Ultimate Rhoads

I was just watching After Hours again and noticed that Randy's thumbnail on his picking hand is long. I noticed it more on Mr. Crowley and Crazy Train. I have heard about how he would let it grow out during the Quiet riot years, and how it got broken off in the fight with Kelly Garni. But I didn't know he kept growing it out when he was with Ozzy. Was he using that long thumbnail for his up-strokes while picking? He seemed to have a reason for it. What do you think about it?

tihsyloh wrote:I was just watching After Hours again and noticed that Randy's thumbnail on his picking hand is long. I noticed it more on Mr. Crowley and Crazy Train. I have heard about how he would let it grow out during the Quiet riot years, and how it got broken off in the fight with Kelly Garni. But I didn't know he kept growing it out when he was with Ozzy. Was he using that long thumbnail for his up-strokes while picking? He seemed to have a reason for it. What do you think about it?

I've always heard it was something classical guitarists did since classical guitar is primarily finger picking.

It's for classical guitar picking, PIMA style..

I heard it was just done for us to query years later :-p ....I'm sure he was asked about it in an interview and he said he just liked to grow his nails long and didn't use them as picks. I'd have to see him playing classical style to argue, but it may of already been mentioned on here.

kelly had mentioned it was just for show.i think it was noticing jimmy page with a long thumbnail anf they thought it was cool.dont quote me but i think i read it years ago.when youre nail is that long its flimsy and not good for spanish guitar playing at all.

There's another reason why people grow long nails

i didnt wanna say it but thats another angle stiltz!!!Lol!!!!

Check out Zakk Wylie's nails, he has grown them all out on his picking hand and using them all the time on acoustic and electric.

But Randy's was just for fun between him and Garni as others have said. It just stuck with him after he left QR. Did he even have it long on the Diary tour?

Stiltzkin wrote:There's another reason why people grow long nails

I'm shocked no one's mentioned this until now.

And let's be honest; it WAS the 80's.

I have 2 finger long on my right hand ..... every one thought it was for coke ... then I would show them how I finger pick with them and a guitar pick they "get it"

Tito wrote:Kelly had mentioned it was just for show.i think it was noticing jimmy page with a long thumbnail and they thought it was cool. Don't quote me but i think i read it years ago.

I was thinking that Kelly had said at some point that it started has a joke -he thought it was funny to grow it long and freak people out or something to that effect - and he just kept going with it...

Paul Wolfe wrote:

Tito wrote:Kelly had mentioned it was just for show.i think it was noticing jimmy page with a long thumbnail and they thought it was cool. Don't quote me but i think i read it years ago.

I was thinking that Kelly had said at some point that it started has a joke -he thought it was funny to grow it long and freak people out or something to that effect - and he just kept going with it...

The sad thing is im pretty sure nails keep growing for a while after death...

mojopin70 wrote:

Paul Wolfe wrote:

Tito wrote:Kelly had mentioned it was just for show.i think it was noticing jimmy page with a long thumbnail and they thought it was cool. Don't quote me but i think i read it years ago.

I was thinking that Kelly had said at some point that it started has a joke -he thought it was funny to grow it long and freak people out or something to that effect - and he just kept going with it...

The sad thing is im pretty sure nails keep growing for a while after death...

Not sure, but I would think they would appear longer as the fingers started rotting away ...