How Did You Discover Randy Rhoads.....?

[HotRod]

This is awesome to think back upon. I was about 14 years old and on my way to my first concert ever, Van Halen on their Diver Down tour. As my friends and I were heading to the venue, our local radio station was playing a lot of high energy metal as well as talking about the upcoming VH show.
Next thing I knew, "Over the Mountain" was on the radio and I didn't know what to think! I had no idea what an "OZZY" was, but by the time the song ended, I was floored. Not to mention, having EVH rip me a new one for the next 2 hours live!!!!!
Even after my very first show, with EVH at his best, I had "Over the Mountain" still in the back of my head for the ride home. Eddie and Randy for the first time in one night... I was blessed...
You would think that at such a tender age it would have influenced me to become a better guitarist... Nope... In my forties now working at a Discount Tire... LOL ))))))))))))

[wyldeone]

With me there was a local radio station that played the B.O.O. album when it was a import still . I heard I dont know and Said Who is this guy! I went to the local record store and picked it up . I been a fan ever since. I was lucky enough to see him on both tours, And very lucky that one of them was video taped.. The Chicago, 1-24-82 Rosemont show.

[zennman]

Kinda ashamed to say it, but I totally did not have the Blizzard on my radar while it was happening. I saw Randy on the front of Guitar Player mag after he died. And the rest, as they say, is history. Still kicking myself for missing it as it happened. But at 15-16, I didn't have the independence to take off to concerts, etc... But hey, at least I spared myself of the initial grief of losing RR (had I been a fan while he was alive).

[Gata]

That must have happened in 1983...

I have an elder brother who had a large collection of LPs and cassettes then. His bedroom walls were all covered with posters and paper articles. I remember one, in some corner, relating Randy's accident but I did not have a clue about this guy's music. All I knew of Ozzy was the live video of Iron Man, from the Speak of the Devil album (thus Brad Gillis). I did enjoy the stage setup, the song, and strangely enough... Ozzy's voice.

At that time, I was 12 and getting disappointed by my then favourite band (Kiss). Thus, I started looking for other materials in my brother's collection. I listened to various stuff but got definitely captured by BOO and DOAM. Above all, Mr Crowley and Diary of a Madman were huge shocks to me. That was it. From then, I had to play the guitar... and hated that article just for what it was.

[FiddlePickr]

I was 14 when BOO came out...Crazy Train was all over the radio and my friends and i thought it was the greatest. I wasn't playing guitar yet at that point, but I remember listening to the guitar and just wanting to be able to play like that. It seemed like such a faraway dream...that i would ever be able to make those sounds from a guitar. Thanks to Randy's inspiration, I started to play. (I still can't play like him though!!!)

[McLowery]

I was listening to Flying High Again and after Ozzy sings "Come on and join me!" and Randy's solo blows the song wide open, I felt like I was literally flying along with the band and Randy's solo was foundational in that feeling. I wanted to know how to make a guitar sound and feel like I felt at that moment. It was 1983 I believe, I didn't start playing til 86 though.

[myhero]

Back in 81... In the hallway of my jr H.S. this person I new by the name tim was blasting Crazy Train from his Boombox. I just went up to him and asked "what band is it". He said "OZZY"s new band". Later I bought the LP, and that's how it began for me.