Randy Rhoads Blog

Birth Name- Randall William Rhoads

Date of Birth- December 6th, 1956

Date of Death- March 19th, 1982

Birthplace- Saint Johns Hospital in Santa Monica, California

Randy Rhoads was born on December 6th, 1956 as Randall William Rhoads at Saint Johns Hospital in Santa Monica Hospital, California. Randy was the youngest of three children. His older brothers name is Doug Rhoads, but he likes to be called Kelle Rhoads. His older sisters name is Kathy Rhoads. Randy comes from a family that has quite a bit of music talent. His mother, Delores Rhoads, owned the Musonia School of Music in North Hollywood! Randy started playing guitar when he was 7 years old on his grandfathers Gibson Army-Navy acoustic Guitar.

Gibson Army-Navy Acoustic Guitar

http://www.prices4antiques.com/music/stringed-instruments/Strings-Guitar-Gibson-Style-GY-Army-Navy-Special-ca-1918-Case-D9990543.htm

He started to learn how to play folk guitar, which was a quite popular way to learn guitar back then. He soon dropped out of lessons and began learning what he wanted to learn, heavy metal, rock, and classical styles. His first band was 'Violet Fox". This band had him on guitar and his brother, Doug, on drums. The band was named after Randys Mothers middle name, Violet. Other minor bands Randy was in were "The Katzenjammer Kids" and "Mildred Pierce". At around age 17, Randy taught his best friend, Kelly Garni to play bass guitar, and then they both formed Quiet Riot, the orriginal name possibly being Mach 1. They found a vocalist when Kevin DuBrow tried out in Randys kitchen.Their drummer was to be Drew Forsyth.

When Quiet Riot was formed, they played in small bars. Later, they played in 2 big L.A clubs, The Whiskey a Go Go, and The Starwood. Quiet Riot started recording albums, but failed to get a record contract from the U.S, but Japan was able to make a deal with Quiet Riot. This allowed Quiet Riot to release their first album, Quiet Riot 1, in Japan in 1977. Later, in 79, Quiet Riot 2 was also released in Japan.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTvHFGMXeDFSE7YhwmklrI1Yme-kPvI3INVa7AgLtoBfHEAwdA8yCHzwS8IaIweqki_bLJZZpWSz_i19LqxD7HcWYnmnFIhAMuLLquNuj3yAKQB3SrNt1f86LZjCkuG81iZom40VLCcQ/s400/Quiet+Riot+Quiet+Riot+2--f.jpg

Quiet Riot 2 Album Released in 1979

Tracks:

1. Slick Black Cadillac

2. You Drive Me Crazy

3. Afterglow (Of Your Love)

4. Eye For an Eye

5. Trouble

6. Killer Girls

7. Face to Face

8. Inside You

9. We've Got The Magic

http://www.bryanreesman.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Quiet_Riot_1977.jpg
Quiet Riot 1 Album Released in 1978, although the songs do date back to 1975.

Tracks :
1. It's Not So Funny
2. Mama's Little Angels
3. Tin Soldier
4. Ravers
5. Back To The Coast (West Coast Tryouts)
6. Glad All Over
7. Get Your Kicks (In 76)
8. Look in Any Window
9. Just How You Want It
10. Riot Reunion ( Gonna Have A Riot \w/)
11. Fit to be Tied
12. Demolition Derby

Bassist Kelly Garni left Quiet Riot in 1978 for reasons I don't know, but was replaced by famous bassist Rudy Sarzo. Between the time Kelly left and Rudy joined, the well known song "Picking Up the Pieces" was recorded. All tracks made during this time featured Randy on bass guitar. Sarzo is also responsible for being the bass player on Quiet riot 2. Randy went on to play with Quiet Riot until late 1979 when he was asked to play guitar in ex-Black Sabbath vocalist Ozzy Osbournes Band. Randy was delighted and went to audition for Ozzy. Randy walked into Ozzys room with his Gibson Les Paul Custom and a small, Fender Amp.

Randy Rhoads Gibson Les Paul

http://www.deviantart.com/download/136536163/Randy_Rhoads_Gibson_Les_Paul_by_black2005.jpg

Randy Rhoads Custom Marshall 1959rr Amp Head

http://www.bonnersmusic.co.uk/file_store/23249.jpg?1200995735

After hearing Randys warm up riffs and notes, Ozzy gave him the job. Randy later said " I just tuned up and did some riffs and Ozzy said ' You've got the gig'." This warm up riff eventually became Goodbye to Romance. Kevin DuBrow didn't take too kindly to Randy leaving Quiet Riot, but Kevin kept the name Quiet Riot and kept playing. Randy recommended his friend Greg Leon to replace him as guitarist for Quiet Riot. Randy then moved to the UK. When Ozzy and the band, Lee Kerslake on drums, Bob Daisly on bass, and Randy on guitar, arrived in England in March, 1980 to begin recording their first album, Blizzard of Ozz. Shortly after, Ozzy Osbourne, at the time the band was called Ozzy Osbourne and the Blizzard of Ozz, began touring.

Blizzard of Ozz Album released in the U.K and U.S in 1980

http://biolog.jamsbio.com/images/metal/ozzy.jpg

Tracks:

1. I don't Know

2. Crazy Train

3. Goodbye to Romance

4. Dee

5. Suicide Solution

6. Mr. Crowley

7. No Bone Movies

8. Revelation (Mother Earth)

9. Steal Away (The Night)

10. You Lookin at Me Lookin at You

Soon after the Blizzard of Ozz, Ozzy began recording the Diary of a Madman album with Randy on guitar, Bob Daisley on Bass and Lee Kerslake on Drums, and it was then released in 1981.This album was recorded while the band was still on tour for Blizzard of Ozz, so every off day they got, they would go and record in the nearest studio. By the time all the recording was done and the songs were put together, it was already November, 1981.Ozzy then launched the Diary of a Madman tour that November. During the Diary of a Madman tour and also at the end of his life, Randy wanted to earn a degree in classical guitar playing, and leave the band for a few years, and possibly for good. Randy said Ozzy had too much of a carnival going on. Randy wasn't able to do this because he died before he could. Ozzy recalled saying that Randy most likely would've left to play in another band or go on his own.

Diary of a Madman album released in 1981

http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Ozzy-Diary_of_a_Madman.jpg

1. Over the Mountain

2. Flying High Again

3. You Can't Kill Rock and Roll

4. Believer

5. Little Dolls

6. Tonight

7. S.A.T.O

8. Diary of a Madman

On March 18th, after playing at the Civic Coliseum, the band drove down to Orlando Florida in their tour bus for a festival taking place there. Tommy, Rudy and Randy were up in the tour bus talking when Randy just said "I Don't think I want to be a rock star anymore". This was recalled by Rudy Sarzo during an interview about Randy. After a tiring night of driving, the band decided to stop at Jerry Calhouns mansion for the night in Leesburg, Florida. Jerry Calhoun was the owner of a bus company. Rudy Sarzo recalled, "Randy woke me up at around 8am and said 'Andrew Ayecock is going to take me and Rachelle Youngblood up in a plane to view the country.' I said no and Randy said ' Okay then, you don't know what you're missing'. I watched him walk out into the still morning, closed the curtains, and went back to sleep, never to see my friend Randy again." After the first group of people went up in the plane, Randy went up to take some photographs of the country side while airborne, one of Randy's hobbies despite his fear of flying. Randy was then taken up in the sky. While the plane was airborn, the plane began flying extremely low to the bus, buzzing it. 2 successful attempts were made, but the third one was a disaster.The plane crashed into Ozzys tour bus, then into Jerry Calhouns mansion, killing everyone aboard the plane instantly. randy's cause of death wasn't by fire, but by head trauma most likely caused by the first impact with the bus, or when the plane hit the ground before hitting the mansion. No one in the bus, nor the mansion were hurt. Cause of the crash? Well, there are a few theories. The most common theory is that Andy Ayecock just hads a mishap and the right wing of the plane hit the tour bus of the 4th pass, causing the plane to crash. The 2nd theory is that Andy had a heart attack on the 4th pass due to a cocain overdose, causing the plane to hit the bus. The 3rd theory is that Andy spotted his ex-wife at the door of the tour bus and he attempted to kill her in a murder-suicide way, and he fortunately/unfortunately missed and crashed. Randy was killed instantly due to a blow to the head, most likely when the plane hit the bus, so he did not feel a thing. Autopsy later on revealed cocaine in Aycocks urine, and only Nicotine in Randys body. Randy Rhoads will never be forgotten, as his legacy still lives on. I am 100% influenced by Randy, and play guitar myself. I'm not the only one who is influenced by hime, as there are thousands of people world wide who understand his talent. All I can say is " Thank you God, for allowing Randy to be born and show the world his talent. May he Rest in Peace".

Extra Info

Randy Rhoads was rewarded the Best New Talent Reward in 1981
Randy Rhoads used 5 guitars: A Gibson Les Paul Custom, A Karl Sandoval Polka Dot Flying V Custom, A Jackson Custom (Concord), and a Black Jackson V (RR1), and a Gibson 12 string acoustic guitar.
The Randy Rhoads Spotlight Solo is a smaller version of his Quiet Riot Laughing Gas Solo, which is 6-10 minutes long. The time of the solo varies on what Randy wanted to do.
Eddy Van Halen Copied most of Randys techniques, and modified his tone a little. He also stole the original Quiet Riot logo and used it as his own.
Randy Rhoads wasn't a druggy, he only smoked cigarettes.Maybe a role of Weed from time to time.
Randy Rhoads used his own style, neo-classical rock, meaning new-age classic rock.
Randy Rhoads was Ozzys first solo career guitarist.
When Randy joined Ozzy, alot of his riffs and tones were based on his old Quiet Riot Songs.
Randy is buried in Mountain View Cemetery in San Bernardino, California.
Randy was added to Guitar Centers Rock Walk in Hollywood, California on March 18th, 2004.
Randy modded the gain tube of a Marshal 1959 amp to get the tone he had.
Randy was chosen #1 on VH1 Classics' Top 10 Rock Stars out of L.A. He beat Van Halen and many other great Rock Stars!
Jackson Guitars sells Rhoads signature guitars. Some Relics, and most are just V shaped with bad-ass pick ups and looks.