Ultimate Rhoads

I don't know if this should be in this particular forum, but I've been thinking about this the last few days. While I thought Jake did some really good work with Oz (his playing smokes on big chunks of "Ultimate Sin"), I've also wondered who would have been a good fit for Oz after Randy's passing. The three names that popped in my head were:

1. George Lynch-I know he auditioned a couple times for Oz and never got the gig, but I think Lynch would have been great. The weird thing about George is that for being a really good heavy guitar player, he always aligned himself with lighter/poppy singers like Don Dokken.

2. Warren DeMartini-I love Warren's playing, very tasteful and great feel. He's a bit like Jake but yet different. And certainly had the looks and chops (I always think of Warren as a cross between Joe Perry and EVH).

3. Michael Schenker-I know the Osbourne camp approached him after 3/19/82 and nothing materialized. But Schenker's neoclassical runs and presence would have worked really well in that context.

I don't like the throught of Yngwie because as technically gifted as he is, his overplaying would have been a detriment. And I've never been a fan of Yngwie's songwriting (whereas I think Randy's songwriting during the Oz years was excellent and his leads, while fantastic, were not indulgent.)

Any other thoughts? Let the dialogue begin!

I always thought John Sykes would've been SICK with Ozzy

as good as George Lynch is, it would've been a big no-no with Ozzy.
George, in his own words, claims to be pretty bad at playing other peoples songs.

Yngwie could've worked for a shorter period of time, but he doesn't compromise his musical vision one bit.

Out of those 3, I'd say Schenker ... if it weren't for Jake but like Yngwie, Schenker set out
on his own musical path very early on.

Sykes? Could be interesting ...but are we talking Lizzy-era Sykes, or Whitesnake-era Sykes?

Stiltzkin wrote:Sykes? Could be interesting ...but are we talking Lizzy-era Sykes, or Whitesnake-era Sykes?

Doesn't really matter I think we can all agree Sykes is pretty amazing no matter what position he's in.
I would like to see Doug Aldrich play with Ozzy THAT would be very interesting --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukkjRtdc ... re=related
Although Reb Beach was pretty damn good too --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWGQWu6mSWM
But I think Vito Bratta from White Lion would have been AMAZING --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4wCkkMVpzk

it's pretty well known that george actually got the gig before jake...but something happened between getting it and him flying out to england.

For me I can't "hear" ozzy singing over anything lynch has done guitar wise......so jake was a much better choice. I am the biggest demartini fan but again his style doesn't fit with ozzy, Schenker would be interesting for sure as would Sykes.

I would have loved to see chris holmes with ozzy. I don't know what it would sound like because its tough to know how much input chris had on W.A.S.P. music.....but damn it would have been one hell of a party

baconstealer1 wrote: I would like to see Doug Aldrich play with Ozzy THAT would be very interesting --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukkjRtdc ... re=related
Although Reb Beach was pretty damn good too --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWGQWu6mSWM
But I think Vito Bratta from White Lion would have been AMAZING --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4wCkkMVpzk

doug sounds good with everyone so he obviously would do the job.....but does he really have his own sound??.....yes he makes every gear demo sound awesome but I am just not sure of he has the writing skills to stand out (edit...have just watch the video's and doug is awesome on that....I have a les paul that looks very very similar to that one, although the figure isn't quite is obvious )....man reb is so wasted in that band, it must pay him pretty well I guess (kinda like vivian campbell in Def Lep)

Reb would be great I think.....Vito to me has always sounded boring. Technically very good but his playing doesn't speak

sytharnia wrote:

baconstealer1 wrote: I would like to see Doug Aldrich play with Ozzy THAT would be very interesting --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukkjRtdc ... re=related
Although Reb Beach was pretty damn good too --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWGQWu6mSWM
But I think Vito Bratta from White Lion would have been AMAZING --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4wCkkMVpzk

doug sounds good with everyone so he obviously would do the job.....but does he really have his own sound??.....yes he makes every gear demo sound awesome but I am just not sure of he has the writing skills to stand out (edit...have just watch the video's and doug is awesome on that....I have a les paul that looks very very similar to that one, although the figure isn't quite is obvious )....man reb is so wasted in that band, it must pay him pretty well I guess (kinda like vivian campbell in Def Lep)

Reb would be great I think.....Vito to me has always sounded boring. Technically very good but his playing doesn't speak

All these guys were pretty amazing I think but hey what about Adrian Smith? he is AWESOME

baconstealer1 wrote: All these guys were pretty amazing I think but hey what about Adrian Smith? he is AWESOME

honestly, I'm not feeling any of the Maiden guys playing for Ozzy

Stiltzkin wrote:

baconstealer1 wrote: All these guys were pretty amazing I think but hey what about Adrian Smith? he is AWESOME

honestly, I'm not feeling any of the Maiden guys playing for Ozzy

to me adrian and chris have got a similar vibe going on so I could see him working....but lets face it his work outside of maiden has been um average so maybe he needs steve to get the job done

Vtrockgod wrote: 3. Michael Schenker-I know the Osbourne camp approached him after 3/19/82 and nothing materialized. But Schenker's neoclassical runs and presence would have worked really well in that context.

Schenker is an obvious choice in many ways. A kick ass player, one of the best riff men after Blackmore, Page etc, and genuinely musical solos.

Having said all that, I'm not sure how he would handle the rhythm sections of those first two albums? I'm sure the music he would create with Ozzy would be good, but I'd rather not be robbed of the intricate awesomeness of Jakes rhythm sections, and his solos are if anything more interesting to my ears.

And besides, I get the feeling Schenker/Ozzy wouldn't last very long and probably end up in some kind of fist fight.

Talking modern day I wish John 5 could have joined up after Zakk got the boot.

Rob

rice_pudding wrote:Talking modern day I wish John 5 could have joined up after Zakk got the boot.

nah, John 5 is an extraordinary player, in the same vein as Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. can't see him work in this situation.
I do agree on Doug Aldrich though. He might be the only player right now that could pull off songs from all eras
while still maintaining some rock n' roll sensibility

Sykes-whitesnake yes! I think Doug Aldrich could have done a good job.

Here's Akira Takasaki in 1983:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoNj3ts1YBw

Honestly, that guitar solo at 3:20 is phenomenal. He could have easily replaced Rhoads if he wasn't so unknown outside of Japan at the time.

(It's also worth noting that Max Norman would produce his albums in a couple years.)