Crazy Train: The high life and tragic death of Randy Rhoads

I'm a huge Ozzy/Rhoads fan, and I've read McIver's excellent biographies of Cliff Burton, Black Sabbath, Slayer, and Metallica. So I was excited to read this book. There are plenty of great pictures and an exhaustive history from Randy's childhood through his untimely death. McIver is musician and a journalist and so is very well qualified to both present the history and analyze the music.While the Quiet Riot years are discussed in detail, the music is not. In a way, this is a service to Randy since the music he recorded with Quiet Riot is forgettable. The guitarist takes a quantum leap forward on BLIZZARD OF OZ. What happened? McIver doesn't really say. Here's what I'd say: Some time passed and was filled with study and practice. And Randy got to play with veteran bassist Bob Daisley. But most importantly Ozzy happened. Ozzy too often gets cast as a clown and a musical know-nothing, but he's made virtually everyone who has played with him better--and that certainly includes Randy. Ozzy's melodies and his ear for picking out riffs Randy would otherwise have discarded (like the opening to "Suicide Solution") made BLIZZARD and DIARY the great albums that they are.There are a few things McIver doesn't mention that would have been worth discussing:There is no discussion of the MR. CROWLEY LIVE EP (PICTURE DISC) and the rare track "You Said it All".There is no discussion of the Blizzard-era B-side "You Looking at Me, Looking at You". I've always thought "No Bone Movies" was the only weak moment on BLIZZARD and didn't really fit the tone of the album. "You Looking at Me, Looking at You" would have been a good replacement.TRIBUTE is discussed, but it is not mentioned that die-hard fans like myself were disappointed upon its release because it turned out to be the same live bootleg we had for years under the title "Bat's Head Soup".All in all, this book is well worth your time and money if you are a big Ozzy/Rhoads fan.

I was lucky enough to have seen randy play live when he was in quiet riot and his playing was great but when he joined ozzy his playing went to another level 40 years later we are still amazed at his use of keys and scales that no one hadly used before in rock this is a great book it makes me miss randy even more

Randy Roads would have a profound, and lasting impact on my life as a guitar player. I had never really read very far into his life or early career. New the basics of his tragic death. This title lives up to its reviews! Well written. The author leaves no stone in turned especially in respect to interviewing so many people in Randy's life. Many those interviewed are now deceased.This book was done with lot class and avoids any fictional ad lib for the sake of sales or promotion. I recommend this book highly! I'm glad I spent the money on it.

It is interesting to watch Randy's legend slowly grow stronger through the generations. The first two decades after his untimely passing he was often overshadowed by Eddie Van Halen's incandescent talent. But the passionate, intelligent intensity of Randy Rhoads forever burns among those refined to separate the silver from the dross...Randy's talent had the depth to span ages.Randy was killed before he got to tell us much of his story and before he was a household name. Over the years his name appears at the top of the guitar magazines faithfully on the anniversary of his death or birthday. We buy the issues just to glean any small new insight into our heroes life, and usually end up disappointed.This book collects all of those gleanings and sets them in a very logical order while at the same time filling in a lot of the mortar between the bricks. I finally feel I have some insight into the life of young Randy Rhoads for the first time since I became a fan at 13 years of age, way back in 1982.I'm thankful for Rudy Sarzo's first hand recollections in "Off The Rails", but this book was much more satisfying because it revealed so much more about his history, influences and personality.Great book on my personal hero...Randy Rhoads.

This book explained so many things I did not know about Randy. I've read it 3 times now, just an amazing read an I highly recommend it.

As a guitar player who is primarily into hard, bluesy rock, I would be lying if I said Randy Rhoads didn't influence my playing in some way. Along with Roth, Blackmore, and Michael Schenker, Randy was one of the first to combine the blues with the classical elements that would go onto form the neo-classical shred movement of the mid to late 80s. This book gives a great account of the rise and tragic death of a master musician. It's a great, quick read that will have you ready to crank up the Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of A Madman albums. To quote Ozzy, "Long live Randy Rhoads.

Not sure how tasteless Joel's reporting is, but clearly, not researched is a better word. The eruption took place when I was a kid living in the NW, and Randy's death occurred almost two years afterwards...The Climactic Eruption of May 18, 1980The climactic eruption in full fury in the late morning of May 18, 1980.Book Quote"The day before Randy’s death, the Washington volcano Mount St. Helens erupted, killing 57 people. It would be both tasteless and trite to compare the events in terms of their impact, but then again, ask any metalhead of a certain age which event of that tragic week has lingered with him or her longest, and there will only be one answer."Randy died March 19th 1982

Great

So Randy is my all time favourite guitarist...and so this book is so special to me! Took me ages to find it and it was pricey...but once I received it was/am so happy! Mint condition as advertised. Highly recommend this seller!

Not a great book,nothing new to learn about one of the Greatest Guitar Players to have graced this earth Randy Rhoads.

It is the life story of one of the greatest guitar players ever and he played for the prince of darkness who is a true heavy metal Legend OZZY OSBOURNE.

Llegó antes de lo previsto y sin ningún problema. Aún no lo he terminado, pero me parece imprescindible para quien quiera conocer un poco mejor la vida de Randy Rhoads.