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Q - My first question goes back to the beginning of how you got the job playing with Ozzy and did you play in other bands before getting involved with Ozzy as a touring band. As you nearly turned down the offer to go on that first 1980 UK tour. Luckily for you, the guy who replaced you did not get the job. If you can explain about what happened, and cover a bit of your past history please.
A - I got the gig through an advert in Melody Maker, a weekly paper (now defunct) where musicians could offer their services or bands could advertise for a musician to join their band. The advert said ‘Keyboard player/rhythm guitarist wanted for big-name band to tour UK, Europe and USA’. It was an ambition of mine at the time to visit and tour America. I had been absorbed by American culture during my time at university and the prospect of being paid to tour there with an established rock band, with its associated pleasures and distractions, seemed like a pretty good career option. I learned the songs, auditioned, and was offered the gig. I could play a bit of rhythm guitar, but as soon as I heard Randy play it became very clear that there was no need or musical space for a second guitarist. I had graduated from Cambridge with a music degree in 1977 with no clear idea of what I wanted to do, other than to play music. Among other things, I used to play the organ in working man’s clubs in the East Midlands (I was born and raised in Nottingham); I played a summer season in Skegness and I toured Scandinavia with a folk-rock band. They were about to embark on another tour when the Ozzy gig came up and they threatened me with legal action when I told them I was leaving. I had a temporary wobble and went back to record a video with them, but I realized that the opportunity to tour with Ozzy outweighed any other consideration so I left them for good.
Q - You played with the band behind the scenes mostly. But on occasions you did play in view and on stage. Noticeably a massive gig for you and Ozzy at the Oakland Coliseum CA. The 'Day on the Green' festival in 1981. Playing to a huge crowd of 40,000 people What was it like playing on that day.
A - It was thrilling of course. I remember we were fairly well down in the running order, playing support to bands like Blue Oyster Cult and Heart, who headlined. The date was July 4th, which is a hugely significant day in America so there was a great party atmosphere. As for playing behind the scenes I think that was a legacy from Black Sabbath who had an offstage keyboard player (Jez Woodroffe) and the pattern continued with bands like Queen, who also had an offstage keyboard player (Spike Edney).
When I rejoined the band in late1982 the logistics of playing offstage were not great for tight ensemble playing so I came out onto the stage more.
