard his songs on the radio# I
distincti%ely remember one afternoon !hen my brother and I !ere dri%ing p
to this %ideo store# It !as a cold day in the middle of !inter and !e had the
stereo cran)ed p !hen all of a sdden the station played -3ra8y Train'# I
"st remember hearing that song and thin)ing that it !as so cool7 The rhythm
gitar parts !ere "st so ni2e and different# Jp ntil then& I had been
listening to ,endri9& Richie Blac)more& and I al!ays did li)e Blac)
+abbath# I !as an /88y fan from the time I !as a yong )id# I !as al!ays
into comic boo)s and stff& and I al!ays thoght that the song -Iron :an'
that Blac) +abbath played !as abot the man in the comic boo)# 1t that time
thogh& I did )no! that /88y had a ne! band and after I heard them& I really
li)ed them7
Randy !as a big inflence on me !ith my gitar playing# I started playing
the gitar !hen I !as abot t!el%e years old# I actally se to play )ic) ball
in grade school and tried to catch a line dri%e and dislocated my thmb# I had
a cast on my arm and coldn't do mch of anything# I coldn't go otside&
play or ride my bi)e# +o& there !as this old gitar laying arond and I pic)ed
it p# +ince my thmb !as in a cast& I stc) a pic) o%er it and "st started
strmming a!ay# It ga%e me something to do# 1fter that& I "st carried on
!ith it and I !as al!ays )ind of interested in it# I started playing and I too) a
fe! lessons here and there# I !old "st al!ays pic) the gitar p and start
playing# I had my o!n band abot si9 months after I started playing& and
held my first gig after abot a year of playing e9perience# -3ra8y Train' !as
actally one of the songs that !e !old play#
1s a gitar player& I !old practice all the time# I had a dri%e and I really
!anted to be good# I thoght that playing in a band !as all that I !anted to
do# I thin) that Randy Rhoads too) that all a bit frther# 1 lot of people
accsed him at the time of being a copy of (ddie @an ,alen# That "st
!asn't tre at all# Throghot the spande9 era of the early to mid eighties&
e%eryone !as trying to play as fast as possible# (%erybody !as doing those
si9teenth notes dring the rhythm# It !as one of the things that really stood
ot and identifies the msic of the eighties# Randy Rhoads !as one of the
first people to do that# If yo listen to most of the bands that are ot there
no! on :T@ or the top forty !ho are considering themsel%es roc) n' roll&
"st listen to the gitarist and yo !ill soon reali8e that they really don't ha%e
mch s)ill# There is no gitar solos and there's no proficiency# If yo loo) at
Krt 3obain& he !rote great songs bt his gitar playing !as terrible7 That is
the !ay that I feel bands are today# :aybe it !ill come arond# It is "st
)ind of fnny becase in the eighties& e%erybody !as so concerned !ith
technicality and playing fast# (%erybody !anted to play great# =o!& if yo
can play !ith any degree of proficiency at all& yor )ind of shot7 It is
beginning to fall ot of %oge if yo can actally play# 1ll of a sdden
nobody !ants a gy !ith long hair !ho can play fast# They !ant the gy
!ith the b88 ct and the flannel shirt standing there holding the gitar# 1s)
yorself thisHHho! many of those gys that !ere real greats and cold play
fast are still arond0 @ery fe! of them# 1ll of the fast players ha%e been
nearly forgotten# I don't blame that on the people !ho are listening& bt I do
blame it on the record companies !ho !old not sign them any longer for
!hate%er reason# The record companies figre that people are going to li)e
!hat they hear on the radio# It is !hate%er the record companies psh and
promote# They "st decided that they !eren't going to promote that type of
msic any longer# It is "st )ind of !eird ho! things change so fast#
(%erybody bac) then had long hair& !ore spande9 and made it all abot
technicality and promotion# +o 2ic)ly it all changed# =o!& if yo pt one
albm ot that's not a sccess yor dropped from yor contract# Bac) in the
se%enties& a band !as allo!ed to de%elop o%er for or fi%e albms#
=o!adays& a band doesn't ha%e a chance7 /r& if yo pt ot a poplar
albm and then it's follo! p albm doesn't sell& yor dropped# The msic
indstry is "st so disposable# I see so many msicians !ho had a fe! great
songs ot there& !ere on the radio and on top of the !orld for a fe! years
bt are no! !or)ing in a frnitre store or not !or)ing at all# Loo) bac) fi%e
years and as) yorself abot those bands that !ere poplar fi%e years ago#
$here are they no!0 It's a togh bsiness#
Randy Rhoads played %ery clean and didn't ha%e a !hole lot of delay in his
playing# ,e !as "st playing !ith distortion# The 2ality of his playing still
stands ot# +ome people at that time !old play fast thogh it !oldn't
sond right# Randy played fast and it sonded good# Randy pt together the
ni2e combination of ha%ing great songs !ith great gitar playing# Randy
also loo)ed li)e the ltimate roc) star# There is something said abot that# 1
lot of the bands no! ha%e their b88 cts and they "st stand arond p there
on stage& not doing mch of anything# =ot mo%ing arond at all and "st
standing there strmming their instrment# :y idea of the ltimate roc) n'
roll band is one that gets p on that stage and entertains yo7 /ne that loo)s
cool7 Randy loo)ed cool# ,e played great and he !as the epitome of !hat a
gitar hero is spposed to be#
Barry +par)s
:sical 1rtist/Bass player for the :ichael +chen)er Grop/ ;ormer bass
player !ith *ng!ie :almsteen
I first disco%ered Randy !hen Bli88ard of /88 came ot# I thin) that I !as in
the se%enth grade# I had been playing gitar for a cople of years and of
corse I "st lo%ed Randy's playing7 I !as nable to see him in concert for
Bli88ard of /88& and thoght that I !old be able to see his ne9t tor thogh
sadly that ne%er happened# I thin) that Randy had a hge impact on the
msic scene# =ot "st for his gitar playing& bt he seemed to be a great
person as !ell# I al!ays en"oyed reading his inter%ie!s becase he !as
ne%er arrogant and al!ays polite and %ery honest# :sically& I !as %ery
inflenced by him# Li)e thosands of others I learned all of the songs off the
Bli88ard of /88 and Diary of a :adman# I !old play along !ith the records
e%eryday after school and later in bands#
I thin) that Randy still inflences people today becase he ne%er tried to be
the -roc) star'# ,e "st played from the heart and his msic is timeless# :y
fa%orite Randy Rhoads song !old ha%e to be -Good.bye to Romance'# 1
great gitar solo and great song# I !ill al!ays be a Randy Rhoads fan# God
Bless yo Randy7
Perry /rmsby
Randy Rhoads 1dmirer
I first disco%ered Randy !hen I heard the Tribte albm from /88y
/sborne# I belie%e that Randy had a hge inflence on the metal/hard roc)
scene# ,is approach to msic !as inspirational# 1s a msician& I can say
that Randy Rhoads has inflenced me to no end# The first time that I heard
his msic& I !anted to by a gitar# I e%entally got one and still en"oy
playing his riffs e%eryday# I feel that people can sense his emotion and his
passion for the gitar# =o one cold toch him fifteen years ago and no one
can toch him no!#
I li%e in 1stralia and I can say that Randy is nearly ne%er heard of here#
People hardly )no! of /88y /sborne& let alone Randy Rhoads# Bt those
that do are fanatical# Randy has a %ery small& bt dedicated clt follo!ing
here#
Gi%ing his msic to the masses !old ha%e to be his most memorable
achie%ement& bt to be more precise it !old ha%e to be his incorporation of
classical and metal styles#
$ally ;ar)as
:sical 1rtist/Gitarist for Galactic 3o!boys
I disco%ered Randy !hen the Bli88ard of /88 albm came ot# I !as a )id
and hadn't e%en started playing the gitar yet# I !as a!are that /88y had left
Blac) +abbath and !as doing his o!n solo thing# I remember rnning do!n
to the store and bying that Bli88ard of /88 albm !hen it first came ot# I
lo%ed it7 /ne thing that I al!ays did as a )id& !as pay close attention to the
msic# I !old pt on a Led >epplin record or !hate%er I !as listening to at
the time and pay special attention to the gitar and the drms# I !old listen
to songs o%er and o%er again#
Randy had a ma"or inflence on me and my gitar playing# I started playing a
cople years after he died# 1fter reading so many things abot Randy& I
almost felt as thogh I )ne! him# That I )ne! his playing# I distincti%ely
remember "st listening to him o%er and o%er ntil finally I "st figred that I
had to do this# It !as all so inspiring that I !ent ot and started playing# I
se to ha%e a !all "st completely fll of Randy Rhoads posters# I e%en sed
Les Pal gitars and ha%e a big& thic) sna)e s)in gitar strap#
In a band& the gitar solo is !here a gitar player has time to stand ot and
sho! off# $hen it comes to solos& a lot of people !ill ma)e p their o!n
solos of !hat they are capable of doing to impress people# $ith Randy
Rhoads& e%en thogh he clearly had the technical abilities to flash& his solos
really fit the songs# That is the ltimate compliment that I cold gi%e him as
far as his playing# ,e ne%er played something inappropriate to the song to
ma)e himself loo) good# $hen yo loo) bac) on all of /88y's gitar
players& yo notice that they play those solos note for note# There is no other
!ay that yo cold play those solos7 Randy "st had sch a msical melodic
to his playing that )ids no! still pic) p on#
Randy !as really into the classical thing !hich at the time people !ere not
doing in the roc) sense# Randy mi9ed the classical in !ith a lot of the bles
stff# 1 lot of real solfl playing# =o one !as doing that at the time that I
!as a!are of# 1nother thing that made a strong impression on me !as that
he !as one of the only people& !hile I !as gro!ing p and reading abot in
maga8ines& that !as so dedicated to msic and he seemed to be the most
geninely nicest person to anyone that he came in contact !ith# I am not
saying that other msicians !ere not dedicated or friendly& it is "st that
Randy left that impression !ith me# ;rom !here I !as gro!ing p& and
!hat I !as reading& his personality and his dri%e to )eep going ahead is !hat
stc) ot#
I also )no! that Randy and I li)ed to listen to the same stff# I remember
reading that he listened to the original 1lice 3ooper band# I can remember
reading that he !as inflenced by 1lice 3ooper# That 1lice 3ooper !as his
first roc) concert# I'm a big Be Bop Del9e fan and I can remember reading
that he !as really into that albm of theirs called +nbrst ;inish# The albm
came ot abot 456D# I )no! that Randy !as %ery inflenced by them# It is
pretty cool to see ho! other people are inflenced#
The "old wind tells me there will be no sun
I look - but never find
.+urrender.
Thunder rolls from the heavenly sky
In a flash of lightening
#n angel stands before me
.*y guardian.
/ou play your song
(rap me in your wings
#nd tell me everything)s okay
The sun breaks through the "louds
Pi"ks fall from the sky
'ow the sun shines forever
#ll be"ause of you
.*y angel.
Patric) Deno
:sical 1rtist/Gitarist/+inger/+ong!riter
K+tolen ThnderK
:y entire teenage life and birth of my playing !as shaped by /88y and
Randy in one !ay or another# In the smmer of 45F4 I !as at the tender age
of t!el%e and !as spending a !ee) !ith my grandparents in Los 1ngeles&
3alifornia# :y older cosin Robert came to %isit and had broght his radio
so that he !old not miss a %ery special concert that !old be simlcast and
that he had been a!aiting !ee)s to hear# I had ne%er been to a concert before
or e%en heard of the 1rtist !ho !as going to play# :y cosin !as so e9cited
!hen the station began the broadcast that he cold hardly remain seated# I
!as %ery intriged#
The broadcast began !ith the cro!d chanting </88y7 /88y7 /88y7< and then
s!elled to total chaos as the :sicians began to ta)e the stage# :y cosin
!as ecstatic7 The opera intro began !hich !as the bac)grond for /88y's
entrance& and the cro!d's chaos trned into hysteria7 Then the thnder of
an electric gitar cold be heard sha)ing the room !ith it's hammering
feedbac) resonance# 1t the time& I !asn't really into this type of msic and
it didn't really phase me ntil that thnder of Randy's gitar freight trained
throgh me at chest height Las my cosin had the boom bo9 at fll cran) by
this time7M sha)ing me to fll a!areness and demanding my attention# The
rest of the concert is some!hat of an aral blr at this point& bt I remember
that first godli)e rmble as if it !ere yesterday and the seeds of my o!n need
to master that po!er !ere so!n#
1t 3hristmas of 45FG& I some!hat s!indled my grandparents into bying me
a gitar and an amplifier# I called one set of grandparents and told them that
the other set !as bying me an amp from the +ears catalog and cold they
please by me a gitar from the same sorce# I then called the other set of
grandparents and told them the same story thogh the other !ay arond# It
!or)ed and sddenly I "oined the thosands of promising yong pstarts to
the throne of roc) n' roll7 This !as %ery important to me at the time becase
of the lac) of friendship to most of my classmates& and no! I see that it !as
a need to belong as !ell as a need to e9press myself#
I !as a bdding teenager !ith all of the accompanying problems componded
by my parents' absi%e natre and religion# I !as listening and playing the
de%ils o!n msic and they felt the need to beat it ot of me# :ostly
figrati%ely# :any a day or night I spent !ith my ne!fond comrade&
tning ot the !orld so to spea)# B#B# King once pt it this !ayN <The gitar
can be yor best friend& therapist& and best girl# Bt& it can also be yor
!orst enemy<& as I soon fond ot# Then& a friend of mine trned me on to a
grop and especially a yong gitarist !ho had tragically died in a
recreational aircraft accident not too long before# This player !as spposed
to be a genis and roc) n' roll %irtosity# This player !as Randy Rhoads#
I sddenly reali8ed that I had fond the !ell of that long lost thnder7 ,is
loss !as a hammer blo! to my need& bt than) the god's of roc) that thnder
li%ed on in the msic that Randy left behind# Randy& in spirit& )ept me
company throgh those long& lonely times and re%ealed his secrets to me in
payment for my s!eat and dedication to !restling my si9 stringed combatant#
I slo!ly began to incorporate the elegance of his lic)s and fills into my o!n
style& bt al!ays !ith great difficlty& applying balm to my tortred sol#
1h& to remember those days of innocence and enlightenment7
*ears later& !hen I !as contemplating sicide& Randy made a %isit to me in
a dream along !ith some of his other comrades from the other side# I sa! in
the dream a stage# /n the stage !as a hea%enly band ripping throgh the
most a!esome msic the !orld had yet to hear# The players !ere Randy
Rhoads and ?imi ,endri9 on gitar& ?ohn Bonnham on drms& 3liff Brton
on bass and Bohn +cott behind the mi)e# Randy as)ed me to "am !ith them
and prodced a Les Pal Lthe gitar I played at the time in the real !orldM
from some!here for me to play# $e together played that hea%enly roc) for
!hat seemed to be a !onderfl eternity bt alas it !as& in trth& o%er
altogether too 2ic)ly# 1fter the others left for other stages and other
sessions& Randy stayed to tal) !ith me a moment#
<$e here are dead and loc)ed at the state of art from the time !e died<& he
began# <$e cannot better or playing s)ills or or msic# Bt yo are ali%e
and yo ha%e that ability<# Then& he too !as gone#
1fter I a!o)e from the dream and began to reflect pon it& I came to the
sdden reali8ation that Randy had not only been tal)ing abot msic& bt
also abot the problems in my life# :y triblations !ere& !hen I !as honest
!ith myself& temporary and sicide !as a permanent end to them and
certainly not a good soltion# I& of corse& nderstood that the dream !as
only my sbconscios !or)ing o%ertime bt it did not dll the impact of the
message# I still to this day credit Randy Rhoads for sa%ing my life#
In 455C& after the military& a fello! Randy fan and I !ere bac) in Los
1ngeles and decided to %isit the gra%e of Randy Rhoads since !e !ere in the
same city on other bsiness# $e fond the cemetery& bt at first not his
resting place# 1s !e searched !e fond a %ery nice lady !ho !as %isiting
the sight of a lost family member# +he nobtrsi%ely as)ed s !hat !e !ere
doing there# $e !ere both dressed in the latest metal fashions and so I
reali8ed& in retrospect !e mst ha%e loo)ed a bit thggish# $e e9plained to
her that !e !ere :sicians on a )ind of pilgrimage search for the gra%e of
one of or heroes# Thogh !e ne%er mentioned his name& she said that she
)ne! !ho !e !ere loo)ing for bt she !anted to ma)e sre of or intentions
first#
+he e9plained that there had been cltists and %andals at the site o%er the
years that had defaced the gra%e more times than she !ished to cont# $e
told her again that Randy !as an icon to s and that !e simply came to pay
or deepest respects to the man !ho had toched or li%es in sch profond
!ays# +he pointed s to!ards a masolem in the bac) part of the cemetery
and !ished s !ell#
1s !e entered the %alt !e !ere strc) by the beaty and peaceflness of the
place# It !as made of marble and had stained glass !indo!s# 1s !e
contined to!ards the rear& !e fond Randy# ,is dra!er !as& I belie%e the
third or forth ro! p !ith a gold or brass gitar !ith the styli8ed doble R
symbol# I do not remember the inscription& only that it !as simple& elegant
and befitting to sch a great and lo%ed man# $e met the gronds)eeper as he
had seen s !al) in and had come to in%estigate& probably ha%ing the same
sspicions as the !oman did# ,e tal)ed to s abot the fneral and ho!
/88y and Randy's mother had both !ept in their grief# $e !ere greatly
toched and !al)ed a!ay flfilled from the e9perience as !ell as a bit more
matre#
It has been said that the artist is the only tre& immortal being to toch this
earth since it's inception# ;rom the ca%emen of Lasco9 to the painters&
poets& sclptres and msicians of modern times& they all still srrond s
!ith their in%enti%e creati%ity& beaty and sol# Randys msic is no
e9ception as this boo) pro%es& or yo the reader& !old not be reading it#
1s for me& fifteen years after his death& Randy Rhoads is still a ma"or part of
my life and a ma"or catalyst to my creati%ity as a msician# I am today a !ell
respected gitarist& singer and song!riter in my area and hold Randy's
memory near& dear and close to my heart# I am aspiring to li%e p to his
legacy#
/h death !here is thy stingHH#*o ha%e stolen the thnder bt not it's echo
and the po!er therein remains& moc)ing yor effort#
Randy& rest peaceflly in the )no!ledge that yo ha%e not been forgotten#
3hris Rangel
Randy Rhoads 1dmirer
I !as forteen years old# 1 friend of mine had the Bli88ard of /88 albm# It
!as right after that albm came ot# I remember ho! different it !as# =ot
li)e anything else I had heard before# I !as a big ?das Priest fan and !as
really into Blac) +abbath and a bit of @an ,alen# This !as "st completely
different# I !as an /88y fan from Blac) +abbath so !as %ery interested in
hearing this albm# I "st coldn't get enogh of it#
I then sat do!n !ith my gitar to try and play Randy's msic# $ith ?das
Priest and Blac) +abbath& I cold pic) the msic p pretty easily# Bt !ith
Randy Rhoads it !as e9tremely difficlt# In a lot of his msic& he !old play
one song in the )ey of lets say (# Then on another& he !old tne do!n to
lets say 3# ,is gitar !as in a different pitch throgh e%ery song# I fond it
%ery hard to pic) p on things# ,is style# ,e !as al!ays so bsy thro!ing in
a little lic) here or something else different all throgh the song# It !asn't
al!ays the same style o%er and o%er#
1 lot of people really don't appreciate the gitar as a gitar player does#
$hen I hear a song& I hear the gitar first# I'm a ,ose Painter and !hen I
!al) into someone's home& the first thing that I loo) at is the paint on the
!alls# It's the same deal#
I coldn't !ait for the second albm to come ot# It !as "st as incredible as
the first# That is !hen I started collecting things on Randy# I started to
collect anything and e%erything that I cold find on him# I had no idea that he
!old only be arond for those t!o albms#
I sa! Randy play in ;resno& 3alifornia# It !as ?anary I& 45FG# The band
that !as spposed to open for them cancelled& so it !as "st /88y and
Randy# They !ere actally spposed to play there in 1gst of 45F4& bt
apparently Randy got %ery ill and !as in the hospital for a fe! days# They
promised to retrn and they did# They pretty mch played e%erything that
yo hear on the Tribte albm# I !as probably fifty yards a!ay from Randy
so I had a %ery good %ie!# ,e really ble! me a!ay7 In his li%e songs& yo
al!ays hear a little e9tra something# ,e !as ne%er really satisfied !ith !hat
he did so he al!ays tried to be better# It !as "st incredible ho! he pt
things together and made them all !or)#
Randys greatest accomplishment is his classical# I don't thin) that he
considered himself an accomplished classical gitar player# ,e !as a
perfectionist and !as contining to try and better himself# 3lassical msic is
the direction that he !as headed to!ards# The !ay that he combined the
classical in !ith the hea%y metal is complete genis# The song -Dee' on the
Bli88ard of /88 albm "st sho!s ho! he felt abot classical msic#
Randy's msic is !hat inspires people# ,is msic "st really says it all# It
sho!s sch an incredible talent# I )no! a lot of people !ho "st hate /88y
/sborne bt they lo%e Randy Rhoads# They don't particlarly li)e the lyrics
bt they li)e the rhythm and the leads#
I thin) that my fa%orite song is probably -Re%elation :other earth'# I really
li)e all of his songs thogh& so it's hard to pt one in front of the other
becase they are all great7 I !as told that after the Bli88ard of /88& they
!ent into the stdio almost immediately and recorded Diary of a :adman#
They pt that albm together %ery 2ic)ly# To pt something together li)e
that in sch a short period of time "st sho!s ho! mch talent Randy had#
:arty ;riedman
:sical 1rtist/Gitarist for band :egadeth
I !as li%ing in Baltimore !hen /88y and his band !ere on tor for the first
albm# They played at the ci%ic center in Baltimore and it !as the scene for
all the gitar players in to!n to be at this gig especially becase there !as
spposed to be this yong& hot shot gitar player there named Randy Rhoads#
(%ery gitar player in to!n !as there#
It !as a real breath of fresh air to see someone so energetic !ho !as
breathing life into a roc) gitar# @an ,alen did that# ,e made it e9citing#
Then Randy Rhoads came along and sort of stepped p the intensity s!itch a
little bit# ,e stepped on the gas and at that time he !as really o%er the top as
far as a performer "st going !ild on stage and ha%ing otrageos hea%y metal
tone# It !as all %ery distorted and %ery noisy# There !as so many !ild
screams and sonds# It !as a real shot in the arm to roc) gitarists#
(specially for people !ho li)e distortion# I "st remember hearing all of the
gitar players after that gig commenting on ho! great he !as# 1t that time& I
had "st left a band that I !as in called Dece# It !as a local& poplar band
that I !as in for three years# To this day I ha%e no idea !hy I left# In the
Baltimore area& !e !ere )ind of li)e a yong %ersion of Def Leppard# $e
had a reptation of being a ro!dy bnch of roc) ddes#
To be completely honest& I !as ne%er a big Randy Rhoads fan# The msic
that he played and that )ind of stff# Bt& I !as %ery impressed by that
performance that I sa! and I thin) that !hat inspired me or inflenced me
!as the flamboyant gitars that he played# I also li)ed the fact that he !as
%ery energetic and a small framed gy li)e myself# I really li)ed that becase
it pro%ed to me that yo don't ha%e to be se%en feet tall to play the gitar#
That )ind of ga%e me some inspiration# :sically& !hat he !as doing !as
great thogh it "st !asn't tapping my toes#
,e definitely inspired lots and lots of gitar players# 1t the time !here I !as
gi%ing gitar lessons& there !asn't a day that !old go by !here I !asn't
sho!ing someone ho! to play a Randy Rhoads solo# ,e definitely stepped
p the ability of gitar players# 1t that point& more gitar players !ere
playing pretty standard 3lapton and bass bles lic)s# Then Randy Rhoads
came along and pt all of these other things into it# ,e made it so that yo
really had to de%elop a little bit of techni2e before yo played in a roc) n'
roll band# ,e shoo) p a lot of yong gitar players#
I thin) that the best thing abot his gitar playing !as that he played !ith
more distortion that anybody I had e%er seen# ,e played it and it sonded
good# :ost gitar players !ho pt half as mch distortion in their songs as
he did "st made it sond li)e a bnch of noise# ,e really )ne! !hat to do
!ith distortion and it ltimately changed the face of gitar tones# In the
eighties& people !ere really e9perimenting !ith distortion a lot more than
they are today#
+helby 3lanton
Randy Rhoads 1dmirer
The first time that I disco%ered Randy !as on the co%er of the Tribte albm
by /88y /sborne# I !ondered !ho this gy !as# =o!& I loo) bac) to that
same co%er and see the greatest gitarist I ha%e e%er heard# I see the man
!ho has inspired me to play and broght me to a ne! le%el as a msician#
I thin) that Randy broght his o!n style to msic that !as ne%er before
heard# ,is msic told a story that no one had e%er heard# Today his msic is
still blo!ing all the poplar gitarists a!ay and he still has people strggling
to pic) p and play !here he left off#
Randy Rhoads has encoraged me to do my best !ith creating my o!n style
"st li)e he once did# The !ay he played& and the msic that he blended has
inspired me to try my hardest at being a great msician# If I e%er get tired or
frstrated at playing I "st pt Randy's msic on and that frstration trns into
inspiration and desire#
I thin) that Randy still inspires people so many years after his death becase
he !as the greatest gitarist of his time and to me& that e%er li%ed# The
people that !ere close to him spea) of ho! great his personality !as and
!hat a great person he !as# *o can see his great personality throgh his
msic and I thin) that is !hat inspires people#
+ome of Randy's most memorable accomplishments are starting a band at
sch an early age and gi%ing /88y a hge "mp start in his solo career#
Randy !as a tre msician and had a lo%e for his instrment# ,e toched
people !ith his 2iet personality# 1nother memorable accomplishment !as
"st being )no!n as one of the greatest gitarists of all time and inspiring
thosands of people# It is also ama8ing that he contines to sell records
almost si9teen years after his death# The memory of this great man !ill ne%er
fade#
I al!ays li)ed the sond of the gitar thogh ne%er thoght of learning to play
myself ntil I heard the msic of Randy Rhoads# I !as so inspired by the
style and stories his msic told that I !ent and boght a gitar !ithin the
same month of hearing his playing# I ha%e learned to play a great deal "st by
playing and listening to Randys msic# I lo%e to sit do!n and "am !ith
Randy# The notes that he pt together ma)e his gitar sing and !hen yo
listen to his msic& yo can feel the entire story going throgh yor body#
Iain Blac)
Randy Rhoads 1dmirer
:y friends and myself started getting into roc) msic seriosly in 456F and
Blac) +abbath became my fa%orite band# *es& in the early 6C's !e all had
or fa%orite bands li)e +!eet or +lade& bt !e !ere no! teenagers and it
!as time to get serios# :y friends had other fa%orites at the time sch as
Rsh& >eppelin& Kiss and +tats Qo& bt !e all li)ed +abbath# In 456F&
+abbath broght ot =e%er +ay Die !hich !as to be the s!an song of the
original line p# +eeing them on -Top /f The Pops' Lthe Jnited Kingdom's
premier sho! going since the AC'sM !e thoght <these gys are cool7<# $e
made the decision that !e !ere into hea%y metal& as !e didn't nderstand
pn) or !ant to be a mod sch as The ?am& The +pecials& :adness& etc#
It's ama8ing that the band =o Dobt 2ote these gys as inflences yet
Kerrang :etal maga8ine !as the only gys co%ering them as they !ere yet to
brea) in the Jnited Kingdom# It "st sho!s yo ho! mch msic has merged
o%er the years#
$hen Blac) +abbath split p !e had not had the chance to see them li%e as
the Jntied Kingdom tor had passed and !e had to ma)e do !ith 13/D3
!ith Bon +cott at the Glasgo! 1pollo in /ctober 4565 on the ,igh!ay to
,ell tor# They !ere spported by a grop !ho !ere part of !hat roc) press
called the ne! !a%e of British hea%y metal& Def Leppard# I !onder !hat
happened to them0 1ny!ay& as the ne! !a%e of British hea%y metal too)
off in maga8ines li)e Kerrang& soon came the ne!s that /88y !as ptting
together a ne! band as +abbath !as also reconstrcting !ith Ronnie ?ames
Dio#
$e all !aited !ith baited breath to see !hat )ind of grop /88y !old come
bac) !ith# $e sa! the ne! Blac) +abbath li%e in :ay of 45FC and !ere
loo)ing for!ard to seeing the /88y gig in +eptember# I can still remember
being in one of my mate's bedroom !ith three of for others as !e cro!ded
arond the stereo listening to the first /88y single -3ra8y Train'# $e
probably listened to both sides of the albm a cople of times and decided
that !e li)ed it7 $e heard that he had broght in a yong 1merican hotshot
named Randy Rhoads& !ho certainly made some ra!& ne! noises on the
gitar#
1t this time& althogh /88y fails to recogni8e it no!& the band !as called
/88y /sborne's Bli88ard of /88& and they !ere do!n to play their first gig
e%er at the Reading ;esti%al in the smmer of 45FC# Rmors of !arm p gigs
in pbs persist thogh I ha%e yet to confirm any of them# ;or some reason or
another& /88y plled ot and so the first e%er Bli88ard of /88 sho! !as the
first date of the Jnited Kingdom tor# It !as in Glasgo! and !e had tic)ets#
1s the gig approached& !e had all heard the Bli88ard of /88 albm and it
!as an instant classic& e%en more than a match for Blac) +abbaths ,ea%en O
,ell# Randy Rhoads had broght %irtoso gitar playing to !hat !as seen as
a British roc) band& and combined that !ith some %ery hea%y riffs# It !as a
perfect match& bringing classical inflenced scales and strctre& and
combining them !ith the gothic& blac) magic image of /88y's band#
I !as lc)y enogh to see Randy play in the Jntied Kingdom again on
1gst 4& 45F4 at the ,ea%y :etal ,olocast at Port @ale ;ootball Grond
near +tro)e& (ngland# :otorhead headlined !ith /88y /sborne& as the
band !as no! follo!ing the release of Diary of a :adman# 1s special gest&
the rest of the line p !as filled by Trimph& Riot& ;ran) :arino and @ardis#
The gig !as a trimphant retrn to the Jnited Kingdom !ith /88y's ne!&
no! all 1merican band# They !ere one of the best for piece roc) bands I
had e%er seen in both msicianship and sho!manship# I thin) that at the time
of Randys death in 45FG& sch a short time since Randy had e9ploded onto
the global roc) scene& !e !ere all still disco%ering him#
Randy too) roc) gitar in a different direction# ,e e9panded the en%elope#
,e de%eloped a different& bt no less technically different style to the li)es of
(ddie @an ,alen# ,e applied classical traditions to the %ery hea%y roc) riffs#
,is solos too) yo on a "orney# They !ere meaningfl and reached pea)s of
msical pleasre that !old bring tears to yor eyes# The sonds that he
cold get ot of the gitar rng meaning ot of the notes# Li%e& as a single
gitar player& he !as technically able to play in sch a !ay as to deli%er a
song that on the albm had rhythm gitar behind mlti layering dring his
solos#
Randy inflenced a lot of msicians by his attitde to!ards the instrment
and his dedicated msicianship# $hen I met /88y /sborne at a record
signing before his first gig in Glasgo!& I as)ed him !here Randy !as since
e%eryone !as )een to meet this ne! gitar legend# /88y's straight ans!er
!as that he !as bac) at the hotel practicing his gitar# This 2iet&
nassming& yong& s)inny )id !as the gy that had come p !ith some of
the hea%iest classic roc) riffs and hea%enly solos of all time#
I play electric gitar and my first gitar hero before I )ne! of Randy !as
Bernie Torme& strangely the gy !ho stepped in to fill Randys spot a !ee)
or so after his death# Bernie had his o!n image !ith his !hite AC's strat and
a sond that !as an amalgam of ?imi ,endri9& Bec) and To!nsend# This
2iet Irishman cold prodce ama8ing feedbac) and great speed solos# Then&
along came Randy !ith a %ery strong image and ama8ing techni2e# ,e ble!
me a!ay# (ddie @an ,alen !as ntochable& on another planet at the time&
bt !ith Randy yo felt as if yo cold del%e into all sorts of historical
inflences and come p !ith something ne!#
I ha%e tried to copy Randy bt ha%e troble being as flid as he !as# The
thing that stays !ith me is his discipline to contine and impro%e at his
instrment# Randy )ne! that he cold al!ays learn something ne! and
!old boo) classical gitar lessons !hene%er his toring schedle !old
allo! it# I read some!here that he !as considering 2itting the band& maybe
after his third LP& and going bac) to his stdies in order to e9pand his
hori8ons# $ho )no!s !here he !old be at today if he had li%ed#
Randy has a memorable image certainly& bt I thin) that !hat contines to
inspire people today is his nassming modesty and 2est to better himself
that pro%ides s !ith inspiration# The 2alities that I mention are a testament
to this and I belie%e that he !ill contine to inspire and hold a fascination to
people sch as many other yong msicians lost so yong ha%e# $e all as)
orsel%es& <"st thin) !hat he cold ha%e done0<# Jnfortnately& I ne%er got
to meet Randy and ob%iosly I ne%er )ne! his personality& bt I "st feel that
he !as geninely a good gy !ho !as almost embarrassed by peoples
interest in him# It brings to mind the contrast bet!een /88y's madman& !ild
image and Randys 2iet& hmble stance# ,e !as not an e9tro%ert yet !hen
he got on stage and grond ot the songs& his face contorted& almost feeling
pain in e%ery note# $as he the choirboy in +atan's orchestra& the baby faced
gitar assassin0
$hen Randy !as ali%e he !as probably one of the top fi%e& certainly among
the top ten gitar heroes in the Jntied Kingdom# ;or Jnited Kingdom /88y
fans !ho !ere into /88y from the beginning& I ha%e no dobt that Randy
!as idoli8ed for bringing or messiah bac) from the !ilderness !ith t!o
classic albms# I am sre that there are many /88y fans since Randy's death
!ho !ill regard his !or) as the best classic /88y# /88y fans the !orld o%er
!ill ha%e respect for the msic that Randy ga%e s as it contines to be
poplar to this day in /88y's sets# I also feel that >a)) $ylde too) /88y
for!ard by sho!ing great respect in reprodcing Randy's songs# The ne!
/88y gitarist played his tribte to Randy at last years Doninngton :onsters
of Roc) dring his gitar solo featring -+icide +oltion' and -Diary of a
:adman'#
Today in the Jnited Kingdom and the !orld o%er& Randy is remembered
most by the fans !ho are prod to say they sa! him or met him and !ere
crshed to hear of his death# I remember being told at a friend's hose after
they had heard the ne!s on a late night radio roc) program# I !as sitting in a
large chair and I can remember my head dropping and not )no!ing !hat to
thin)# $e !ere all silent# Later that !ee) or roc) maga8ine confirmed the
ne!s and !e !ere "st empty# I )no! that the grief bilt p bt the only time
that I can remember crying !as !hen a !ee) or so later my dad came p to
my room and as)ed if there !as something !rong# I bro)e do!n in tears and
told him !hat had happened# I thin) that my dad !as toched that someone
!ho I didn't e%en )no! had this effect on me# ,e tried to comfort me thogh
I )no! that he coldn't flly nderstand the depth of feeling !e all had for
or msic# It !as the sondtrac) to or teenage years#
;or the ne9t fi%e or si9 years& e%ery year& I !old !rite to or local radio
station !ith a dedication to Randy Rhoads for a roc) program that aired near
:arch 45
th
# They !old play -*o 3an't Kill Roc) and Roll' or -Good.Bye
to Romance'# 1s I got to the end of my Jni%ersity stdies& I !rote my thesis
!hich !hen pblished contains a dedication for inspiration to R# $# Rhoads#
=o!& I do thin) of his from time to time and !hen I ha%e gone to 3alifornia
on holiday& I ha%e thoght of %isiting his gra%e# I ha%en't done this yet
thogh !old li)e to one day#
I !old li)e to say that Randy Rhoads !as a great sho!man and the fact that
he contines to inspire people and please hndreds of msic fans and
msicians today& mst be his greatest accomplishment# ,e really mo%ed
people# I thin) that the Tribte albm from /88y !as a fitting tribte to him
bt I feel that /88y shold release re.mi9ed and re.mastered %ersions of his
songs# There are some great e9tended gitar solos on Diary of a :adman
that cold be carried on instead of fading ot# There cold also be some
stdio otta)es li)e the %ersion of -Dee' on Tribte# Perhaps some rehearsal
tapes# This cold be coincided !ith the release of the li%e bootleg %ideo
-1fterhors'& parts of !hich appear on the li%e %ersion of the -3ra8y Train'
%ideo#
1nthony 3hrch
:sical 1rtist/:sician/Teacher/1:I Gitar Instrction
I !as arond t!el%e years old !hen I first heard this incredible gitar playing
on the radio and as)ed a friend !ho it !as# I !as hoo)ed from then on#
Randy Rhoads made the hard edge msic appeal to a broad range of people
and did it so !ith style# To this day& I still hear people trying to imitate him#
$hen I first heard him I started learning his lic)s right a!ay# It made me
appreciate msic theory a !hole lot more#
$hen as)ed the 2estion of !hy Randy contines to inspire people so many
years after his death& the same shold be as)ed abot Beetho%en or ?imi
,endri9# Randy !as an original# 1 man !ho played from the heart and
refsed to settle for anything less than perfection# Greatness ne%er dies#
Ryan :rphy
Randy Rhoads 1dmirer
I disco%ered Randy Rhoads !hen I got my first /88y /sborne 3D# I
listened again and again and I )ne! that there !as something incredible
happening nder /88y's singing# It !as the beginning of a miracle gitar
player# ,is s)ill and great ease made me !ish that I !old someday ha%e the
opportnity to meet him thogh as !e all )no!& that can no! ne%er happen
becase of the tragedy#
I feel that Randy made an enormos impact on the hea%y metal scene !hen
he !as li%ing# (%en no! yo can pic) ot things that sond li)e they'%e
come from the sonds of Randy Rhoads# :any gitarists& sch as myself&
!ish that they cold play as !ell and as incredible as Randy did bt he !as in
a leage of his o!n# ,is o!n style can't really be repeated# Randy Rhoads
has inflenced me in a !ay that I "st can't describe in !ords# ,e sho!ed
me so many incredible riffs and ama8ing solos# It's not "st his playing& bt
his attitde to!ards life itself "st made me loo) at Randy Rhoads as an idol#
(%en thogh it has been o%er fifteen years since his death& the impact that he
made on e%eryone !ith his msic li%ed throgh the FC's and no! throgh the
5C's# ,e inflenced so many people that no one can allo! his gitar playing
and sol die#
3onstantine +# Persad
Randy Rhoads 1dmirer
I disco%ered Randy Rhoads !hen I !as si9 years old# The Tribte albm by
/88y "st came ot and my ncle !as playing it# I mst ha%e listened to that
thing ten times# (%erything abot that record "st ama8ed me# Randy's
playing !as something that I had ne%er heard before and it !as %ery cool#
Bac) in the FC's& Randy Rhoads set a Bach. roc) syndrome !ere e%ery
gitarist tried to do the !hole classical thing li)e him& bt no one cold really
match !hat he did# Randy Rhoads has inflenced my playing by encoraging
me to learn more abot classical gitar# Randy Rhoads is the person !ho
inspired me to learn ho! to play# I !old ltimately li)e to blend classical
and roc) li)e he did and ta)e it into the 5C's or !hene%er my band ma)es it
big# Becase of Randy& I learned to play gitar at si9 after listening to the
Tribte albm# :y father says that I !old !al) arond saying <I !ant to
gro! p and be a msician li)e Randy Rhoads<#
I thin) that Randy still inspires people today throgh /88y's msic and !hen
those old songs are played o%er the radio# People stop to listen and say <hey&
that gitarist is really cool# $ho is that0<#
Linda :cDonald
:sical 1rtist/Drmmer for Phantom Ble
I really en"oyed Randy's feel and aggression !ith his playing# I ob%iosly
thin) that he !ent !ay too early# ,e is certainly one of the most ni2e
gitar players of all time# :y fa%orite song of his is -;lying ,igh 1gain'#
Phantom Ble played at the last cople of Randy Rhoads Benefit 3oncerts#
(%ery time that !e play& it's a sell ot sho!# :sicians from all o%er the
!orld !ill come to pay their tribte to Randy# The place is al!ays pac)ed
and it is "st ama8ing# The last time& it !as held at the Palace in Las @egas&
=e%ada# It !as "st great becase there !as so mch energy there7
(%eryone !as there for Randy#
?osephine
:sical 1rtist/Gitarist for Phantom Ble
:y gitar teacher is the one !ho first had me listen to Randy# That is !hen I
first heard him# I began learning the solo and the rhythm for -/%er the
:ontain'# Randy definitely inflenced me as a gitar player# ,e !as one of
the best hard roc) gitarists o%er the past t!enty years# ,e !ill al!ays be
remembered for his stnning gitar performance at sch a yong age# I li)e
his playing !ith /88y and I thin) that I li)e the song -3ra8y Train' the best#
Tina $ood
:sical 1rtist/Gitarist for Phantom Ble
I first heard of Randy Rhoads throgh listening to the Bli88ard of /88 albm#
It "st ble! me a!ay# I had al!ays !anted to be a gitar player bt I !as
al!ays too la8y to !ant to start learning# I thin) that once I heard that albm&
I got off my btt and it !as the final inflence for me to get ot there and start
playing#
1fter I started learning on the electric gitar& I started playing classical# I
started to learn it a little thogh really ha%en't been playing classical for 2ite
a fe! years# I al!ays lo%ed Randy's playing and especially his style# ,e
!as certainly ahead of his time# ,e !as one of the first people too bring
classical into roc) msic# ,e %ery noticeably made a statement !ith that#
I don't thin) that people reali8e "st ho! talented he !as# ,is style !as a
hge inflence on a lot of people# ,e really ga%e hea%y metal msic te9tre
and not "st shredding# ,is playing had so mch feel to it# ,e broght ot a
ne! %i%e to hea%y metal# ,is sond& to this day is ni2e# I thin) that his
greatest accomplishment is inspiring so many people# People li)e me to
finally get off my ass and get to !or)7
I thin) that my fa%orite songs are -:r# 3ro!ley' and -3ra8y Train'# -:r#
3ro!ley' "st completely ble! me a!ay# Randy !as definitely an inspiration
to s all and al!ays !ill be# I )no! a msic teacher !ho teaches a lot of )ids
!ho ha%en't really heard of Randy's msic# They ha%e only heard the msic
that is ot there no! on the radio# $hen this teacher trns these )ids onto
Randy's msic they are "st ama8ed7 It's li)e a !hole ne! inflence coming
ot for these )ids# To hear someone play that metabolically and yet so
technically as !ell# I ha%e to gi%e Randy Rhoads a lot of respect# ,e !as
definitely ta)en a!ay mch too soon# ,e !as so into his msic and so !e
"st )no! that he !old ha%e )ept on gro!ing# ,e !asn't the type of person
!ho !as "st going to !aste his talent or his life# ,e had so mch to offer# It
is a real shame that !e coldn't ha%e seen more of it#
0radle my baby-
Play through her.$$sweet song
'ow the baby sits alone.$$
.$$1ntou"hed.$$
+in"e her tune)s been gone
It took two to make the musi"
!ne to play the song
'ow who will ro"k the baby2
(hile her tune is gone.$$
Karl +ando%al
+ando%al (ngineering/bilt the famos cstom made pol)a.dot ;lying @ for
Randy# Karl has bilt gitars for some of the most legendary msicians of
or time#
I first met Randy throgh a referral from George Lynch of Do))en# *o
ha%e to remember that bac) then there !as a lot of msicians that hadn't
really made it big yet# They !ere still plgging a!ay& performing and being
introdced so to spea)# $hat happened !as that Randy sa! George Lynch
bac) stage at a concert# I had pre%iosly bilt a cstomi8ed ;lying @ for
George that !as shaped a bit differently# The headstoc) !as different and it
didn't really loo) li)e the Randy ;lying @ at all# 1pparently& Randy !as
there either !atching the performance or ha%ing to perform& and someho!
pic)ed p George's gitar# ,e started doing some lic)s on it and !as
impressed !ith it# ;rom there& it e%ol%ed into a phone call from Randy# ,e
!as in2iring abot the gitar and as)ing lots of 2estions abot cstom
gitars# That !old be in 4565& becase that !as !hen the gitar !as bilt#
It !as also dring that time frame !here I met Randy# It al!ays starts off
!ith a phone call and then coming do!n to meet me# 1t the time& I really
didn't ha%e a shop# I !as "st doing a lot of !or) ot of my hose# The
ma"ority of the !or) that I had done !as actally done ot of !hate%er home
I !as li%ing in at the time# That is ho! Randy !as introdced to me and ho!
!e finally met#
The first time that I met him !as after I set p an appointment for him to
come do!n# ,e came do!n and broght Ke%in DBro! !ith him# Ke%in is
the lead singer of the grop Qiet Riot !hich !as the band that Randy !as in
at the time# There !as no /88y yet# I thin) that it !as perfect timing
becase if this had happened at a later point& I thin) that he !old ha%e
ended p "st going to 3har%el/?ac)son and ha%ing all of the gitars made
there#
I !as )no!n in the Los 1ngeles area for ma)ing cstom gitars# I ha%e a
%ariety of different pictres sho!ing the many models and many body shapes
of different gitars that I ha%e bilt# I !as sing a Danelectro nec) at the
time# George's gitar had a Danelectro nec) and that is !hat Randy li)ed
abot it# +o& Randy came do!n and it !as )ind of fnny becase I !ish that
Randy had come by himself becase it !old ha%e been more one on one#
Bt& he broght Ke%in DBro!# By no means am I bad.mothing Ke%in&
bt Ke%in !as 2ite a tal)er# Ke%in cold tal)# +o& I !old be tal)ing to
Randy and tossing different ideas bac) and forth abot the concept of the
gitar that I thoght he !anted and it !as li)e anytime that I !old say
something to Randy& he !old loo) at Ke%in and as) <!hat do yo thin)0 Is
that a good idea0<# It !as as if he !as see)ing Ke%in's appro%al# I almost
said <hey Ke%in& !hy don't yo go and pic) s p some co)e or some beer<#
That !ay I cold tal) to Randy in pri%ate and really get an idea of !hat he
!anted# I li)e my cstomers to come p !ith their o!n original ideas and be
happy !ith them# They ha%e their o!n mental pictre of the gitar and it is
my "ob to get that mental pictre& try to interpret it and then create something
that becomes their third arm# Belie%e me& gitars become %ery sentimental to
these msicians#
I specifically remember being in this doble garage& standing !ith Randy and
tal)ing abot some ideas that !e both had for the gitar# I remember that he
loo)ed %ery typical hea%y metal# This !old be the FC's roc) loo)# ,e had
the blac) spande9 pants& the different loo)ing shoes and mltiple "e!elry on
both of his arms# (%erything !as different colored bt yet it all still loo)ed
good# The gy loo)ed li)e he !as ready to go ot on stage# It "st seemed
li)e he dressed li)e that all the time# The shag hairct that !as poofy# ,e
"st had that loo)7 If yo !ere a manager or an o!ner of a record company
and yo !ere loo)ing for an image& he had it# ,e had that ara# That
physical ara of a roc) star& a metal monster or !hate%er yo !ant to call it#
1 recording artist#
$e !ere "st tossing ideas bac) and forth abot the gitar# Randy !as %ery
firm on the fact that he !anted pol)a.dots# ,e !as into the ;lying @ body&
bt he !asn't sre abot the headstoc)# ,e !as also into bo! ties# ,e
!anted the concept of the tremolo sage and he li)ed the hmbc)ing sond
and so he !ent !ith hmbc)ings# Basically& it !as more abot the actal
design of the gitar and !here certain things !ere located and the esthetics of
it and the appearance of it# The gitar ended p being really big# If yo see
pictres of Randy !ith it& yo can see that the gitar is G/I his si8e7 It !as
hge#
1fter tossing concepts arond& I e%entally got the main idea of !hat he !as
loo)ing for& thogh I still didn't )no! the specifics# That is abot all that I
can remember abot the first time meeting Randy# It !as basically a time for
s to get ideas going and !hatnot# $e met se%eral times before the gitar
!as finally finished on ?ly I& 4565# I remember that Randy !as %ery soft
spo)en and had the nicest personality# ,e !as %ery cordial and he trly
didn't fit into the image of !hat !e no! see as the typical roc) n' roll star&
!here they are )ind of lod& coc)y and obno9ios# (%en after Randy hit his
fame& I don't thin) that he !as at all arrogant# I "st recall him being the
most easiest person to tal) to# @ery& %ery easy going# @ery polite and not at
all lod# Randy sally came by himself to meet !ith me after that first&
initial enconter# ,e !old come by an ma)e deposits and !hat ha%e yo#
I remember him sho!ing p one day !ith his girlfriend# I )ept thin)ing ho!
they both loo)ed so mch ali)e7 It !as almost as if they !ere brother and
sister# Randy !as really& really thin# ,e !as %ery small and had %ery small
featres# I "st )ept staring at him and his girlfriend becase they loo)ed so
mch ali)e#
Randy also made some dra!ings of the gitar# *o ha%e to remember that
the concept of the gitar !asn't designed yet# It !as all ideas# +o& Randy
!ent home and did some dra!ings# +ome of them he did !hen I started to
!rite p the gitar# They !ere dra!ings of a %ariety of headstoc)'s#
Randy did !ant the pol)a.dots se2enced in line# ,e did not !ant them pt
on sporadically# If yo loo) at the gitar& the pol)a.dots are in perfect line#
That !as %ery time consming#
Randy ga%e me some dra!ings of bo! ties# +o& in my mind I am trying to
pictre this gitar# I !old say that based on the idea that he ga%e me& I
came p !ith the end reslt# It !asn't li)e& o)ay& I ha%e the body done !ith
the nec) on it so come do!n and chec) it ot# I "st don't remember that
happening# It !as pretty mch him gi%ing me the concepts of it and then me
finali8ing it# +o& I am a co.designer# I see it that !ay and that is !hat I tell
people# $hen Randy came do!n to pic) the gitar p& he got to see the
finali8ed gitar# This is !hat !e see in all of the maga8ines and posters that
ha%e been sold#
Randy pointed ot to me that he !anted !hite pol)a.dots on blac)# ,e
!anted the hmbc)ings& the tremolo system and the Danelectro nec)
becase he li)ed the !ay that it felt on George's gitar# ,e !anted a ;lying
@ body bt he didn't )no! !hat )ind of !ood to se and so !e )ind of
de%eloped a mahogany idea becase his Les Pal !as mahogany thogh it
had a maple top#
$e e%entally came p !ith !hat is called an arro!head headstoc)# The
;lying @ body I did not design& that is a Gibson design# I came p !ith the
final pattern of the headstoc)# I )no! that the si9 in line )eys that !ere
re2ested ha%e to be positioned a certain !ay# I !anted the strings straight
across the nec) becase !e're sing a non loc)ing tremolo system and I !ant
it to stay in tne# The headstoc) has to be at a certain degree# There is real
gitar specifications that yo ha%e to go by to get the gitar to play in tne&
to stay in tne and to fnction so Randy cold perform the lic)s that !e ha%e
all heard on the recordings# ,is ideas that I thoght !ere pretty cool !ere
that he !anted the strat inpt "ac) nderneath the top !ing so he had easy
access to the strat btton !hich !as there& so that it !old be ot of his !ay#
,e didn't !ant the cord do!n belo! becase he !old be tripping all o%er it#
,e also !anted a tago s!itch in the top !ing so he cold ha%e easy access to
s!itching pic) ps# ,e !as really into the real thic)& bl)y nec)s becase
his Les Pal !as li)e that#
The tremolo !as ne! to him# I don't thin) that he had e%er played a tremolo
before# (ddie @an ,alen sed a tremolo and so did George Lynch# 1ll those
gys !ere monsters at gitar# *o ha%e to )eep in mind that these gys !ere
sing non bloc)ing systems %ery radically# They al!ays had a hge degree at
first of controlling the tning#
Randy !anted a se%en nec) into the body# ;rom the nt to the base of the
nec)& and e%en part of the headstoc) is a Danelectro nec)# Danelectro is a
company that !as sr%i%ing arond the late AC's# That is !hat I ended p
sing bt it !as totally modified# The nec) had to be bl)ed p in the bac)
so that Randy cold ha%e that feel# I sed the original front !ire& the original
position mar)ers# The bo! ties !ere !hite mother of pearl# The nt on there
!as& I belie%e the original alminm nt that came !ith the Danelectro nec)#
This is a non ad"stable nec)# It had a doble I.beam trefleg gled onto the
fingerboard# The nec) is really good# *o can't bend it# It's li)e trying to
bend steel# I bilt a %ariety of gitars and no matter !hat gage string I sed&
I ne%er had a problem# The nec)s held nines& tens& ele%en's& anything#
Randy sed tens#
+o& the headstoc) had to be modified# I graphed on pieces of maple to
accommodate the arro! headstoc) shape# The original nec) had a more slim
line loo)# It )ind of !ent straight#
I !ill go throgh all of the parts starting from the top of the gitar to the
bottom !ings# $e had all chrome hard!are& sho!er )eys& the mini sho!ers
!ere sed& a set of ten strings& a combination of original dar) enly and !hite
mother of pearl for the bo! tie& alminm nt& Danelectro nec) !ith the
doble I.beam trashrod# The pic) ps had brass that !as chrome plated
srronds& the pic) ps !ere demosio& they !ere cream# $e had a P1; in
the front position and the sper distortion in the rear# There's a stoc) fender
bridge and I remember it being the cast %ersion# The earlier %ersions !ere
bloc)& cast and then scre!ed onto a trn plate# This !as li)e bloc) and plate
all cast as one# It had a reglar tremolo !ith a chrome )nob# 1 standard
DCCK pod !hich is !hat they call a !hite speed )nob# 1 standard chrome
tremble rhythm metal srrond arond the pigal s!itch# It !as a typical Les
Pal pigol s!itch# 1 fender& a cp "ac) plate !ith a standard mono plate#
The electronics !ere %ery basic# The tone !as pretty mch li)e a Les Pal#
The %olme and tone plan)s pic) p sing either a porno P6 or a porno D
microferic cap# I sed strap la9 on this gitar#
I had to thin) abot some things# I had controls on the bottom part of the
!ing and I'%e got the tago s!itch on the top and the opera "ac) on the top
and I need to feed !ires to and from pic) ps& control ca%ities !ith %olme
and tone& and then the tago s!ich# I belie%e that on Randy's I roted a rond
hole !hich became li)e a center point to feed !ire p to the bridge and then
do!n to!ards the "ac) plate# +o I thin) that on Randy's gitar there's
another plate aside from the rond control co%er plate for the tago s!itch#
It's sort of a rectanglar Les Pal li)e control co%er plate on the bac) side#
These !ere "st made of %inyl# (ither !hite %inyl or blac)# I don't recall#
The finish that !as sed on this gitar is nitrocellar# +traight& fll blo!n
nitrocellar flac)er# ;rom the base coat& to the sanding sealer& to the color
!hich !as blac) and !hite& and the clear top# :a)ing this gitar& to me
!as a challenge# To do all the cstomi8ing that he !anted !as a challenge# I
had no problem !ith it& it !as "st %ery challenging# It too) abot three
months to bild this gitar# $or)ing on it a little bit e%eryday becase there
is a lot of gling and painting& getting parts# To get the dots pt on !as %ery
difficlt# /nce all the !ood !or)ing !as done and it !as ready for paint
applications& I started !ith sanding sealer and le%eled that off# 1fter the
sanding sealer& I applied !hite# I e%en sanded it ot a little bit becase yo
don't !ant any high spots# The !hite coat !as the base coat and then I
started positioning the i%ory stic)ers# They !ere Q inch stic)ers all o%er the
gitar# Bt& se2ential based on the lines# Then I shot blac)# The difficlt
"ob !as peeling off the i%ory stic)ers# /n certain parts of the gitar& they
!ere "st pt on randomly bt on the main body they !eren't# +o& all the
stic)ers !ere plled off# Then I had to do some toch ps and I had to le%el
the blac) and the !hite !hich !as ne%en so I had to apply clear all o%er the
entire gitar and )eep doing it ntil it became le%el# Jntil it felt as it !old if
yo ran yor hand o%er the top of glass# It !as sanded& polished and then
bffed ot#
The gitar !as finished# Before it !as bilt& I remember Randy coming
do!n to see me# I !as bsy !riting p the sale form and he !as "st )ind of
standing arond and !aiting# I had a harmony gitar that belonged to my dad
that !as sitting there# $hile I !as !riting p the in%oice I started to hear this
classical msic# ,e had pic)ed p the gitar& got into the classical style of
holding the gitar and started playing# It !as completely fla!less# This gy
!as incredible# I cold ne%er ma)e that gitar sond li)e that7 The gy !as
so !ell trained in classical msic that he li)ed the fat nec)& he didn't mind
the hea%y gage string& and he didn't mind the high a9en# ,e played it %ery
!ell and he !as "st )ind of passing time as I !as !riting the in%oice# It !as
%ery interesting to hear him perform li)e that#
There !ere se%eral payments that he made on the gitar# The first one !as
EGPD#CC# The total cost of the gitar !as E6IF#CC# I started on 6.I.65 and
finished on 5.GG.65#
:ost msicians don't pic) p their instrment !hen they first see it# They
)ind of "st stand there and stare at it# Randy pic)ed it p and he had a case
already made for it# he placed the gitar in the case and it fit li)e a glo%e# ,e
!as %ery& %ery carefl !ith it and I don't remember him playing the gitar
!hen he pic)ed it p thogh I am sre that he did # They all do#
Three !ee)s later I recei%ed a phone call from Randy# There !as a time
before that phone call !hen he called to as) ho! to )eep the gitar in tne# I
remember that call# ,e called and said& -I "st can't )eep this gitar in tne'#
I had e9plained it before to him becase there is a method# I said -as !ild as
yo are going to se that arm& yo ha%e to tne p yor instrment# *o
ha%e to balance the string tension'# I had the saddles lbricated& the strings
in line o%er the nt& I had lbrication on the string nt# I am almost certain
that I sho!ed him ho! to )eep it in tne !hen he came to pic) it p# ,e
figred ot right a!ay that it !as going to be a problem# 1nd& they are# *o
ha%e to really )eep on top of these non loc)ing systems#
+o& I !ent o%er the tning process again o%er the telephone and ad%ised him
to tal) to other people li)e (ddie& George or others !ho had e9perience !ith
)eeping these gitars in tne# I didn't hear from Randy after that phone call
ntil a fe! !ee)s later& and this time it !asn't abot the tning#
$hen he called& he didn't sond too good and so I as)ed him !hat !as
!rong# I !as a bit !orried becase of the sond of his %oice# ,e said&
<!ell& I had an accident# I !as at rehearsal holding my gitar !hen the strap
loc) came ot and the gitar held p on the right side bt the headstoc) !ent
straight do!n to the concrete floor and chipped the paint and shredded the
nec) do!n the middle<# ,e !as %ery bmmed ot and !hen he broght the
gitar to me and I sa! it& it loo)ed li)e a nightmare# It !as really something
becase he !as more concerned !ith my !or) and ho! this all made me feel#
This "st goes bac) to !hat I said abot Randys personality# ,e !as sch a
nice person# I mean& he !as apologi8ing to me becase I spent three months
bilding it and no! it !as bro)en# ,e didn't brea) it& it !as an accident#
Bt& he !as %ery concerned abot ho! I !as going to ta)e it# I "st assred
him not to !orry abot the gitar or me and that e%erything !as going to be
cool# I had dealt !ith problems li)e this before# I "st felt bad for him
becase bac) then E6IF#CC !as a lot of money# Bt& the bottom line !as
that !e had to get that gitar rebilt#
,e broght the gitar to me and I charged him E6D#CC to rebild& reconstrct&
and repaint the entire nec)# =ot the entire gitar& "st the nec)# If yo sa!
the gitar today& yo !old probably see some lines !here it !as repaired# I
sed anything I cold to get that gitar bac) into shape li)e epo9y gle& gar&
atomoti%e bonds and e%en pieces of !ood# 1nything to get this gitar bac)
into shape becase it !as se%erely fractred# +o& if yo loo) at the gitar
today& yo can definitely see e%idence of the repair#
The gitar !as soon bac) into shape and Randy came do!n to pic) it p#
That !as the last time that I sa! him# I don't recall seeing him again# I do
thin) that I recei%ed a cople of phone calls from him thogh I don't recall
!hat they !ere abot# The ne9t thing I )ne!& time !ent by and I heard that
he !as dealing !ith 3har%el /?ac)son# I !ish that he !old ha%e come to
me& bt by then he !as !ith /88y /sborne# I !old ha%e bilt him a gitar
bt for !hate%er reason he !ent and dealt !ith 3har%el /?ac)son#
If yo !ere to see the gitar today& it !old be %ery yello! e%en thogh the
poc)et dots !ere !hite# The nitrocellar that I sed has a tendency to crac)#
I !old almost garantee that this gitar loo)ed li)e that all o%er !hich is
actally )ind of cool becase it has a %intage loo) to it# I !old really li)e to
see that gitar today#
Peter 3arriere. L;anM
1 friend of mine had tic)ets to see /88y /sborne& !hich I !asn't for or
against it# I really didn't thin) too mch abot it one !ay or another# $e
!ent to :sic :ontain to see him play# Def Leppard opened !hich !as
really great to see# Then /88y and Randy came ot and I had ne%er heard a
gitarist play li)e that before in my life# :sic is a %ery emotional thing to
me# It's e%en embarrassing sometimes# ,e came ot& played and I "st stood
there on the hill !ith tears in my eyes and my hair standing on end# I coldn't
belie%e it7 That !as my first introdction to Randy# The feel of his playing
!as "st incredible7 @ery smooth# @ery fast thogh e9tremely clean# *o
cold still hear e%ery note that he played !ith all of the distortion# ,e still
annnciated e%ery single note that he played# I had ne%er seen anyone play
li)e that in my life# I "st stood there in shoc)# :y "a! !as dropped7
$ithot e%en )no!ing him& from all that I ha%e read he had 2ite a ni2e
personality# 1side from techni2e and e%erything& I thin) that's probably
more of !hat effected me than anything# It's )ind of li)e& he reached ot
!ith something that !as inside of him# Beyond the fingers and playing notes
on the gitar& he left sch an impression !ith people becase it !as sch an
e9plosion# There !eren't gitar players li)e that arond# Randy& being that
)ind of a person and that )ind of a player& made sch an impact on people#
,e captred that in his msic and it still comes across today#
Tim :allic). L;anM
I heard Randy for the first time in the early 45F4# The song !as 3ra8y Train
and it !as starting to get lots of airplay here in Pittsbrgh# I !as "st starting
to play gitar at the time and lo%ed (ddie @an ,alen# I remember being so
blo!n a!ay by the solo and the rhythm parts of the song# It flo!ed so easily#
It !as at that moment !hen my gitar idol became Randy Rhoads# I still
lo%ed (ddie bt there !as something different abot randy# ,is msic !as so
strctred# The solos !ere more a part of the song rather than a stand alone
piece# I thin) that ne%er before in roc) history ha%e t!o people inflenced a
sond li)e (ddie and Randy did# They !ere the best of the eighties& they
!ere at opposite ends of the spectrm and !e !ill ne%er see sch a re%oltion
in sond and ability again#
Re%oltionary# That is the closest !ord that I can thin) of to describe !hat
Randy did to roc) n' roll# It !as the first time that classical made an entrance
in roc) rather than the bles based roc) of the past# (%en (ddie coldn't
compare# The scales and rhythm parts !ere so ne! and they caght on li)e
!ildfire spa!ning a sle! of imitators and !anna be's# I thin) that he ga%e
roc) some legitimacy that it had lac)ed in the past# =o!& yo had to ha%e
some technical ability to be in the elite# Randy still had one of the best ears
for song!riting also# 1ll of those early /88y hits !ere Randys gitar parts#
I don't play gitar li)e I se to& bt bac) in the day I boght e%erything I
cold on Randy# (%ery boo) of personal information& e%ery gitar tab boo)&
e%ery albm and e%en the gitar that I had !as the ;lying @ li)e he had# ?st
from practicing his songs made me so mch better !ith my playing#
It's been a long time and Randys songs still sond fresh# I thin) that there is
a romanticism srronding the death of famos people !ho die yong#
Randy had the ltimate loo) for roc) n' roll& bt he !as a dichotomy# ,e
!as ferocios on the gitar bt so mild and nassming as a person# I thin)
all that combined lends itself to his legend# Pls& he ga%e e%erything that he
had to his one lo%e& msic# That )ind of dedication is rare in this day and
age and I thin) people respond to it !hen it happens# 1s long as there is roc)
n' roll& and as long as there are gitar players& there !ill be Randy Rhoads#
I thin) that Randys most memorably accomplishments are bringing some
legitimacy to this thing !e call roc) n' roll& gi%ing s a fe! classic songs&
and sharing !ith s all too briefly a talent that most !ill ne%er come close to
ha%ing#
?stin Lebb. L;anM
I first heard Randy !hen I boght the Diary of a :adman 3D# I !as
completely ama8ed at his classical lic)s and metal approach to them# I
cannot begin to describe the inflence that he had on me# I thin) that Randy
contines to inspire people becase they !ant to play e9actly as their gitar
hero# I thin) that some of his most memorable accomplishments !ere staring
a sccessfl band at the age of si9teen and being able to hoo) p !ith sch a
great metal head sch as /88y /sborne#
Da%id @anLanding. L lead %ocalist for :ichael +hen)erM
/b%iosly& I disco%ered Randy Rhoads arond the same time that most
e%erybody else did# It !as !hen he first started !ith /88y# It !as so
frstrating !hen he died becase that man had more to offer than most people
ot there# ,e !as "st ama8ing# I li)ed that he really made a craft ot of
!hat he did# :ch more so than many others that are ot there# +ome
people are happy "st to get to a certain point and then be happy !ith that# I&
on the other hand are not#
I thin) that his greatest accomplishments are !hat other people ha%e to say
abot him# 1bot being so dedicated# I didn't )no! him personally& bt
from !hat I ha%e heard and ha%e heard from other people !ho are in the
bsiness& !hen others !old be ot partying and li%ing the good life& he
!old !as practicing and still trying to become an e%en better gitar player#
I thin) that anyone !ho is a tre msician can relate to that# I sing for
:ichael +hren)er and it is really ama8ing becase e%en thogh :ichael has
been ion the bsiness for so many years& he still practices three hors a day#
I !as so ama8ed my that# I ha%e al!ays been a +hren)er fan as !ell& bt
that made me an e%en bigger fan of his no! that I am doing tors !ith him#
;or me& being a singer& I still practice e%eryday# I thin) that e%erybody has
their o!n otloo) on the !ay they percei%e a person# I "st belie%e in
dedication and Randy really stood for that !ord# ,is msic !as a great
accomplishment in itself# ,e !as so in%enti%e and so incredible# Bt& more
as a person and crafting !hat he did& I thin) that shold be recogni8ed#
Randys sond !as so ra!# It didn't sond li)e he !as trying to let
processing and the stdio do all the !or) for him# I thin) that people cold
really see that it !as him that !as ma)ing the instrment sing# It's really
!eird becase he came ot at a time !here yo !ere dealing !ith people li)e
(ddie @an ,alen and all of the other gys& and then here comes Randy !ith
those t!o albms# It !as something really special and ob%iosly it !as
something that /88y sa!#
I sa! Randy play in concert in my senior year of high school# I sa! him play
on the east coast# I !ent !ith a friend !ho !as a complete /88y fanatic and
dring the entire concert I had to sffer throgh this gy "mping p and
do!n and screaming at !hate%er Randy !as doing7 I !as li)e <calm do!n7
I'm trying to en"oy this7<#
:y fa%orite song of Randys is Tonight# I lo%e the end of that song !ith the
gitar fading ot# It doesn't sond as thogh it !as planned& "st letting it go
!ith feeling#
?ames ,ode). L;anM
I !as in the eighth grade and as the school bs !as ta)ing s to school I
noticed a grop of abot se%en gorgeos female school mates giggling and
fighting o%er a large boo) !hich I !old e%entally find ot !as the /88y
tor program from the concert the night before that someone had broght on
the bs# The girls )ept passing arond the program and saying -!hat a babe&
he is fine7'# $hen I finally got a chance to %ie! !hat they !ere loo)ing at I
sa! a pictre of a yong man !ith long blonde hair& dressed in all blac) and
holding a po)ed dot gitar !ith the name Randy Rhoads printed %ertically in
the page#
I thin) that Randy along !ith (ddie @an ,alen !ere both really inno%ati%e
for that era of roc) n' roll msic# They changed the !ay people approached
the instrment# :sical integrity#
I play an instrment& bt randy has inflenced me more ion my stdies to
become an elementary school teacher# ,e !as a msic teacher and I feel that
!ith any form of teaching yo ha%e to loo) !ithin yorself to find ans!ers to
many 2estions that yor stdents !ill ha%e and al!ays contine yor o!n
stdies# That is !hat !as so ni2e abot Randy# ,e !as so accomplished
at his art yet he al!ays !anted to learn#
I feel that the reason that his msic is so poplar is simple& he had the ability
to mo%e people throgh his msic# ,e made his mother so prod of him# I
had the pri%ilege of meeting his mother at her :sic +chool :sonia in 4556#
+he ga%e me really good ad%ice on school and life in general# I broght her a
do8en long stem roses and she told me that to this day& /88y /sborne has
sent her flo!ers e%ery month since 45FG#
(ach generation has it's o!n msic and that msic represents it's generation#
randy and his msic is immortal# $e miss yo Randy7
Tsyoshi Jeda. L;anM
I !as thirteen !hen I first heard Randy play# I listened to the song 3ra8y
Train# Randy rendered remar)able ser%ices to!ards the progress in the msic
scene# $e come to reali8e that there are no limits to !hat !e can accomplish
and that !e can learn from him that melody is an essential factor in msic#
,ere in ?apan& Randy made his debt as a member of the grop Qiet Riot#
?apanese hard roc) fans admirer Randys genis# ,e is still %ery poplar here
among hard roc) fans and gitarists# :any people feel sorry that he cold
not ha%e performed here in ?apan#
(ric Le!is. Lgitarist for +on of +lamM
I !as probably abot thirteen !hen I first heard of Randy# It !as right after
he died# Randy !as one of my first inflenced !hen I started playing the
gitar# I didn't get into the electric gitar ntil abot a month after his death#
Randy set standards for !hat electric gitar for roc) n' roll shold be# ,e
really e9panded it by adding the classical inflences and gi%ing it some class
and smarts abot it# he really inflences me to e9pand my hori8ons and nit
"st stic) !ith one thing# To branch ot and sho! some taste in playing# The
%ery first solo that I e%er learned !as Good.bye to Romance# It !as a %ery
pretty solo by Randy and really caght my ear the first time that I heard it#
Randy !as sch a great player and e%eryone respected him# It's )ind of li)e
?imi ,endri9 in a !ay# $hen they are gone& yo can't go bac)# *o only
ha%e their records and recordings to remember by& listen to and learn by#
Randys playing !as really timeless# *o can listen to his playing to day and
it still sonds %ery fresh#
#ll is silent now
#s we listen
For a song that is only on the wind
I hear your song in the rain
#nd see your smile in a rainbow
+tars "ling in your hair
#nd lightening flies from your fingers
+o as the guitar 3uietly sits
/our song "an still be heard$
Randy Rhoads came into my life !hen I !as abot fifteen or si9teen years
old# 1 friend of mine ga%e me a poster of Randy for 3hristmas one year# To
tell yo the trth& I don't e%en )no! !hy# +he said that she "st felt that I
!old li)e it and I gess a cople of times !hile !e !ere listening to /88y& I
commented on ho! good the gitarist !as# It's not too clear& bt once I too)
a good listen to Randys playing& it !as clear# The man too) an approach to
the gitar that I had ne%er heard before# ,e opened my ear to gitar and I
started to pay attention to the instrment# $ithin a year& I boght a Kramer
;lying @ from a friend of mine and I'%e been playing e%er since#
Randy plays li)e no other# 1 good gitarist is one that no matter !hat he
does and !ho can copy it& it ne%er sonds the same !hen it's dplicated#
That is becase yo can't dplicate someone's feelings# That !as Randy# he
!as si9 strings of pre emotion and I myself feel blessed to ha%e heard his
msic# I ha%e been playing gitar for a little o%er ten years no! and Randys
the one that )ind of got the ball rolling# ,is msic toched me in a !ay that I
had ne%er been toched by msic before# +omething in the center of my sol
responded to Randys msic# ,is msic !old bring tears to my eyes# it still
does and it !old get me thin)ing& !hat is it abot this gy that ma)es me
feel this !ay0 Randy played !ith feeling& emotion and sol# ,e played
!hat he felt deep inside of himself and it sho!ed# It still does# +o& after a
!hile of listening to Randy& I learned that if yo are gong to ma)e msic&
find it from deep inside of yorself becase that is !here it comes from# That
is !here I go !hen I play the gitar#
I feel that Randy still has the ability to inflence people becase he !as
genine and pre in his playing# ,e didn't try to be any other gitarist and he
played becase he en"oyed ma)ing msic# he had his o!n song that he
!anted to be heard# ,e combined techni2e !ith emotion shining throgh
e%ery time#
There are so many memorable accomplishments of Randys# I !old say that
Dee is definitely on of them# ,e pt so mch across in that one song# It !as
the one song !here !e really get to hear the classical rote that Randy
!anted to ta)e# Bt& by far the greatest accomplishment Randy had !as that
of his msic# Passing along the gift of inspiration that he fond in himself and
then sharing it !ith the !orld# ,is legacy !ill fore%er li%e on#
There are many songs I lo%e by Randy# /ne song that brings tears to my
eyes e%erytime that I hear it is -Good.bye to Romance'# It's so beatifl#
-Brea)ing p is a ,eartache' is one that I lo%e# ,is solo in that song is so
melodic and flo!ing# -Loo) in any $indo!' & -Pic)ing p the Pieces'& and
-Laghing Gas' are some of my fa%orites# :any than)s to Ke%in& Kelly and
Rdy for ptting that ot and releasing some msic that is brand ne! to a lot
of s# To thin) of ho! mch Randy did in a short time and ho! mch !e
still ha%en't heard7 -(ye for and (ye' and -Inside yo' are fantastic7 -Dee'
stands by itself# I belie%e that it !as a glimpse of !hat Randy !anted to do
in the ftre# -Tonight' is a pretty one# -+#1# T#/#'& -Little Dolls' -Diary of
a :adman'& -=o Bone :o%ies'& I cold go on and on# Bt& one thing is
clear& Randy played !ith emotion and feeling in e%erything that he did#
3orey (llithorpe. LfanM
I first disco%ered Randy !hen I boght /88y /sborne's Bli88ard of /88
albm abot fi%e years ago# I "st lo%ed the msic# ,is playing is so mo%ing&
po!erfl& heartfelt and beatifl at the same time# Bet!een Randy and
(ddie @an ,alen& the t!o both did an ncontable amont of modern gitar#
They helped to really in%ent proper shred and they are both credited to !ith
being the first to do tapping on the electric gitar#
Randy has that style and that sond that is "st ama8ing# It is something that
I& as a gitarist try to come close to& thogh it's really togh to grasp# +ome
of his solos seem easy& bt then yo play them and get them do!n bt it's a
togh battle# ,e !as also properly trained nli)e most gitar players# ,e
had actal msic lessons& not tab or something& and he learned the right !ay
e%er since he !as a yong )id# +o& it's frstrating for me not being able to
play li)e he can# Bt& that is !hat ma)es Randy so great# The fact that no
one can come close to him# I thin) that his most memorable accomplishment
!as lea%ing an imprint on msic# :ost other gitarists left imprints on the
gitar !orld& bt Randy left them on the msic !orld along !ith Bac)&
Beetho%en and so on# ,is playing is so msical and po!erfl#
1pha8el. LGitarist for the grop 1ncientM
I ha%e been listening to Randy Rhoads since the end of 45FG# I remember
that the first albm that I started listening to !as Diary of a :adman# It !as
a friend of mine's brother !ho had it and !hen I listened to it I got %ery
e9cited# 1t that time& it !as %ery different and special from the other msic
that !as ot there# Today& I am a %ery big fan of Randy Rhoads#
1s a msician& Randy has really inspired me throgh his gitar solos# I really
li)e them# The Tribte albm by /88y /sborne is one of my fa%orite
albms# The songs that Randy played are "st totally ni2e and %ery special#
*o can certainly say that he has inflenced me !ith his gitar playing#
+ome of his solos are not too hard to play& thogh others are rather
complicated# I really li)ed his melodies# They ha%e %ery mch inflenced
me# ,is greatest accomplishments& to me& is his !or) on Diary of a
:adman and all of his great solos that he played# -*o 3an't Kill Roc) ='
Roll' is one of my fa%orites#
,is inspiration li%es on throgh the maga8ines that contine to !rite abot
him# $hen /88y /sborne pt ot the Tribte albm in 45F6& that really
ga%e Randy a lot of attention# Then& the %ideo for 3ra8y Train# It's the
people in the msic indstry that spport him and his memory# :ost of the
fans today& I belie%e& started listening to his msic after his death# I thin)
that is really great# ,e is definitely one of my fa%orite gitar players#
Larry 3ooperman. L=e! :illennim 3lassical Gitar Pblishing 3o#M
I ha%e been teaching gitar for the last t!enty fi%e years# ;irst electric gitar
and then classical gitar for the past fifteen years# There ha%e been many
stdent !ho ha%e come to me from roc) and particlarly been inflenced by
Randy Rhoads and his implicated classical training# If a roc) player is to get
the interest of a classical msician& he or she mst embody a logic to playing
that dispenses !ith the e9traneos and get to the heart of the material and
!or) that material ot !ith the craft of a +tra%ins)y# Randy did this#
;lash is immaterial to a classical msician and Randy had plenty of this bt
played !ith the logic of a seasoned msician#
Robert Di=icholas. L fanM
I li%ed in 3alifornia in 45F6 or 45FF !hen one of my friends told me abot
the Tribte albm# That !as !hen it first came ot# That !as also the first
time I e%er heard of Randy or heard him play# I !as a big @an ,alen fan
bac) then and my friend )ept telling me <Randy Rhoads is the greatest
gitarist e%er7<# I "st )ept on saying& <no !ay<# +o& needless to say I !ent
ot and boght the albm and !as totally blo!n a!ay7
$hat inspires me so mch abot Randy is his ability to refine his o!n msic#
I'%e ne%er really seen any other artist do that before# (specially in roc) n'
roll# Listen to the Bli88ard of /8 albm and the listen to the concerts that he
did before his death# It is incredible ho! the songs are transformed into
something completely ne!# ,is ability to do that !as "st ama8ing becase
he !old abandon old idea to go on to ne! ones# ,is ability as a gitar
player !as incredible& (9tremely fascinating# ,e pt so mch emotion into
his playing#
I set p a Randy Rhoads !eb site to try and get people to listen to Randy# 1t
first& it really didn't seem li)e there !ere a lot of Randy Rhoads fans ot
there& thogh I soon disco%ered that there are many more than I thoght# I
started the site last year and I belie%e that there !as only one other Randy
Rhoads !eb page# =o!& there are at least a do8en#
:ichael Kemoc). L;anM
I !as probably abot for or fi%e !hen I first heard Randy Rhoads# it !as
thogh some old records that !ere "st lying arond# The Bli88ard of /8
record !as laying arond and at that time 3ra8y Train !as being played on
the radio a lot# I !old listen to that song on and off# It became something
that I al!ays remember# $hen I !as thirteen& I got really into hea%y msic
and started listening to Blac) +abbath and got really into /88y /sborne# I
pic)ed p a fe! of his albms and ot of all of them I thin) that the Bli88ard
of /8 and Diary of a madman are the t!o that stood ot# The gitar parts on
those albms !as "st incredible# /88y has had a fe! gitarists thogh they
really didn't carry ot too mch of a personality# (%ery time that I o!ld
listen to these t!o albms& it "st felt as thogh Randy !as a real part of the
band#
I play the gitar and ha%e been playing for abot t!o years# Randy definitely
inspired me# Randy had a mi9tre of classical gitar !hich !as really ne! at
the time# =obody had really incorporated classical gitar into roc) msic# I
try to se his style# I !ill mo%e my gitar to my left )nee !hich is )ind of
northodo9 and come p the nec) all the !ay# ,is fingers !ere %ery spread
ot# I also try and play all of the old songs and things li)e that# ,is greatest
accomplishments !ere bringing a more sophisticated style to roc) n' roll
msic# In my opinion& Randy Rhoads !as a great msician# ,e !old ran)
p there !ith any of the great msicians& not "st in roc) msic# ,e broght
a prity to roc) msic#
People loo) bac) and see that Randy made so many changes to roc) msic
and the msic indstry in sch short time# ,is style !as so different and
people )eep inno%ating on that# There is "st so mch more that he cold
ha%e done# It is really attracti%e to people# Randy is al!ays going to be in
the bac) of or minds becase he did so mch and people are going to follo!
his style becase it !as so inno%ati%e#
:y fa%orite song is -Good.Bye to Romance'# I also admirer -Dee' a lot
becase as a gitarist& I try to play it an cannot get %ery far !ith it at all# it is
%ery difficlt and 2ic)#
I !old "st li)e to say that o%erall !ith Randy& I belie%e that he !as a tre
intellectal# In the msic indstry& that is something that yo really do not
see a !hole lot of# *o can really feel his msic# he !as so precise# It !as
as if he !ere playing thogh his mind the !hole time# I !as so happy that he
got to record !ith /88y /sborne# That he recei%ed that )ind of e9posre
e%en thogh it !as for a short time# People are going to be listening to him
fore%er# That is the greatest thing#
Bill Le%erty. Lgitarist for ;irehoseM
Jnfortnately& I !as not e9posed to Randys playing ntil the release of Diary
of a :adman# I !as "st blo!n a!ay by it# I ha%e ne%er heard a gitar
sond so good& clean and yet e9plosi%e# I 2ic)ly pic)ed p the Bli88ard of
/8 and a ?apanese import of Qiet Riot#
Randys impact on the msic scene !as tremendos# ,e too) roc) gitar into
a realm of msicianship& techni2e and emotion that set standards for
e9cellence# ,is signatre tone !as also trly magnificent# Randys recording
techni2e of mlti.layering both rhythm and solo trac)s for thic)ness has
been a big inflence on my recording career# ,is song !riting and solo
!riting is so timeless# Randy contines to inspire people in part becase his
msic is )ept ali%e thogh the daily e9posre that the classic roc) radio
stations gi%e his songs# 1 lot of Randy Rhoads songs are played on a reglar
rotation# $hat also certainly helps is that /88y /sborne contines to create
really good msic# This helps to enhance the interest in Randy#
I feel that his most memorable accomplishment !ere the songs on Diary of a
:adman and Bli88ard of /8# They are all masterpiece compositions# ,e
also accomplished the respect of the msic indstry as a !orld class
composer and performer#
Karl 3ompton. L;anM
I first disco%ered Randy abot t!o years ago# I !as getting into a lot of
Blac) +abbath at the time and I heard the song -=o :ore tears'# Before that&
I had ne%er heard any of /88y's solo stff and it !as one of those songs that
doesn't e%en need to gro! on yo# It's "st too great# =ot really
nderstanding mch abot /88y or his msic& I prchased both of the albms
=o :ore Tears and Bli88ard of /8 at the mall# It mst ha%e been a trning
point in my life& msically and other!ise& becase oddly I can remember
e%ery detail of bying them# I had my first enconter !ith Randy on that
Bli88ard of /8 albm that day#
Randys impact !as hge# To be 2ite honest& as far as poplar msic in the
early eighties& Randy !as the best gitarist arond# (ddie @an ,alen !as
probably the only one close& bt Randy !as the best# I ha%e had this debate
for hors and hors !ith a do8en different people and I still stand strong to
my belief# The reason is that one of Randys large effects !as to p the ante
so to spea) of being a lead gitarist# Gitarists !ho !ere considered great a
fe! years before !ere being blo!n ot of sight and memory by Randys
playing# (%eryone had to stri%e in order to get better and catch p# To sm
that part p& Randy bsted on to the msic scene and roc)ed e%eryone's
%ie! of a great gitarist# The same thing happened a fe! years later !hen
*ng!ie :almsteen appeared# (ddie @an ,alen& still arond at the time&
!as considered a %irtoso a fe! years earlier# $hen pt ne9t to *ng!ie& no
disrespect& bt (ddie is li)e a child aimlessly plc)ing a rsty gitar !ith
three strings missing#
Randy "st shoo) e%eryone's belief# ,is name !ill al!ays be associated !ith
the early eighties as one of the %ery elite gitarists that !as al!ays pshing
the limit# Randy inflenced my msical point of %ie! so I gess that is !hat
I !ill discss to sho! !hat a Randy.inflenced person might thin)# I do not
%ie! msic 2ite li)e the a%erage person today so I can't be e9pected to
spea) from their point of %ie!# The poplar msic today li)e grnge& s)a&
pn) and alternati%e ha%e barely any basis in msic# It is merely a cople of
people !ho too) a fe! months of lessons on their instrment& trying to catch
the perfect catchy tne to ma)e them millionaires# The msical beaty of it is
almost completely lost# There might be e9ceptions to that rle& so I am not
directing this to!ards them# There seems to be a mo%ement to!ard msic
that feels honest and sincere since e%eryone seems to feel sorry for
themsel%es and !ants to thin) that others ha%e the same problems# I can't
help bt loo) throgh the candy coating of a lot of the msic today# (%en if
the candy coating is really a dar)& gloomy image becase the only reason it is
that !ay is to attract listeners# I personally don't nderstand !hat can be
more sincere that a master of an instrment e9pressing his %ision# I gess it's
"st me0
Randy has inflenced me probably more than any other gitarist in the !orld#
,e is the first gitarist to teach me to lo%e my instrment# The ndying desire
to learn more and more and to get better# Those are the more important
things# The mental aspect of it# /f corse he has inflenced my techni2e as
!ell# Randy !rote great songs and beatifl solos and I really !ant to be
able to play li)e him# Ths& I ha%e had to go throgh a rigoros process ot
learn them and !hile learning them& I ha%e pic)ed p contless fingering and
pic)ing techni2es as !ell as a lot of theory# Randy has been nothing bt a
positi%e inflence on my playing#
Randy and /88y made some great songs as !ell as Randy !ith Qiet Riot#
People !ant to hear those great songs# People listen to it for the first time
and go <$o!7 $ho is the gitarist on this song0<# +omeone !ill tell them
and that is !here it begins# /nce something grabs yo and sha)es yo p a
bit& yo !ant to learn more abot it# The good thing abot Randy is that he
is a great msician as !ell as a role model# The more that yo learn abot
him& the more yo appreciate him and the more yo !ant to ma)e yorself
better# he inspires many& inclding myself& to ne%er 2it and to al!ays try to
be better in all aspects of life#
Probably the most ama8ing accomplishment of Randys !as his rise to fame in
the slightly trashy pop metal !a%e of the eighties that !as al!ays srronded
by contro%ersy# Randy ne%er did anything to embarrass himself or dishonor
his family in any !ay# ,e !as a class act throgh it all and that is togh#
That is something that %ery fe! people can say#
:y fa%orite songs !old ha%e to be a tie bet!een :r# 3ro!ley and Diary of
a :adman# I lo%e the mood of Diary of a :adman and it "st paints a pictre
for me and ta)es me there# The gitar is !onderfl as !ell# :r# 3ro!ley is
simply perfect# It dri%es and ponds !hen it needs to& it is sinister !hen it
!ants to be and still beatifl throghot it all# The solos are as perfect as
any I ha%e )no!n# $hen yo listen to those songs& yo really LI+T(= to
those songs# 1t least I )no! that I do#
Ryan +2ires. LfanM
I first disco%ered Randy arond 45F6# 1n (nglish tele%ision program
featred a yong +cottish gitarist called Thomas :cRoc)lin !ho !as only
se%en years old7 ,e !as a bddy of +te%e @ai's and appeared in +te%e's
-The 1dience is Listening' %ideo# ,e !as se%en years old and !as playing
3ra8y Train7 I thoght that if he can do it than so can I# I tool the time to
find the song and feel in lo%e !ith it and also fond an ama8ing gy named
Randy#
I thin) that Randy ga%e the msic scene& gitarists in particlar& a !ill to do
something more that si9teenth do!npic)s# ,e ga%e them a challenge# Be
hard and hea%y bt also be melodic#
Randys playing and msic made me psh my limits# If I !asn't happy !ith
my playing I !old "am to some of Randys msic and it !old someho! gi%e
me a better %ie! of !hat I !as trying to achie%e# I thin) that Randy
contines to inspire people today becase !e can only gess at !hat he
!old ha%e achie%ed if he had li%ed# It is )ind of li)e a cliffhanger in a no%el#
*o may ha%e read the boo) and be !aiting for the ne9t installment& bt yo
can't help pic)ing the boo) bac) p and reading it again& "st in case yo can
figre ot !hat happens#
Randys stats in (ngland is 2ite small becase !e tend to try and psh or
o!n gitarists for!ard# Bt& Randy does ha%e a follo!ing here# If yo are a
gitarist& yo can't not admirer Randy Rhoads# I thin) that Randys most
memorable accomplishment !as pro%ing that something %ery beatifl and
delicate and also be %ery strong and hard hitting#
3hristopher 3affery. LGitarists for +a%atageM
I first disco%ered Randy Rhoads as a t!el%e year old hea%y metal fan# The
first song that I heard !as 3ra8y Train at a Ted =gent concert in =e!
?ersey# I )ne! right a!ay after hearing the singing that it !as /88y# I !as
blo!n a!ay by the song and the gitar playing# I had only been playing a
year at the time and I rshed ot the ne9t day to get this ne! record& Bli88ard
of /8#
Randy Rhoads represented a %ery important time in msic# It !as the
beginning of the hea%y metal e9plosion# /88y's first t!o solo records are
t!o of the most classic records of that time# I don't thin) that there is or e%er
!ill be a hard roc) fan that hasn't heard at least one song that Randy played#
Randy broght a ne! type of gitar sond# Randy !as the first gitarist to
hea%ily layer his rhythms# (%eryone ran ot to by distortion bo9es to play
the sond that came ot of his hands# ,is song !riting !as so colorfl and
fresh# ,e !as a total roc) star and his impact !ill be felt for a %ery long
time# *o "st !atch7
By the time I !as forteen I !as playing three of for nights a !ee) in the
bars of =e! ?ersey# It !as right arond that time !hen Randy "st died# I
ne%er got to see him# I cold not get a ride to the Bli88ard of /8 concert and
then t!o !ee)s before I !as to finally see him on the Diary of a :adman
tor& !e nfortnately lost him# I did at that time spend the de%elopmental
stages of my gitar playing listening to him and trying to play his stff# It is
fnny no! !hen I can actally play those lic)s& to thin) bac) to being that
yong and ho! I thoght they !ere played# Randy !as trly special# The
ma"or inflence he had on me other than image and song!riting# I learned so
mshc abot light& shade and emotion from those t!o albms# *o can hear
"st ho! special /88y and Randys relationship !as "st throgh that msic# I
had a long tal) !ith /88y one night abot it and he told me that he had ne%er
felt something that magical and he missed it al!ays# I )no! ho! he feels#
+a%atage lost or Randy Rhoads& 3riss /li%a for years ago# =ot a day goes
by that he is not missed by s# There !as a similar emotion to their playing
and I consider both of them to be legends and t!o of my biggest inflences#
$e se to play these songs li%e !hen I had a co%er bandB
4M 3ra8y Train
GM I Don't Kno!
IM +icide +oltion
PM :r# 3ro!ley
DM Re%elation :other (arth
AM +teal 1!ay the =ight
6M /%er the :ontain
FM ;lying ,igh 1gain
5M Belie%er
4CM +#1#T#/#
1ll of this by the time I !as only forteen or fifteen# +o& I thin) that yo can
imagine ho! Randy inflenced my initial gitar stdies#
I )no! !hy fifteen years after his death he is still so inflential and re%ered#
,e left s great msic# ?imi ,endri9 !as an incredible gitarist# ,is songs
ho!e%er are !hat enable s to really cherish his playing fore%er# The same is
tre !ith Randy# There is a feeling in those t!o albms that !ill ne%er be
recreated# That is !hat ma)es something classic# 1s mch as a great
gitarist& !e !ill remember Randys msic and !e !ill al!ays lo%e him for
that#
I thin) that one of Randys most memorable accomplishment !as his ?ac)son
gitar# =ot only is it still being prodced all of these years later& it seems to
get more poplar !ith time# ?ac)son Gitars themsel%es !old probably not
be sch a roc) n' roll icon !ithot Randy# Gitarists )ept this gitar ali%e# 1
gitarist designed it# That says a lot right there# I myself play a creme Les
Pal and a ;lying @# Belie%e me& there are times !hen I am on tor playing
that Les Pal !hen I dig into a solo and thin) of some of the intensity in
Randys old photos# I then dig real deep and play a fe! lic)s for him& "st in
case he is listening# Jnfortnately& I thin) that many of the most memorable
accomplishments !ere yet to come# ,o!e%er& e%ery time I hear 3ra8y Train
in a bar or on the radio I can still remember the smell of the smo)e filled air at
that Ted =gent concert and the an9iosness I felt getting to the record store
the ne9t day# That is an accomplishment that e%ery msician shold dream of
ha%ing# (motional as !ell as msical impact on a persons life fore%er#
:y fa%orite song is togh# I ha%e to "st say that those t!o albms are my
fa%orite albms e%er# To pic) one song is %ery challenging# /ne of my
fa%orites has to be -Good.Bye to Romance'# The solo !as perfect# /ne of
those ones that has to played e9actly li)e it !as or it "st isn't the song# Kind
of li)e messing p the lyrics to -+tair!ay to ,ea%en'# I get a lot of that
pressre from fans !ith old +a%atage msic#
$e all ha%e to than) /88y for ma)ing sre that the flame stays ali%e# I hope
that some!here& Randy and 3riss /li%a meet and are happy playing msic
together in hea%en# *o are both missed and most certainly ne%er forgotten#
Brett :ichaels. LGitarist for PoisonM
I disco%ered Randy throgh the Bli88ard of /8 albm# ,is gitar playing
ble! me a!ay# The style that he pt into his sond# ,is greatest
accomplishments are the energy and e9citement he pt into the art of roc) n'
roll gitar playing# It !as a lot li)e (ddie @an ,alen did before him and 3#3#
did years after# Randys memory contines becase he !as an absolte
original7 :y fa%orite song is -*o 3an't Kill Roc) =' Roll'#
Peter :cQinn. L;anM
I fell in lo%e !ith Randy !hen I boght the Tribte albm by /88y /sborne
in 45F6# I !as fifteen and had been playing for abot a year# 1t fifteen I !as
the perfect candidate to be obsessed !ith Randy and /88y's msic# $hat a
combination7 Randys msic spea)s for itself# ,e !as ahead of his time and
inno%ati%e# I belie%e that it all came real easy to Randy and that he !as a
natral# ,e !rote some technically ad%anced stff bt ne%er copped feeling#
Randy as a person seemed li)e the gy that yo coldn't help bt li)e# @ery
nice and sincere# There are fe! in this !orld li)e him# Randys potential !as
hge# 1s tragic as his loss is& it has a lot to do !ith his legend# $ay too
yong& innocent& good and talented to die# Bt& as the song goes& only the
good die yong and I thin) Randy !as great and so maybe only the great are
stolen from s#
I remember day dreaming abot going bac) in time !ith all these articles and
someho! getting them to Randy bac)stage and con%incing him not to ta)e
that flight# 1t fifteen& that !as ho! I felt and still feel that !ay today#
(%ery single gitar player in the roc) %ein& is someho! a better player
becase of Randy# I practiced and ga%e lessons# I gess I tried to emlate
Randy for a !hile# ,e is certainly a role model#
:ar)o :aro%ic. LfanM
I started listening to metal at arond t!el%e or thirteen years of age# I came
bac) from a trip and all of a sdden all my friends that !ere into pop msic
the year before !ere listening to metal# I didn't nderstand it at first and to
be 2ite honest I !as afraid of it# *o )no!& lod gitars& ma)e.p& the
!hole dar) persona of the msic frightened me# Jltimately& I started li)ing
it# I !as listening to :otley 3re& Ratt and any band !ith a hard edge# The
type of msic that any ra%enos teenager dring the eighties lo%ed#
/ne day I !as sitting on the school bs and this girl got on !ith this portable
stereo# +he trned it on "st to be cool# I recogni8ed some of the songs and I
thoght& this is all right# I li)e msic and I !ill listen to it# +he fast
for!arded it for some reason or another and then boom7 /t comes that
)iller riff7 I didn't say anything ot lod# I "st sat there and listened 2ietly#
In my head I !as going -holy shit does that e%er sond ama8ing7'# I !as
listening to -3ra8y Train' for the first time# The fnny thing is& it !as li)e I
heard that opening riff before bt I didn't& and then the second riff "st fit the
song perfectly# The only other time that I !as so charged by the sond of
gitars !as !hen I heard (ddie @an ,alen's -(rption' for the first time# I
said to myself that this !as really good gitar playing# Randys playing ga%e
yo that )ind of chill do!n yor spine that yo cold en"oy o%er and o%er
again# It !as a ftre gitar players ans!er for a reason to by an electric#
I thin) that Randy had a great impact on the entire msic scene# ,e made
)ids li)e me& learn cool tnes# ,e made the gitar roar and still be msical
abot it# it is hard to flly e9plain ho! important the gitar is for those that
don't play# It is the )ic) ass of all instrments# Randy "st offered more
options to the gitar !hich made it impossible to pt do!n ntil yo learned
one of his songs& riffs or solos# Then !hen yo !ere done yo !old do it
again and again ntil it hrt# That is ho! important Randy made gitar
playing and msic# ,e offered options that !ere cool# I can remember my
first gitar lesson# The -:ary had a Little Lamb' days# $ell& dring one
session my teacher belted ot -3ra8y Train' and I loo)ed at him and thoght
he !as God7
I am some!hat of a part time gitar player# Randys impact on my playing
!as simple# Play clean and play fast# It !as really that simple# The cleaner
yo play& that faster yo sond# 3lassical pieces for the most part done on a
nylon string gitar are at a medim tempo& bt becase they are so flid they
sond %ery fast# This is !hat Randy did# =ot to say that he !asn't fast# ,e
!as incredibly gifted !ith speed bt %ery fe! gitar players on a li%e stage
cold e%er sond so clean throgh a distorted gitar#
/n a more personal note& !hen I get a chance to get p on stage for an open
"am& Randy is the first player that I thin) of !hen I solo# It is fnny becase
I cold be doing a tne li)e -Roadhose Bles' by the Doors bt as soon as
the solo )ic)s in it's Randy inflences all the !ay7 I say& !hy play basic
bles !hen yo can shoc) the shit ot of the cro!d by doing a Randy Rhoads
inspired lic)0 It is neat at the end of the night !hen yo get these yong
generation R )ids coming p to yo going <$o!& yor a damn good gitar
player7 That !as ama8ing7<# :y response is a simple <no I'm not<#
;or me& one of Randy Rhoads' most memorable accomplishments came in
the form of his ability to teach msic# Randy Rhoads taght a msic teacher
that !as spposed to teach him# Randy e%en paid for the lesson after7 $hen
yo hear things li)e that& yo atomatically thin) !hat a great gy he !as7
,e !as a tre anti.roc)er# $hen e%ery other msician !anted to get drn)&
he !anted to contine his edcation in msic# That says a lot to me abot
Randys dedication to msic# =ot too many people in any profession ha%e
that mch dedication to!ards !hat they are doing in their life#
1s a gitar player& I !old ha%e to say that my fa%orite song is -:r#
3ro!ley'# The soloing on that song is inspiring# Bt& for the sheer lo%e of
the msic& -3ra8y Train' is my song of choice# It has e%erything memorable
abot a good song# ;or !hat it's !orth& it still goes o%er !ell in the bars as
one of the best co%er tnes of all time7
Long li%e Randy Rhoads7 *or abilities !ill be fore%er missed# To this day&
I still !ish I cold play one tenth as good as yo# I gess that is !hy I am a
Bsiness :a"or and not a gitarist#
I still "an feel you lean on me
#s I play my bass
I look to my left and hope to find
/our happy smiling fa"e-
*y memories fade to bla"k and white
%ut they)re all still "rystal "lear
#nd as a tear rolls down my fa"e
I still wish you were here$
Rdy +ar8o. LBass player for Qiet RiotM
I met Randy !hen he !as !ith Qiet Riot in 456F& I belie%e# It !as at a
rehearsal and I !as aditioning for Qiet Riot# I had seen Randy perform
!hen they !ere playing at the +tar!ood in Los 1ngeles# I thoght that Qiet
Riot !as a band !ith a lot of potential and that they !ere really on to
something# 1t the +tar!ood& I !as compelled to go p to Ke%in DBro!
and tell him that !hate%er they !ere doing& to )eep doing it# I thoght that
ot of all the people in to!n& these gys had !hat it ta)es and they )ne!
!hat it ta)es# They !eren't a fl)e# They had a %ision of !hat they !ere
doing and definitely had the image& the playing and some aspects li)e the
song !riting becase it !as all %ery 6C's oriented#
I "oined the band Qiet Riot in 456F# $e played together and !e actally did
not release an albm !hile I !as in the band# There is an albm !here I am
on the co%er& thogh I am not playing on it# It !as recorded before I "oined
the band# There !as a period of si9 to eight months from the time that the
bass parts !ere done to the time !here I too) the photo# ;or bdget cts or
!hate%er& they )ept the old bass trac)s and pt me on the co%er# The release
in ?apan !as Qiet Riot G# ;rom that point on& !e !ent into the stdio and
ct se%eral demo's that !ere ne%er really released on any ma"or deal#
Randy left the band in 4565# $e both left arond the same time actally#
Randy left Qiet Riot to "oin /88y /sborne and I !ent on to do other
things# I then "oined /88y in 45F4& right arond (aster time# I !as
recommended by Randy and basically "st !ent do!n to meet /88y at the
Be%erly ,ills ,otel in Los 1ngeles# $e all met at this place they called
Trader Dic)s !hich is the longe area in the hotel# Randy has told /88y
enogh great things abot me that /88y !as ready to hire me on the spot# ,e
"st !anted to really ma)e sre that I cold actally play first#
=o!& this !as to go on tor for the Bli88ard of /8# =ot only !as the
Bli88ard of /8 albm already recorded& bt so !as Diary of a :adman# /n
that first tor& !e !ere already playing a fe! songs from Diary of a
:adman# /n that tor& I !as seeing something that became %ery hge in
de%elopment# I )ne! that !e !ere doing something cool and I !as a big fan
of the band# 1s I !ent ot on stage to perform& I felt %ery pri%ileged to be a
part of it all# It !as a time !hen Randys playing really came to perfection#
$hen Qiet Riot !as playing in Los 1ngeles& !e !ere more concerned
abot getting a record deal# The record companies !old go& <listen& yo
gys gi%e s a song li)e this<& !hich !as !hate%er the top forty song at the
time& <and yo gys !ill get time<# $e se to go into the stdio and try and
come p !ith a song "st li)e the song that the gy !anted s to do& bt by
the time !e had done it they !ere already loo)ing at something else# They
!old go <!ell& that song is old no! so yo ha%e to do something else<# +o&
!e !ere al!ays basically chasing ot tail# Bt& !hen it came time for randy
to record !ith /88y& /88y told him to "st be himself# That is !hen the
Randy Rhoads that e%eryone )no!s came ot#
$hat made it %ery special is that !e caght e%erybody by sprise# $hen
people see yo and say <!o!& !here did yo gys come from0<# It !as
%ery special for me and Randy since !e had ne%er e9perienced that before#
;or /88y& coming from Blac) +abbath and Tommy 1ldridge from being !ith
other bands& it !as "st the !ay it !as spposed to be# ;or randy and me& it
!as li)e& !o! this is really cool7 $e !ere "st both going throgh the same
e9periences and !e !old loo) at each other and gi%e each other a thmbs p
sign right before !e !old go on# $e !old !atch the entire adience
reacting to the e9pectation of !hat !e !ere abot to do# It !as definitely an
honor to be a part of that band#
I remember !hen !e !ent to play in @ictoria& 3anada# It !as smmer time
and it !as %ery beatifl# $e had the night off and !ere !al)ing arond
otside# This fan came p to s and recogni8ed Randy# The fan had a gitar
!ith him and as)ed Randy ho! to play the solo in -Good.bye to Romance'#
Randy& being a teacher& pic)ed p the gys gitar and started to play the
solo# Bt& Randy had only "st recorded the song and it !asn't on the tor
song list# +ometimes& yo "st record a song thogh yo don't perform it#
Jnless yo ha%e to perform it& it is not fresh in yor mind# +o& Randy
!asn't really playing it correctly and so the )id said& <actally& I thin) it goes
li)e this<# The )id too) the gitar and started to sho! Randy ho! to play his
o!n solo# Randy !as li)e& <that is the last time that I am going to gi%e
anybody a lesson<# It !as so fnny becase being sch a great gitar player
and being pt on the spot li)e that "st really sho!ed his hmanity#
Going shopping !ith Randy in the stores !as so hilarios# ,e !as %ery thin
and !ore li)e a si8e one7 1 female si8e loo)ed big on him7 ,e !old !al)
ot of the dressing room saying that the pants !ere too baggy on him# $e
!old all "st be laghing at him7
Randy Rhoads had a !ay of ma)ing people feel as if they !ere his best
friend# I ha%e heard so many people say that and I e%en thoght that I !as his
best friend# :aybe it !as becase I spent a lot of time !ith him on the road#
,e did ha%e his other& %ery pri%ate life thogh# $hen !e !old come home
to Los 1ngeles& all that he basically !anted to do !as stay at home& play
!ith his model trains& eat 3hinese food and spend time !ith his girlfriend#
That is !hat he en"oyed# To Randy& pri%acy !as %ery precios and I
nderstood this# ,e needed time to prepare before !e !ent bac) ot on tor#
,e needed those pri%ate moments to compose and possibly e%en gro! as a
msician# To practice his gitar !hich !as his de%otion# ,is passion#
The last time that I sa! Randy !as !hen I !as sleeping in my bn) and he
!as heading ot the door of the tor bs# ,e said to me& <hey Rdy& do yo
!ant to go p in this plane0<# $e !ere a!are of the bs dri%er and the fact
that he !as a pilot also# $e also )ne! that at the bs depot !here the bses
got ser%iced in ;lorida& there !as a landing strip# It belonged to the o!ner of
the bs company# The bis dri%er had tal)ed to s many times abot !hen !e
got to ;lorida that he !old ta)e s p for an airplane ride#
$e had a %ery long dri%e from Kno9%ille& Tennessee to the middle of
;lorida# It !as a non.stop dri%e for the bs dri%er# 1fter the sho! !e got on
the bs and dro%e straight there# I !old say that it !as abot se%en or eight
o'cloc) in the morning !hen Randy came to my bn) and as)ed me if I
!anted to go p in the plane# I stc) my head ot of the bn) and said& <no&
I !ant to !ait ntil !e get to /rlando to get ot of this bn)<# I "st didn't
!ant to get ot# I stc) my head bac) in the bn) and !ent bac) to sleep#
The ne9t thing I )no!& is I hear this hge <boom7<# I !o)e p ot of a dead
sleep to this# I "mped p and ot of my bn)# /88y and +haron !ere asleep
in the bac) longe of the bs# They came rshing ot and Tommy 1ldridge
and I started to !al) ot of the bs# There !as glass all o%er the bs and !e
loo)ed otside# $e see ot Tor :anager on his )nees& crying and plling
his hair ot saying <they're gone& they're gone<# I am "st going <!hat is
happening0<# I had no idea !hat !as going on# I stepped ot of the bs and
I sa! the garage of the hose that the bs !as par)ed ne9t to on fire# Tommy
and Don 1irys started loo)ing for a fire e9tingisher# :ean!hile& I am still
ncertain !hat !as going on# I am "st thin)ing that there !as a fire# The
Tor :anager !as in sch shoc) that he coldn't ma)e any sense of !hat
!as going on# ;inally& !hen I get all the information that they !ere on the
plane and they crashed& my emotions o%ertoo) me# This place !as in the
middle of no!here and there !as absoltely no noise# =o traffic noise or
anything7 /nly natre and yor o!n hysteria# There !as this lo! fre2ency
that "st filled my ears# It !as "st total despair# I "st coldn't belie%e it# I
!as nmb and in shoc)# I !as hoping that a miracle might ha%e happened
sch as Randy might ha%e "mped from the plane and !as in a tree
some!here# It too) a long time for me to get myself ot of that denial fa8e#
It too) a cople of hors for the ;ire Department to sho! p becase in those
days !e didn't ha%e cell phones or anything li)e that# The person !ho
o!ned the hose that !as on fire !as hearing impaired so Tommy 1ldridge
ran into the hose to tell the gy to get ot becase the hose !as on fire#
That is !here they made the necessary calls to the athorities# ;rom the time
it happened& it mst ha%e been for or fi%e agoni8ing hors of being on that
location and not being able to do anything#
By the time !e got to the hotel& there !as a chrch near by that !as !ithin
!al)ing distance# $e all !ent there& inclding /88y# Things !ere ne%er the
same after that# I ha%e had )ids come p to me and say& <hey& Randy !as
partying& hh0<& and I "st tell them that it !asn't anything li)e that at all# It
!as an innocent ride in an airplane that !ent terribly !rong# Infact&
apparently the first ride on the plane !as ta)en by Don 1irys and ?a)e
Dncan !ho !as ot Tor :anager# They !ent p in the plane# 1fter that
ride& the pilot said that he !as going to ta)e Rachel& !ho !as the lady hired
to ta)e care of s !hile on tor# Rachel !old ta)e great care of s in the
bs and al!ays coo) for s# +he !old ta)e care of or stage clothes# ?st
an incredible indi%idal# The pilot offered Rachel a ride and Rachel said that
she had ne%er done that before# Rachel !as an older !oman and she had a
heart condition# The pilot made a point of telling ?a)e Dncan that he !as
"st going to ta)e her p and not do any stnts# $hen Don and ?a)e !ent p
on the first flight& they !ere doing some small stnts# 1pparently& !hen
Randy heard that it !as going to be an innocent flight& he said that he !old
go p in the plane in order to ta)e some pictres# Randy lo%ed to ta)e
pictres# Randy !as also pretty afraid of flying# ,is first flight e%er !as
!hen he "oined /88y and !ent o%er to (ngland# Randy !ent p in this plane
since it !as going to be a safe& simple flight p in the air and then bac) do!n
again# Jnfortnately& that is not !hat happened#
The plane actally hit the bs first# The !ing clipped the bs that !as par)ed
in front of the hose that it e%entally crashed into# I remember standing ne9t
to the point of impact on the bs# It !as abot !here my nose !as# I !old
ha%e to say that if it had hit a fe! inches lo!er& it !old ha%e crashed into
the bs instead of "st clipping it# Bt& it clipped into the bs& a tree and
then into the garage of this hose# They had a cople of cars that !ere
par)ed inside the garage and so it e9ploded on impact#
;or a long time after that& I had dreamt of Randy# There comes a time
thogh& !hen yo ha%e to let go becase yo are basically )eeping the spirit
from going to the ne9t step# That is !hy ghosts e9ist becase people hang on
to those spirits themsel%es and they deny the fact that they ha%e gone on#
Randy really sho!ed me !hat it !as li)e to be a great ta)ent as !ell as a
great hman being# 1 lot of people in the indstry are %ery talented bt they
can be real "er)s# Randy !as ne%er li)e that# 1s big as he !as a talent& I
ne%er sa! him be a "er) to anybody# 1s far as his passing& I needed to ha%e
a closre# ;or his spirital sa)e and for my o!n# There is no end to Randy
as far as his relationship !ith me# ,e is al!ays someone that ma)es me feel
li)e he !as my best friend# ;eelings li)e that ne%er really end# In my
memory& e%ery time I go ot on stage& he is there !ith me#
?ohn L# Ko)el. L;anM
I thin) that it !as in my teenage years# I "st remember thin)ing ho! good
the blend of lead and rhythm !as on -3ra8y Train' that !as on the radio and
from there I "st do%e into /88y's first t!o albms and immediately after that
!hate%er Randy Rhoads recordings !ith Qiet Riot I cold find# I sppose I
!as a Randy Rhoads fan before I !as an /88y /sborne fan& really#
I don't thin) that Randy and as mch of a big impact on the msic scene as he
shold ha%e had# Bt& to people li)e s and tre.blooded msicians& I thin)
he really hit a ner%e especially in his passing# 1 great many people
recogni8ed !hat he !as trying to do# To try and actally be the li%ing
essence of a msician# To embody e%ery ability and characteristic of the
perfect msician# $hen a great many msicians actally come sccessfl&
they "st sort of sit bac) and figre that there is nothing more to learn since
they are already sccessfl# Too many poplar gitarists get featred on the
co%ers of gitar maga8ines !hen they ha%e only ta)en the time to learn three
chords and one scale and maybe a basic ma"or scale# I admire :arty
;riedman becase I remember reading something of his !here he admitted to
going into :egadeth as lead& lead& lead& bt o%er time fine tning his
rhythm playing my !or)ing !ith Da%e :staine# 1ny msicians li)e Randy
Rhoads !ho )eeps stri%ing to be great& e%en after sccess is to be admired#
I don't thin) that I !old ha%e pic)ed p a gitar if it had not been for Randy
and e%erything he said !ithot really saying anything at all# I ha%e )no!n a
lot of gys !ho "st get the tabs for pop songs& learn the t!o of three chords
to play the re2ired rhythm part and then call it 2its# I as) !hy they ne%er
attempt anything !ith hammers& pll.off's& tapping or "st trilling a!ay !ith
three fingers0 I get an ans!er li)e& <=o !ay man# That stff is "st ot there
so yo can be a coc)y sho! off<# $ell& I am sorry bt that is "st an e9cse
to be la8y and ne%er psh yorself as a msician# I admit& I am no Randy
Rhoads& then again !ho is0 Bt& I still try my absolte hardest to learn and
impro%e especially since I ha%e immense troble reading sheet msic# I
mostly "st sit do!n and figre ot ho! e%erything is done by ear# /nce I
)no! ho! a gitarist does things& I ta)e similar styles and techni2es and
!or) !ith them into my o!n sond# Randy& ho!e%er is a hard one# If yo
incorporate *ng!ie :almsteen into yor playing& it's noticeable# +ame !ith
George Lynch# Bt Randy is definitely different# In spite of his fla!less
e9ection& he played 4CS !ith his hands and 5CS !ith his heart# That is not
something that one can imitate# That is something that yo ha%e to do for
yorself#
I thin) for a lot of people& Randy !as a symbol more than anything else and I
actally don't see any problem !ith that# $hy is 1braham Lincoln
remembered 4IC or so years after his death0 he !as a symbol# /ne of
honesty& integrity& and a compassion for the treatment of other men#
+ometimes& being remembered as a symbol is bad# I actally remember Krt
3obain !hen he !as ali%e# It seems li)e no one else does since he !as "st
another bdding alternati%e msician at the time# Bt& !hen he )illed himself
he became a national icon of depression& rebellion& going against the grain
and ltimately hatred of ones self# I )no! that he didn't intend this message&
yet )ids of generation R ate it p li)e ,allo!een candy# $ell& Randy !as
also a symbol in his passing bt a %ery positi%e one# Li)e I mentioned before&
he !as a tre epitome of !hat e%ery tre msician tries to be and he ne%er
stopped trying to be that mch better# The part of the symbol !ith the most
impact is that he had so mch potential energy that he !as "st starting to let
ot to let the !orld see# ?st before he really started mo%ing to!ards his fll
potential& the !hole possibility came to an end on that day in :arch of 45FG#
I thin) that someday that symbol !ill inspire another indi%idal to prse
Randys progress and e%entally srpass it# I thin) that there has only been
one man since Randy !ho really lo%ed the msic in a similar !ay and that
!as +te%ie Ray @aghan# /f corse& his story had a similar ending#
I admire the fact that Randy pic)ed p the gitar !hen he !as li)e si9 or
se%en years old and "st obsessed !ith it ntil his last day on earth# I can
garantee from !hat I )no! of Randy& that day he died he probably
practiced at least once that morning# I "st ha%e a feeling# The one thing that
e%eryone seems to remember is the fact that he coldn't stop in a to!n or a
city !ithot see)ing a professional classical gitar player for some good
inside tips# 3onsidering that he only applied classical style to a cople of
pieces on record& this "st goes to pro%e that he !as doing all this prity ot
of his ndying obsession !ith the gitar#
1s a !hole& my fa%orite song that Randy played on !old ha%e to be -Diary
of a :adman'# 1lthogh there isn't mch on that nmber that !as
otstandingly Randy& the song as a !hole is a tre masterpiece bet!een
Randy's fla!less !or) and /88y /sborne's remar)ably creati%e lyrics and
e9ection& and the entire mosaic of Rdy +ar8o and Tommy 1ldridge !ith
the strings and choir# Trly a classic# Bt& as far as a piece to get the !hole
pictre of !hat Randy !as& I !old ha%e to say that -:r# 3ro!ley'&
preferably the li%e ct since that 5CS emotional part !as mch more e%ident
on stage# ,is solo's& fills& and impro%isation are "st something to be heard#
,is solo from the Tribte edition of -+icide +oltion' is fast bt it "st
doesn't ha%e the ra! emotion of his !or) on :r# 3ro!ley#
Gary ,oey. LGitaristM
I disco%ered Randy throgh /88y& I !as a hge Blac) +abbath fan so !hen
/88y !ent solo I !as !aiting to hear !hat he !old do# $hen he came ot
!ith Randy I !as "st blo!n a!ay# I thin) that Randy Rhoads !as he
epitome of the gitar hero# ,is song !riting !as setting a ne! standard for
roc) gitar# I thin) his ntimely death had a big impact in the entire msic
scene#
The !ay that Randy combined roc)& bles& classical and metal into a ni2e
sond !as inspiring# ,i playing !as so proficient that he made me !ant to
go practice# ,is gitar sond !as hge7 ,e changed his sond from song to
song# These things are !hat inflenced me the most#
,is msic !as so po!erfl and emotional# ,e pt so mch of himself into
!hat he did and his fans can al!ays en"oy that# :sic is a po!erfl langage
that spea)s to any cltre& and good msic is timeless# I thin) Randy's
greatest accomplishments are all of the great albms that he recorded and left
for s to en"oy# 1lso& the spirit of his personality and hmbleness#
:y fa%orite song is -Good.bye to Romance'# I thin) it !as the first song that
he !rote !ith /88y /sborne#
(eren)t we 3uite a pair-
/ou and I ba"k then
/ou "ame to me with 3uestions.
#nd "ame to me a friend
#nd you showed me everything
# guitarist is supposed to be
'ow spread your wings
*y spe"ial friend.$
Forever you)ll fly free
Tommy 1ldridge. L;ormer drmmer for /88y /sborneM
I !as li%ing in (ngland and !or)ing !ith Gary :oore# I !as rehearsing !ith
Gary !hen I met Randy# Randy and /88y came do!n to the rehearsal in
order to meet Gary# $hile there& Randy pic)ed p a gitar and started
"amming !ith s for abot an hor becase Randy !as a big Gary :oore fan#
I don't )no! ho! big& bt big enogh to come do!n to the rehearsal to meet
Gary# This all too) place in London# I did the tor !ith Gary and a cople of
albms# It !as right after I left Pat Tra%elors and I !anted to hang ot o%er
there for a !hile and ha%e the opportnity to play !ith some (nglish
msicians# I !as o%er there for abot a year and a half#
:y first impression of Randy !as ho! small he !as# I hadn't e%en heard
him play yet and so that !as my first impression of him# ,e !as "st sch a
small gy# Then& he pic)ed p the gitar !hich !as a Les Pal and !hat he
!as playing at the time& and it loo)ed li)e a precession bass# ,e "st started
"amming !ith it and it !as absoltely ama8ing7
I had )no!n /88y from !hen he !as !ith Blac) +abbath# 1t that time& I
!as !ith a band called Blac) /a) 1r)ansas !hich !as a sothern band# $e
!ent to spport Blac) +abbath on one of their tors# The first time that
tored otside of the Jnited +tates !as to tor in (rope and +cotland in
order to spport Blac) +abbath# That is ho! and !hen I met /88y /sborne#
I !or)ed !ith Gary for a !hile and then /88y and +haron approached me#
+haron& !ho !as /88y's girlfriend at the time& became his manager and
later his !ife# ,er name !as +haron 1rden at the time and her father o!ned
?ett Records !hich !as the label that /88y !as signed to# They contacted
me and I decided to "oin# $e aditioned Rdy +ar8o along !ith some other
bass players# $e chose Rdy and !ent off to do the Bli88ard of /8 and then
the tor
I thin) that the Bli88ard of /8 !as a real coming ot for Randy# Playing !ith
Randy !as a %ery memorable e9perience for me# I ha%e been %ery blessed to
ha%e !or)ed !ith many notable gitarists o%er the years# Randy Rhoads
sho!ed me e%erything that a gitarist is spposed to be# ,e is the one that all
of the others are "dged by as far as my taste in a gitarist# ,e !as "st so
original and he !as also a real technician# Those t!o things are almost
mtally e9clsi%e in a gitarist# I mean& yo get some gy that can play
really technical& bt they really ha%e nothing to say# It's li)e someone !ho
has a great %ocablary bt they don't e9press any passion !ith anything that
they try to con%ey to people# They )no! e%ery !ord in the dictionary bt
they don't ha%e anything of importance to say#
Randy !as so able to play !ith sch passion# 1part from e%erything else&
Randy had many special 2alities that had absoltely nothing to do !ith
gitar playing or being a msician# ,e !as a !onderfl hman being and
those 2alities carried o%er into his msic# ?st his personality# ,e loo)ed
%ery mch li)e he sonded# @ery dynamic on stage# ,e definitely broght
the best ot of me# I thin) that the best playing that I ha%e e%er done !as
!hile I !as !or)ing !ith Randy Rhoads# *or really only as good as the
people yo are !or)ing !ith# It's probably ho! :itch :itchel felt !hile
!or)ing !ith ?imi ,endri9& or ho! ?ohn Bonam mst ha%e felt !hile
!or)ing !ith ?immy Page#
Randy !as a real s!eetheart of a gy# ,e !as %ery hmble# ,e had a
respect for me becase I had established myself in the bsiness before he
cold# ,e !as not in -ah' of me& bt a bit of a fan only becase I !as a
cople of years older than he !as and had been in the bsiness for a !hile#
,e had heard abot me and )ne! that I had !or)ed !ith Gary and some
other gitarists that he loo)ed p to# $hene%er Randy and I first got to
playing& I !old loo) at him and say& <$o!7 That !as absoltely
ama8ing7<# ,e !old almost blsh after I !old say things li)e that becase
he "st coldn't belie%e that someone !as complementing him# That is "st
the )ind of person that he !as# ,e !as so easy to get along !ith# I ne%er
heard him raise his %oice to anyone# (%er# ,e !as "st a %ery s!eet man# it
!as a big loss for e%eryone !hen he died#
Loo)ing bac) on that tragic day& I remember that !e had been tra%eling& of
corse li)e !e did e%ery night# $e !ere coming throgh the soth on or
!ay to ;lorida and !ere going to stop at or coach company !hich !as in
Kassenie or someplace li)e that# The bs dri%er& !ho !as also a pilot& li%ed
there becase ot bs company !as based there# ,e said to s se%eral times&
-!ell& !hen !e stop there I !ill ta)e yo gys p for a little "oy ride'# I !as
not interested at all becase I tra%el for a li%ing and the last thing that I !ant
to do on my spare time is get on an airplane# I !as "st not interested at all#
Pls& this gy had been tra%eling all night and had no bsiness flying an
airplane#
$e arri%ed there early in the morning and I !as still in bed& half asleep and I
cold hear the plane flying arond# Don 1iry had gone p# $hen they
landed& I cold hear someone saying& <Randy& yo shold go7<# +o& Randy
and Rachel& !ho !as or !ardrobe lady decided to go# Rachel !as
+haron's fathers' maid# +he !as a blac) lady in her mid fifties !ith a heart
condition#
The last time that I sa! Randy !as !hen he !al)ed do!n the isle of the bs
and flng open the crtains to my bn)# ,e grabbed me to !a)e me p and
said& <Tommy& come on7 Let's go for a ride7<# I said& <Randy& I don't
!ant to go p in that silly airplane right no! and I tell yo& nobody has any
bsiness p there# The gy has been dri%ing all night and has no bsiness
being p there flying arond7<# ,e said to me& <oh& come on<# 1gain& I
said no# +o& Randy and Rachel !ent p# It !as abot FBCCa#m# at that point
and I cold hear them flying arond# I had "st gotten p& pored some mil)
into my tea and !as stirring it !hen all of a sdden there !as this hge smash
and then the roof of the bs off7 Right abo%e !here I !as standing7 I cold
immediately smell fiber glass and all of these !eird smells# I !as still half
asleep# The bs dri%ers girlfriend !as at the door of the bs and began
screaming# I !ent rnning otside the door of the bs yelling at e%eryone and
as)ing & <!hat happened0<# 1ll that I cold hear !as& <they hit the bs7<#
I coldn't see the airplane# The bs !as par)ed in front of this home !hich
!as %ery strange becase this home and the rn!ay !as ot in the middle of
no!here# There !as the landing strip and then this home !hich had a
circlar dri%e !ay in the front of it# Then& there !as nothing bt !oods
arond# The bs !as par)ed in front of the home and the tip of the !ing hit
the bs and then the plane do%e do!n into this garage section of the hose#
1fter lea%ing the bs and hearing !hat e%eryone !as saying had happened& I
trned arond and reali8ed at that point that the plane had indeed hit the bs&
thogh I !as still trying to find the plane# I coldn't find it7 all of a sdden&
I see all of this blac) smo)e coming off of the roof and I am thin)ing& <oh my
god& they hit the roof of the hose7<# I !ent rnning arond and the garage
door !as open# I reali8ed at that point that the plane !as in the garage# I
cold almost see it# I started to go into the garage and at that point it "st
e9ploded# It ble! me completely bac)!ards and it singed the hair on my eye
lashes# It !as a hge e9plosion# I "mped p and reali8ed that no!& the
entire hose !as on fire& so I ran arond the hose to see if anyone !as
inside# I !ent p to the front door and trned the )nob# It !as not loc)ed
and so I "st !al)ed inside# There !as this old man sitting there and I
startled him really good# ,e !as deaf and I didn't )no! that at the time# ,e
had no idea !hat !as going on and here I !as& this strange man in his hose
!ith blac) stff all o%er my hair and face# I !as yelling at him and I can only
imagine !hat !as going thogh this gys head# ,e finally came otside of
the hose !hich soon brned literally to the grond# The ;ire Department
finally came ot there thogh there !as no fire hydrant any!here and so the
hose "st brned !ith the plane in the garage#
(%eryone !as so frantic# 1ngry at each other and %ery chaotic# It !as "st
terrible# In a flash& Randy !as in the bs saying& <come on Tommy& come
on7< and then he !as gone# =e%er to be seen again# $e !ere all se%erely
affected by it thogh Rdy e%en more so since he had !or)ed !ith randy so
closely and he really )ne! Randy longer than any of s# It !as throgh
Randy that Rdy became in%ol%ed in the band# It "st really emotionally
affected Rdy#
I remember !hen Randy came p to me and !as "st enchanted !ith the
classical gitar# ,e !anted to get ot of the roc) n' roll bsiness and go bac)
to school in order to ta)e corses in classical msic# Randy !old try and
ta)e gitar lessons in e%ery city that !e stopped in# ,e !old al!ays try and
find a classical gitar teacher in to!n and ta)e a lesson from them# =ine
times ot of ten he !old !ind p gi%ing them the lesson since he !as so
mch more 2alified that most of the teachers !ere# Teaching is !hat he !as
doing initially# ,e taght gitar at his mothers msic school#
Randy had decided that he "st did not !ant to do !hat he !as doing
anymore in roc) n' roll# ,e !as %ery disenchanted !ith e%erything and
confided in me a nmber of times abot his dissatisfaction !ith the roc) n'
roll bsiness and ho! he !anted to get bac) to the prism of the gitar# That
is !hat he had inspired to do# ,e !anted to go bac) and finali8e his
schooling and become a classical gitarist# ,e only did t!o records !ith
/88y /sborne and yo can only imagine the impact that he had !ith Qiet
Riot in ?apan !hen he ne%er e%en set foot there7 ,e !old ha%e been
ama8ing7
+bse2ent to Randy's death& I tried to stay arond and help /88y ot !ith
trying to find another gitarist to finish the tor !ith# It !as %ery togh for
/88y becase Randy Rhoads and Bob Daisley pt all of that material
together# Randy had sch a hge impact on /88y's career p ntil maybe his
last t!o or three albms# That is ama8ing and it completely astonds me7
Randy made sch an impact !ith "st those t!o records that he did !ith
/88y#
$e broght in an Irish gitarist by the name of Bernie Torme# I didn't )no!
anything abot him bt !e !ere stc) bet!een a roc) and a hard spot
becase !e had dates that had to be done# That is the reason that I stayed# I
tried to help +haron and /88y# I really felt sorry for /88y becase he !as
"st so lost# I felt a real loyalty and responsibility to +haron and /88y to try
and help them get it together# To find someone !ho cold at least gi%e /88y
a chance to finish that tor and flfill his commitments# /88y ltimately
fond a great gitarist in >a)) $ylde& bt he ne%er fond !hat he had in
Randy e%er again# That only comes once in a lifetime# That pac)age !here
yo ha%e a gy !ho is an ama8ing gitarist& an inno%ator and !ho is also a
creator and terrific song !riter# 1 composer# Randy !as a composer#
Randy had all of that information# That is !hy he is still so re%ered and his
name is still going# $hat he did !as really timeless# ?st listen to those
records# ,is choice of notes and ho! he chose to play# Those riffs in the
msic& those !ere his riffs7 I "st felt so fortnate to be in%ol%ed !ith
someone li)e Randy# ,e !as the instincti%e and moti%ation for me to get
together !ith /88y# It !as to !or) !ith Randy Rhoads# I !as not a Blac)
+abbath fan# Those gys se to scare me to death7 I !old see them come
ot and perform and I !old "st thin) to myself& -oh man& I had better go to
chrch after this7'# I !as "st not a hge Blac) +abbath fan# I !ent !ith
/88y /sborne becase of Randy Rhoads# Becase of Randy's in%ol%ement#
,e !as "st simply ama8ing7
(ri)a Gabert. L;anM
I disco%ered Randy Rhoads arond 455G# That is actally !hen I first
remember hearing his name# I didn't start to listen to his msic or learn abot
him ntil arond 455P pr 455D# I feel that Randy's impact on the msic scene
is immense& !hether people reali8e it or not# ,e sho!ed people ho! to
incorporate classical msic into hea%y metal and he demonstrated ho! the
gitar !as trly spposed to be played# ,is attitde to!ard most things !as
calm& patient and dedicated# ,e !as %ery remar)able#
Randy's inflence on people !ill al!ays be felt# It !ill ne%er go a!ay
becase Randy died so yong# I find that people seem to admire and respect
him all the more becase of that# (%en thogh it has been o%er fifteen years
since his death& people !ill ne%er forget him or his msic# ,e !ill al!ays
li%e on# Randy made so many accomplishments dring his short life# It is
"st ama8ing7 ,is most memorable has to be his ob%ios and incredible
talents on the gitar& his lo%e of classical msic and being able to merge that
classical msic !ith hea%y metal# I once heard that classical msic is li)e the
1B3's of msic# If this is tre& Randy certainly reali8ed it#
I thin) that my fa%orite song is -:r# 3ro!ley'# There is something abot that
song# It ne%er gets old and ne%er gets tiring# It sho!s off Randy as !ell as
/88y's talents %ery accrately#
:att ;rench.
L:sician/Gitarist/+ong!riter for the grop T;renchT$M
It mst ha%e been arond 45FD# I se to listen to a lot of different )inds of
msic at the time thogh I pretty mch gre! p arond hea%y metal type
msic becase of my dad# :y sister also listened to /88y /sborne# :y
childhood seems to ha%e a lot of memories of /88y's msic and Kiss
concerts7 1fter hearing Randy play& I !as %ery impressed# ,e seemed to
bring bac) style to roc) n' roll# 1fter the disco era& it !as li)e a breath of
fresh air# I started playing msic !hen I !as abot t!el%e years old# I
started on a E6D#CC acostic and !or)ed p to the ;lying @ that I o!n today#
I thin) that Randy's greatest gift !as that he inspired so many people# That
is a pretty good accomplishment# To be thoght of as one of the greatest
more than fifteen year after yor death is really something# :y fa%orite
Randy Rhoads song is -Diary of a :adman'# It has sch a different sond to
it# =ot li)e anything else# ,e ses abot e%ery type of msic that he e%er got
really good at playing# ,e combined so mch in that one song and he also
brings a lot of classical gitar into it as !ell#
Robert ;orster. L;anM
I am not e9actly sre !hen I first heard Randy& bt I remember abot ele%en
years ago& maybe e%en longer than that& I !as o%er at a friends party and I
heard this a!esome msic in the bac) grond# The song !as -Iron :an'
done by /88y /sborne and Randy Rhoads on the Randy Rhoads//88y
/sborne Tribte albm# I trly en"oyed the msic7 The gitar !as
e9cellent# It is %ery difficlt to pt the emotion that I felt into !ords# I !as
"st tapping a!ay !ith my foot and mentally singing along and fighting the
rge to play the air gitar7
I feel that Randy !as and still is the best7 I thin) that he lead the msic or
steered the msic to !hat is )no!n today as alternati%e# 1ll of this !ith his
mi9ed styles of gitar# ;rom !hat I nderstand& is he !as e9perimenting
!ith mi9ing msic li)e classical and roc) to form a ne! style# ,e !as also
%ery yong at the time he !as playing !ith /88y& so he had the ambition and
dri%e to become e%en better& if that !as possible& and e%en broght the ne!
age or !hat is )no!n as alternati%e msic to s listeners sooner# I also feel
that he pa%ed the road for modern msicians of today and sho!ed that yo
can ma)e it if yo desire it#
I thin) that Randy Rhoads !as my hero# ,e !as an idol to me !hen I !as
playing gitar# I can no longer play or ha%en't played in many& many years
do to carpal tnnel syndrome# ,e !as a dream of mine thogh# To play li)e
Randy and to be li)e Randy !as a dream that I once had# ;or instance&
e%ery child !ants to be +perman !ith his great po!ers# $ell& I !anted to
be li)e Randy Rhoads and his great solos7 I )ne! that if I !anted to be
famos in the msic !orld& I had to be as good or better player than Randy#
=o one& in my mind& can pt so mch emotion into the msic li)e Randy#
=ot (ddie @an ,alen& +te%e @ai& 1ce ;rehley# =o one# =one of them& to
me& can effect me emotionally as Randy cold# I did thin) that /88y
/sborne deser%ed to ha%e sch a talented person as Randy Rhoads in his
band# I thin) that Randy pt /88y on the charts# (%ery time yo see or hear
/88y /sborne& yo thin) of Randy Rhoads# I "st !ish that I cold ha%e
seen Randy in concert& close p# I only got to see him from the nose bleed
section7
Randy's most memorable accomplishment !as the blending of se%eral styles
of msic to create a ne! form or style of msic and letting the !orld hear it#
I en"oyed the msic that he created and composed# I li)e all of Randy's
songs thogh the three that come to mind as being fa%orites are -3ra8y
Train'& -Belie%er'& and -:r# 3ro!ley'#
:arc ;errari. LmsicianM
I disco%ered Randy arond 45FC !hen the Bli88ard of /88 release came ot#
(%eryone !as ra%ing abot this hot& ne! player# I thin) that Randy really
broght a breathe of fresh air to the metal scene and his classical inflences
infsed a !elcomed change# 1lthogh I admired his talent tremendosly& I
ne%er tried to copy his lic)s# I !as al!ays trying to find my o!n niche# ,e
did inspire me ho!e%er to better my o%erall playing# I sa! him play li%e in
45F4 and I !ill al!ays ha%e that memory of him playing his heart ot# he
loo)ed so cool on stage# I thin) that Randy Rhoads is among the most
inflential players of his generation# ,is most memorable accomplishments
!old ha%e to be inflencing an entire generation of players by bringing
hea%y metal !ith classical elements and helping to re%i%e the career of /88y
/sborne in the process# :y fa%orite song is -Dee'#
:ichael 38ap)ay +ddth. L;anM
I first heard of Randy in 45FG arond the time that he died# +o& I ne%er sa!
Randy in concert e9cept on %ideo# 1 friend of mine ga%e me a tape of -3ra8y
Train'# ,e said& <chec) this ot7<# I had been a Blac) +abbath fan for a fe!
years& bt !hen I heard the Bli88ard of /88& I ended p more impressed
!ith the gitarist than I !as !ith /88y# I as)ed my friend& <!ho is this gy
playing gitar0<# he told me that it !as Randy Rhoads# That !as !here it all
started#
Randy !as no mere flash gitarist& thogh some ha%e than impression# ,e
cold play fast and clean& bt his phrasing !as brilliant and his style ni2e#
I am thin)ing of his scales and his se of filler leads in particlar# ,e cold
s2ee8e a scale in "st abot any!here and the song !old ne%er loose it's
flo!#
Li)e other great gitarists& he spo)e throgh his instrment# :ore
importantly& he seemed to spea) a langage 2ite different from the typical
roc) gitarist# I attribte this in large part to his classical bac)grond#
1nyone ac2ainted !ith the classical genre can tell that Randy !as
classically trained# The classical bac)grond is apparent in e%en the most
intense of his roc) gitar solos& and it nderlies the strctre of mch of his
phrasing# Roc) msic has traditionally been gronded in bles# /ne of
Randy's important contribtions to roc) and hea%y metal is the integration of
classical scales into a msic genre that !as largely indebted to the bles
tradition# The reslt !as msically profond and technically sophisticated&
bt it !as aesthetically simple and mo%ing# If yo listen to Randy& yo
e9perience emotion and intellect# That's the sort of completeness of sol that
he commnicated throgh his instrment# Randy broght class to roc) gitar#
I !as a roc) gitarist !ith a lo%e for classical msic& bt I hadn't 2ite
figred ot ho! to pt the t!o together& mch less did I ha%e the gts to try#
Randy !as a re%elation and became a great inspiration# There is !as&
e%erything that I !as loo)ing for# It !as possible and brilliant# Randy also
taght me ho! to se the entire fretboard& to see scales in their completeness#
,e also helped me !ith my phrasing and thro!ing in lic)s as fillers !hile
)eeping rhythm# I ended p incorporating a lot of triple note scales in my
playing as a reslt of Randy's inflence#
Ric) :onroe. L:sicianM
I !as li%ing in ;lorida !hen I first heard -3ra8y Train'# I !as a little stoner
)id and a friend of mine goes& <chec) this ot7<# I heard the opening riff and I
had ne%er heard anything li)e that before# I !as "st ama8ed# :sically at
the time& it !as a big trn arond from !hat I !as into# Before then& I !as
really into Blac) +abbath& Pin) ;loyd and maybe some Kiss# Randy had "st
a !hole different sond# 1fter that& I "st started listening to his msic#
$hat )eeps inspiring people is his indlgent persistence to techni2e& and his
ability to "st let loose# ,e !as so !ell trained and yet so loose7 ,e !as so
cra8y on the gitar7 ,e !as able to do both !here a lot of people !ho are
!ell schooled can't let loose and the people !ho are really loose are not
really !ell schooled#
-3ra8y Train' mst be my fa%orite song# That is the riff of all times7 Randy
and +te%ie Ray @aghn# Those gys gy "st basically bled notes# *o
)no!& some people play and some people bleed# It seems as thogh the ones
that bleed someho! get ta)en a!ay#
Roberto @itoriano. L;anM
I disco%ered Randy !hen I !as a yong boy at the beginning of the eighties#
+ome of my friends& fans of /88y& ga%e me some tapes !ith some li%e
recordings# I soon too) notice that the person playing on those tapes !as a
perfect genis# I !ill ne%er forget abot the day that I recei%ed those tapes# I
still ha%e them after si9teen years7
I thin) that Randy played !ith his intelligence and o!n capacity# ,e created
an impact that sensiti%e people noticed %ery 2ic)ly# The impact of his msic
brings ot emotions in people# Randy played the msic perfectly# Randy
contines to inspire people and he !ill do that fore%er# ,e !as so ni2e in
his style of playing# ,e didn't "st se the gitar as an instrment& bt as a
!ay of e9pressing his personality and sol# The gitar spo)e the !ords that
he !anted to say# +ome artists sho! their emotions throgh paintings or
!riting# Randy sho!ed his throgh the gitar#
I li%e in Bra8il# $e ha%e %ery strong roc) inflences here# $e ha%e roc)
msicians for the international scenery# Randy is %ery !ell )no!n here
becase he !as playing at a time !hen hard roc) and hea%y metal seemed to
come into this contry# It !as the beginning of the eighties# Radny left
inflences here as ?imi ,endri9 left for the people !ho listened to roc) in the
se%enties#
:ar) $ood. L(lectric @iolinist and 3omposerM
I first heard of Randy !hen most e%erybody did# It !as !hen /88y
/sborne pic)ed him p as a gitar player# (%eryone !as !aiting to see !ho
/88y !old pic) as the -gitar hero'& and ob%iosly he pic)ed the right gy#
I play %iolin and ha%e played at the last t!o Randy Rhoads Benefit 3oncerts#
I play a si9 string fregit electric %iolin and I play sort of a hea%y metal %ersion
of %iolin playing# I fond that !hen I did the Randy Rhoads Benefit 3oncert&
the cro!d !ent cra8y !hen they sa! be playing the gitar transcriptions of
-:r# 3ro!ley' on the %iolin7 To me& it !as a big thrill to be able to play his
solos !hich I felt al!ays addressed classical msic# It "st all really fit in
!ell !ith the %iolin# Randy had a great classical sense to his playing and his
inpro%agations# I totally fell in lo%e !ith his msic !hen I first heard it# ;or
years after& I !old learn his solos on %iolin& not on gitar# +o& his inflence
to me !as different than other gitar players#
Rdy +ar8o !as nice enogh to in%ite me to the first and second Randy
Rhoads Benefit 3oncert and it !as al!ays sch a treat to play in front of
these )ids !ho !old see me !al) p on stage !ith my !eird %iolin and rip
into a Randy Rhoads solo7 It !as definitely one of my biggest thrills& to be
able to share that !ith all of those )ids# To be able to sho! them ho!
msical Randy !as# It really "st !asn't "st all abot his gitar playing# It
!as a lot abot his notes and his note selection !hich !as pathacable to
msic more than "st to a specific instrment sch as a gitar# It !as really&
really cool# In fact& on my ne! record& I am probably going to do a %ersion
of -:r# 3ro!ley' and dplicate Randy's solo perfectly# Playing it on a %iolin
and sho!ing ho! pathacable it is to this particlar instrment and also ho!
%ersatile his msic !as# I ha%e "st been a hge& hge fan of his# It !as also
an honor at the concert to meet his mother and his family# It !as an honor to
be able to stand ot from all of the other gitar players !ho !ere standing on
stage doing e9actly !hat Randy did# It !as nice and !onderfl to hear and
share that& bt I also feel that it !as an added thrill to me& to be able to bring
something different to the party#
It is hard to say !hy Randy contines to inspire people so many years after
his death# The msic indstry in the Jntied +tates is so different than it !as
bac) then# Jnfortnately& the people !ho really ha%e beatifl techni2e
and practice their instrments and ha%e fla!less control o%er their instrment
are not standing# It may change& I hope# :ostly in (rope and ?apan&
Randy's dra! there is %ery& %ery inflential# I thin) that "st for me in
general& "st to get his classical inflence !ith roc) and bring ot this
beatiflly clean techni2e and clear msical ideas of that )ind of msic#
Jnfortnately& he ne%er really de%eloped the !ay he !anted to becase of
his early death# $ho )no!s !hat he !as going to prse# It !old ha%e
been incredible# 1fter the /88y /sborne thing& his catalog of !or) is %ery
short# That is %ery nfortnate# I am not familiar !ith his Qiet Riot !or)
bt I do )no! that his /88y !or) !as his best at that time#
-:r# 3ro!ley' is my fa%orite song to perform# The li%e record of Randy that
/88y pt ot is !ithot a dobt the finest playing of Randy's# It is the
Tribte albm# I bild my o!n %iolins and I can remember being in my !ood
shop and listening to a li%e broadcast of Randy# It !as so astonishing to hear
him play li)e that# The recorded %ersions seemed farley stiff bt then !hen
yo heard him play them li%e& it !as li)e a fireball7
Randy is !ithot 2estion the only gitar player that has e%er capti%ated
/88y's career# +ince Randy's death& /88y's msic is still great and >a))
$ylde !as great& bt nothing really got bac) to that intensity and po!er of
!riting and playing that Randy broght to the table# (%eryone !as "st sort
of imitating !hat Randy !as doing# It !as %ery difficlt for anyone to fill his
shoes# $e !ill al!ays resort to listening bac) to the Bli88ard of /88 and
Diary of a :adman to hear that )ind of playing# 1t the time& he !as in
competition !ith (ddie @an ,alen !hich !as really difficlt for Randy
becase he didn't !ant that and he !anted to get ot of that# I can remember
reading articles !here he !old tal) abot trying to escape that )ind of
imitati%e !hammy bar )ind of hot dog playing# ,e !as so far beyond that
bt he had to do some of that becase the msic demanded it at the itme# I
can only imagine !hat )ind of !or) he !old be doing no! if he !old ha%e
li%ed#
Randy& as a person !asn't li)e some gitarists in the pblic eye !ho are
hea%y drin)ers& partiers or dggies !ho destroy hotel rooms# Randy !as
ne%er loo)ed pon li)e that# ,e al!ays had a tremendos amont of self
respect and carried a gentle and shy natre abot him# I remember reading
abot !hen they !old tor& in each city that they stopped in he !old go
and see) ot a classical gitar teacher in order to ta)e a fe! lessons and )eep
his chops p# ;or me& I thin) that's the epitome of a great mentor to )ids&
other than someone !ho trashes hotel rooms# I don't )no! if that is
something that is really pshed as part of his legacy& thogh that is something
that I !ill al!ays respect and remember abot Randy#
?ohnny 3oghlin. L;anM
I !as listening to the radio one day !hen I heard them say& <this is $333
4CA#5 radio in ,artford& 3onnectict and !e ha%e some terrible ne!s to
annonce# 45F4's Gitar Player of the *ear and my personal fa%orite gitar
player& Randy Rhoads& lead gitarist for /88y /sborne !as )illed a fe!
hors ago in a plane crash some!here in ;lorida<# ,e said it !ith sch
emotion that e%erybody in the room at the time became 2iet# 1fter that&
Randy Rhoads memorabilia became a part of my life# The more listened
Randy& the more I !anted to be able to play the gitar# I started ta)ing
lessons from the Gitar 1cademy# I learned to really listen to a song's
content# =ot "st the !ords or the beat of a drm# *o listen to the
bac)grond and the little fills that Randy became famos for# I definitely
thin) that I started playing gitar to be a Randy Rhoads bt that happens to
%ery fe! people#
Randy al!ays did and al!ays !ill be affiliated !ith being a roc) n' roll god#
,e !as e%erything that a gitar player cold be# he had the right attitde&
good loo)s and a bright& !arm personality# ,e !as %ery inno%ati%e and
played almost impossible fills that are not heard at all anymore# That style of
gitar playing has disappeared# (%erybody li)es to thro! on an old albm
and listen to the classic hea%y metal msic# $hen yo thin) of Randy
Rhoads& yo are thin)ing of the best7 Randy !ill al!ays be remembered by
yoths becase he !as li)e the ?imi ,endri9 of the eighties# ,e broght s a
ne! blistering solo pattern to try and copy and imitate at home or for or
friends# ,e !ill al!ays be in my memory# Randy !ill also al!ays be
remembered for being the elite# ,is infamos gitar& his long blonde hair&
his ability to ta)e the gitar !here it had ne%er gone before& and of corse
being !ith /88y /sborne# That is !hat really pt Randy on the mar)et#
God bless /88y for )eeping his memory ali%e and standing by his side& ne%er
forgetting him e%en after all of these years#
I really li)e the entire B.side of Diary of a :adman# I li)e both albms %ery
mch thogh I li)e the rns and all the gitar solo's that fade ot on that side
of the record# it ma)es yo thin) of ho! good this )id really !as !hen he
starts to "am and pt all that gitar !or) at the end of a song# (%en :a9
=orman& the prodcer said& <the )id played on and on at the end of those
songs on that record<# It ma)es yo !ant to get the tapes from /88y's %alt
and "st listen to the gitar !or) that Randy thre! a!ay# It !as probably
incredible& bt if it !asn't perfect& randy !old not ha%e pt it on the record#
,e !as a real perfectionist7
(ric ?ohns. L:sicianM
I first got into Rhoads and his !hole style of playing !hen I !as abot ele%en
or t!el%e years old# :y mom !as a stdio msician !ho did mostly contry
and eighties style contry roc)& singing in =ash%ille dring the !hole rban
co!boy era# +o& there !as al!ays tons of different )inds of msic in or
hose# :ostly& I can remember listening to a lot of ;leet!ood :ac and
Boston# Bands li)e that# 1ny!ay& arond that time I met some )ids at my
school !ho !ere older than me and !ere into /88y and Blac) +abbath# /ne
day& I !as o%er at somebody's hose and they pt on a copy of Bli88ard of
/88# I !as totally blo!n a!ay7 I had ne%er really heard anyone combine
classical modes and strctres into really hea%y metal msic# I remember
sa%ing my allo!ance for !ee)s to be able to get Diary of a :adman and my
o!n copy of the Bli88ard of /88# 1fter listening to Diary of a :adman once&
I !as hoo)ed7
Randy's impact on the !hole msic scene of the eighties and early nineties is
ndeniable7 ,e solo style has been copied by more people than anyone else&
e9cept maybe (ddie @an ,alen# The !hole gothic metal !a%e of bands !as
pretty mch entirely inspired by his style# I )no! that !hen I !as si9teen and
in my first real band& !e !old ha%e )illed to be able to !rite something as
scary as -Diary of a :adman'& or -+#1#T#/#'# $e ne%er e%en got close#
That !as part of the genis of !hat he did that separated him from his
imitators# ,e ne%er sonded contri%ed or clichU# ,e ne%er became a parody
of himself# ,is msic !ill al!ays be noble#
Randy inspired me at the beginning of my attempts to become a msician#
,is msic opened me p to e9ploring different types of msic that I !old not
ha%e normally been e9posed to# Throgh !anting to find basis for his
classical inflences& I disco%ered Bach& Paganini& 3hopin and more# In fact&
if I hadn't disco%ered the !hole gothic metal thing !hen I did& I don't )no!
if I !old still be singing today# 1t the %ery least& I can say that I definitely
!old be singing something %astly different from !hat I do no!#
I thin) that Randy's msic still inspires creati%e people e%en after that style of
msic has gone ot of fashion& becase it is simply good art# There is an
attention to detail in his playing that "st !asn't there in many albms then or
no!# To be honest& I otgre! the lyrical content of any of /88y's msic by
the time I !as si9teen# $hat )ept my interest !as the msic#
Randy's biggest accomplishment to me& !as bringing respectability to a
genre of msic that !as considered to be pretty lo!bro! amongst serios
msicians# =o one has really attempted !hat he did in all too short of a
recording career# ,e blended classical and hard roc) perfectly& !hile still
ma)ing it catchy enogh to sing along !ith and sha)e yor fist to#
:y fa%orite song is definitely -Diary of a :adman'7 I totally lo%e the Bach
inflenced passages& especially in the coda of the song !hen they are played
!ith distortion# The first time that I heard it I got chills7
Barbara 3alhon. L;anM
Li)e most people& I disco%ered Randy !hen I first heard -3ra8y Train'# I
!as on the bs going to school and one of the older )ids !as listening to it at
the bac) of the bs# I !as so capti%ated7 It !as "st so different# Then& I
!ent to stay the night !ith my friend ,olly and she had the Bli88ard of /88
albm on and !e listened to it that !hole night# It )ept playing o%er and o%er
and !e "st coldn't get enogh of it# Randy had the sond that e%eryone in
my generation !as "st !aiting on# I boght the Bli88ard of /88 on cassette
and the Diary of a :adman# I played those t!o tapes ntil they !old not
play anymore# *o coldn't e%en read the !riting on them7 I !as ele%en
years old then and t!enty se%en no! and I still listen to those t!o 3D's all
the time7 (ach time I listen to them I can pic) ot something different in
Randy that I hadn't noticed before# 1ll the fades li)e in the song -Tonight'#
If yo trn it p e9tremely lod !hen it's fading ot yo can hear some really&
really a!esome stff in there# The song !as o%er and Randy !as "st
beginning7 I gess his life ended mch li)e the msic he !rote ended#
I thin) that randy taght a lot of people that it's not abot being a roc) star&
bt abot being a msician# ,e seemed to create a positi%e )arma
e%ery!here he !ent# 1side from being a massi%ely talented msician& I
thin) that he earned a lot of respect from other msicians becase of his
!hole attitde# That combined !ith the mastery of his craft made %ery lasting
impressions on people# ,e !as the )ind of gitarist that e%eryone in a band
!ished they had or !ished that they cold be# =o matter ho! good he got&
he !old stri%e to be e%en better# I thin) that Randy is a roc) n' roll royalty#
Randy is recogni8ed as a msician and not a roc) star# It is the same reason
!hy a lot of legends are created# ,e shined abo%e and beyond the rest# ,e
!as %ery talented and he !as the gitarist of or time# *onger gitarists
!old stri%e to be "st li)e him and a lot of it has "st carried on# *o )no!&
the Randy Rhoads inflence came ot in a lot of bands# People play his
gitars# I thin) that Randy pt ?ac)son Gitars on the map# 1 lot of
gitarists !ere inflenced by him& sch as Darrell from Pantera& and then
others are inflenced by them# +o& it's )ind of a chain reaction# I e%en get a
lot of e.mail from yonger people !ho ha%e recently disco%ered Randy
Rhoads and are "st a!estrc) and !ant to )no! more abot him# 1lmost
e%ery Randy Rhoads fan has said this at least once in their life# I !ish there
!as more or I can only imagine ho! he !old be no!# I rn a Randy
Rhoads $eb +ite and my goal !ith it is definitely to )eep Randy's memory
ali%e# there is not a lot ot there on Randy anymore# ?st a fe! years ago&
yo cold go into any msic store and by the Diary of a :adman or Bli88ard
of /88 tab boo)s& bt no! yo can't e%en order them throgh those same
stores# :aga8ines don't really co%er anything abot Randy anymore# (%ery
year in :arch they se to rn some sort of Randy remembered thing& bt that
is scarce anymore# I rn my !eb site becase I ha%e tidbits of Randy that I
ha%e collected o%er the years and a lot of it's lost or gone& bt !hat I do ha%e
I )eep on y !eb site so that other people can en"oy it as !ell# I rn the
Randy Rhoads !eb ring becase a lot of people !ho also rn Randy sites
!old e.mail me and !ant to e9change lin)s and so I "st got ambitios one
day and decided to ma)e cool graphics and stff and lin) s all together# I
am actally prod of the !eb ring becase I didn't thin) that there !as going
to be that many Randy pages ot there# I thogh that there !old only be fi%e
of s& bt there are no! li)e forteen sites in the ring# To me& that is a lot of
!eb space that is dedicated to Randy& and that says that there are a lot more
people ot there that !ho )no! talent and passion !hen they hear it or see it#
the response that I recei%e from people is o%er!helming# I get tons of e.mail
from people !ho "st !ant to say that they lo%e Randy as mch as I do# it is
really cool# *o shold read some of the entries in my gest boo)& on the
!eb ring page and on my page# Both of my Randy sites ha%e !on a!ards
and ?ac)son Gitars ses my !eb site as their Randy Rhoads lin)# I am %ery
prod# I lo%e Randy Rhoads and I !ant e%erybody in the !orld to )no! ho!
massi%ely talented he !as# the !ay I see it& the only reason that !e ha%e
history is becase someone& some!here recorded it in some fashion or
another# :e being the old school metal head that I am decided that !e need
ot history to be preser%ed# That is my contribtion to my peers#
I thin) that Randy !as a pioneer# ,e too) metal to a ne! le%el and the cool
thing is !as that no one cold deny the fact that he !as trly an e9cellent
msician# This is inclding people !ho don't e%en li)e metal# +o& I gess
that !hat I am trying to say is that he really pt that form of msic on the map
as a serios form of msic& and not "st that blaring crap that e%eryone
al!ays yelled at yo to trn do!n# he !as %ery di%erse and open minded#
,e gained recognition and respect in an indstry !here he cold ha%e easily
been passed off as a dime a do8en& and he did it in sch a short time from the
time he got !ith /88y# I thin) that this is a sensational accomplishment for
sch a soft spo)en& shy and modest type of a person# ,andling that )ind of
attention mst ha%e been %ery hard for a personality li)e that and he did it
!ith so mch grace#
:y fa%orite songs are -Diary of a :adman'& -Re%elation :other (arth'& and
-:r# 3ro!ley'# I lo%e the eerie& tragic& classical feel to those songs# I thin)
that those three lean on me more to!ard !hat !as inside Randy then !e !ill
e%er be able to )no!#
Pal +chrader. L:sician for nati%e Tonge# Bass playerM
I !as in grade school !hen my best friend& !ho !as for years older than
me& got the Bli88ard of /88 albm# That !as it for me# Randy Rhoads
inflenced a lot of players !hen I !as gro!ing p# (%eryone seemed to copy
him !hen he !as ali%e# Randy !rote the coolest songs and they !ere ones
that I tried to learn !hen I first started playing gitar# I thin) that his greatest
accomplishments !ere the t!o records that he did !ith /88y /sborne#
Bob Bla)e. L;anM
I !as in high school in 3onnectict in 45FC.45F4& !hen a friend of mine
disco%ered the Bli88ard of /88# It soon became a fa%orite albm along !ith
@an ,alen I# $e !ere pleasantly sprised !hen immediately after hat&
Diary of a :adman came ot# $e listened to those t!o albms 2ite often#
1mong gitar players and gitar dominated msic& Randy opened a lot of
eyes and ears# ,is stff had a total freshness to it& !ithot ignoring the tried
and tre concepts of scales& chord progressions and harmony# I thin) a lot of
players get stc) in a particlar genre and don't !or) enogh of different
styles into their playing# Randy sho!ed ho! classical msic cold contribte
sefl things to the hea%ier styles# In am not a msician per se& bt I do play
a little gitar# (%ery so often I pic) p the tab for something from either
Bli88ard of /88 or Diary of a :adman to challenge myself# ;or someone as
small as he !as& Randy sre did ha%e a great reach# Both my right and left
hand techni2e has to impro%e before I can do "stice to any of Randy's
msic#
;or those of s !ho ha%e heard and remember his msic& he !ill al!ays be a
part of or li%es# Time !ill only tell ho! long people )eep playing his stff
and ho! mch impact he !ill ha%e in the ftre# It !old ha%e been
interesting to see ho! far he !old ha%e progressed of he had li%ed longer#
Robert ?ohnson died at an early age bt is still remembered by the bles
commnity after all of these years since his death#
I really lo%e +icide +oltion# :sically and lyrically it is great# I e%en bring
p the song in my classes !hen !e tal) abot chemical soltions# People
al!ays thin) that the song sggests sicide as an ans!er# They don't reali8e
that it is a !arning that alcohol soltions !ill )ill yo# It is an e9ample of
/88y's ne9pected intelligence#
Rob ?ohnson. LGitaristM
I !as thirteen or forteen !hen I first started to get into the gitar# I thoght
that the gitar player !ith /88y /sborne !as really good# Randy probably
had a greater impact in my gitar playing than (ddie @an ,alen or people
li)e that# I li)ed @an ,alen& thogh I li)ed Randy's techni2e a bit more#
Randy made me definitely !ant to start stdying more as far as learning my
scales and chords# $or)ing on melodies# I tried to learn all the riffs from the
Bli88ard of /88 and Diary of a :adman# ,e certainly inspired me to
impro%e my techni2e and aspects of melody# I li)e a lot of his rhythm !or)
as !ell as I do his leads#
I thin) that one of his greatest accomplishments !as "st being able to play
!ith sch a famos band and roc) star li)e /88y& and being a great gitar
player# ,is biggest accomplishment !as also inspiring a !hole ne! breed of
gitar players from his style# I thin) that all of his inspiration is his greatest
accomplishment e%er#
,is inspiration contines becase if yo listen to his playing& it's "st
ama8ing and "st by the %ideos that I ha%e seen and the li%e albms that I
ha%e heard& yo can "st feel the passion that he has for the gitar# I thin)
that he has al!ays been the best gitar player that /88y has e%er had# I thin)
that is it# $hen he did those albms& it "st ble! people's minds becase of
the techni2e& song !riting and his sense of composition and melody# It is
%ery hard to play his msic e%en today# +ome of his riffs and lic)s are still
%ery hard# Li)e (ric 3lapton's msic& e%en thogh he does inspire people&
his msic is not as difficlt to play as Randy's is# The reason that I li)e
Randy is that he "st !asn't li)e an e%ery other day person that !as
inflenced by the bles# I !as pretty inspired by hi classical inspiration and
thoght that it !as %ery cool that he !as applying that to roc) msic# before
anybody7
/ne of my fa%orite songs is -Little Dolls' from Diary of a :adman# I li)e
-*o 3an't Kill Roc) =' Roll' and also the solo from -:r# 3ro!ley'#
3rtis Priest. LfanM
I disco%ered Randy abot t!o years ago !hen I !as listening to the radio#
The song !as -3ra8y Train' and then they played -/%er the :ontain' after
that# 1fter I heard those t!o songs I !ent ot and boght the albm Diary of
a :adman and it is my fa%orite albm that I o!n besides Bli88ard of /88#
Randy's impact on the msic scene !as %ery important# It didn't really effect
contry and "a88& bt to all other styles of msic it mst ha%e had a hge
impact# It changes the !ay !e loo) at msic today becase it ma)es s loo)
beyond the lyrics and the msic itself# It ma)es me loo) into the techni2e
and the years of dedication it ta)es to be in the msic bsiness#
Randy inflenced me not to "st ha%e a good techni2e on the gitar bt a
great techni2e# ,e taght me that if I learned to play all styles of msic sch
as roc)& classical and metal& that I !old become a mch better gitarist# By
)no!ing these different styles& it opens p yor range of ideas and msical
)no!ledge#
?st li)e the sitation !ith me& the radio pts on the old classic albms of all
time and yo get to hear these )iller gitarists li)e Randy& Lynard +)ynard
and +te%ie Ray @aghn# Gitarists that yo really ne%er heard of# Then a
song comes on the radio and yo are "st totally blo!n a!ay by the tone that
the gitar has and it's li)e& <!o!7 ,o! cold I ha%e not heard these gys
before0<# That is ho! it all gets started# Randy also inflences all of the
!orld !ith his solos that are in his songs and his combinations of metal and
classical gitar#
In my opinion& the most memorable accomplishment that Randy e%er made
!as blending the t!o styles of msic together to ma)e an e9tremely ni2e
sond that no one had e%er heard before# 1lso& he made the doble tapping
techni2e !hich made a ni2e sond ot of something that e%eryone !as
copying off of @an ,alen#
-:r# 3ro!ley' is probably my fa%orite song# In that song yo ha%e clean
tone& distortion& chors& tremolo& harmonis& classical lic)s& bles riffs& bar
di%es and the t!o best sols that I ha%e e%er heard in my life7
Romero. L:sicianM
I !as fifteen !hen I first heard of Randy Rhoads# I had "st pic)ed p the
gitar and !as starting the band# The other gitarist !as really into Randy
Rhoads !here I !as into (ddie @an ,alen# It !as the case for a lot of
bic)ering# I finally heard Randy play and I really got trned onto him# (ddie
and Randy !ere both %ery ni2e artists# Bt& !hen I first heard -3ra8y
Train'& I "st thoght to myself& <!o!& this gy can really play7<# 1t that
time& I !as one of the gitarists in the band and no! I am the lead singer#
The fact that he cold pll off that acostic nmber -Dee'& "st sho!ed to me
the gro!th that he had# There's certain people li)e ?imi ,endri9& eddie @an
,alen and (ric 3lapton !ho "st ha%e their o!n style# I thin) that is !hy
Randy contines to inspire people today#
:y fa%orite song of his is -Good.bye to Romance'# The gitar solo in that
song is terrific7
Rssell Bro!n. L;anM
I !as abot ele%en or t!el%e !hen I first heard of Randy Rhoads# I cold do
nothing bt fall in lo%e !ith the gy's ability7 :y eldest brother introdced
me to the Randy Rhoads Tribte albm& as a test for his ne! hi.fi spea)ers#
/f corse& the %olme !as as high as possible and he let rip !ith -+icide
+oltion'# $o!7 It !as great7 1s soon as I had the money& I boght the LP
for myself# =o!& I ha%e e%en boght the 3D7 1t the age of forteen I pic)ed
p the gitar for the first time and boght the Tribte Tablatre boo)# I'%e
ne%er loo)ed bac)# That single piece of msic got me hea%ily into the hea%y
metal msic scene#
I thin) that Randy helped sha)e things p for hea%y metal gitar# The sper
grops of the se%enties !ere fading ot fast& and a ne! !a%e of hea%y metal
!as coming in# This !as in the form of bands li)e :etallica and +layer&
ta)ing noise le%els to the e9treme# Randy had formed a base for the speed at
!hich lead gitarists had to perform for this ne! type of msic# ,e also
helped spa!n the basis of the ftre !or) that +te%e @ai and ?oe +atriani did#
Randy helped to create the space age !hammy based gitar that they play
no!adays# It is nfortnate that the space age gitarists didn't appreciate the
color and feeling that Randy pt into his leads#
I started to play gitar at a school clb called Roc) +chool# $e learned
songs li)e -$ild Thing' by the Troggs and -Roc)in 1ll /%er the $orld' by
+tats Qo# I !anted to ta)e my gitar s)ills frther& so I boght the Randy
Rhoads Tribte tablatre# It too) me a long time to be able to play the songs&
and I still can't reach the speed at !hich Randy played# Bt& the acceleration
of my gitar s)ills !as accented by bying the Tribte boo)# I fact& I still
se it hea%ily today as it is a primary reference for my final year pro"ect at the
Jni%ersity# ,is gitar style ser%es as a cataloge of hea%y metal riffs and
lic)s# I can play almost any hea%y metal trac) after a fe! rn throghs
becase of this# it has helped me !ith my band !or)& gi%ing me the ability
to create color in my songs and leads and for the )eeping the rest of the band
tight and playing together# $e ha%e played se%eral /88y trac)s& going by
the Tribte albm %ersions& inclding -3ra8y Train'& -Good.bye to
Romance' and -Paranoid'# I se the trac)& -Dee'& as a !arm p for my
fingers#
(%erybody in (ngland )no!s abot /88y the -bat biter'# 1s I ha%e fond&
the people that do )no! abot Randy regard him highly# They don't
appreciate the !or) of any of the gitarists that ha%e played !ith /88y since#
Randy definitely stands ot as a gitarist# It's a pity that people ha%e short
memories becase the space age gitarists seem to ha%e stolen the limelight#
It !old ha%e been a totally different story if Randy hadn't died# Iron
:aiden says it best& -/nly the Good Die *ong'#
+pea)ing as a reader of his gitar style& his greatest accomplishment has to
be the !ay he combined %ery traditional classical scales and modes !ith
hea%y metal# ,is leads are filled !ith ama8ing se of gitar theory and
pheld at sch speeds that hea%y metal thri%es on# ,is songs s!irl in a
mi9tre of airy classical chord follo!ed by firm Blac) +abbath style riffs&
and then spill into solid emoti%e leads# This is e9tremely difficlt to do& and
it still ama8es me7 I 2ote the /88man himself& <Randy se to flash p and
do!n the gitar nec) in a blr& eeeooohhh& "st li)e that7<#
:y fa%orite song has to be -Re%elation :other (arth' from the Tribte
albm# +heer poetry7 1 hea%y metal song based completely on classical
natral minor ( scales& gi%ing it a sper gothic feel# The lead is so e9citing
to play# The cle%erest bit is that once it finishes& it goes straight into the
pnchy& fast lich that starts off -+teal 1!ay the =ight'# It !as a pity abot
the drm solo in that song# That is the only bad bit on the entire albm#
Pat Gasperini. LpondM
I disco%ered Randy Rhoads !hen he !as in Qiet Riot# I thoght that he !as
tearing it p bac) then7 he !as a great inspiration in my gitar playing and
also my song !riting# ,e !as most definitely a big inspiration to me#
I'%e been playing gitar since I !as abot fi%e years old# 1 lot of Randy's
feel and sol is %ery similar to the !ay that my band approaches things#
(%erybody e9presses themsel%es in a different !ay# $atching Randy play
!ith Qiet Riot and then !ith /88y /sborne !as "st ama8ing7 I !as
totally blo!n a!ay and the adience !old "st stand there !ith their moths
dropped to the floor7
If Randy !ere arond today& he !old be totally nbelie%able# ,e !as so
far ahead of his time# from a msicians point of %ie!& he too) msic to
another le%el# There is a lot of great gitar players ot there bt a lot of them
get by !ith copying things from other gitar players# Randy Rhoads did his
o!n thing# ,e had his o!n playing ability and song !riting techni2e# I
)no! that he played a big part in !riting all of that material# Randy !as tre
to his msic and that is a big statement# 1 lot of people are in the bsiness
for other reasons& bt Randy !as definitely tre to his msic and I belie%e
that is !hy he contines to inspire people so many years after his death#
:y fa%orite song !old ha%e to be -;lying ,igh 1gain'# Let's face it thogh&
they are all my fa%orites7
?ason Legg. L;anM
I !as coming home from school one night and I heard /88y /sborne's -Iron
man' on the radio# I thogh it !as a pretty cool song# I as)ed a friend !ho
that !as and he said that it !as /88y# I got home that night& !ent throgh
my dad's 3D collection and came across the Randy Rhoads Tribte one# I
too) it into my room and popped the 3D in and listened to the entire thing#
There !as one song on there called -3ra8y Train'# I listened to that song
o%er and o%er again7 =e%er in my life had I heard a song !ith that )ind of
phenomenal gitar !or)# it !as "st po!er chords o%er and o%er again& li)e
some of today's msic# It !as something that I !anted to hear more of#
$hat Randy had going !as something e9traordinary# $ith his mi9es of
classical and roc) gitar& it lead a !hole ne! generation of msic# Bt
nfortnately& there !asn't enogh people that !or)ed !ith that style of
msic# If more people in the msic bsiness !old ha%e e9perimented !ith
Randy's style of msic& msic !old be more ni2e#
1fter listening to many hors of Randy's msic and !atching a %ideo called
-Gitar :ethod in the +tyle of Randy Rhoads'& I got to thin)ing abot ho!
mch I !old li)e to be able to play li)e he did# +ome of the msic today is
)ind of getting off trac) msically !ise# *o hardly e%er hear any gitar
solos anymore# I !anted to bring his style ali%e again one day& and bring
bac) gitar solos and ma)e msic the !ay it shold be# I !ent ot and
boght a gitar and am crrently playing it# Than)s to Randy& I fond
something that I li)e doing# ,e ga%e me the determination to one day re%i%e
some of the best gitar !or) e%er done#
Randy had a %ery different !ay of loo)ing at things than most people# $ith
his combination of classical and roc) gitar& it broght a ni2e sond to
msic# It is challenging to play some of the stff that he did& and it ma)es
playing his msic fn# $hat I thin) is the most important thing abot Randy
is that he !as al!ays stri%ing to be better# ,e ne%er reached a le%el !here he
thoght he !as good enogh# By doing this& people loo) p to him and it
encorages them to impro%e themsel%es and stri%e themsel%es to be better#
This is the effect that it had on me# 1lso& the creati%eness Randy had in his
gitar !or) is "st nbelie%able#
I !old ha%e to say that Randy's greatest accomplishment !as his !or) !ith
/88y# It is probably his most memorable# I ne%er )ne! ntil recently !hen I
started finding bac)grond information on him& that he played !ith Qiet
Riot# his msic !ith /88y is all that I )ne! of#
:y fa%orite song is the definitely the %ersion of -3ra8y Train' that is on the
Tribte albm#
L)e ?ohn. L1nother +ocietyM
I am only GG& bt I ha%e been a serios head banger since I !as abot F# I
!as probably in the se%enth grade !hen I first heard of Randy Rhoads# I
remember cran)ing those /88y /sborne records e9tremely lod7 Before I
learned to play the gitar& I !old sit on my front porch !ith the gitar in my
hands and play the song -Dee' in the bac)grond on the record player# I
!old trn it p really lod and pretend that I !as playing it# People !old
!al) by and be in total ama8ement7 I finally did learn ho! to really play
-Dee'& bt it sre !as fnny to !atch these people !al) by the hose !ith
these astonished e9pression's on their faces#
Randy's playing made me !ant to get better and better# I !as really
beginning to listen to ho! people played# The !ay that he portrayed his
msic as in -Dee' and other songs "st made me !ant to impro%e my playing
more and more# There is not too many people arond today that can play li)e
Randy did# It has become a goal for people# It's li)e& people "st !ant to be
li)e Randy Rhoads# To blend classical msic !ith hea%y metal# I don't thin)
that anyone is going to e%er do it 2ite li)e Randy did# It sre !old be nice
to ha%e him arond today to see "st !hat he !old be doing in life and in
msic#
Geoffrey (ngmanV L;anM
I !as abot forteen years old and I !as sic) of playing my sister's old
records# I coldn't belie%e that she had an /88y /sborne record !hich !as
Diary of a :adman# I thoght that /88y !as too hard core hea%y metal# I
tried it once and did not li)e it at all# It !as too hea%y# Bt& after being
bored to death !ith all the other records& I tried it again# This time I s)ipped
to the song -Diary of a :adman'# I really li)ed the acostic beginnings#
Then I listened to it more ntil I soon gained a lot of interest# =o!& I
concentrate on Randy's sond e%ery time#
Randy's dedication has increased my o!n a!areness that yo ha%e to follo!
throgh !ith the things that yo lo%e and en"oy& and that there are al!ays
ne! ad%entres and possibilities to e9plore# I li)e the idea that Randys
searched for lessons !hen he !as on the road# That pro%es to me that he
really lo%ed his instrment# I e%en !ent so far as to actally ma)e my o!n
stereo electric ;lying @ gitar from scratch# I scaled it e9actly li)e Randy's
pol)a.dot one along !ith the harpoon head stoc)& bt !ill paint it a different
color scheme# Remember& e%en Randy said that yo ha%e to ha%e yor o!n
style#
Randy !as al!ays e9ploring ne! sonds and his stdies# ,e !anted to
manfactre ne! sonds !hile )eeping his o!n style# ,e !as %ery different
!ith his sond# +staining or hanging on a note for a long time !hile slo!ly
bending the string !as %ery neat# :y fa%orite song is -3ra8y Train' becase
of the fills and the solo# The !ords are %ery good also# ,is soloing is %ery
p an do!n li)e a roller coaster#
!f all the 3uestions I)ve been asked
The hardest one was this.$
To fill the shoes of a spe"ial man
(ho forever will be missed-
#nd though I didn)t know you
I feel that you were there.
This ama4ing guitarist
(ith a tender heart
To whom none "an "ompare$
Bernie Torme.
In the pre%ios years to "oining /88y& I had been playing in a band called
Gillian in (rope# $e had a nmber one albm in (ngland and that sort of
thing# I left in ?ly of 45F4# In the period bet!een that and actally getting
the call from /88y's grop of people& I !as starting to !or) !ith a band
called the (lectric Gypsies# I had also done a tor !ith 1tomic Rooster in
Germany and Italy#
I recei%ed a phone call from Da%e 1rden# ,e !as !or)ing !ith ?et Records
and at the time that !as the label in (ngland# ,e told me abot Randy's
death# I hadn't heard abot it and to be perfectly honest& the only trac) of
Randy's that I had e%er heard before that time !as -:r# 3ro!ley'# 1t that
time& /88y !as not as )no!n in (rope and (ngland as he !as in 1merica#
,e !as "st )no!n for being !ith Blac) +abbath#
I !as hea%ily in%ol%ed in my o!n pro"ects at the time# I had the albm "st
abot ready to come ot and so at first I said <no<# I really didn't !ant to do
it# Da%id 1rden )ept on calling and finally tal)ed me into it# $hat changed
my mind !as t!o things really# /ne !as that Da%e )ept saying& <please&
please& the band !ill probably brea) p if yo don't do it<# That !as )ind
of flattering# The second thing !as that at that point in time I did not ha%e
any money at all# I !as totally s)inned and in%ol%ed in a la! case against
Gillian# Da%e offered me a lot of money#
The first thing that had to happen !as that I had to get a @isa and !hate%er in
order to tra%el# That too) abot t!o days# I rshed ot and boght both of
the albms that Randy did !ith /88y# I listened to them and thoght& <oh
my God7 This is hard7<# I thoght that it !as going to be -Paranoid' or
!hate%er& bt no& it !as definitely not easy# +o& I "st began practicing
night and day# 1s it trns ot& they actally had t!o other gitarists that they
!ere aditioning# I did the adition and got it# To be honest& at the time
!hen Da%e 1rden phoned p I !as only as)ed to stand in# I !as ne%er as)ed
to "oin the band# +o& it !as basically to be operating as a stand in#
1fter I got it& I had to tal) !ith +haron /sborne !ho e9plained that the
money !asn't e9actly !hat I had been promised# I !as )ind of miffed abot
that# That !as the day after I arri%ed# The day that I arri%ed !as the first day
that I had e%er met /88y /sborne's band# /88y !as %ery& %ery nice and he
!as ob%iosly grie%ing and %ery de%astated abot it all# It !as an a!fl
e9perience for the entire band# I felt that after I got there& e%en thogh the
money !asn't !hat I had originally been told it !old be& I !old stay and
do it and see ho! it goes# I had only played three trac)s that they had
aditioned e%erybody on#
$e fle! ot the ne9t day# I had a rehearsal of the !hole thing at sond
chec)# $e did the gig that e%ening# 1t that time& I didn't ha%e any of my
gitars# They !ere all still stc) bac) at the Los 1ngeles 1irport# +o& they
had to go ot and find a gitar for me to play# It !as all "st a!fl7 I !as so
scared7 I !as playing on a gitar that !as absolte crap to play and I !as
playing songs that I didn't )no!# I hadn't seen the stage ntil that %ery day#
It !as a cra8y stage set# I !as al!ays hearing& <stand here7 =o! mo%e o%er
there7 =o& not there7<# It did e%entally go alright thogh# The day after
that first sho! I recei%ed my gitars#
I !asn't happy at all abot ha%ing to replace Randy Rhoads# I )ept on
thin)ing that if it had been me& and if it had been in (rope& and if it had
been !ith Gillan& I don't )no! if I !old ha%e !anted the band to carry on#
I !as %ery nsettled abot it all# I felt that I !asn't the right person to do it&
and I also had the sitation in (rope !here !e had been playing large
places# I !anted a change and to go bac) to playing smaller places !here I
!old ha%e a chance to "am and play# I ne%er really thoght of myself as a
roc) star# I !as a gitar player and I really didn't feel that happy in a large
prodction type of thing# It "st really !asn't !hat I en"oyed and I also felt
that it really !asn't fair to Randy's memory#
1bot a !ee) and a half into it all& I called /88y to my hotel room# I told
him that I did not !ant to carry on& thogh I !old hang in there ntil
someone else trns p# 1t the time& there !as literally hndreds of gitar
players trying to get the gig& so I didn't feel that it !old be %ery difficlt to
find a replacement# To be honest& I thin) that one of the reasons that I !as
as)ed in the beginning !as becase I !as not %ery aggressi%e abot it# I
didn't regard it as a great step p# I !asn't li)e& <$o!7 ,ere I am7<# I !as
%ery 2iet and (ropean abot it all# :aybe e%en cringing a bit too#
Dring the time !here I stood in& !e had a lot of days off# /88y !as ha%ing
throat problems and I am sre that he !as still grie%ing# It mst ha%e been
%ery hard for him to get p on that stage !ithot the man !ho really )ind of
helped him become a ma"or act again# I thin) that I only played abot si9 or
se%en sho!s before I ltimately left# (%eryone !as %ery nice to me# I am
sre that they had a problem !hen they glanced o%er to my side of the stage
and Randy !as not there# That reality nfortnately )ic)ed in#
Prior to "oining Gillan in 456F or 4565& I had been a recording artist on ?et
Records in the Jnited Kingdom# ?et !as o!ned by Don 1rden& !ho !as
+haron 1rden Llater /sborneM& and Da%id 1rden's father# Both +haron and
Da%id !ere in%ol%ed !ith ?et Records# It had not been a %ery happy
relationship for me& and I therefore had a bit of "andiced %ie! of things
!hen Da%id as)ed me to stand in#
Becase of a certain& shall !e say& long term lac) of trst of the 1rden's on
my part& possibly totally n"stified& !hen Da%id 1rden tal)ed me into
standing in& and said that I !old be paid EGCCC#CC a !ee)& I as)ed for one
!ee)'s pay p front# 3all me paranoid& bt I really did not trst him too
mch& not least becase neither /88y or +haron had spo)en to me# I as)ed
for the money p front becase I !as ad%ised to do so by Gillan's manager
Phil Banfield# Phil Banfield no! co.manages +ting# Throgh Phil is ho!
Da%id got my phone nmber# 1fter Da%id agreed to this& I actally left for
Los 1ngeles one day later than intended de to the money not being paid#
This probably appears %ery nnecessary& and it probably !as bt god )no!s
at the time I needed it7 I had not as)ed for any amont !hat.so.e%er#
EGCCC#CC a !ee) is !hat Da%id offered me& not !hat I had as)ed for# 1nd&
I li)e for people to )eep their !ord# I !old ha%e done it for mch less& bt
he ne%er as)ed me to#
The day that I !as to lea%e no money had arri%ed# I phoned Da%id at home&
!ho said that he cold not nderstand it& bt that it !old be sent to my
hose before I got on the plane at ,eathro!& and that I shold phone home
and chec) before lea%ing# /ff I !ent& pic)ed p my tic)et and decided that I
!old go regardless# Jnfortnately& the tic)et !as a single& not a retrn as I
had as)ed for# $hen I got to the des)& they refsed to let me on the plane
since they said 1merican Immigration !old not let me in !ithot a retrn
tic)et# I don't )no! if it has changed since bt that !as the sitation at the
time# 1larm bells started gently ringing7 I phoned home and fond that
EDCC#CC had arri%ed& not EGCCC#CC# +o& I phoned Da%id and e9plained to
him that there had ob%iosly been some terrible mi9.p& and that I !old be
ready to lea%e as soon as it !as all sorted ot# It soon !as and I left for Los
1ngeles the ne9t day#This e9perience !as typical of my pre%ios e9periences
as an artist for ?et Records& and it really left me !ith an e%en more "andiced
%ie! of the !hole thing& before I had e%en started#
$hen I got there and aditioned and got the gig& +haron too) me arond the
bac) of the rehearsal stdio to tell me# +he said& <yo'%e got the gig& the
pay is EDCC#CC a !ee)<# I thin) that she said EDCC#CC& !hate%er it !as it
!as a lot less than EGCCC#CC# I said& <bt Da%id said that it !as EGCCC#CC
per !ee)0<# +he said& <Da%id's on drgs# ,e doesn't )no! !hat he is
tal)ing abot<# I said& </h<& shrgged and laghed# It !as fnny#
This really made me neasy# :oney's not really that important to me& bt I
li)e people to )eep their !ord# 1ll of that %alley of the shifting sands stff
didn't 2ite sit for me# The reason that I stayed and didn't lea%e at that point
!as becase I li)ed /88y personally a lot# ,e !as ob%iosly de%astated by
the loss of a friend& and considering the state that he !as in& he made a lot of
effort to ma)e me feel at home# That cold not ha%e been easy# 1lso& at that
stage ha%ing heard the albms& it !as msically a real& real challenge#
1lso& I !old li)e to say that all I had really heard of /88y prior to being
as)ed to stand in !as !hen he !as in Blac) +abbath# I !asn't a real fan& in
fact I didn't li)e them mch at all7 I thoght the blac) magic bit !as
do!nright silly& thogh li)e e%eryone else I had played -Paranoid' in co%er
bands early in my some!hat %ariegated career#
In Gillan in 4565 throgh 45F4& !e had a lot more e9posre in (rope and
?apan than /88y had# I thin) he mst ha%e concentrated on the Jnited +tates
!hich !e had ignored basically becase no one !anted s7 I had heard -:r#
3ro!ley' on the radio and li)ed it& bt that !as all# +o& li)e I said earlier&
after being as)ed I !ent ot and boght the albms# I !as "st totally blo!n
a!ay# I thoght that they !ere absoltely brilliant and that Randy !as "st
one great& ama8ing player# ,a%ing heard them& I !as %ery flattered to ha%e
been as)ed# I cold sort of see !hy I !as as)ed# Both of s sed tremolo
arms 2ite a lot& and both of s played lead lic)s as part of the rhythm trac)#
=either of those things !ere common at that time& thogh later e%eryone on
earth !as doing them# Bt& I can't e9press !hat a challenge it !as to play
his stff# I learned so mch from that and it !as a real pri%ilege to get that
chance#
I thin) that the first gig !as 1llensto!n& Pennsyl%ania# +omeplace arond
there# It !as close to ,arrisbrg# 1s I said& I only had one complete rn
throgh the set& !hich !as in the afternoon dring a long sond chec)# It
!as %ery difficlt to try to ta)e in a one and a half hor set and songs and
arrangements and solos and beginnings and ends in sch a short time# The
arrangements !ere pretty different to the albms !hich I had no! been
listening to for abot for days& and there !as some other stff !hich !asn't
on the albms at all# It !as %ery difficlt to remember it all#
I had a hired strat& !hich !as nothing short of %ile for the gig& and another
strat !hich /88y had boght for me in Los 1ngeles# It !as lo%ely and I still
ha%e it# Bt& strats need pedals to get near to Randy's sond# :y gitars and
pedals and amps !ere in cstoms at the Los 1ngeles 1irport# I had no pedals
that first night# +omeone sggested that I se Randy's pedals# I felt %ery
nhappy abot that& bt since I had no others and it sonded li)e shit
!ithot& there seemed no other choice and I finally agreed to and did so#
I'%e ne%er said this pblicly& bt this !as I thin) for me the defining moment&
the point at !hich I decided that I definitely did not !ant the gig#
There is something terribly personal abot a gitarists setps& their amps&
!hat pedals they se and ho! they are set# I really felt that something so
personal shold ha%e gone to his family or his girlfriend& e%en a friend& a
roadie& brnt or something& bt most definitely not to me on that night# I
didn't e%en )no! the gy& and there I !as resetting and sing his pedals# I
fond it !rong and 2ite honestly& heartbrea)ing#
I don't really thin) that people die and cease to e9ists& they "st mo%e on&
bt be they here or be they not here& they deser%e respect# 1nd that episode
seemed to me to sho! more respect for the door ta)ings than for Randy's
memory# I !old also li)e to say that as far as I can remember& /88y !as
not in%ol%ed !ith this# ,e !old ha%e been mch happier not to play at all# I
left it ntil !e !ere in =e! *or) to tal) !ith /88y abot not carrying on&
bt that really !as the moment of decision for me#
I sed the pedals that night& perhaps it !as damp on the s!itches& it's ne%er
happened to me on any other pedals at any other point in my life& bt they
trned off a fe! times of their o!n accord# That didn't !orry me too mch
thogh& if it !as Randy he !as probably "st trying to help# God )no!s& I
!as in dire need of it7
Bt& I did not feel right abot it# It did not sit right# 1fter all& it cold ha%e
been me# I'm Irish& !e may not al!ays sho! that mch respect for the
li%ing& bt !e do respect the dead# It seemed to me that there !ere people in
/88y's organi8ation !ho appear to ha%e more respect for the ne9t paychec)&
and I am not tal)ing abot any members of the band# (%en that is fair
enogh& thogh !ho am I to critici8e# Bt& it is not my !ay and I cold not
do it# That is my not %ery happy moments of that first gig#
I ha%e seen some 2otes abot the reason I did not !ant to carry on& being
that I !as scared of large adiences# That is plain silly# 1nyone !ho plays
)no!s that an adience of GC&CCC people is mch less scary and easier than
an adience of DC#
I find it odd that I can't remember anyone saying anything from the stage
abot Randy# maybe I ha%e blan)ed it ot& bt I don't remember it# It
al!ays bothered me that the sho! appeared to go on as if it ne%er happened#
:aybe I ha%e blan)ed it ot#
I remember /88y being %ery pset !hen he fond ot that the merchandising
stall !as still selling Randy's merchandising# ,e !as angry becase as I
recall he had told +haron to ha%e it remo%ed since he did not !ant to profit
off of Randy's death# +haron said that it !as a tribte to his memory#
$hen I left& /88y paid me as per Da%id 1rden's original EGCCC#CC per
!ee)& and ga%e me a %ery generos bons on top& and that strat !hich he
had boght for me# ,e !as a real gentlemen#
I !old also li)e to say that al big roc) tors ha%e a momentm all of their
o!n# /nce it is going it's hard to stop# There's a lot of people's mortgages&
rents and paychec)s and families riding on them# I !old not li)e to thin)
that I !as critici8ing those people in any !ay# That is their priority& and
that's o)ay too# I thin) that +haron sed that momentm to try to )eep /88y
going#
Bt& being some sort of msician& msic is to me a bit sacred and a bit
magical& as it is to most msicians# I don't thin) generally magic mi9es too
!ell !ith the msic indstry# In this case& the indstry seemed to me to be
ignoring that one of the main creators& probably T,( main creator of that
particlar magic& !as no longer there# I !as and remain far too anarchist a
peg to !ant to fit into that particlar strangely shaped indstry hole#
+tpid e9ample& bt it's the only time in my life since I had a ma"or ro! !ith
my :m at age 4D& that I !as ordered to !ear certain clothes# +haron felt
that I had to loo) li)e Randy7 3ool for Randy& bt not too cool for me7 1nd
not really %ery cool at all in the circmstances# +ad# +haron also complained
a fe! times that my solo spot in the set !as too long& !hich it definitely !as#
+he didn't nderstand that it !as the only part if the set that I really )ne!
ho! to play7 Being me& my playgrond amongst all the stress7 The
adiences seemed to li)e it7 Loo)ing bac)& I li)ed +haron lots and fond her
%ery& %ery fnny& bt I thin) she probably felt I lac)ed a certain amont of
respect# $hich I probably did#
I !old also li)e to say that I don't thin) that Rdy& Tommy or Don !anted
to carry on at all# /88y definitely did not !ant to# They !ere all "st
de%astated# I thin) that they all "st !anted to !al) a!ay# I thin) +haron&
becase of her ties !ith /88y& did not !ant to see him descend into the
abyss of alcohol and drgs !hich she had got him ot of after +abbath# I
thin) that she probably forced the isse& and it carried on as it did becase of
that# +he !as mainly "st trying to protect /88y# If I helped at all in getting
/88y& Tommy& Rdy and Don o%er the %ery big hill of the first gig after
Randy's death& I'm %ery glad and prod to ha%e done so# They deser%ed it&
and it !as the least that I cold ha%e done#
Bt& someho! I can't help feeling that there shold ha%e been more of a
middle !ay# I coldn't li%e !ith it the !ay it !as# I mean& if the band had
been called& Randy Rhoads Bli88ard& it !old ha%e stopped in it's trac)s# It
didn't seem right that it carried on regardless# I had a problem !ith that# I
ne%er said any of this to /88y or +haron or anyone at the time# I "st !anted
to get ot# It didn't seem to me that I really had a right to any opinion on it&
to people !ho had lost close friends# I !as "st a hired hand# I hadn't lost
anyone or anything# Bt& I did ha%e a problem !ith it#
(ric Trner. L$arrantM
I !as in the ninth grade or so !hen I first heard the /88y record# I remember
hearing -3ra8y Train' on the radio# 1t that time all of my friends !ere
getting into /88y and Randy# They !ere all reading the maga8ines abot
Randy's old band Qiet Riot# I started collecting photos and began finding
ot a lot abot Qiet Riot too# I ne%er sa! Qiet Riot play !ith Randy and I
ne%er sa! Randy play !ith /88y either# I remember the eyar that Randy
died& I !as going to see him and /88y on =e! *ears (%e play& bt I !ond
p not going# I "st figred that I !old catch the sho! the follo!ing year
thogh in :arch Randy died#
1t that time& I had "st started playing the gitar# I !as fifteen !hen I got my
first gitar# I definitely tried to learn all of his riffs and actally too) some
gitar lessons at his mothers msic school after I mo%ed to Los 1ngeles# I
am more of a rhythm gitar player& bt !hen I first started ot I !old try
and play some leads here and there# I !old try and learn different riffs of
Randy's and some from other bands of that era as !ell#
$hen yo hear one of Randy's solos yo "st )no! that it is him
atomatically# ,e had his o!n style and sond and he !as %ery identifiable#
The many scales that he sed !ere %ery identifiable# Randy toched and
inspired many people to pic) p the gitar and I thin) that's a pretty fantastic
accomplishment#
Trtle Lane. L;anM
I disco%ered Randy in 45F4& the year the Bli88ard of /88 came ot# 1t the
time& I !as si9 years old and I didn't )no! !ho he !as& bt I )ne! that I
!anted to be a gitar player and be "st li)e him7 ;nny& becase I am still
trying to play li)e Randy# It's easier said than done#
Randy's impact on msic !as hard# ,e !as accsed of being an (ddie @an
,alen rip off& bt Randy broght gitar playing to a !hole ne! le%el# Randy
has inflenced my stdies by opening doors of techni2e# ,is msic gi%es me
ideas for mine# ,e has inspired me to do more taps and a more classical style
of playing# I thin) that his most memorable accomplishments to me& are
Bli88ard of /88 and the Tribte albms# ;or most of s& it is the only
recordings of Randy in the ra!# If I had to chose !hich songs are my
fa%orite& I !old ha%e to say -3ra8y Train' and -+icide +oltion' off of the
Tribte albm& and -Dee' from either the Tribte albm or Bli88ard of /88#
-3ra8y Train' has that hard core& metal& bles feel& and I lo%e the fills#
-+icide +oltion'& li%e& has Randy in the most prest form# Pls& he does a
)ic) ass solo7 -Dee' is a beatifl& classical style piece# I can almost feel
!hat Randy !as feeling !hile playing it# Pls& ho! many artists dedicate
songs to their mothers mch less name it after them0
Kane Roberts. L:sicianM
I first heard of Randy Rhoads !hen the bli88ard of /88 first came ot# I !as
impressed mostly by Randy's sond and it actally )ind of frea)ed me ot# I
may be !rong& bt it sonded li)e he sed a haromi8or and stff li)e that# he
"st came ot !ith a mch different sond# Gys li)e ,endri9 and different
people along the !ay all came ot !ith a !hole ne! !ay of ma)ing the gitar
sond# I thoght that Randy did the same thing# ,e !asn't "st hammering
or coming p !ith different notes& his %oice on the gitar !as completely
different# The other thing !as that his solos !ere %ery comple9ed
rhythmically and e%erything# I felt as thogh he !as a complete pac)age# I
!ent to see him play li%e some!here in =e! *or) on the Bli88ard of /88
tor and e%erything !as "st going on7 =ot only !as he a fantastic msician&
bt he !as a real sho!man as !ell# /88y has al!ays been one of my
fa%orites and him and Randy complimented each other so !ell# It !as the
complete e9perience for me#
1nyone !ho has a moment in history& !hether it be a cople of mintes or a
cople of years& can possibly become a legend becase they actally captre
a moment or a bright spot in e%erybody's li%es# $hen yo loo) bac) throgh
history at !hat has gone on in the past& there are some moments that "st
al!ays shine# Randy !as "st one of those gys# ,e stands apart from a lot
of great msicians# There are a lot of people !ho play great gitar# They
may ha%e had a lot of technical ability or a stri)ing image& stff li)e that# It's
the gys !ho ha%e all the plates spinning !ho's names seem to sr%i%e e%en
thogh physically they do not sr%i%e#
1s a gitar player& for me it !as his !ay of combining his sond !ith his
techni2e and the notes that he chose# If yo sing& yo ha%e to really match
p and there are so many things that ha%e to come together# It's phrasing and
it's yor tone and ho! yo pro"ect !hat it is that yor feeling# There are so
many gitar players and "st the fact that he is one of them that really pt all
of that together is a great accomplishment in itself# It might ha%e been
something that he !as "st blessed !ith bt my sspicion is that he !or)ed
really hard at !hat he did#
Brett +pahr. L;anM
I remember !hen I !as in grade school& my ncle had gi%en me an old
Gibson gitar to play arond !ith# I )ne! this older )id !ho had been
playing for a little !hile and !e started tal)ing one day# I !ent o%er to his
hose and !e !ent p to his room# ,e pt this tape on and !as li)e& <chec)
this ot<# <1ll aboard& hahahahahaaaaa<
I had no idea !ho !as playing# I "st )ne! that I had ne%er heard anything
li)e it and that it !as fc)ing a!esome7 ,e let me borro! the tape and I
thin) I listened to it e%eryday for abot a month straight# It absoltely ble!
me a!ay7
?st listen to anything that randy e%er recorded# Gitarists li)e him are one
ion a million# ,e !as so dedicated to msic and had a style that !as so
ni2e# ,e !ill probably inspire people 4DCC years after his death# ,e has
so many memorable accomplishments that it's hard to narro! them do!n#
(%ery time that I listen to the Tribte albm it sends chills throgh my spine#
It is absoltely nbelie%able# It's one of those albms that yo can listen to
from beginning to end# It is the best li%e albm that I ha%e e%er heard# :y
fa%orite song is -+icide +oltion'# That opening riff is so simple& yet so
nbelie%ably hea%y#
Brad +chrter. L;anM
The first time that I heard Randy !as in late 45FG in Te9as# I heard -/%er the
:ontain' on my radio alarm cloc)#
;rom the classical inflences to the mlti trac)ing of both rhythm and lead
gitar parts& Randy had a hge impact on the msic scene# ,is attitde that
yo can ne%er stop learning and impro%ing !as !ell )no!n and admired# 1
gitar design de%eloped !ith Gro%er ?ac)son that it still in prodction de to
it's poplarity is also among his legacies# Randy's !riting and playing style
!ill certainly be a sorce of inspiration for years to come# ,is sense of
melody !as incredible and his solos !ere singable# 1ll of the songs on
Bli88ard of /88 and Diary of a :adman !ere ni2e& ne%er repeating
himself in another song# Those t!o albms !ere hge accomplishments#
Bt& the King Biscit ;lo!er ,or radio concert sho!ed !hat Randy !as
capable of otside of the stdio# ,e !as constantly stdying and practicing
!hile on the road& and it sho!ed# ,is fills and playing !ere nreal on this
recording# Both Ke%in DBro! and ?oe ,olmes ha%e mentioned ho! great
Randy sonded that night and many de%oted fans belie%e that it is Randy at
his best7
:ichael +taerto!. L:sicianM
I first disco%ered Randy abot se%enteen years ago in 45F4!hen I !as in
"nior high school and the Bli88ard of /88 record "st came ot# I remember
hearing -3ra8y Train' and -:r# 3ro!ley' playing on the ;: radio# I !as
immediately ta)en bac) by the sond of Randy's gitar# I had "st began
playing myself& so I !as e9tremely impressionable at that point and 2ite an
impression !as made indeed# I !as ne%er a big Blac) +abbath fan& so !hen
/88y came to to!n I neglected to attend# Bt& I happened to be p late one
e%ening !hen a local station& $J,; I4& aired an -1fter ,ors' msic
special featring /88y /sborne# Lc)ily enogh& I popped a %ideo tape in
and the rest is history# I !old go on to !atch this tape religiosly from that
moment on& in complete a!e of Randy's playing& presence and ara he cast
in front of my eyes# Randy !as& !hat I once hoped to be myself& and mch
of my earlier playing years !ere spent emlating Randy# Qite an impact I
!old say7
1s the !orld !as ta)ing on the impact felt by the coming of (ddie @an
,alen's trning point in gitar history& I thoght that Randy broght many of
the same elements that (d!ard did& only Randy represented a more
disciplined school of playing in that he introdced an a!areness of modal
passages to the meloncoly e%eryday roc) styles of that time# ,e incorporated
a classical inflence to a generally bles inflenced area# 1lso& Randy's
perfect layering of his gitar trac)s stamped his signatre on %irtally
e%erything that he recorded# Don't get me !rong& (ddie is ama8ing& bt
Randy !as special# 1 gift to poplar msic& a tre inspiration# Randy made
an impact in e%ery gitarists style# ,is gift throgh his msical contribtion#
Randy inspired myself to be committed to becoming the best gitarist I cold
possibly be# he made me a!are of the possibilities to add te9tre to song
!riting throgh the se of modes# 1lso& throgh layering gitars in the
stdio sing alterations& in%ersions and things li)e that# ,is soloing inspired
me to the possibilities of creating melodies independent of the o%erall song
itself# ?st Randy's o%erall %ibe in inspiring !ithin itself#
Randy contines to inspire people today becase he !as e9tremely genine
abot his art# It !as Randy poring ot his heart msically !hich transcends
all langage barriers# ;rom !hat I nderstand& Randy !as a %ery 2iet man#
he spo)e throgh msic and from his sol# ,e toched myself in this !ay
and I contine to incorporate this belief in my o!n msic in hopes of ma)ing
the same impact someday# The fact that he has inflenced an array of
gitarists and contribted to their playing contines his legacy& not to
mention all of his recorded !or) !hich are among the greatest& I feel& only if
!e cold ha%e en"oyed more#
:y fa%orite songs are -+#1#T#/#'& <Re%elation :other (arth'& -+icide
+oltion'& and -/%er the :ontain'# @ery hard to pic) "st one7
?ason +cott. LfanM
I first disco%ered Randy !hen me and my brother ?eremy& the first /88y and
Blac) +abbath fan in the family& played -Diary of a :adman' for me& and
as)ed me if I cold play the intro# This !as the first e9perience# :y second
Randy in%ol%ement !as !hen I boght /88y's Randy Rhoads Tribte albm#
I lo%ed !hat I heard# I li)ed Randy's gitar tone better on the stdio albms&
bt nothing cold toch the enthsiasm and dri%e li)e Tribte# ,e lo%ed
playing and yo can tell by "st listening# ,is lo%e is !hat inspires me to
)eep pshing to ma)e myself a better player#
There is no dobt in my mind that Randy inspired many of today's best
players sch as Dimebag Darrell from Pantera& and ?oe ,olmes from /88y
/sborne's band# :any people heard him and !hat cold be done& so they
tried to bild on that# >a)) $ylde e%en lo%ed Randy's playing# There are so
many people !ho site him as an inflence& professional and amaters& and
there !ill be many more to come !hether they become )no!n or not# Randy
has made me !ant to learn more abot my instrment& and abot different
)inds of msic that the gitar can be sed for sch as classical# Before
Randy& I ne%er really had an interest in classical gitar& bt no! that I hear
!hat he did and !hat cold be done& I !ant to learn more abot it and other
forms of gitar based msic& and ltimately become the best player that I can
be# Randy has inspired me to psh my limits and try harder and harder to get
better and better#
,is emotion is a big factor in Randy's inspiring people so many years after
his death# ,e lo%ed playing and he !as a great player and !rote some great
songs# The flo! of the songs& and of his playing& "st catches people's ears
and they "st ha%e to listen# The !ay that his songs fit so !ell together# ,is
leads fit so !ell into the songs# The !ay that e%erything "st comes together#
People li)e !hat they hear and it stic)s !ith them#
Randy's most memorable accomplishment is first and foremost !hen he met
/88y7 That !as a great accomplishment# If he had ne%er met /88y& he may
not ha%e e%er been )no!n# Then& !e !oldn't be doing this !old !e0
+econd& is his great playing and !riting on the Bli88ard of /88 and Diary of
a :adman albms# These !ere milestones in metal and hard roc)# They
often say that @an ,alen and Randy broght hard roc) bac)& bt no# Randy
did it !ith /88y# I li)e @an ,alen& bt a lot of their songs are "st silly
sonding# Randy and /88y's songs ha%e meaning& both msically and
lyrically# Randy !as no mere three chord player# ,e played the best msic
he )ne! ho!& and complimented /88y's lyrics along !ith gi%ing them a
good fondation& all the !hile ha%ing songs that cold be made into
instrmental pieces# 1ll in all& Randy's most memorable accomplishment is
inspiring people& li)e me and other gitar players& to learn from him and also
to introdce him to other people and edcate them on !hat can be done#
:y top songs !old ha%e to be -3ra8y Train'& -:r# 3ro!ley'& -Little
Dolls'& and -Diary of a :adman'# I lo%e those the most# -3ra8y Train' for
the feel of motion& li)e a train# -:r# 3ro!ley' for the !onderfl solos& all
impro%ised7 -Little Dolls' for the feel and the sond of the gitar# -Diary of a
:adman' for the dar)ness and the classical gitar moments of the song# I
lo%e all of Randy's songs7
De%in Richardson. L;anM
I first heard Randy Rhoads at my friends hose# ,e got me into /88y
/sborne !ith the albm Bli88ard of /887 I then became an /88y fanatic
and ha%e learned abot his history# I than) my friend for this#
I feel that Randy impacted the msic scene de to his !riting s)ills and great
solos# $ith songs li)e -3ra8y Train' and -:r# 3ro!ley' and the li%e flair that
he impacted the media !ith# ,e has inspired me to learn classical gitar and
to play clean and "st ha%e fn7 ,e inspired me to start a band and stdy a
%ariety of msical styles# I thin) that his most memorable accomplishments
are the Bli88ard of /88 albm that he did !ith /88y and also his !or) !ith
Qiet Riot# :y fa%orite song is -3ra8y Train' off the Tribte albm#
?eremy Popoff. LLITM
The first time that I heard Randy Rhoads !as probably !hen most people
heard him& on the Bli88ard of /88 albm# It !as arond 45F4& so I gess
that I !as abot 4C years old# 1ctally& this older gy do!n the street from
me had this )iller red Les Pal# I remember him playing the solo from -I
Don't Kno!'& note for note& and it !as blaring throgh the hose# I !as
already an /88y fan& bt that is !hat trned me on to Randy Rhoads and that
!as probably one of the main reasons that I !anted to start playing the gitar#
The song that comes to mind as being a fa%orite is -:r# 3ro!ley'# ,is solos
in that song still gi%e me the chills# I )no! that it is not really a sad song or
anything& bt there is a lot of )iller !eepy stff going on in it& !hich I dig7
?im $ills. L;anM
I first fond Randy in the smmer of 45F4# The Bli88ard of /88 came
throgh 3olmbs& Georgia arond /ctober or =o%ember of that year# 1t
the time I !as 46 and engrossed !ith only Kiss and !as not familiar !ith
/88y at all# ,o!e%er& a good friend !as and !ent to that sho!# I !ill ne%er
forget the ne9t day at school# ,e came rnning off of the bis screaming& </h
my god7 /h my god7<# That is ho! I first heard of Randy Rhoads#
$hat I al!ays felt !as that Randy had a greater impact on the indi%idal
li%es of people and fello! msicians !hich lead to an impact on the entire
msic scene# (ddie @an ,alen !as )ing at that time& bt after one either
simply sa! or heard Randy it became& <(ddie !ho0<# ,e !as mesmeri8ing7
Randy !as so po!erfl "st to hear& bt !hen yo actally sa! the person
behind this hea%enly sond that cold rip the heart ot of yor chest& that is
!hen it hit yo7 1ll of this is !hat I feel his biggest impact !as# ,e made
playing hea%y metal an art# 1 tre meaningfl art form# ,a%ing a gitar and
long hair !as no longer good enogh#
Randy cased me to become a born again msician# Randy made me pt
do!n my gitar and actally ta)e a loo) at myself as a person and a msician#
Randy made me feel for the first time that it !as really alright to "st be
myself# That !as the only !ay for me to gro! as a person and as a msician#
1ll of this in trn made me a mch more dedicated gitarist and actally
some!hat obsessed !ith my playing# Randy taght me that there !as no
sch thing as good enogh# I am al!ays stri%ing to get better and better and I
am ne%er content#
Randy's inspiration contines today de to the lac) of interesting gitar
players# Jnfortnately& gitar playing is not a big interest to today's yoth#
In fact& my !hole opinion on today's msic scene is some!hat negati%e#
Randy's list of accomplishments are far too many to list# $e really can't say
!hat his accomplishments !ere becase Randy !as not finished before he
!as stolen from s# Perhaps his most important !as ho! he changed the
!orld of hea%y metal# Blending classical msic !ith bles and metal is !hat
changed e%erything abot it# To me& Randy's style is the definition of hea%y
metal# I !ill ne%er forget the first time that I heard -:r# 3ro!ley'# $hen I
heard that blistering solo& chills ran do!n my spine that I can still feel to this
%ery day# I !old listen to that song o%er and o%er and still to this day it is by
far my fa%orite song7
Patric) 3onboy. L;anM
I am forteen years old and I first heard Randy a little less than a year ago# I
!as in the mall ta)ing a loo) at the Tribte song boo) and that is !here I read
abot Randy# I play the gitar and I play !ith some friends thogh !e are
not officially a band yet#
Randy's life !as li)e a story boo)# It really didn't hit me ntil I heard the
song -:r# 3ro!ley'# I heard the gitar solo in that song and !as totally
blo!n a!ay7 I thin) that it !as at that point !hen I really got interested in
Randy Rhoads# Randy's msic is %ery difficlt to play# It is %ery technical
and he plays e%erything so fast bt yet smooth# I ha%e tried to play it in a
slo!er tempo thogh it is still %ery difficlt#
I thin) that Randy !as one of the first to introdce hea%y metal to classical
msic# 1 lot of people borro!ed that# There is "st not a !hole lot of people
ot there that can play li)e Randy# If I cold compare his sond to anyone& it
!old be >a)) $ylde#
Benoit 3he%allier :ames. LfanM
I am a gitarists# I !as stdying for partitions !ith my gitar teacher# ,e
as)ed me if I !anted to try to do a solo of Randy Rhoads# I didn't )no! !ho
that !as# +o& he began to play the solo from -Good.bye to Romance'# I
thoght it !as really magical# There !as techni2e and harmony# Randy
Rhoads sed difficlt techni2es li)e s!eeping& legato& tapping and the
tremolo bar to prodce a %ery pleasant sond# Becase of Randy& I try and
enter some inflences of classical into my playing# ;or e9ample& minor
scales# Randy !as %ery original#
I li%e in ;rance and Randy Rhoads is %ery !ell )no!n here7 ,is techni2e
!as really incredible# The only thing !hich !as not perfect& I thin) !as his
sond# *o )no!& in the Bli88ard of /88 his gitar had a strange sond to it#
It !as ob%iosly better on the Tribte albm# -:r# 3ro!ley' is my fa%orite
song7 The rhythm part is perfect and !hat a solo7
Randy- a name that we both share
#nd we share more than that
'o one has ever tou"hed me so
5o you hear my words to you2
/es- and I hear yours..
+o I keep alive your memory-
#nd your lega"y will endure$
Randy Perry.
I first heard Randy Rhoads !hen the Bli88ard of /88 forst came ot# :y
sisters boyfriend !as all e9cited abot it becase he !as a Blac) +abbath fan#
+o& based on his e9citement& I boght the tape of Bli88ard of /88# I listened
to -I Don't Kno!' and -3ra8y Train' and decided that I didn't li)e it# +o& I
sold the tape to my sister for ED#CC# 1 fe! !ee)s later& my sister !as in or
li%ing room doing her home!or) and listening to some msic as I !al)ed by
and heard !hat !as the coolest msic I had e%er heard7 I as)ed her !hat it
!as and she said that it !as -Good.bye to Romance' from the Bli88ard of
/88 tape# That is !hen I said& <gi%e me my tape bac)7<# I ended p bying
the record and became a hge /88y and Randy Rhoads fan# It !asn't ntil
sometime later that I reali8ed that I !asn't mch of an /88y /sborne fan&
right arond the time of The Jltimate +in albm# The albm !as alright
thogh I !as a fan of Randy Rhoads' msic# Qiet Riot or /88y& it didn't
matter as long as Randy !as playing#
I remember being in $estboro& :ontana to!ards the end of 45F4# I !as at
a family friends hose !ho had a son !ho played and taght drms# I said
that I !anted to play the gitar and !hen he as)ed !hy& I said <I !ant to be
"st li)e Randy Rhoads<# he !asn't e%en into that type of msic and he !as
mch older than I !as& bt he )ne! e9actly !ho I !as tal)ing abot and said
that he thoght that Randy Rhoads !as a great gitarist# It !as then that I
reali8ed that he had a talent that transcended msical tastes# ,e had a ra!
talent that that msicians cold see# They may ha%e not li)ed the msic& bt
they cold isolate and appreciate the talent he possessed#
The impact that Randy had on the entire msic scene !as hge& bt sadly
enogh the ma"ority of it came after he died# Randy helped pioneer a msical
style that !as in the %erge of e9tinction and breathed some life bac) into it#
$hat's incredible to me& is to listen to the msic he !rote !ith Qiet Riot
and then !hat he !rote !ith /88y /sborne# There is some good msic !ith
Qiet Riot& bt the stff that he !rote !ith /88y /sborne !as far ahead of
!here he !as in the pre%ios years as a local Los 1ngeles gitarist# There
seems to ha%e been almost no progression# ,e !ent from good to
nbelie%able in a matter of a fe! months#
I ha%e noticed that people in general are as inspired by !hat they )ne! of his
personality as !ell as his msicianship# People didn't "st !ant to play gitar
li)e Randy Rhoads& they !anted to be "st li)e Randy Rhoads# ,is msic
offered something for e%eryone# It cold be pretty& it cold be hea%y and
sometimes it !as both# ,is msic is timeless# (%ery no! and then !hen I
am listening to one of the records he played on& I still hear things that I
hadn't noticed before# This gets me e9cited abot his songs and msic all
o%er again#
I rn a Randy Rhoads !eb site called The Day The :sic Died# There !as
an old song that sed that lyric in respect to the day Biddy ,olly died#
/b%iosly& Randy Rhoads !as from my generation and had a hge impact on
me# +o :arch 45& 45FG !as the day that the msic died for me# :y goal
!ith my !eb site is to share all the information that I ha%e fond and
collected o%er the years !ith other Randy Rhoads fans !ho might appreciate
the information as mch as I ha%e# ;or the longest time I !anted to )no!
more abot !hat actally happened in Leesbrg& ;lorida# 1ll that yo e%er
heard in maga8ines !as !ho& !hat& !here and !hen# *o sally didn't
get more than a paragraphs !orth of information# /nce I got all of the
information concerning the accident that I had al!ays !ished for& I started
ptting it all on my !eb site#
I thin) that Randy's most memorable accomplishment& msically& is the fact
that he died o%er a decade ago and his msic is still as poplar& if not more
poplar today& than it !as !hen the Bli88ard of /88 and Diary of a :adman
!ere released# They are still in rotation on radio stations throghot the
!orld# 1 radio station here in Dallas !as playing a half of an hor of FC's
magic# 1ll re2ests& three times a !ee)# I called and re2ested -/%er the
:ontain' and !as told they coldn't play that becase they already ha%e it
in their rotation and they're trying to play songs from the FC's that yo don't
hear e%eryday# This !as 4P years after Randy died7
I thin) that Randy's most memorable accomplishment& as a person& !as that
he left a lasting impression on e%eryone that he met of being a geninely nice
person# I ha%e ne%er heard anyone tal) of Randy Rhoads& be it an inter%ie!
on tape or in print or face to face !ith someone !ho )ne! him& that did not
spea) of him !ith the tmost respect#
:y most fa%orite Randy Rhoads song is -*o Loo)ing 1t :e Loo)ing 1t
*o'# :y fa%orite song !ith Qiet Riot and Randy is -Pic)ing Jp The
Pieces'#