As a teenager, I was blown away by Randy Rhoads guitar playing on Ozzy Osbourne's first two solo albums. They not only played in constant rotation on my stereo, but I also saw the band play live in Indianapolis a few months before Randy's fatal airplane crash. I remember feeling the tragic loss of such a great musician at such a young age.
In this book, Rudy Sarzo, who toured with Rhoads during these years (and also went on to play with Quiet Riot, Whitesnake, and now Dio) tells the story of these years on the road with Randy. It is a bittersweet story, because we know how it will end. Such talent lost. And yet, this is the stuff that makes guitar legends.
Rudy tells the story well. He is upfront about his faith in Jesus and how this turned his life around at a young age. He also honors Randy by shedding light on how Randy was just beginning to come to his own. He was working hard at his craft and if he had lived, I am confident his playing would only have gotten better.
In light of this book, I've been listening to these first two albums again and recognizing how brilliant the guitar work is and how good the songs are crafted. This was a great book for any fan of Randy Rhoads. Thanks for writing it Rudy!
One final note: Rudy offers many examples of concert reviews. After one particular scathing review he offers this gem of truth: "By now I've come to realize that the ones who can actually play go on to become real musicians, while the ones who can't go on to become critics" (93).
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