RhoadsRockPhotographer wrote:This happened to be one of the 2 shows I photographed Randy (Oakland, CA DOTG 07/04/81) - and the only one where I was able to do it "openly", unfortunately.
I've seen a couple of my pics used as avatars here and I'm sure that I'll see most of the ones I sold (in posts throughout the site), back when I had my ad in the Circus Magazine classifieds.
I will post what I have in the near future, since nobody has seen all of them, but me.
If you're a past customer of mine from way back, PM me and I might even remember your name, even though it's been forever ago.
Dave Johnson
Corvallis, OR
Hi Dave,
There were/are some rumors this gig was maybe filmed.
Do you remember any camera crew that day?
btw welcome aboard!
Thanks. I don't recall seeing anything in the way of any film crew, whatsoever.
If I recall correctly Ozzy hit the stage at either 10 or 11am. They were the first band.
The day's lineup consisted of Ozzy Osbourne, UFO, Pat Travers, Loverboy and Heart.
Not wanting to sound like an ass'ole but another band performed before Ozzy. These were a local band called 415 i've never even heard of them. But they are mentioned on the billing poster and this photo of the time restrictions for each band playing.
GUITARIDOL5682 wrote:Not wanting to sound like an ass'ole but another band performed before Ozzy. These were a local band called 415 i've never even heard of them. But they are mentioned on the billing poster and this photo of the time restrictions for each band playing.
You're right, but you can imagine how I "forgot" about THEM: 1) never having heard of them before OR since and 2) 28 years ago from memory only conjures up SO MUCH. They probably did 5-6 songs, in quick succession.
Obviously NOT a memorable performance.
Cool to see that time schedule, though!
Looking at my photo list I was 'mistaken' on UFO (it was, indeed, BOC) playing that day. That wasn't until a month later (8/2/81) where it was Gamma, .38 Special, UFO, Kansas and REO (I believe).
wow ozzy wasnt that popular then? i mean boc which is now playing very small venue's now mainlined along with heart, i mean i know that ozzy's poplularity increased as he got older but still strange, ozzy was his best with randy.
wareagle wrote:wow ozzy wasnt that popular then? i mean boc which is now playing very small venue's now mainlined along with heart, i mean i know that ozzy's poplularity increased as he got older but still strange, ozzy was his best with randy.
You have to keep in mind (especially if you weren't around back then, or too young to know better) that "Blizzard of Ozz" was only released in the U.S. 3 months prior to that, which means when the show was booked it was barely out or not even out yet. Ozzy, when he left Sabbath, was considered pretty much washed-up at that point, by many (including myself).
I had never personally heard even one song off of it, at the point.
Afterwards after watching Randy perform, however, was an altogether different story.
wareagle wrote:wow ozzy wasnt that popular then? i mean boc which is now playing very small venue's now mainlined along with heart, i mean i know that ozzy's poplularity increased as he got older but still strange, ozzy was his best with randy.
You have to keep in mind (especially if you weren't around back then, or too young to know better) that "Blizzard of Ozz" was only released in the U.S. 3 months prior to that, which means when the show was booked it was barely out or not even out yet. Ozzy, when he left Sabbath, was considered pretty much washed-up at that point, by many (including myself).
I had never personally heard even one song off of it, at the point.
Afterwards after watching Randy perform, however, was an altogether different story.
Dave,
From a personal perspective, what did you think/feel of the set and what it perhaps promised for the future?
Was the crowds reaction pleasantly surprised by the performance too?
Cheers
Matt
Having a break from online activity for a while to concentrate on music. Please email if you need to get in touch. Matt
wareagle wrote:oooo ok. no im 14 so idk. i mean i thought ozzy was famous from sabbath but guess not/
He was (somewhat) to people who were simply "diehard" Sabbath fans, but after Van Halen opened for them during their '78 debut tour, they simply wiped the stage with them night after night and Sabbath became more and more of an boring "old guard" being replaced by the exciting "new guard" (Van Halen) and less and less relevant. Their performances during that tour were consistently 'uninspiring.' Ozzy had 'quit' Sabbath in '77 but then had a change of heart and joined them on that '78 tour. He was 'fired' by Tony Iommi in '79. To this day, I have yet to talk to anyone who stayed for the entire '78 Black Sabbath set, after Van Halen opened for them. I left about halfway to 3/4 way througgh the set. It was simply a borefest at that point and I had all the photos I figured I'd need.
wareagle wrote:wow ozzy wasnt that popular then? i mean boc which is now playing very small venue's now mainlined along with heart, i mean i know that ozzy's poplularity increased as he got older but still strange, ozzy was his best with randy.
You have to keep in mind (especially if you weren't around back then, or too young to know better) that "Blizzard of Ozz" was only released in the U.S. 3 months prior to that, which means when the show was booked it was barely out or not even out yet. Ozzy, when he left Sabbath, was considered pretty much washed-up at that point, by many (including myself).
I had never personally heard even one song off of it, at the point.
Afterwards after watching Randy perform, however, was an altogether different story.
Dave,
From a personal perspective, what did you think/feel of the set and what it perhaps promised for the future?
Was the crowds reaction pleasantly surprised by the performance too?
Cheers
Matt
I think much of the crowd was hearing the new material for the first time, as welll (like me), or had maybe only heard "Crazy Train", on the radio. I had a negative preconception (going in) about anything "Ozzy," from my previous experience watching him in Sabbath, three years prior. I had no idea about any "Randy Rhoads", who he was, where he came from, prior to that day.
The instant they hit the stage and I heard Randy's playing, I was like whoa .. who IS this guy!? He's damn good! By about halfway through their set I was thinking, "I don't know how successful this whole Ozzy thing will be or how long it will even last (thanks to Ozzy's inconsistent past) but this Rhoads guy is gonna go places!" Great playing, great stage presence and he played with such emotion and soul. I had no doubt that it wasn't going to be long before he'd be a household name, rather than "Randy who?"
RhoadsRockPhotographer wrote:I think much of the crowd was hearing the new material for the first time, as welll (like me), or had maybe only heard "Crazy Train", on the radio. I had a negative preconception (going in) about anything "Ozzy," from my previous experience watching him in Sabbath, three years prior. I had no idea about any "Randy Rhoads", who he was, where he came from, prior to that day.
The instant they hit the stage and I heard Randy's playing, I was like whoa .. who IS this guy!? He's damn good! By about halfway through their set I was thinking, "I don't know how successful this whole Ozzy thing will be or how long it will even last (thanks to Ozzy's inconsistent past) but this Rhoads guy is gonna go places!" Great playing, great stage presence and he played with such emotion and soul. I had no doubt that it wasn't going to be long before he'd be a household name, rather than "Randy who?"[/b]
Cool story!
I remember talking to someone who went all they way from Holland to the HMH Portvale festival '81 in England to see Def Leppard, but after seeing Ozzy he became instantly a huge Randy fan!
Ozzy and the boys did an odd thing at this show, the set was short due to them only opening playing so early, they ended on Paranoid but because they had a little time they then played 'Iron Man' and 'Children of the Grave' which if the stage guys were running a tight time frame must have seemed like they were never coming off!
Cologne she'll wear silver and americard, She'll drive a beetle car and beat you down at cool Canasta. And when the clothes are strewn don't be afraid of the room touch the fullness of her breast feel the love of her caress she will be your living end.
