Ozzy's "Bark at the Moon" Live

[Kapo_Polenton]

I noticed that your timing on the middle solo (the last run/ascending scales) is similar to mine in that it is a tricky lick to play in Jake's time. There is still something I feel I am missing when I play that one. He was such a unique player back then. A little sloppier now but his work still holds up.

PS- you guys are better than seeing Ozzy now (and over the last 10 years). Love the tone too.. is that the Helix? Through a PA it is almost a no brainer for people who have to play club and small shows.

Jake is tough. His stuff is the hardest for me to get right. It’s very unorthodox whereas Randy is more scalular in his playing and similar to my own style of playing and Zakk is more frenzied rapid fire pentatonic runs. While not easy still easier for me than Jake’s stuff. He was a beast back in the day.

I’m using the Axe-Fx III direct to the PA.

I hear ya, Jake always had odd timing and these monster stretches which makes him a challenge. I am the same as you, Zakk takes a bit of work for the fast pentatonics and that crazy wide vibrato but it is doable. Randy although my favourite of the three, I feel is much easier to cop and his playing is more straight up to me. I know the scales he is using and it flows together nicely.

So you are ZERO amps now? I while back I thought you had just gone to modelers for the convenience and were keeping a few big amps. That's almost unheard of around these parts! That said, it shows the difference between someone who is actually out there performing vs. the rest of us bedroom warriors. the tone doesn't seem to be suffering that's for sure.

I'm the same way. I know my modes so it's easier for me to cop Randy's stuff. While every riff might not be exactly note for note I'm using the same notes he was using from the scale. And with Zakk I definitely do not have his right hand but I can get by with hammer on's and pull off's to cheat my way through the rapid fire runs.

I decided to give modelers a try after having lower back surgery in 2014. Hauling stacks around for 30 years had finally caught up with me. I decided on the Axe-Fx after hearing Mark Day's videos. I liked it but continued gigging with my 5153 halfstack's. It wasn't till 2016 when I really dived in and learned all about this stuff and was able to replicate (to my ears) my 5153 halfstack's tone and feel. Once I did I was sold. I loved the sound and the consistency of the sound, the dependability and ease of setup. I started gigging with the Axe and never looked back. I gigged with it for over a year and realized I hadn't touched any of my amps in that time. Decided it was time for them to go. Taking up space and I could use the money for an AX8 and more FRFR gear.
Fractal liked what I was doing and put me on their Artist Roster which was a huge honor for this nobody from Houston, TX. I'll be 48 in a few months and while I don't haul around the really heavy gear like I used to I still have to drag around these Friedman FRFR cabs and actually herniated 3 more discs in my lower back back in April. I'm just now healing up from it. Not sure how much longer I'll be able to physically gig but I know it will be longer using the Fractal rig rather than a halfstack rig.

Damn! Sorry to hear about your back. I was just going to ask you if the surgery helped ( I am on a long wait list) but looks like what I feared..they say that you can be at risk through the rest of the chain once one area gets shored up. I have had chronic pain the last 5 years after first blowing my back 15+ years ago. When I was younger it would more or less go away but then it stayed in my late 30's and never left (almost 43 now) . I only finally got relief this past year when i tried prolotherapy. Costs me 430$ a session and sadly is not covered by our health care in Canada but it made day to day life manageable again. Night and day, but expensive when you go monthly. That said, I am sort of at it's plateau now and still waiting to consult a surgeon. I am on the fence though because i have heard both good and horror stories from people who had the surgery. I can drum a full show, play guitar seated, do very light workouts and lift my daughter so maybe I should take that as a win and not test my chances. Some days though, it takes nothing to remind me that i have nerve damage down my right side and that the disc is still herniated and inflamed. It's crippling. Sorry for going off topic everyone..

 

[Bishop5150]

I noticed that your timing on the middle solo (the last run/ascending scales) is similar to mine in that it is a tricky lick to play in Jake's time. There is still something I feel I am missing when I play that one. He was such a unique player back then. A little sloppier now but his work still holds up.

PS- you guys are better than seeing Ozzy now (and over the last 10 years). Love the tone too.. is that the Helix? Through a PA it is almost a no brainer for people who have to play club and small shows.

Jake is tough. His stuff is the hardest for me to get right. It’s very unorthodox whereas Randy is more scalular in his playing and similar to my own style of playing and Zakk is more frenzied rapid fire pentatonic runs. While not easy still easier for me than Jake’s stuff. He was a beast back in the day.

I’m using the Axe-Fx III direct to the PA.

I hear ya, Jake always had odd timing and these monster stretches which makes him a challenge. I am the same as you, Zakk takes a bit of work for the fast pentatonics and that crazy wide vibrato but it is doable. Randy although my favourite of the three, I feel is much easier to cop and his playing is more straight up to me. I know the scales he is using and it flows together nicely.

So you are ZERO amps now? I while back I thought you had just gone to modelers for the convenience and were keeping a few big amps. That's almost unheard of around these parts! That said, it shows the difference between someone who is actually out there performing vs. the rest of us bedroom warriors. the tone doesn't seem to be suffering that's for sure.

I'm the same way. I know my modes so it's easier for me to cop Randy's stuff. While every riff might not be exactly note for note I'm using the same notes he was using from the scale. And with Zakk I definitely do not have his right hand but I can get by with hammer on's and pull off's to cheat my way through the rapid fire runs.

I decided to give modelers a try after having lower back surgery in 2014. Hauling stacks around for 30 years had finally caught up with me. I decided on the Axe-Fx after hearing Mark Day's videos. I liked it but continued gigging with my 5153 halfstack's. It wasn't till 2016 when I really dived in and learned all about this stuff and was able to replicate (to my ears) my 5153 halfstack's tone and feel. Once I did I was sold. I loved the sound and the consistency of the sound, the dependability and ease of setup. I started gigging with the Axe and never looked back. I gigged with it for over a year and realized I hadn't touched any of my amps in that time. Decided it was time for them to go. Taking up space and I could use the money for an AX8 and more FRFR gear.
Fractal liked what I was doing and put me on their Artist Roster which was a huge honor for this nobody from Houston, TX. I'll be 48 in a few months and while I don't haul around the really heavy gear like I used to I still have to drag around these Friedman FRFR cabs and actually herniated 3 more discs in my lower back back in April. I'm just now healing up from it. Not sure how much longer I'll be able to physically gig but I know it will be longer using the Fractal rig rather than a halfstack rig.

Damn! Sorry to hear about your back. I was just going to ask you if the surgery helped ( I am on a long wait list) but looks like what I feared..they say that you can be at risk through the rest of the chain once one area gets shored up. I have had chronic pain the last 5 years after first blowing my back 15+ years ago. When I was younger it would more or less go away but then it stayed in my late 30's and never left (almost 43 now) . I only finally got relief this past year when i tried prolotherapy. Costs me 430$ a session and sadly is not covered by our health care in Canada but it made day to day life manageable again. Night and day, but expensive when you go monthly. That said, I am sort of at it's plateau now and still waiting to consult a surgeon. I am on the fence though because i have heard both good and horror stories from people who had the surgery. I can drum a full show, play guitar seated, do very light workouts and lift my daughter so maybe I should take that as a win and not test my chances. Some days though, it takes nothing to remind me that i have nerve damage down my right side and that the disc is still herniated and inflamed. It's crippling. Sorry for going off topic everyone..

No worries. You're still on topic. Aging wannabe rockstars with bad backs and how we survive! LOL!
I've been fine the last 5 years since my surgery. Minus the occasional sore day here and there. I've been very careful loading in and loading out my gear. But I hurt it pretty good at an outdoor festival back in April of this year loading my Friedman FRFR's up to the stage. One of those big Bud Light outdoor type stages. I guess going up and down the stage access ramp and trying to get around crew forced me to carry them awkwardly and that's all it takes at my age to do some damage. I really thought I was screwed. I've been going to my chiro and hitting the hot tub the last 4 months and it's seems to have done the trick. For now. The discs are still herniated they're just not pressing on a nerve right now.
Hope you get some relief bro.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Ha! yes, aging rockers and you are right, sometimes it is having to move in an unexpected way and you are out for days. One thing that always works though.. hard liquor though obviously in moderation.

 

[311boogieman]

Fractal liked what I was doing and put me on their Artist Roster which was a huge honor for this nobody from Houston, TX.

That is super cool man

Congrats on that! You seem pretty humble so I don't think you need the props for your ego but thought I'd point this out a bit better as it was buried in your paragraph that I just read.

You guys seem to do a show what, almost every weekend, at that House of Blues? Are you guys doing other shows? I ask because all of the ones I've seen have been H.O.B. and I was just wondering if they could help you find a room or closet to lock up your monitors at least? Are you guys doing well enough to hire 1 roadie to do the drums, monitors, amps and other gear?

Thanks and keep up the great work (both guitar and production)

 

[Bishop5150]

Fractal liked what I was doing and put me on their Artist Roster which was a huge honor for this nobody from Houston, TX.

That is super cool man

Congrats on that! You seem pretty humble so I don't think you need the props for your ego but thought I'd point this out a bit better as it was buried in your paragraph that I just read.

You guys seem to do a show what, almost every weekend, at that House of Blues? Are you guys doing other shows? I ask because all of the ones I've seen have been H.O.B. and I was just wondering if they could help you find a room or closet to lock up your monitors at least? Are you guys doing well enough to hire 1 roadie to do the drums, monitors, amps and other gear?

Thanks and keep up the great work (both guitar and production)

Thanks man. I appreciate the kind words. I’m nobody special so no need for an ego. I just play guitar in an Ozzy cover band. And there is a shit load more out there just like me. And there are millions of kids out there that can out shred my old ass. I’m just a guy who loves to play and talk about guitar and guitar stuff like everybody else on these forums. I’m extremely thankful to be able to do what I do and want to enjoy it as long as I can cause it could all be gone tomorrow.

We play House of Blues Houston usually twice a year. They have us there about every 6 months. We play in Houston every 4-6 weeks for the most part and will mix an out of town show in San Antonio or Austin or another market in between when we can. We are all getting close to 50 or are over 50 and have careers and families so we just do this on the weekends for fun.

Thus far it’s just been us doing all the work but with age and injuries we are looking for a little help for load in and load out and to setup scrims and fog geysers. We don’t have anyone permanent yet to help though.

 

[skullfxr]

Sofaking good. ?

 

[gibson5413]

Sounds awesome!!!!

 

[MrDowntown]

So the Axe FX3 is a rack unit? (I believe that's correct). You're running a corresponding floor board to control different settings, modulation, etc?

 

[Bishop5150]

So the Axe FX3 is a rack unit? (I believe that's correct). You're running a corresponding floor board to control different settings, modulation, etc?

Yes, I'm using the Fractal FC-12 as the controller.

 

[nevusofota]

Shit man, still killing it and sounding better than ever. Always enjoy your clips. I remember years ago when you first took this gig. I have to admit, the clip sounds as good if not better than your earlier EVH rig. I’m kinda surprised you haven’t gone completely in-ear yet with your back issues.

 

[overthemountain]

Did you have the AX8 at one point? I'm even more of an armchair guitarist lol so am interested in something pretty self-contained like that or the Helix.

 

[riffermadness]

Dude....all of the above....fan fucking tastic. You guys have a website? Where do you tour?!?

Thanks man. Website is http://www.ozzytributehouston.com most of our social media stuff is either Ozz or ozzytributehouston.
We just play around Texas but it’s a big damn territory. We’re all old weekend warriors with careers and just do this for fun.

If you guys play anywhere near Texarkana or south of that around Marshall let me know..that was played perfectly...I saw Ozzy and Jake in Dallas when this came out way back then,but your version is awesome !!

 

[Bishop5150]

Shit man, still killing it and sounding better than ever. Always enjoy your clips. I remember years ago when you first took this gig. I have to admit, the clip sounds as good if not better than your earlier EVH rig. I’m kinda surprised you haven’t gone completely in-ear yet with your back issues.

My man! Good to hear from you bro! Hope you are well. What are you dragging around these days?
I've thought about IEM's but my main issue with it would be how to generate controlled feedback. And going that route I completely abandon where I came from. I still like having a little air moving behind me ya know?

 

[Bishop5150]

Did you have the AX8 at one point? I'm even more of an armchair guitarist lol so am interested in something pretty self-contained like that or the Helix.

I started gigging with the AX8 when they came out in early 2016 but switched to my Axe-Fx III earlier this year when I got the FC-12. I sold my AX8 and now just waiting for the FM3 to be released.
The AX8 is still a great unit but after gigging with my III a few times I couldn't go back to the AX8. It just doesn't have the tone and feel of the III. The difference wasn't that big when the III came out last year but it is now.

 

[Bishop5150]

Dude....all of the above....fan fucking tastic. You guys have a website? Where do you tour?!?

Thanks man. Website is http://www.ozzytributehouston.com most of our social media stuff is either Ozz or ozzytributehouston.
We just play around Texas but it’s a big damn territory. We’re all old weekend warriors with careers and just do this for fun.

If you guys play anywhere near Texarkana or south of that around Marshall let me know..that was played perfectly...I saw Ozzy and Jake in Dallas when this came out way back then,but your version is awesome !!

Thanks man!
We will be in the Dallas/ Ft. Worth area on November 9th for a big tribute festival thing. If you're free... maybe a road trip?

 

[MrDowntown]

Did you have the AX8 at one point? I'm even more of an armchair guitarist lol so am interested in something pretty self-contained like that or the Helix.

I started gigging with the AX8 when they came out in early 2016 but switched to my Axe-Fx III earlier this year when I got the FC-12. I sold my AX8 and now just waiting for the FM3 to be released.
The AX8 is still a great unit but after gigging with my III a few times I couldn't go back to the AX8. It just doesn't have the tone and feel of the III. The difference wasn't that big when the III came out last year but it is now.

Hey man...not to burn you out with stupid questions...but to the comment in bold above... is that a software update on the III that made the difference, or more "you getting used to it".

 

[MetalHeadMike]

as usual!

 

[Bishop5150]

Did you have the AX8 at one point? I'm even more of an armchair guitarist lol so am interested in something pretty self-contained like that or the Helix.

I started gigging with the AX8 when they came out in early 2016 but switched to my Axe-Fx III earlier this year when I got the FC-12. I sold my AX8 and now just waiting for the FM3 to be released.
The AX8 is still a great unit but after gigging with my III a few times I couldn't go back to the AX8. It just doesn't have the tone and feel of the III. The difference wasn't that big when the III came out last year but it is now.

Hey man...not to burn you out with stupid questions...but to the comment in bold above... is that a software update on the III that made the difference, or more "you getting used to it".

The continuing Firmware updates to the III definitely made the difference.

 

[nevusofota]

Shit man, still killing it and sounding better than ever. Always enjoy your clips. I remember years ago when you first took this gig. I have to admit, the clip sounds as good if not better than your earlier EVH rig. I’m kinda surprised you haven’t gone completely in-ear yet with your back issues.

My man! Good to hear from you bro! Hope you are well. What are you dragging around these days?
I've thought about IEM's but my main issue with it would be how to generate controlled feedback. And going that route I completely abandon where I came from. I still like having a little air moving behind me ya know?

I completely understand needing to move air. If it ever gets to that point though try a Digitech Freqout pedal. It works well for generating controlled feedback on “quiet” stages and or direct recording.
I’ve switched years ago to a Bogner Shiva as my main weekly gigging amp along with an old Carvin 2x12 cab. I only kept the 50w of the EVH’s and keep the rest around just to screw with at home.