ABC/Randy Holmes
ABC/Randy HolmesWith his new See You on the Other Side box set forthcoming, Ozzy Osbourne is reflecting on his solo career and the people he played with throughout the years. In a new Q&A session included in a press release, Ozzy names the late Randy Rhoads as the “best” guitarist he played with during his solo career.
“If I had to say which one of the guitar players you’d rather work with, who was the most musically trained, it was Randy,” Osbourne explains. “He could write, he could read, he could play, he taught at his mother’s school, and he had patience with me. And he would work with me, as opposed to me having to work on top of what he put down.”
Rhoads was the original guitarist in Ozzy’s solo band, and played on the iconic albums Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman. Rhoads tragically died in a 1982 plane accident at age 25.
“It just doesn’t seem right,” Ozzy says. “I’m 70 years of age and it’s so sad when you think the guy got killed so early.”
Osbourne also shares some love for former band member Jake E. Lee, whom he calls a “great player,” and current guitarist Zakk Wylde.
“Zakk has been with me longer than any guitar player ever!” Osbourne says. “He’s been with me the longest and is one of the greatest friends I’ll ever have. He is a family member to me.”
See You on the Other Side, a 24-disc box set consisting of all Osbourne’s original solo material on vinyl, will be released November 29.
After undergoing neck surgery earlier this year, Ozzy plans to return to the road for a North American tour in May 2020.
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