4 posts tagged “ozzy”

Over 600 miles Greyhound bus. Some people might consider it mad devotion. In the last two years of Randy's life he was surrounded by madness 24/7 and kept his wits about him. Granted I wasn't traveling with Ozzy but witnessed a few drunk people.

 

 

This Guitar Legends magazine was my companion the entire trip.

(When Delores saw this Randy shot she said, "good picture".)

 

 

 

 

Emotionally, the most important part of my journey was delivering a "Dear Randy Rhoads letter" , a candle, and a card to Randy's grave. It's how I express how much I miss Randy. How he effected my youth in a positive way. He didn't use drugs and drank in moderation. Randy was far from being a womanizer, and he was nice to people even when he voiced he disagreed with their behaviors. He was an adult a young child could look up to and say, "now, there's a role model", and at least one did...

 

 

 

 

It floored me the Rhoads passed around my note....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Randy wouldn't understand the enormous mosuleum or the tear stained notes left by fans who traveled further than myself. How many times has Kelly Garni said that...It's just another aspect of Randy we love. Another reason to hold onto to the memory.

A fellow off the streets of San Bernadino wandered into Mountain View Cemetery. He didn't know much about Randy Rhoads. He wanted to see for himself what the fuss was about. He sat down under the canopy and watched Quiet Riot concert footage with us. Discovering Randy Rhoads he said, "Damn this guy was good". I enjoyed seeing the look on his face when I told him he didn't think he was any better than any other guitarist out there. Utter shock. He was in the right place to learn not all great rock n' rollers are self-centered.

Wandering into a cemetery and learning something new is a journey as well. A short journey, an interesting one, as well.

Journeys of love, journeys of discovery, both lead to the music.

 

 

 

 

Delores Rhoads is an amazing women. At age 86, she still meets with her son's fans two times a year at Mountain View Cemetery. On Randy Rhoads birthday: December 6th. And every year for the anniversary of his passing: March 19th. It is a labor of love. Randy Rhoads was passionate about his fans...uncountable incidents occured where Randy gave his fans free backstage guitar lessons.

The surviving Rhoads family reflect the same gratitude towards Randy Rhoads fans. Every December 6th and March 19th Kathy, Kelle, and Delores Rhoads shake fans hands, converse with us, and answer our Randy Rhoads questions. Delores said of the fans, "It's the fans that keep Randy's memory alive."

 

 

note: Doug (aka Kelle) Rhoads stepped out to get his mom something to eat. Kelle's not in this photo.

 

 

 

Randy Rhoads is huge in Japan. Here are fans who fly from Japan every year to Mountain View Cemetery to pay their respects to Randy. 

 

 

 

 

Here's Kelle Rhoads signing the "Day the music died" posters he made for the anniversary (he made 200 and passed them all out in four hours). This joker shook my hand and said, " I know where that hand has been." Cut me up!

 

 

 

This picture was taken for the boys.

 

 

 

Mountain View Cemetery was full of fans who played guitar for Randy.

 

 

 

 

Delores signing autographs for the fans.

 

 

 

 

A fan presents a rose to the ladies.

 

 

 

Steve got to stand next to Jody Parkins (Randy's girlfriend). I'll bet you guys out there are jealous.

 

 

 

Lori is currently involved in the production of the Randy Rhoads documentary filmed at Mountain View Cemetary

March 19, 2007.

 

 

 

 

Quiet Riot fan club girls proudly display Randy's bow ties.

Don't miss out on the Black Label Society article by Rocket, Randy Rhoads 25 years gone:

http://themetalden.com/index.php?categoryid=1&p2_articleid=3564

 

 The brothers share a moment of silence for Randy

 

 

                                  

Here's Black Label Society and Kelly Garni (he's the desert rat wearing the denim).

 

 

    

The silver writing on the BLS jacket shoulder are two signatures. One is Dimebag's and

the other is Zakk Wylde's.

 

                                         

Zakk Wylde called the Rhoads family. He was unable to attend the 25th memorial.

 

by,

Panther Rhoads

 

Four psychology courses in college certainly doesn't make me an expert regarding teenage suicide. 17 years I have researched this subject . Mainly because, if Judas Priest had intended to kill teenage boys decency would restrict me from purchasing another Judas Priest album. I believe Rob Halford's argument because it is the most reasonable. Why would Judas Priest want to kill their fans? People who buy Judas Priest albums.

1986, Two teenage boys shot themselves. Ray Belknap died instantly. James Vance died three years later of complications. The surviving families' arguments contended Judas Priests' Better By You, Better Than Me contained the subliminal message "Do it" contributing to Vance's and Belkin's suicidal tendencies.

1990, The grieving parents took the group Judas Priest to trial (Vance vs. Judas Priest). Largely based on a high school counselor's conversation with James Vance regarding the shootings. According to Mrs. Rusk Vance said,"We got the message. It told us just do it...do it...It [Better By You, Better Than Me] was giving us the message to just do it."  

 

Judas Priest denied purposefully inserting the words "do it". During the album recording a mixture of sounds may have accidentally produced "do it". And what does "do it" mean anyway? Blow me? Study physics?

In the pre-trial, Justice Jerry Carr Whitehead assaulted the first amendment ruling, Subliminal speech does not deserve protection because it does not perform any of the functions that free speech accomplishes. What about the Beatles? Does Paul McCartney deserve no first admendment rights because the Beatles (supposedly, but I don't play records backwards ) planted "The walrus is dead" on an album? How do we know a "subliminal message" is intentional? A woman swore Jesus' face was visible in her MRI (I'm not calling her a liar) but I see nothing but brain matter, it crosses the personal interpretation boundary.

 

An entire pseudoscience exists blaming heavy metal for teenage suicides and school shootings. I assume mental illness is the culprit, but what do I know. Many carpetbagger psychology "experts" disagree. Peter Huber exposes an entire brand of scientific distortion in his 1991 book: Galileo's Revenge: Junk Science in the Courtroom. Scientific information purposefully distorted to support extravagant legal filings.

The trial judge (Vance vs. Judas Priest, 1990) even stated: " The scientific research presented does not establish that subliminal stimuli, even if perceived, may precipitate conduct of this magnitude (suicide)....." 

 

One would think this strong statement made by a judge would deter subliminal pseudoscience. Six months following  Judas Priest's acquittal a new rock n' roll suicide trial emerged from the shadows. Waller vs. Ozzy Osbourne. Waller's son shot himself in the head listening to Suicide Solution. The song Ozzy wrote concerned about AC/DC frontman Bon Scott's alcohol related death, and his own struggles with alcoholism.

Who, I ask you, is a better scapegoat for teenage suicide than Ozzy Osbourne or Rob Halford? Heavy metal has an evil image. The average person believes in their hearts heavy metal offers an evil message. Despite the true intentions of the artist.

What baffles me is how scientific experts seriously support these types of outrageous allegations. Supporting "the devil made me do it" instead of psychology 101: suicidal behavior is a symptom of mental illness. And would they support a shoe ad "Just do it" is an intentional message to teenagers- just pull the trigger?