Randy Rhoads helped make Quiet Riot and much of Ozzy Osbourne’s early solo ventures as legendary as they are today. We lost him far too young at just 25 years old in 1982 in a tragic plane accident, but his legacy lives on. He’s since been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but I think he’s a bit underrated when it comes to mainstream audiences’ collective memories. Though, he’s far from underrated among fans of classic heavy metal. Let’s look at just a few songs that prove Randy Rhoads was a guitar genius, especially when it came to the art of crafting a sick solo.
“Mr. Crowley”
This classic metal tune from Ozzy Osbourne’s 1980 record Blizzard Of Ozz might just be the greatest song Randy Rhoads ever worked on. At least, plenty of his fans seem to think so. It’s hard to disagree. It’s on the slow side, but Rhoads’ riff on “Mr. Crowley” seemed to predict the rise of doom metal with its atmospheric, dark vibe. The solo on this song is absolutely incredible, and plenty of metal fans wish they could hear it for the very first time again.
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“Diary Of A Madman”
This song was the title track of Ozzy Osbourne’s 1981 album, and it’s quite a fine piece of work as a whole. However, Rhoads really steals the show on this one. He whips out some solid acoustic riffs at the beginning of “Diary Of A Madman” before diving into a glittering, distortion-filled riff that absolutely blows the whole mix out of the water. This song is definitely on the experimental side, but that experiment paid off. Rhoads’ riff is dynamic and thrilling from start to finish. Personally, I think this is one of his best works of his career, especially with Ozzy.
“Crazy Train”
Randy Rhoads absolutely killed this song, and it makes sense that it became one of Ozzy Osbourne’s most well-loved tracks. Released on Blizzard Of Ozz in 1980, the intro to this song is a standard among every young rock fan who picks up a guitar for the first time. However, it’s no easy feat to master. Rhoads’ licks are intense with a funk-leaning edge to them. Throughout this song, Rhoads whips out just about every heavy metal trick in the book.
Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns
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