Ozzy Producer Says Deep Purple Keyboardist Had to Undergo Years of Therapy for Persuading Randy Rhoads to Board Plane

Talk about Randy Rhoads here.

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chilinvilin
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Ozzy Producer Says Deep Purple Keyboardist Had to Undergo Years of Therapy for Persuading Randy Rhoads to Board Plane

Post by chilinvilin »

Ozzy Producer Says Deep Purple Keyboardist Had to Undergo Years of Therapy for Persuading Randy Rhoads to Board the Plane That Killed Him

"He hated planes - he was very, very afraid of planes," Max Norman said."

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/ge ... d_him.html


During an appearance on The Metal Voice, Max Norman, the producer of Ozzy Osbourne's first three solo albums, talked about losing Randy Rhoads, who died in a plane crash in March 1982 at the age of 25.

Norman said that he was told by Jake E. Lee that it was Don Airey - a renowned rock keyboardist known for his work with Ozzy, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Judas Priest, and many more - who persuaded Randy to board the plane that day.

Max is credited as the engineer of Ozzy's 1980 debut "Blizzard of Ozz," which he ended up producing, albeit without receiving credit. You can check the album out here via Amazon.

Asked where he was when he heard the tragic news, Max replied (transcribed by UG):

"I was obviously very shocked, and disappointed, and saddened... I was sitting at the back and was asked, 'Have you heard about Randy?' And I said, 'No, what happened?' And he goes, 'He got killed.'

"And I'm like, 'Holy shit! What happened?' And I remember saying, 'What is Ozzy going to do now?'

"Because Randy was such a huge part of those first two records. Not only is it awful that he's been killed, but it's awful for Ozzy.

"And, in fact, it actually did end up being awful for Ozzy because after that it just started to slow down.

"He had a pretty good time with Jake [E. Lee, guitar] and I think Jake kind of worked as hard as he could, and that's probably what you're going to ask me next."

I was probably like 15 years old at the time, and it was a shock. It was the first real rock 'n' roll hero of mine that tragically passed. It was just devastating, and to this day it's devastating because it was so tragic.

"Yeah, it was a huge shock. And I remember I couldn't understand it because, actually, I'd spoken to Randy about three weeks before - maybe a Ridge Farm [Studio] or something, I spoke to him on the phone, and he was saying, 'We're just winding up the tour.'

"And he actually said to me, 'I think I'm going to get the train home from Florida.' I think the tour was going to end in Florida, and he said, 'I think I'm going to get a train home to L.A. - I don't like flying.'

"He hated flying. Years later, I found out talking to Lee that it was the keyboard player, Don [Airey], who persuaded him [Randy] to go on the plane.

"And Don, I found out he's been in therapy for many years because of that, and I feel very sorry for him.

"At the time, I could not understand why Randy got on that plane because he hated planes - he was very, very afraid of planes, and I just couldn't understand it.

"And I guess Don Airey persuaded him to get on the plane..."

I think [bassist] Rudy Sarzo, in his book, said there was a struggle, Don Airey saw a struggle in the cockpit of the plane, maybe it was veering towards the bus and Randy pulled it to veer towards the house. I can't confirm that, I'm just sort of trying to go for memory there.

"I went to see Ozzy sometime after that, we were working on the [1987] 'Tribute' [live] record and I went up to Don's compound up in the hills there in L.A.

"I was having a few drinks with Ozzy and he was saying that he saw Randy actually in the wreckage trying to get out.

"I take all that stuff with a pinch of salt, I think it's very easy for witnesses, to imagine stuff, or think of stuff.

"I have no idea, maybe that's true, maybe it isn't true, I don't know. It's just a horrible thing, it doesn't really bear repeating that much.

"I never understood why he got on that, so I can understand why Don was very upset because he felt very guilty about persuading him to get on there."
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JNH
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Re: Ozzy Producer Says Deep Purple Keyboardist Had to Undergo Years of Therapy for Persuading Randy Rhoads to Board Plan

Post by JNH »

Randy actually flew quite a bit. He flew a few times back & forth from LA to the UK and actually flew on the Concorde once. He actually never really developed a fear of flying until that Air Florida flight 90 crash in Washington back in Jan. 1982.....that crash really spooked him out. I believe Max when he states that sometimes people see things in tragic events that didn't really happen. Not to be disrespectful, but there's no way Randy was still alive after the moment of impact.....literally impossible!! I also never bought into the fact that Airey witnessed a struggle going on in the cockpit of the Bonanza. I was a semi-pro photographer back in the mid-80's. I shot some NASCAR races, and even with a high powered telephoto/zoom lens it was nearly impossible to view what was going on in the drivers' seat with cars going 180mph in a simple oval. And why didn't Don mention this fact in his deposition to Officer Smalt?? I just think there's been too many "ghost" stories made up over the years for publicity reasons....just MHO.
Dangling Carrot
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Re: Ozzy Producer Says Deep Purple Keyboardist Had to Undergo Years of Therapy for Persuading Randy Rhoads to Board Plan

Post by Dangling Carrot »

You got your opinion..thats about it. :roll:
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