Great Metal Albums of 1987: Ozzy Osbourne- Randy Rhoads Tribute

This post is dedicated to Steven Parker, the biological father of my stepson Teal Parker-Camps. Steve sadly passed away on the 24th of April. I always knew he was an Ozzy Osbourne fan but it was only when we were clearing his flat last week that I discovered just how much of an Ozzy fan he was. Since I am now touring the albums of 1987, what better album to dedicate to Steve than Ozzy’s live “Randy Rhoads Tribute” album, which itself was a dedication to the great deceased guitarist.

Naturally, since Randy only played on the first two Ozzy solo albums, most of the material would be from those albums. Therefore, I thought it was no surprise to kick things off with “I Don’t Know.” Though, I was slightly surprised to see that the classic single, “Crazy Train,” would follow second. The two times I saw him live, that song was played closer towards the end of his set but no matter, it fits in well. Then again, I wouldn’t get in a twist over any order in which the songs were played. “Believer” from the “Diary of a Madman” album proves my point coming straight after. If I had seen Ozzy on this tour, I would have been on my feet as soon as the song started as that is what Ozzy seems to do on the record.

Ozzy’s kick ass show, Download 2018

For me, things really pick up on the fourth song, only because it is my all time favourite Ozzy song, “Mr Crowley.” This song is phenomenal enough on the “Blizzard of Ozz” studio album but hearing it live on this album, it just goes through the roof, as it did the two times I saw him perform it live. Furthermore, hearing Randy shred away on the guitar solo makes me deeply regret not having seen him live. (I was in the service at the time.) Then, after two more well performed song, especially “Flying High Again,” where Ozzy tells the crowd to keep smoking them joints, we get to “Steal Away (The Night)” which features a drum solo from Tommy Aldridge and that makes a good halftime break in the action.

The second half of the album kicks off in grand style with “Suicide Solution.” Another of my favourite Ozzy songs but with the added bonus of a guitar solo from Randy. I can shut my eyes and just imagine him on the stage by himself just bending the six strings on the axe to his will. When your blown mind is recovering from that, Ozzy then goes back to his Black Sabbath days with “Iron Man,” “Children of the Grave,” where Ozzy and his band simply sound fantastic. Of the three Sabbath songs which are on this album, that one is my favourite. The keeping with tradition, Ozzy finishes with “Paranoid.”

Randy Rhoads

While the first eleven songs were recorded in Cleveland, Ohio, except for Randy’s extended guitar solo on “Suicide Solution,” which was recorded in Canada along with the remaining songs. Okay, the closer, “Dee,” was a compilation of studio outtakes from Randy but it was a fun way to end such a great live album.

Track Listing:

1. I Don’t Know
2. Crazy Train
3. Believer
4. Mr. Crowley
5. Flying High Again
6. Revelation (Mother Earth)
7. Steal Away (The Night)
8. Suicide Solution
9. Iron Man
10. Children of the Grave
11. Paranoid
12. Goodbye to Romance
13. No Bone Movies
14. Dee

Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osboure- vocals

Randy Rhoads- guitar

Rudy Sarzo- bass

Tommy Aldridge- drums

Lindsay Bridgwater- keyboards

Bob Daisley- bass on “Goodbye to Romance” and “No Bone Movies”

Lee Kerslake- drums on “Goodbye to Romance” and “No Bone Movies”

Teal with his souvenir from the festival, Bloodstock 2015

While “Randy Rhoads Tribute” is a magnificent live album, there would be a downside to the story. At the time, it was said that Ozzy’s tribute to his former guitarist would be the cause of his then guitarist Jake E. Lee to part company with Ozzy out of jealousy. In reality, Jake was fired out of the blue by Sharon and my personal theory is that the Osbournes concocted the jealousy story as a distraction. Whatever the history is, one still can’t fault how good an album the tribute to Randy is. I’m sure Randy and Steven Parker are looking down with a smile.

Rest in peace Steven Parker.

Next post: The Jitters

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