ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 11, 1983 By Steve Newton Triumph's Rik Emmett is a man of many moods on guitar. Though best known for supplying the driving rhythms and rapid-fire leads that are trademarks of his group's two-fisted sound, Emmett never hesitates delving into the subtle and contemplative realms of classical and jazz as well. On … Continue reading Triumph’s Rik Emmett on the merits of the power trio and his secret song for Randy Rhoads
Tag: Randy Rhoads
That time Ozzy Osbourne told me that he wasn’t “a f***ing warlock” trying to turn people into Satanists
Back in the eighties Ozzy was at the peak of his "heavy-metal madman" stage, infamously biting the head off a bat and pissing on the Alamo.
Rudy Sarzo talks Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads while Quiet Riot storms the charts
By Steve Newton One day back in the summer of '83 I stopped by the Vancouver offices of CBS Records and did an interview with Rudy Sarzo, who was one of the top hard rock/metal bassists around at the time. Sarzo was in town promoting Metal Health, the new release from his band Quiet Riot, which … Continue reading Rudy Sarzo talks Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads while Quiet Riot storms the charts
Ronnie James Dio: the Lost Interview of 1985, an Ear of Newt exclusive
By Steve Newton On December 20, 1985, Ronnie James Dio called me up at home and we chatted for 20 minutes or so. How cool was that? The legendary heavy-metal artist was doing press promoting his Sacred Heart tour, which was scheduled to play Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum on December 28, with guest Yngwie Malmsteen. We talked … Continue reading Ronnie James Dio: the Lost Interview of 1985, an Ear of Newt exclusive
Tommy Aldridge talks Black Oak Arkansas, Whitesnake, Ozzy, and the brilliance of Randy Rhoads
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 10, 1990 By Steve Newton After several years in the rock critic biz, it's easy for a writer to pick up the ONNTD syndrome. That's an affliction that occurs when you request an interview with a big-name band and the record company won't let you talk to the main member (usually … Continue reading Tommy Aldridge talks Black Oak Arkansas, Whitesnake, Ozzy, and the brilliance of Randy Rhoads
Rudy Sarzo on playing with Randy Rhoads, life after Ozzy, and the return of Quiet Riot
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 5, 1983 By Steve Newton Formed in 1975 by Kevin DuBrow and the late Randy Rhoads (who died in a plane crash last year while a member of the Ozzy Osbourne band), Quiet Riot were one of the leading Los Angeles rock bands during the late seventies. Boasting dynamic live performances … Continue reading Rudy Sarzo on playing with Randy Rhoads, life after Ozzy, and the return of Quiet Riot
Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” chosen as the top heavy-metal song of all time
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 4, 2003 By Steve Newton Toronto-based music writer Martin Popoff is Canada’s top expert on heavy metal. Senior editor of metal mag Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles and author of The Collector’s Guide to Heavy Metal, the Trail, B.C.–raised Popoff certainly knows his stuff when it comes to … Continue reading Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” chosen as the top heavy-metal song of all time
Patterson Hood on the Drive-By Truckers’ Southern Rock Opera and the true meaning of Skynyrd
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 30, 2003 By Steve Newton It doesn’t seem likely in today’s musical climate that any band would record a 90-minute concept album about 1970s rock and southern U.S. culture, focusing on the legend of doomed Dixie rock act Lynyrd Skynyrd. It’s even more unlikely that such a CD would get critical … Continue reading Patterson Hood on the Drive-By Truckers’ Southern Rock Opera and the true meaning of Skynyrd
Zakk Wylde draws from Shannon Hoon’s O.D. for his heavy Book of Shadows
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 5, 1996 By Steve Newton Most hard-rock fans know Zakk Wylde as the young musician who helped rejuvenate metal veteran Ozzy Osbourne’s career by cowriting the hit “No More Tears”, in the process taking the coveted guitarist’s spot previously held by the likes of Randy Rhoads and Jake E. Lee. Others … Continue reading Zakk Wylde draws from Shannon Hoon’s O.D. for his heavy Book of Shadows
Pride & Glory’s Zakk Wylde says he’ll always be Ozzy’s guitar player
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 20, 1994 By Steve Newton Rock guitarists have a few things to worry about during a live performance—such as blowing an amp, breaking a string, or dropping a pick during a crucial guitar freak-out. Personal injury isn’t usually one of the main onstage concerns for today’s rock artists, but—as Pride & … Continue reading Pride & Glory’s Zakk Wylde says he’ll always be Ozzy’s guitar player
Badlands’ Jake E. Lee says that hearing Eddie Van Halen got him back into playing hard rock again
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 16, 1992 By Steve Newton Few guitarists have had to deal with the kind of expectations put on Jake E. Lee when he took over Randy Rhoads’ guitar spot in the Ozzy Osbourne band. Rhoads’ tragic death in a 1982 plane crash stunned the rock world and didn’t make things easy … Continue reading Badlands’ Jake E. Lee says that hearing Eddie Van Halen got him back into playing hard rock again
Ozzy Osbourne box the perfect primer for his post-Sabbath period
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, DEC. 8, 2005 By Steve Newton Ozzy Osbourne could easily have gotten away with compiling a bunch of album tracks, tossing in a live concert DVD, and calling it the Prince of Darkness box set. But the pioneering bat-biter evidently wanted to give his hordes of fans something special. His idea … Continue reading Ozzy Osbourne box the perfect primer for his post-Sabbath period
Ozzy Osbourne live in ’82: midgets, executioners, and maybe a dead bat
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 18, 1982 By Steve Newton As anyone at his June 10 Coliseum show could have figured out, subtlety is not Ozzy Osbourne's claim to fame. Whereas most acts open with the drawing of a curtain, Ozzy opens with the dropping of one. And while most performers stroll onstage accompanied by a … Continue reading Ozzy Osbourne live in ’82: midgets, executioners, and maybe a dead bat