Randall William Rhoads was born on December 6, 1956 in Santa Monica, California. Randy was youngest of three children, he had a brother named Doug (also known as “Kelle”) and a sister named Kathy. Their mother Delores owned and operated the Musonia Music School where Randy learned much of his guitar basics, and also taught the guitar himself to other students for a period of time. Randy first started playing the guitar at the age of 6, and by the age of 12 he switched to an electric. When he was 14, he started playing in the band called “Violet Fox” together with his brother Kelle. Couple of years later, he formed another band with his friend Kelly Garni initially called “Mach 1”, “Little Women”, and finally – “Quiet Riot”. The band quickly became one of the most popular groups on the Los Angeles club scene, and by late 1976 were signed to CBS/Sony Records. Their albums “Quiet Riot” and “Quiet Riot II” were released only in Japan. In September 1979 Randy was auditioned for Ozzy Osbourne’s new band. Supposedly he walked into the Ozzy’s motel room in Malibu with his 1974 Les Paul and a tiny practice amp and started warming up. Before he could even show off what he’s hot, Ozzy interrupted him and said “‘You’ve got the gig”! Randy recorded only two album with Ozzy – ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ (1980), and ‘Diary of a Madman’ (1981) – and for that short period of time he managed to achieve success that most of the guitarists can only dream about. On March 19, 1982 Randy tragically died as a result of an airplane accident. While the band was heading to a festival in Orlando, during one of their stops, their tour bus driver and ex-commercial pilot Andrew Aycock took Randy and the band’s makeup artist Rachel Youngblood for a flight in a small Beechcraft F35 plane. While attempting to fly closely over the tour bus, one of the plane’s wings clipped the top of the bus, breaking the wing into two parts and sending the plane spiralling out of control. All three passengers were killed in the accidents. The Guitars
Guitar Amps
–1970s Peavey Standard 260 Used with the Quiet Riot. He played it through a cabinet packed with six Altec speakers. The amp is now kept at the Musonia. Supposedly Ozzy would never let Randy use this Peavey, so Greg Leon who took Randy’s place in Quiet Riot lent him a couple of Marshall rigs. – Marshall 1959 After joining Ozzy, Randy switched to Marshall. On stage he would use up to three amps, each played through a set of 1960A and 1960B cabinets, both painted white. Guitar Effects Randy’s effect rig was fairly simple. During the Quiet Riot years he only used a MXR Distortion Plus, and an MXR 10 Band EQ. After joining Ozzy he started using the Crybaby Wah, and couple of more pedals, such as MXR Stereo Chorus, MXR Flanger and Korg Echo. Some of the songs on the Ozzy records were recorded using the AMS DMX 15-80S Digital Delay. Guitar Strings Randy used GHS Boomers .010 or .011 gauge. Guitar Picks Randy used Picato medium thickness picks. The equivalent of these would probably be closest to Dunlop’s .88mm.
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