Randy needing help on stage?

[GUITARIDOL5682]

Paul you'd have to see how Bob unfolds the time line in his book he's well clued up on dates and times are very accurate. So i'm surprised how he'd make such a mistake he even mentioned the last date of the UK tour as Canterbury 1st November which was rescheduled from the 21st October. "Not a lot of people know that" said in my best Michael Caine voice. Boring info but very factual

[Sky]

When i went back to the book to check what Bob said about the above. I noticed he wasn't 100% on how many dates he played on the UK tour. He's missing a couple of dates from what he has quoted 'For Facts Dates' you can correct it as a typo in the revised edition its 32 gigs for the UK tour. Surprised he would make such an error if he kept diaries.

Shaun, I'm not sure what you mean, what error? The tour dates that were picked out and mentioned in Bob's book were memorable for a variety of reasons. I couldn't see the point in saying something along the lines of, 'we played Poole on Oct. 11th but fuck all happened that night', and I said so. All gigs from the 3rd to the 26th of October have been omitted. Of course they're in Bob's diary, but dates have been listed on this site and others. Hence the line that begins, 'As the tour gained momentum...'
Bob thought that it was more important to describe things that none of us knew. What it was like suddenly having Sharon involved in the band and on tour with them, and how the situation between the band members changed as a result. That was his choice and it's one that I agreed with.

[randy will never die]

What was the reason for the many canceled tour dates ?

[GUITARIDOL5682]

Troy its trivial but as far as being accurate the amount of dates Bob mentioned for the UK tour wasn't correct Bob mentions the 3 dates played in Scotland and mentions the Newcastle gig and then says the rest of the 25 dates. Or something along those lines when you add the amount up its short by a few gigs. It's something i'm very much in the knowing of and researched the dates in detail and found out about the gigs which don't get mentioned much. As well as the gigs which ended up being rescheduled etc. I know the book would make boring reading if it was read like a day by day blow by blow journal. But Bob seems to be on the ball with times and what happened on this day etc like when John Lennon died etc. When it was Randy and Ozzy's birthdays etc.
Plus the mention of the Bob prompting Randy on stage i was at the Newcastle gig 17th September and i couldn't see any obvious nodding and prompting for guiding Randy so thats why i mentioned the second Newcastle gig. 17th October which was a month later. I could understand Randy being nervous and if they changed arrangements of the songs live for queing the outros on songs that faded out etc. But as far as his playing, he played a blinder on both Newcastle gigs.

[GUITARIDOL5682]

What was the reason for the many canceled tour dates ?

The earlier dates on the UK tour had been cancelled due to the late release of the album. They had planned to do gigs in August 1980 and they cancelled all the planned gigs. The Reading festival gig was well advertised and Ozzy was listed on the billing and featured in the festival programme. I think 'Slade' replaced them..

[mojopin70]

What was the reason for the many canceled tour dates ?

The earlier dates on the UK tour had been cancelled due to the late release of the album. They had planned to do gigs in August 1980 and they cancelled all the planned gigs. The Reading festival gig was well advertised and Ozzy was listed on the billing and featured in the festival programme. I think 'Slade' replaced them..

In the Blizzard section there is one live shot of the band playing and you can clearly see Randy looking to Bob for guidance you might not have noticed Shaun i know myself because ive been in bands for years and the audience cant always pick up on these slight nods and gestures.

[shred1]

Bad monitors? Noisy stage mix?

[hansolo]

Maybe Randy's side was loud. I have played with a few people and I mainly followed the drummer and would watch when he would hit a snare or crash to time it perfect. I believe Lee was up on a drum riser and so was Tommy. I love the diary stage but I could imagine being that far from a drummer! He was up a story or two. I don't think Randy looked to Rudy for cues.

[hansolo]

I couldn't imagine...

[GUITARIDOL5682]

What was the reason for the many canceled tour dates ?

The earlier dates on the UK tour had been cancelled due to the late release of the album. They had planned to do gigs in August 1980 and they cancelled all the planned gigs. The Reading festival gig was well advertised and Ozzy was listed on the billing and featured in the festival programme. I think 'Slade' replaced them..

In the Blizzard section there is one live shot of the band playing and you can clearly see Randy looking to Bob for guidance you might not have noticed Shaun i know myself because ive been in bands for years and the audience cant always pick up on these slight nods and gestures.

You may play in bands and know the ques for others on how to end a song etc. My brothers been playing in bands for years and i've followed him in all of his projects. I don't play but i understand the 'conducting' the band idea. I was at the Newcastle show and i didn't see any of this. You cannot judge this by a photograph. What gig is the photo from ?. If it was from one of the later dates in the tour it's not giving Randy much kudos 20 odd gigs played and still looking for prompts on how to finish a song etc. I think Randy was made of better material he picked ideas up quickly.

[Sky]

Troy its trivial but as far as being accurate the amount of dates Bob mentioned for the UK tour wasn't correct Bob mentions the 3 dates played in Scotland and mentions the Newcastle gig and then says the rest of the 25 dates. Or something along those lines when you add the amount up its short by a few gigs. It's something i'm very much in the knowing of and researched the dates in detail and found out about the gigs which don't get mentioned much. As well as the gigs which ended up being rescheduled etc. I know the book would make boring reading if it was read like a day by day blow by blow journal. But Bob seems to be on the ball with times and what happened on this day etc like when John Lennon died etc. When it was Randy and Ozzy's birthdays etc.
Plus the mention of the Bob prompting Randy on stage i was at the Newcastle gig 17th September and i couldn't see any obvious nodding and prompting for guiding Randy so thats why i mentioned the second Newcastle gig. 17th October which was a month later. I could understand Randy being nervous and if they changed arrangements of the songs live for queing the outros on songs that faded out etc. But as far as his playing, he played a blinder on both Newcastle gigs.

Hi Shaun, before the UK tour kicked off in Glasgow, Bob was given an itinerary with 29 dates and that's what he was referring to in his book, as you know dates were cancelled/postponed and the list was added to. Yeah, Bob does mention birthdays, and dates that mean something to him personally, like the day when Sharon phoned in tears to tell him that John Lennon had died. To me, that's more interesting than reading about gigs where nothing unusual happened.
For the first couple of weeks Randy did ask Bob to give him visual cues because he was unsure about some of the arrangements and changes in some songs. That's also mentioned in Klein's book.

[stealaway]

I think communicating and giving/watching cues on stage is part of the fun Sometimes it´s funny to watch band interacting that way. Coming back from the solo to verse or similar case, I personally find it necessary to watch cues, especially if the sound is not good...

[Paul Wolfe]

To me, that's more interesting than reading about gigs where nothing unusual happened.

We have Rudy's book to tell us about run-of-the-mill-nothing-special gigs

[hansolo]

It's not a handicap or that Randy wasn't on. He was just looking for cues like if there is some freetime in there. We used to jam "When the levee breaks" right before the vocals start we could stop for a minute of silence, at any point because we were waiting the singer could come it with "If it (crash/start playing) keeps on..." Looking for cues makes a band tighter and it should be done. Then you had the bloke on the vocals who just wanted the gig done.

[mojopin70]

Maybe Randy's side was loud. I have played with a few people and I mainly followed the drummer and would watch when he would hit a snare or crash to time it perfect. I believe Lee was up on a drum riser and so was Tommy. I love the diary stage but I could imagine being that far from a drummer! He was up a story or two. I don't think Randy looked to Rudy for cues.

Oh no by then Randy was leading T.A and Sarzo it was practically his show such was his playing and confidence live....he was well and truly in his element by the time Sarzo came onboard ....Thats how it seems to me anyway///