Jeff Watson (Night Ranger)

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Kapo_Polenton

Kapo_Polenton

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No offense to Brad Gillis but why didn't Ozzy not go and get this guy in 82' after RR passed? He's like a young Zack look wise rolled into a dude that can rip with melody. He probably would have nailed those solos night after night.


Link won't imbed, see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRbtuuUL0Vo
 
Maybe because he didn't look as badass as Zakk. I mean, c'mon, Zakk was friggin' Thor. :lol: :LOL:
 
That may not have been Ozzy's only criterium 'though.

Being pretty-mainstream, maybe he figured he'd pull in more fans with Zakk over whoever else he'd considered at the time. You know - additional chicks vs guitar heads. :dunno:
 
Video is not working but did Jeff even try out for the gig? as far as I know Pat Thrall’s Brother saw Brads band (which he start while NightRanger were waiting to get signed) playing Ozzy covers and he told Pat and Pat told Tommy about Brad
 
IF we are talking who is the best choice for Ozzy after Randy....and it is between Zakk Wylde and Jeff Watson....the selection of Zakk Wylde is the right choice 100 times out of 100. I like Jeff and think he is incredibly talented but take away the 8 finger tapping thing and his stock diminishes rapidly in my opinion. His overall presence is not as commanding, he is not as aggressive in his style and playing. He doesn't have that killer edge and aggression to dig in and take over. I always saw him as PERFECT for glam type metal / radio rock type stuff. Night Ranger kicks ass.
 
Randy was my favorite player at the time and I remember appreciating Brad for what he did, then liking JEL for his contribution and then liking Zakk when joined. So I like the succession and also like NighRanger. I remember walking away from the one NR show I saw being really impressed with Watson's perfection. Brad's Ozzy connection helped with the launch of NR so in a very indirect way Ozzy contributed to us getting Jeff Watson.
 
I would have liked to see Doug Aldrich cover the Randy era set.
 
I would just like to see a pristine full length video and multi camera angles of Rhoads on the DOAM tour?
 
We are def. Not talking about whether or not Zack was the right choice or not. He absolutely was and was way more of a stud than Watson. I'm just saying at the time if they were looking at Brad, why would they not have noticed the other guy who had a style way more complimentary to Ozzy's sound. Brad was good at the Sabbath stuff but lackluster on the RR stuff imo. That's all I am saying. RR Jake and Zack were def. The right choices.
 
As for the playing, the 8 finger tapping is cool but doesn't blow me away. It is more his shredding in the second half of the video.
 
I don't care whether Zakk is aggressive or not, no matter how much he digs in he is boring...and after watching that clip so is Jeff hahaha
 
Looking back way back that shit is on the verge of retarded
 
Steve Lynch was sooo much better with the tapping than Watson was. He is a very under rated player. I was 17 and opened for Autograph back in the day. I could barely play when Steve hung around for the sound check. He was a real cool guy, and I was so nervous I actually went borderline retarded! LOL
 
OP, you're talking more about Jeff for the fill-in role for the rest of the tour in 82? Reason I ask is that I don't remember him having a lot of credit as a writer with Night Ranger, so different question for me if it's fill-in versus permanent replacement (I'm thinking from your comments above on Jake and Zakk though this is more of a fill-in question). I know what you are saying on Jeff's technique though, although I actually think Brad did a pretty good job on the Randy material based on how little time he had to prepare.

Obviously Zakk was not actually in the mix as a replacement at the time, he was 15 and wouldn't join the band until 6 years later. His playing at that time really fit the band because in 88, the times were already changing and he had a fresh sound during a period when things were getting stale. I'm reading the OP's comment on Zakk as a general looks thing, not as an actual "the best replacement for Randy" whether fill-in or otherwise.
 
phil b":1tc68wpw said:
Steve Lynch was sooo much better with the tapping than Watson was. He is a very under rated player. I was 17 and opened for Autograph back in the day. I could barely play when Steve hung around for the sound check. He was a real cool guy, and I was so nervous I actually went borderline retarded! LOL
Hammerhead!! :rock:
 
Rock Bodom":1d4uz3fm said:
phil b":1d4uz3fm said:
Steve Lynch was sooo much better with the tapping than Watson was. He is a very under rated player. I was 17 and opened for Autograph back in the day. I could barely play when Steve hung around for the sound check. He was a real cool guy, and I was so nervous I actually went borderline retarded! LOL
Hammerhead!! :rock:
Yea man!! Watching him do it like a foot away and then playing it slow for me was just unreal! LOL. Their roadies had either quit or just didnt show up so we actually moved their equipment for them. They had one main guy named Reggie who was in the S.T.A.R.S video (Dio) and like another guy and that was it. Man, it was a strange night but they absolutely kicked butt! Kick Axe was also on the bill and they were great as well. Fun times!
 
Rock Bodom":1vquf9bs said:
OP, you're talking more about Jeff for the fill-in role for the rest of the tour in 82? Reason I ask is that I don't remember him having a lot of credit as a writer with Night Ranger, so different question for me if it's fill-in versus permanent replacement (I'm thinking from your comments above on Jake and Zakk though this is more of a fill-in question). I know what you are saying on Jeff's technique though, although I actually think Brad did a pretty good job on the Randy material based on how little time he had to prepare.

Obviously Zakk was not actually in the mix as a replacement at the time, he was 15 and wouldn't join the band until 6 years later. His playing at that time really fit the band because in 88, the times were already changing and he had a fresh sound during a period when things were getting stale. I'm reading the OP's comment on Zakk as a general looks thing, not as an actual "the best replacement for Randy" whether fill-in or otherwise.

Yes exactly. For the fill in role, nothing more. Since he was looking at Brad anyway it surprised me that he wouldn't have just given both a tryout. That said , given the short time and the money they were offering, this probably also turned off a lot of big players.
 
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