Ultimate Rhoads

I've just had a look over at the Randy Rhoads Appreciation society on facebook. I noticed this posted up by Michael Chu. I gather he owns this post card, i messaged him ages ago about who the card was posted to and i never got a reply. This is what it says...

The postcard in the pictured confirms that live footage of the Blizzard of Ozz was professionally shot at the Capitol Theater in Passaic County, New Jersey on April, 25th 1981. The postcard was mailed by RR on April 26th, while in Philadelphia, PA for the next stop of the Blizzard tour.

Hi,

Tonight was good too. So far every nite has been successful and the crowds are really loving it. This tour is starting out great much different than England! I wore the vest with the weird sleeves and it really looked good. They filmed tonight and it was real neat. I’m in Philadelphia now. This hotel is crazy! It is the biggest hotel I’ve ever seen in my life! There’s a mall in it! It’s the Marriott City Center by the airport and it’s huge! Anyway, gotta sleep!

Randall

Wish someone would just leak this hint hint Bill Shelley

Very interesting... unfortunately I doubt it'll lead to the end of the rainbow everyone has wished for, but still, very interesting.

It is frustrating to know that after all this time the O$bourne's know about the likes of this full show being filmed. But they still play dumb when asked about any Live early footage. All i can think of is that the quality of Ozzy's performance must be that poor that it would take a miracle to alter and that they don't really give a shit about vintage archive material.

I just tweeted Ozzy with the pic and what is read. Posted this.....Loyal Randy Rhoads fans have known (no footage,yeah right). Ozzy,Sharon.....ju gots sum splainin' ta do. Unless our Superman is a lier? Filmed April,25,1981 in Philadelphia,PA. Word is getting around on on The Randy Rhoads Society - The Ultimate Rhoads forum. He did like my redo of the Live box set cd,doubt he'll read this.

So, a few years ago, I asked an employee who worked at the Capitol Theatre about the footage, and he told me the place caught fire one time and a lot of the concerts were lost. I really hope that wasn't the fate of that concert. Rather have Sharon keep it than it getting burned.

I was at the concert at the Capitol Theatre that night...there was one camera at each end of the stage. I was in third row in front of Randy.

This is interesting... as a professional photographer was there backstage taking pictures. Was the plan to release the video later? Maybe the quality - like most of the Capitol videos - wasn't up to standard for Shaz and Oz.

https://flashbak.com/ozzy-osbourne-and- ... 0s-408749/

I would take any show from Randy-era, good or bad!!! Would be great to see some "new" stuff.

The likelihood of it getting released though?

I posted this on another thread here somewhere awhile back but these are my thoughts as to why it has never been released.

- John Scher owns the footage. He confirmed this a couple times and one of them was to a fellow member here, wareeagle. Im sure you all remember the private showing at a small theater we were supposed to get . John was the promoter for this venue during that time.

A couple years ago Sharon was doing an interview and pretty much revealed that she hates John Scher. And it all most likely started with the capital theater show as it was very early on in the Blizzard tour and they likely needed the money at that point more than at any other time. Sharon obviously wants nothing to do with John Scher since the very beginning. If he ever approached her asking for money for the footage he would have no chance solely based on this incident.

Here is the snippet from the Sharon interview from 2019

Legendary Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne‘s wife Sharon Osbourne recently revealed that she kneed promoter John Scher backstage at a concert over a money issue.

“Yeah, and whacked him around the head. He tried to do the dirty on Ozzy and I. We needed the (settlement) money because that’s how we moved on from one gig to another. Everything was cash in those days. Everything. And we had sold out the gig months in advance. Then we got there, and I am doing the settlement, and he gives me all of these advertising bills. I’m like, ‘We sold out. We sold out the first day. Why do I have all of these advertising bills?’ I was then told, ‘Well, once it (an advertisement) is booked, you can’t cancel them.’ I was like, ‘Fuck off.'”

In searching this out again I found something new. John Scher told his side of the story back in 2009.

John Scher was asked about the incident in his 2009 The Hot Seat profile.

“She kicked me in the balls is the story. It had to do with settlements from two shows with Ozzy Osbourne. We had a letter from Sharon saying we could deduct money from a second show. (After a dispute over payment) I walked over to her and asked if I could talk with her. She broke into a rage, screaming, and cursing. I said, ‘Calm down.’ and she threatened to pull Ozzy offstage.

I said, ‘Be my guest but your equipment will live in Asbury Park for as long as it takes me to auction it off.’ Then she very calmly walked over me -we’re 10 feet apart—and I’m figuring we’re going to get out of this situation. Instead, she kicks me in the nuts and knocks me down…..Sharon has spun this story to make me look like I’d done something wrong. But I know the truth and everybody who was there knows the truth.”

Here is 2012 interview with Andrew Klein regarding the footage (He wrote that Randy Rhoads book).

Randy Rhoads Society: We have heard there is a pro-shot Randy show from New Jersey at the Capitol Theatre. Who owns this footage and do you think it will ever be released? If not, why?

Andrew Klein: I don't know who owns it now. I spoke with a guy named John Scher. He was the owner of the Capitol Theatre. He confirmed that every show performed there from 1973-1984 was shot by the inhouse crew. Three cameras in black and white. The last time we spoke, he was preparing his film library for a big sale to either a distribution company or a collector. He wasn't specific. He vaguely remembered the circumstances surrounding the events of the day when Ozzy and Randy were there. He said, "I either filmed it and gave it to Sharon, or we have it put away somewhere — I just don't remember." My thought was, if he had the tapes, and was preparing his library for a sale, he certainly wasn't going to part with them. He would want to maintain exclusivity, which I can understand and respect. They are his and he can do what he wants with them. I feel that if he had given them to Sharon, they would have been released by now. In a letter sent to Jodi the day after the Capitol Theatre show, Randy stated that it was a great show and he was excited that it was filmed. He went into details about the filming and said everyone in the band was aware of the cameras and everyone knew they were being filmed. Randy also said, "Because we were being filmed, I decided to wear the new vest you made for me with the zippers." Many people may not know this, but Jodi made all of Randy's stage clothes for him.

Extra tidbit from that interview about the Phoenix brothers footage.

Randy Rhoads Society: There was also a rumor that there is another concert from Arizona in 1982 that was filmed also. Can you confirm this? If it does exist — who owns it and can it or will it be released?

Andrew Klein: There are two brothers who live in Arizona who are big fans of Randy's. They filmed two concerts — one "Blizzard" and one "Diary". They each sat in the front row with a camera and filmed the concerts from two different angles. They have the footage and the last I heard, they have no plans on ever making it available to the public. It is important to note that it is video only — no sound. If something is ever done with it, they will hopefully be able to sync it up with a live audio track. This shouldn't be too difficult. Ozzy's soundman recorded the band through the board nearly every night. Tommy Aldridge has copies of most of those tapes.

The best reason I heard that Phoenix brothers will never release the footage is because there were 3 of them that were actually part of filming process. One of them died many years ago I guess. Someone was talking to them at the memorial and it was explained it had to do with that in some sorts.

This might be the case of "too little, too late" or nothong at all.
I kinda understand when someone says it sucks being a Randy Rhoads-fan. Many bands from the same age and time have released very good deluxe-editions and whatnot. Randy-fans are sold the same stuff over and over. Most of the time at least.
I've bought all the Ozzy vinyl-bootlegs with Randy and I'm still looking for one called "Looking For Trouble". I've passed it few times, but next time I will buy a copy!!!

Also, is there any news about the footage that was given to Kathy?

The Flying Dutchman wrote: ↑Thu Apr 22, 2021 9:17 am Also, is there any news about the footage that was given to Kathy?

Nothing that I know of. I still follow all this like a hawk almost every day

The last Kathy said about it was that they were looking for a way to release it. Which means they are waiting on Ozzy IMO. I am still 100% confident there will be a Diary of a Madman 40th Anniversary album sometime in October/November. Since Diary of a Madman is one of the most popular aspects of Ozzy careerI am hoping they do a documentary on that timeframe alone, sort of like the 30 years after doc. There were plenty of events that made Ozzy famous during that tour in addition to the album. Some time dedicated to the creation of the diary stage setup would be great as it deserves it too. I am sure they have tons of home video from around that time especially the time leading up and into the diary tour, they knew it was going to be huge. I could see them taking a lot of the segments from the recent Ozzy A&E documentary from the diary era and putting a lot of that into any boxset that may be released. I am sure there is a lot of material that didn't make the A&E doc as well regarding diary.

So basically what I am saying is that they have plenty of material to piece together of a 40th anniversary boxset for Diary without having to actually do any new interviews or anything. Then just tag on any new footage and bang, we are all happy for a couple days.

The only sad part is that no matter what is released we are 99% likely to get only one concerts footage. I am pretty sure they have and would release the ET footage on top of that as well.

Off the top of my head I think there are what we can assume 8 confirmed concerts/footage that do exist.

04/24/81 - Passaic, NJ - Capital Theater
04/28/81 - Rochester, NY - Rochester Auditorium (After Hours)
05/19/81 - Detroit, MI - Masonic Temple
08/31/81 - Detroit,MI - Pine Knob
12/XX/81 - Entertainment Tonight Diary rehearsals.
01/01/82 - Pheonix, AZ - Pheonix Brothers footage
01/07/82 - Albuquerque, NM - College Student filmed on stage for two songs (30 years after documentary)
02/08/82 - Detroit, MI - Cobo Hall

*81 - The full Two on the Town footage from tv. The Dakota films documentary could not find this. If my memory serves correct the last known location/trail was that is was transferred to a warehouse with all other assets, and then in the mid 80's that warehouse burnt down. It may or may not still exist but doesn't look good.