A Guy in His 50s Covering Guitar Classics like Randy Rhoads

Randy Rhoads is the first guitarist of the Ozzy Osbourne Band.
I first encountered him when I was 14 years old. Around that time, my musical taste had shifted from pop to hard rock after listening to Van Halen’s album 5150. A friend of mine recommended Ozzy Osbourne’s Blizzard of Ozz, and it left a huge impact on me.
Randy Rhoads was not only technically brilliant but also looked very gentle and kind. I thought he was really amazing.
Back then, there was no internet like today, and the only information I could find about Randy Rhoads was through record reviews, guitar magazines, or tablature books.
From that limited information, I learned that he played on a Les Paul model guitar. (Because of this, the first electric guitar I ever bought was a black Les Paul model by Greco.)
I also found out he had worked as a guitar instructor.
Then, I was deeply shocked when I learned about the plane crash that took his life during a tour.
Listening to the two albums he left behind, I can't help but feel sadness thinking about what kind of albums he might have created if not for the accident.
Apparently, he studied classical guitar, so maybe he would have even made a classical guitar album.
Still, these two albums are filled with Randy Rhoads’ guitar playing, and I think they are truly amazing.
He just looked so natural with a guitar and he was such a cool guitarist.
Trying to imitate him, I used tablature to play parts of “I Don’t Know” and “Crazy Train”. Of course, there was no way I could play the solos, but I managed to copy the riffs, although just barely.
I remember how happy I was playing them over and over again.
Since last year, I’ve been uploading covers of songs I like on YouTube.
From Blizzard of Ozz, I especially love “Crazy Train”, “Mr. Crowley”, and “Dee”.
I’d like to write about my thoughts and experiences covering those songs.
First up is “Crazy Train”.

It’s such a cool song, and I first tried to cover it about 35 years ago.
Right from the start, the intro riff is really difficult because you have to alternate between your ring finger and pinky on your left hand.
The guitar phrase in the verse has the open 5th string going “da-da-da-da” in sixteenth notes, and it’s very difficult.
I think I was only able to play the very beginning of the pre-chorus, the part that goes “da-da-daaan, da-daah.”
Of course, I couldn’t play the solo at the time. I could just barely imitate the tapping part, and that was about it.
In the end, the only parts I could manage were the intro riff, the pre-chorus, and the tapping section of the solo.
Now, after 35 years of playing guitar, my picking, fingerings, and rhythm have all improved, so I think I’m able to cover more of the song than I could back then.
Before joining Ozzy Osbourne’s band, Randy Rhoads had been in a band called Quiet Riot while also working as a guitar teacher,
which I think is why his guitar phrases are so well-constructed and tight.
Eddie Van Halen, on the other hand, was known to play his guitar solos almost entirely improvised and freely in his songs.
They’re absolutely incredible in their own right, but I also think it’s amazing how Randy Rhoads composed and carefully built his solos the way he did.
Next up is “Mr. Crowley”.

This song is a mid-tempo masterpiece.
The classical-sounding keyboard intro that suddenly shifts into hard rock is just so cool and it’s genuinely moving.
What really stands out in this song is the guitar solos.
There are two big solos, both incredibly hard-hitting, melodic, and meticulously structured.
Yet at the same time, they’re deeply emotional and really pack a punch.
It was really tough to memorize and cover them, but they contain just about everything a rock guitar solo should have:
bending, fast scale runs, repeated phrases, a section played softly with less distortion, followed by a rapid-fire part with intense distortion that has clear transitions and a dramatic arc.
This is truly one of the best solos ever.
As a practice piece for learning guitar solos, it has everything you need.
The fact that Randy Rhoads composed such a brilliant song and solo just proves that he was a genius.
More than just the technicality of the guitar here, I think this is a solo that delivers real emotional impact.
And finally, we have “Dee”.

I played it on a folk guitar since I don’t own a classical guitar. 35 years ago, I could only manage to play the opening phrase of the song. These days, my fingerpicking has improved compared to before, and I think I’ve gotten to the point where I can at least capture the atmosphere of the piece. The harmonics in the song have an incredibly beautiful resonance. It shines just like a masterpiece by a classical composer and it brings a sense of quiet while filling me with an indescribable peace.
By covering these three songs, I learned a lot, from the various playing techniques, finger exercises using the ring and pinky fingers, the importance of rhythmic playing, how to construct and build up a guitar solo, and more. I was truly moved by Randy Rhoads’ musical talent and his sincere approach to the guitar.
Thank you very much for reading.

I run a YouTube channel called "A Guitar Cover Channel by a Guitarist in His 50s" (featuring original songs and guitar-building video diaries as well).
Please check it out, and if you like my channel, I would be grateful for your subscription!

The “sound & person” column is made up of contributions from you.
For details about contributing, click here.