Today in 1982. 43 years ago wow the time flies. Luckily I got to see him live at The Omni in Atlanta 3 days prior to his death. I've seen just about every rock group since the 70's and without a doubt one of the greatest guitarists.
Starts at the 3:40 mark.
Guitar legend Randy Rhoads passed away on this day in 1982 (March 19)
Rhoads was the co-founder and original guitarist of the heavy metal band Quiet Riot, and the guitarist and co-songwriter for Ozzy Osbourne's first two solo albums “Blizzard of Ozz” (1980) and “Diary of a Madman” (1981).
The son of two music teachers, Rhoads originally learned classical guitar, and despite his relatively short career, is regarded as a pivotal figure in metal music, credited with pioneering a fast and technical style of guitar soloing that largely defined the metal scene of the 1980s.
He inspired a generation of guitarists around the world…
Rhoads' brother Kelle recalled that a July 11, 1971, Alice Cooper concert at the Long Beach Auditorium that the pair attended was a defining point in the guitarist's life.
After the concert was over he noted:
“Randy was mesmerized.
He was catatonic, just staring at the stage…
Later that night Randy said 'I can do this. I can look like this. I can be this.'
Something clicked that night and I think that kind of showed him what he could do with his talent.”
He went on to form Quiet Riot with childhood best friend Kelly Garni.
They quickly became one of the most popular acts on the LA club circuit, but although the band had a strong following in Los Angeles, their albums “Quiet Riot” and “Quiet Riot II” were released only in Japan.
Tensions within Quiet Riot led to Rhoads auditioning for Black Sabbath legend Ozzy Osbourne’s new band in 1979.
He got the job, although years later, Osbourne said in his autobiography that he could not understand why a musician as talented as Rhoads would want to get involved with a "bloated alcoholic wreck" like himself.
Propelled by Rhoads' neo-classical guitar work, and songs like "Mr. Crowley" and "Crazy Train", the new band’s debut album “Blizzard of Ozz” proved an instant hit with rock fans…
"Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" placed 9th and 28th, respectively, on Guitar World's 100 Greatest Guitar Solos readers poll. "Crazy Train" ranked #51 in Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time list.
Shorty after the release of a second album, “Diary of a Madman” in October 1981, Rhoads was voted "Best New Talent" by the readers of Guitar Player magazine and voted "Best Heavy Metal Guitarist" by the readers of UK-based Sounds magazine.
Around this time, Rhoads told friends that he was considering leaving rock for a few years to earn a degree in classical guitar at UCLA.
In the 1991 documentary film “Don't Blame Me”, Ozzy confirmed Rhoads' desire to earn the degree and said that had he lived, he didn’t believe Rhoads would have stayed in his band.
At the time of his death, Rhoads had already made the decision to part ways with Osbourne once his contractual obligations had been fulfilled, due to the singer’s constant drug and alcohol-fuelled unpredictability.
Rhoads played his last show on Thursday, March 18, 1982, at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum.
The next day, the band was heading to a festival in Orlando, Florida, called Rock Super Bowl XIV.
After driving much of the night, they stopped at Flying Baron Estates in Leesburg, Florida, to fix a malfunctioning air conditioning unit on the bus while Ozzy remained asleep.
On the property, owned by the Calhoun Brothers tour bus company, there was an airstrip with helicopters and small planes.
Without permission, tour bus driver and private pilot Andrew Aycock took a single-engine Beechcraft F35 plane registered to a Mike Partin.
On the first flight, Aycock took keyboardist Don Airey and tour manager Jake Duncan with him as passengers.
During this first flight, Duncan later revealed that Aycock "buzzed" the bus in an attempt to wake drummer Tommy Aldridge.
The group then landed and a second flight soon took to the air with Rhoads and makeup artist Rachel Youngblood aboard.
During the second flight, more attempts were made to "buzz" the tour bus.
Aycock succeeded in making two close passes, but botched the third attempt.
At about 10 a.m., after being in the air for approximately five minutes, one of the plane's wings clipped the top of the tour bus, breaking the wing into two parts and sending the plane spiraling out of control, severing the top of a pine tree, crashing into the garage of a nearby mansion, and bursting into flames.
All three on board died instantly.
Ozzy Osbourne later admitted that Aycock had been seen doing cocaine all night prior to the crash.
It was confirmed after autopsy that Aycock had tested positive for cocaine.
This sad day in rock history drew tributes from around the world.
Osbourne has said that in contrast to his heavy metal, guitar hero persona, Rhoads did not use drugs and drank very little, although smoked heavily. He also collected toy trains.
Rhoads was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.
Click on the link below to watch Randy Rhoads live in 1981 doing “Crazy Train” with Ozzy:
Starts at the 3:40 mark.
Guitar legend Randy Rhoads passed away on this day in 1982 (March 19)
Rhoads was the co-founder and original guitarist of the heavy metal band Quiet Riot, and the guitarist and co-songwriter for Ozzy Osbourne's first two solo albums “Blizzard of Ozz” (1980) and “Diary of a Madman” (1981).
The son of two music teachers, Rhoads originally learned classical guitar, and despite his relatively short career, is regarded as a pivotal figure in metal music, credited with pioneering a fast and technical style of guitar soloing that largely defined the metal scene of the 1980s.
He inspired a generation of guitarists around the world…
Rhoads' brother Kelle recalled that a July 11, 1971, Alice Cooper concert at the Long Beach Auditorium that the pair attended was a defining point in the guitarist's life.
After the concert was over he noted:
“Randy was mesmerized.
He was catatonic, just staring at the stage…
Later that night Randy said 'I can do this. I can look like this. I can be this.'
Something clicked that night and I think that kind of showed him what he could do with his talent.”
He went on to form Quiet Riot with childhood best friend Kelly Garni.
They quickly became one of the most popular acts on the LA club circuit, but although the band had a strong following in Los Angeles, their albums “Quiet Riot” and “Quiet Riot II” were released only in Japan.
Tensions within Quiet Riot led to Rhoads auditioning for Black Sabbath legend Ozzy Osbourne’s new band in 1979.
He got the job, although years later, Osbourne said in his autobiography that he could not understand why a musician as talented as Rhoads would want to get involved with a "bloated alcoholic wreck" like himself.
Propelled by Rhoads' neo-classical guitar work, and songs like "Mr. Crowley" and "Crazy Train", the new band’s debut album “Blizzard of Ozz” proved an instant hit with rock fans…
"Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" placed 9th and 28th, respectively, on Guitar World's 100 Greatest Guitar Solos readers poll. "Crazy Train" ranked #51 in Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time list.
Shorty after the release of a second album, “Diary of a Madman” in October 1981, Rhoads was voted "Best New Talent" by the readers of Guitar Player magazine and voted "Best Heavy Metal Guitarist" by the readers of UK-based Sounds magazine.
Around this time, Rhoads told friends that he was considering leaving rock for a few years to earn a degree in classical guitar at UCLA.
In the 1991 documentary film “Don't Blame Me”, Ozzy confirmed Rhoads' desire to earn the degree and said that had he lived, he didn’t believe Rhoads would have stayed in his band.
At the time of his death, Rhoads had already made the decision to part ways with Osbourne once his contractual obligations had been fulfilled, due to the singer’s constant drug and alcohol-fuelled unpredictability.
Rhoads played his last show on Thursday, March 18, 1982, at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum.
The next day, the band was heading to a festival in Orlando, Florida, called Rock Super Bowl XIV.
After driving much of the night, they stopped at Flying Baron Estates in Leesburg, Florida, to fix a malfunctioning air conditioning unit on the bus while Ozzy remained asleep.
On the property, owned by the Calhoun Brothers tour bus company, there was an airstrip with helicopters and small planes.
Without permission, tour bus driver and private pilot Andrew Aycock took a single-engine Beechcraft F35 plane registered to a Mike Partin.
On the first flight, Aycock took keyboardist Don Airey and tour manager Jake Duncan with him as passengers.
During this first flight, Duncan later revealed that Aycock "buzzed" the bus in an attempt to wake drummer Tommy Aldridge.
The group then landed and a second flight soon took to the air with Rhoads and makeup artist Rachel Youngblood aboard.
During the second flight, more attempts were made to "buzz" the tour bus.
Aycock succeeded in making two close passes, but botched the third attempt.
At about 10 a.m., after being in the air for approximately five minutes, one of the plane's wings clipped the top of the tour bus, breaking the wing into two parts and sending the plane spiraling out of control, severing the top of a pine tree, crashing into the garage of a nearby mansion, and bursting into flames.
All three on board died instantly.
Ozzy Osbourne later admitted that Aycock had been seen doing cocaine all night prior to the crash.
It was confirmed after autopsy that Aycock had tested positive for cocaine.
This sad day in rock history drew tributes from around the world.
Osbourne has said that in contrast to his heavy metal, guitar hero persona, Rhoads did not use drugs and drank very little, although smoked heavily. He also collected toy trains.
Rhoads was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.
Click on the link below to watch Randy Rhoads live in 1981 doing “Crazy Train” with Ozzy:
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