Ultimate Rhoads

I have heard that Ozzy punched Randy 2 weeks before his death. What does Rudy say about this event? What was this period of time like before the plane crash? Did Ozzy and Randy truly makeup or was a rift beginning to occur between them?

I would like to know more about this as well. I've heard sketchy stories, but never anything hardcore and solid. We all know how angry and aggressive Ozzy could get, but Randy was so much different so it makes you wonder where ozzy got the mentality to do such thing. I suppose you could put it down to the drink...

If I remember correctly, it was first mentioned in an interview with Bob Daisley ( http://www.bobdaisley.com ).
Later on there was thread about this on rr.tk (before the hack) and the 'punch' was unfortunately confirmed by Kelly Garni later on.

the punch was supposed to have occured on the tour bus when randy said he wanted to quit and go study music, or at least thats my understanding of it. Ozzy has talked about the time when randy made this announcement on the tour bus but has not refered to having punched randy. Ozzy has admitted to a lot of things in recent years much worse than punching randy, so i dont think he'd have a problem with admiting it but with his alcohol embelished memory its questionable what he actualy remembers, but i think it safe to say that ozzy has no recolection of it, as i can see no reason why he would try to hide it...
I dont know whether or not the punch ever actualy occured, the only true evidence would be if someone witnessed it or was there for the immediate aftermath. Im not doubting Mr Garni as i believe him to be among the only truly reliable sources of info in the rock industry. But things could get blown out of proportion or wrongly relayed (chinese whispers etc...)

here's from my mysterious and yet highly informative 'source':

rice pudding wrote:
"the punch was supposed to have occured on the tour bus when randy said he wanted to quit and go study music, or at least thats my understanding of it. Ozzy has talked about the time when randy made this announcement on the tour bus but has not refered to having punched randy."


The punch did not occur on the tour bus, nor for the reason of Randy wanting to quit the band and study classical guitar. It occurred in a hotel in the am, shortly after Randy told Ozzy that he did not want to record an album full of Black Sabbath songs. Randy was said to about to have breakfast, when a drunken/hungover Ozzy came up to him, berated him about not wanting to do the album, called him an "ungrateful little sh*t" and punched Randy. At that point Randy made the decision that he wanted to quit the band (or entertained the thought), and go back to teaching and studying classical guitar to get his degree. He agreed to do the live album, because he was under contract, but wanted out soon after.
Post-punch, Randy and Ozzy's realtionship was said to be a bit strained and at a point on one of the bus trips Randy told Ozzy he wanted to go back to school and study and teach. This was after the punch.


hope that helps,
frank.

Frank, your story makes much more sense than the urban legend version. Thanks for the insight.

RockyRhoads wrote:Frank, your story makes much more sense than the urban legend version. Thanks for the insight.

just passing it on dude.

Randy must have felt so trapped in the situation after that episode,if he didn't feel that way already.

OMG, Thanks for that Frank, I'm totally in shock

thanks for the info frank, had no idea it was over the proposed sabbath album. the whole thing of randy having to do another album gets a little confusing though.
was randy contracted to do another studio album and a live album?

by the way has anyone noticed in intrviews soon after randys death ozzy (and sharon in some) mentioned a limited edition album entitled "speak of the devil" which would come out later in the year and feature live randy material as well as guitar picks etc... the hell was all that about?! must of been before ozzy had the idea of flogging don arden a bunch of sabbath covers????????

Read Rudy's book. This subject was well covered in it...

When the record company signed "Blizzard of Ozz" - because it was a band originally and not Ozzy and sidekicks - I'm sure they said X number of albums. There is usually no specification of "live" versus "studio". Most bands put out live albums to fulfill contractual obligations without having to write new material.

As for the decision to make a record of Sabbath covers, I always thought it had something to do with the fact that, as of April 1981, Black Sabbath were planning to release their first official live album - Live Evil. Ozzy seemed to think, at the time, that Sabbath was doing a live album just to steal his thunder. In '81 - '82 Sabbath was still Ozzy's main competition.

zennman wrote:Read Rudy's book. This subject was well covered in it...

i know ive gotta read it... but its only available from amazon and they're still on my black list

This is very much speculating...... (I'm not saying this is true)
But what if the affair $haron told she had with Randy was true and Ozzy was somehow a bit suspicious......
Still not oke, but in that light maybe the punch was a bit more understandable?

The Flying Dutchman wrote:This is very much speculating...... (I'm not saying this is true)
But what if the affair $haron told she had with Randy was true and Ozzy was somehow a bit suspicious......
Still not oke, but in that light maybe the punch was a bit more understandable?

True indeed... I don't think it's a subject Ozzy would ever want to discuss. When a friend dies, it's better to forget the negatives and remember the positives.