How much of Randy's look affected his popularity?

estang74 · Post by **estang74** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 10:12 pm

This was a response I had to another thread and another member PM'd me and said i should start a new topic, so here ya go!

Another interesting question would be: How much of Randy's look accounted for his popularity?

What I mean by this is imagine if Randy was bald, fat and had no stage presence would we talk about him the same. The first answer would be he wouldn't have gotten the gig, but honestly, how much does image play? I know when I started playing guitar I thought Randy and Eddie were the coolest looking rock stars and they could play their asses off. I know that had a big part of why I started playing metal.

thoughts?

NoQuattro · Post by **NoQuattro** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 10:46 pm

Image plays a huge role. Even if he still played like a motherfucker but looked like a 47 year old fat-n-bald plumber, people would be a little put off. On the same token, if he looked like he did but couldn't play worth a shit, he wouldn't have attained anything near what he did. The ladies would probably still love him, though!

Post by **The Flying Dutchman** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:30 am

I think a great deal! How much better can a rock guitarplayer look?
This is also a reason (not the only of course) he still appears on the covers of Guitar magazines at times. I wonder when a magazine like GuitarWorld puts a cool pic of Randy on the cover if they can detect a change in sales?

If Randy was bald and fat he never would have played with Ozzy and we wouldn't be talking about him here. What Randy made unique is the complete package of looks/playing/musicality. Maybe image is even more important than musicality...... One gets more attention when you attract people, your music will reach more people then.

(thnx!

)

Cpt Matt Sparrow · Post by **Cpt Matt Sparrow** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:44 am

The obsession with image is what I despise about the music industry, especially in rock music the most.
The rock star pose as they take a solo, the pained look as they bend a note and it reaches it's target, the carefully groomed long hair. I find all of these things embarrassing. LOL

This is why I visit folk clubs and little guitar societies, because you do get to see reality, where there are fat and bald musicians, doing their own thing and some are absolutely mind blowing.

Blessed are the weird, bald, off the wall, ugly!! they shall inherit the axe!!!

Matt

Ritchie · Post by **Ritchie** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 10:31 am

You are totally correct Matt .
I remember playing the B.O.O album when i bought it home and looking at the pic on the back cover and thinking that guitar player is a cool looking dude . But overall I despise the 1980's and all the "chix with dix " crap that came from Hollywierd . In fact if their was a guitar player that was fat , bald whatever i probably would have liked him just because he was'nt a poofy haired make-up wearing girly boy .

These days it's all different ( thankfully ) look at bands like Clutch , they look like the local plumbers , garbage collectors and mechanics and good for them !

Post by **Trigger** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 11:25 am

Ritchie wrote:
These days it's all different ( thankfully ) look at bands like Clutch , they look like the local plumbers , garbage collectors and mechanics and good for them !

I think the fact that we now look past all the media presented crap that made sure all rock stars looked the same demonstrates two things, One, we have become more cultured and take quality into consideration now, and two, the media isn't as strong as it used to be because we now use so many different locations to find information.

And I am a Plumber so what was your point?

Cpt Matt Sparrow · Post by **Cpt Matt Sparrow** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:18 pm

Trigger wrote:
Ritchie wrote: And I am a Plumber so what was your point?

LMAO, I am just thinking of all those helpless housewives in their late 40's answering the door in their dressing gown, and very grateful that you have shown up!!

Matt

Ritchie · Post by **Ritchie** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:25 pm

Yeah they'd be like " ooooooooh 'ello mister .. I've got a problem wiv me plumbin' you wanna come in and * long drag of ciggy * service me waterworks ? sorry you caught me in me dressin gown an' all and I even forgot me knickers

"

RRfish · Post by **RRfish** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 6:24 pm

You guys are too funny. You know when I first met Randy he did not look like what you see today in pictures. He was much more masculine looking ,and a much rounder face similar to his mama and sister. Even his jaw line seemed to be so different. He kind of evolved into the rock star image over time. I always wondered, not that he did, but I wondered if he had some type of cosmetic surgery. He was always quite small in stature, but not as thin as in later years, and the hair was definitely a dye job. If you look back at yearbook pics, you will see, his hair was brown with auburn red highlights, and he actually had a pretty good stach going on in HS. I think that a lot of the image we see possibly, created by himself, but as well when under management, I am sure he was encouraged to look the part. I think his look did help, but he was gifted, which kept him in the spotlight. It still is strange for me to see the outgoing, posing, Rock Star Randy, when in actuality he was quite shy off stage. So I guess that part of his personality on stage evolved as well. There were so many guys during that time who all took on the Rock Star look, hoping to be discovered. It always amazed me how some had no talent yet, thought they would be the next big thing, because they had the look. Although, I did like the Quiet Riot period, the music, and all, but personally the Glam Rock thing put me off a bit. I guess I never wanted to go out with a guy that was prettier than me, but there were plenty of girls that did. It is the same in the film industry as well, looks count for a lot, but time always flushes out the ones without talent, or too much attitude in the end. That's Hollyweird for you!

Ritchie · Post by **Ritchie** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 6:48 pm

I used to work at a lot of the music trade shows and it was always funny to watch the big poodle haired fluffy boys cruising around trying their hardest to " look like a rock star " and when they would pick up a guitar it was usually to the amusement of staff on the stand when fluffy girly-boy attempted to play ..

RRfish · Post by **RRfish** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:27 pm

Try, going to 70's, 80's partys in L.A., the rooms were crowded with them, there pick up lines were always so weird, stuff like, "For such a small frontal lobal, I find you highly intelligent!", haha ! what a joke!

My fasination was trying to figure out what products they used to get the poof going

OMG ,I sound like I'm talking about aliens. It was a very odd time to be sure.

Post by **Trigger** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:39 pm

Hey Fish, those gentlemen sounded charming, I bet you just swooned when they suggested you had a smaller brain

if I said that to Jessica I wouls still be lying on the floor watching the stars spin around!

RRfish · Post by **RRfish** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:50 pm

And why do you think that did not get my hand? The only thing I swooned over , or should I say felt faint from, was the scent of there cologne. Some I would think had taken a shower with it. eeechs.........

Sarab · Post by **Sarab** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 1:05 am

Yes, his looks did play a part. I remember getting DOAM first (yeah, I'm an idiot, but I do that kind of shit, getting the sequels first then getting the first one because I liked the second one...), and listening to the music saying to my friend, " hey this guy can play. and look at him...he's gorgeous!" at which she replied, "yeah, but he's gay. just look at him. he even has his earring in the right ear instead of the left. and he's so skinny, he's probably a druggie like Ozzy." I always shugged her off when she would tell me that.
To a 14 year old girl and going to an all girl high school, the hormones RAGE, at least they did 27 years ago. Anyway, we were into the long haired guys, and if they sounded & looked good, they were in our lockers immortalized. I remember see David Lee Roth in soooo many lockers, then Eddie Van Halen came in second. Not too many had Randy in their lockers.
I have also seen Mick Jagger, Steven Tyler, Freddie Mercury, Mike Reno hanging up in lockers. Now, I didn't think they were that good looking, but these girls had them up in their lockers. Apparently, looks do have a lot to do with what you do. At least it doesn't hurt. Image is always the key. Take the places that we go to and the way people look.
If you look dog-ugly, do you think that you'd be hired to work at Hooters? Sales people have to look good too. No facial piercings, and no tattoos showing (most places frown against the tattoos.)
I think I got off track, but what it boils down to, is that looks sell. Now that I'm older, I could care less what a person looks like, as long as the person does the job they were meant to do.

Paul Wolfe · Post by **Paul Wolfe** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:33 am

Sarab wrote:Mike Reno

Oh My God that takes me back... It always amazed me that Loverboy made it even a little bit!