Are these yellow Ozzy picks from the Randy Ozzy Era?

edvice · Post by **edvice** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 1:47 am

I just posted this at .TK as well as I want to get any info on these picks. There's been some debate online as to wheather these yellow Ozzy picks being sold on EBay were as claimed part of a batch used during the BOO rehearsals in an L.A rehearsal studio....and although not claimed, on tour by Randy. I am not asking if the ones for sale were actually used by Randy this would be next to impossible IMO. I have poured through a ton of photos and mostly find Randy using his preferred Fender Mediums, however I have seen a few photos of Randy using what looks like a yellow pick. One photo is from the BOO photo shoot in the gallery here but I can't tell if it is Randy's thunbnail and another during the DOAM El Paso photo shoot...which is still hard to see but as I enlarged the photo you can clearly see he is using a yellow pick. So if it is the yellow Ozzy pick I would speculate, especially after seeing other photos of picks Randy used; white Fender mediums, black Fender mediums, Brown Fender Mediums 0.71mm or 351 medium, Large white fender mediums, and the occasional heavy Fenders...if the story the owner is telling is true...the yellow Ozzy pick could have been just a stock pick that was used in studio and on tour that Randy could just grab when a pick was needed and did not have any Fender's in his pocket or cases. I know as a guitarist I carry a pick on me all the time in my pocket. So this is all just speculation...If anyone could shed some light on this issue it would be much appreciated. I'm not looking to buy one, just searching for info on the subject for someone.

Here are the Links (2 links to the yellow picks for sale)

http://www.sleazeroxx.com/news09/0531ozz.shtml

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ozzy-Osbourne-1980- ... 1|294%3A50

Here are the links to the two photos where I can clearly see in the one Randy is sitting down is using a yellow pick! I know that still does not make it definate as there are a lot of yellow picks but some evidence.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa19 ... z/EP22.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa19 ... llow12.jpg

Any knowledge on the subject would be appreciated... Cool

Thanks Ed
QUICK_EDIT

edvice · Post by **edvice** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 1:51 am

I don't know why the page is so wide or what to do about it...I see the EBay link is long but forums usually truncate them...hope you can read it...tried to fix..annoyed!

GUITARIDOL5682 · Post by **GUITARIDOL5682** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 10:15 am

Hi from what i know of RR guitar picks and the history behind picks in general. I would say that the yellow pick is not a RR or Ozzy era 1980 pick. I've been collecting Rock memorabilia since the late 70's and i know Randy used Fender Mediums from his Quiet Riot days, Ozzy etc. As far as the yellow guitar picks history in the description. Did Ozzy do rehearsals in LA ? i know he did pre production at Clearwell castle and rehearsed at Shepperton studios in the UK. Plus bands back in the 70's - 80's didn't use monogrammed signature picks. I think the only bands who used them back then were people like KISS from all the picks i had from that time i only ever had 2 signature picks and the writing on them was block capitols very basic no fancy coloured logos etc. I cannot believe that it sold for $710.00 Ouch!! i just hope that the buyer has done his homework. This pick below is from the UK tour October 1980

Post by **Trigger** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 11:01 am

Are these your picks Shaun?

edvice · Post by **edvice** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 11:45 am

Thanks GUITARIDOL5682: your post helps alot!

I know right, it's obvious that person did not do their homework...well I'm being asked to look into it for a group that chronicles the history of picks, trying to find if they are authentic in any form or time period from Ozzy. Not for purchase...I can only think of one time period they might have been used or thrown from stage as souveniers from Bernie or Brad on up until Jake E Lee.

So the only rehearsals in 80' in LA probs would have been when Oz was putting the band together with Strum, Banali, Rhoads, & Oz...at that point they would not have had monogramed picks with that logo as this logo was not even designed at that point. Plus they had no money as a band for stuff like that anyway. They had to tighten belts for a while, till at least halfway through the DOAM tour when some money started coming in.

So my next question would be:
Does anyone think that this was a pick produced later say Bernie or Brad on, and they are trying to pass it off as one from a few years earlier. Also does anyone know anyone who caught a pick 'thrown' from stage during second leg US BOO or DOAM...or more importantly with this information now, from Bernie and Brad on? I know GUITARIDOL your story of how you got your pics it's a great thread. I have seen pink picks with Jake E Lee signature and Ozzy on the opposite side. I don't know why but the yellow and red looks like the colors that were used in all kinds of promo materials for Speak of The Devil. Any ideas?

Thanks Ed

Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:08 pm

edvice wrote:I don't know why the page is so wide or what to do about it...I see the EBay link is long but forums usually truncate them...hope you can read it...tried to fix..annoyed!

Not sure about the Ebay link. But the links to the pics Idol posted weren't seperated by <ENTER>'s in his post so they were projected aside from each other (which makes the page a bit too wide to fit) instead of above of each other which they are now. Looks better now indeed!

GUITARIDOL5682 · Post by **GUITARIDOL5682** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:28 pm

Well i would definately say that the yellow pick was never made for any member of the Ozzy band. I have never seen it before, i.e being offered up as a stage used item or from an Ozzy crew member etc. So i would say this is a typical promo item or like one of those mass produced necklace pick items. I don't think the Ozzy band had signature picks until the Ultimate Sin tour '86 the Phil Soussan and Jake E Lee picks in pink and red. I have photos of Jake early on in the tour and he is still using fender picks. As seen tucked under his pick guard/scratch plate. Brad Gillis had used non monogrammed picks for the Ozzy period grey Jim Dunlop type not sure of gauge. Bernie Torme has used bass picks for a long time going back to the mid 80's Gibson Heavy's and i'm sure he used them for the Ozzy period as well. But don't quote me on that one. The same with the drummers in the band Lee Kerslake having been in Uriah Heep he had custom made sticks left over from his touring etc. Basic 'Lee Kerslake' signature amd Tommy Aldridge used bog standard Promark sticks i think i posted a pic up with him having a pair up his nose. You can clearly see the name on them. So it makes me think that no guitar picks or drumsticks got the Ozzy logo and signatures put onto them until the mid 80's.
Trigger the picks are not mine. I got them sent to me in an email from a friend. It's all explained in this thread.
viewtopic.php?t=2209

GUITARIDOL5682 · Post by **GUITARIDOL5682** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:30 pm

The Flying Dutchman wrote:
edvice wrote:I don't know why the page is so wide or what to do about it...I see the EBay link is long but forums usually truncate them...hope you can read it...tried to fix..annoyed!
Not sure about the Ebay link. But the links to the pics Idol posted weren't seperated by <ENTER>'s in his post so they were projected aside from each other (which makes the page a bit too wide to fit) instead of above of each other which they are now. Looks better now indeed!

Pat i noticed the page was in wide screen before i added the pics ?.

edvice · Post by **edvice** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:44 pm

GUITARIDOL5682 wrote:
The Flying Dutchman wrote:
edvice wrote:I don't know why the page is so wide or what to do about it...I see the EBay link is long but forums usually truncate them...hope you can read it...tried to fix..annoyed!
Not sure about the Ebay link. But the links to the pics Idol posted weren't seperated by <ENTER>'s in his post so they were projected aside from each other (which makes the page a bit too wide to fit) instead of above of each other which they are now. Looks better now indeed!
Pat i noticed the page was in wide screen before i added the pics ?.

Yes...this was like this from right when I made the first post

Anyway thanks for your looking into it Flying Dutchman.

And Guitar idol...you rock! I appreciate your guidance on this matter it's giving me a pretty solid conclusion!!! Cheers mate

If anyone else has anything too add please do...the more the merrier,
much respect. Hey Skezza old boy!
Ed

Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:49 pm

GUITARIDOL5682 wrote: Pat i noticed the page was in wide screen before i added the pics ?.

That's what made me wonder too.

oth · Post by **oth** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:23 am

Well that pick was designed/used for brad gillis....i think it was specific to the speak of the devil tour...and people have sold them as brad gillis picks on ebay for 20$ or so plenty of times so whoever bought this didnt do any homework and paid about 700 too much.....

Post by **Trigger** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:16 am

When I started collecting Ozzy memorabilia I saw lots of small items like the picks on sale. Lots of different items all colours and sizes, I have a friend who auditioned for the band who was given some picks by Randy after the audition while they chatted, he knew that the band would do well and was talking to RR about the future. He gave these away to friends who played guitar after Blizzard was released but none of them looked like this yellow fraud!
I would only purchase something like this from somebody who has proved themselfe to be close to the band.

I think this is a mid 1980's cash in!!

GUITARIDOL5682 · Post by **GUITARIDOL5682** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:27 pm

Trigger wrote: I have a friend who auditioned for the band who was given some picks by Randy after the audition while they chatted, he knew that the band would do well and was talking to RR about the future.

Ian you kept this little bit of Ozzy news quiet, i gather your friend auditioned for being the drummer. So did you ever see your friends RR picks ?. How did he find out about the audition etc. Any other news, you are not sharing, spit it out ,spill them beans please

.

Cpt Matt Sparrow · Post by **Cpt Matt Sparrow** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:31 pm

not another UR exclusive

Matt

Post by **Trigger** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 6:55 pm

GUITARIDOL5682 wrote:
Trigger wrote: I have a friend who auditioned for the band who was given some picks by Randy after the audition while they chatted, he knew that the band would do well and was talking to RR about the future.
Ian you kept this little bit of Ozzy news quiet, i gather your friend auditioned for being the drummer. So did you ever see your friends RR picks ?. How did he find out about the audition etc. Any other news, you are not sharing, spit it out ,spill them beans please .

You caught me out!! I am trying to trace this chap, we haven't spoken in many years and back in the early 1980's we were rivals and were sought after by many bands. We swapped around from band to band even ending up with one of those bands ending up supporting Ozzy for a few shows back in the late 1980's

The gent concerned was about 10 years older than me and I believed got a phone call about the auditions, I did see the picks and remember them spread themselves out around the better guitarist competing in my city.
They were very plain Fender picks and I remember one was in a shrine by mid 1982 and (I kid you not) people used to visit it!!

I will try to get more info because the last time I mentioned it I was contradicted because the chap told me he roughed it through 'War Pigs' although that was never part of the audition criteria.

What we would give to hear RR ripping up War Pigs?

Ultimate Rhoads

Are these yellow Ozzy picks from the Randy Ozzy Era?

Are these yellow Ozzy picks from the Randy Ozzy Era?

Then my next question would be...