Randy Rhoads 12/06/1956 - 03/19/1982

watson503

Well-known member
41 years gone but not forgotten.

"A Life Dedicated To Music...An Inspiration For All Young People"

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I used to live in Redlands, California, near San Bernardino.
Used to go there on his birthday, December 6th and on March 19th.

Seen him numerous times, with Quiet Riot , 5 times with Ozzy .
Last time that I seen him live, was at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California, on January 3rd, 1982 .

They had five cameras at the Fresno concert, everyone seen them filming the whole show.
Ozzy and Sharron are sitting on the film of that show.

Every time I heard him, he would improve technically.
 
used to l
I used to live in Redlands, California, near San Bernardino.
Used to go there on his birthday, December 6th and on March 19th.

Seen him numerous times, with Quiet Riot , 5 times with Ozzy .
Last time that I seen him live, was at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California, on January 3rd, 1982 .

They had five cameras at the Fresno concert, everyone seen them filming the whole show.
Ozzy and Sharron are sitting on the film of that show.

Every time I heard him, he would improve technically.
lived in redlands too! scored some deals at caleb’s gtrs back in the day.
 
I know that he was telling people close to him that he wanted to go in a different direction musically, but I sometimes wonder what exactly he would have been doing, today. He would have been 67 years old in 2023......

Classical concert guitarist?
Ozzy reunion tour?
Occasional recording sessions?
Guest appearances on newer bands recordings?
Retired from any sort of touring, and just running Musonia (after Delores passed away)?

Whatever he was doing now, I bet that he would still be extremely humble, and doing it purely for the love of music.
 
I used to live in Redlands, California, near San Bernardino.
Used to go there on his birthday, December 6th and on March 19th.

Seen him numerous times, with Quiet Riot , 5 times with Ozzy .
Last time that I seen him live, was at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California, on January 3rd, 1982 .

They had five cameras at the Fresno concert, everyone seen them filming the whole show.
Ozzy and Sharron are sitting on the film of that show.

Every time I heard him, he would improve technically.
They for sure have some footage and I too wish they'd get it out of the vault. Such an amazing live performer, he had it all. The look, the live tone, the ferocity in his playing. You rarely hear an off night in the bootlegs and even when he had one, he's still playing aggressively and it sounds great. I guess the blurry footage we have is all we will ever get.
 
Randy was amazing and inspired millions of guys to play. He is the father of technical metal/classical metal, whatever you want to call it. No one was doing it until Randy and he was the best.

I love the guy but Schenker and Uli were already touching the classical meets blues genre well before that. Randy had a killer take on it though. YJM was also blowing his load all over harmonic minor scales by then too. He didn't just start that in 81'. He also brought the baroque pedal tone / pedal point thing which was bitchin and uber classical.
 
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I love the guy but Schenker and Uli were already touching the classical meets blues genre well before that. Randy had a killer take on it though. YJM was also blowing his load all over harmonic minor scales by then too. He didn't just start that in 81'. He also brought the baroque pedal tone thing which was bitchin and uber classical.
Maybe I should have said he was the first guy to do it very successfully. I'm sure some people knew who Yngwie was in 1981, but EVERYONE knew who Randy was.

I would also argue that Randy did it better than Yngwie and certainly Schenker. Just my opinion I suppose. Don't get me wrong, I am an Yngwie fan, but all his stuff sounds very classical and robotic and Randy's had feel, fit the music and was more melodic.
 
I love the guy but Schenker and Uli were already touching the classical meets blues genre well before that. Randy had a killer take on it though. YJM was also blowing his load all over harmonic minor scales by then too. He didn't just start that in 81'. He also brought the baroque pedal tone / pedal point thing which was bitchin and uber classical.
Probably have to give that nod to Blackmore, right? He was the first to play in that vein.

I remember exactly where I was, at my grandparents house in St Paul, when I heard he passed...felt like a gut punch. RIP
 
Randy became on obsession for me as a kid. I still smile when I hear the opening lead riff in Mr. Crowley. Lead in Diary same thing.
I would come home from school or usually cut all together and stay home locked away learning both of those albums. Wore out the needle on the record player! Then came the search for Altecs...etc..

His classical influence and modal approach was something you didnt really hear in metal music up till then. He was also, like Hendrix, was a very humble guy and that was something I admired cause here you had these players who had huge influences in the music scene and just seemed like down to earth guys. Such a shame he couldnt do more but I am thankful we have what we have.
 
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