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- Gunslinger
- Rep: 88
Re: The Ultimate Showdown #3...WINNER ANNOUNCED!
Ozzy has had an incredible career. Noone can dispute the influence he and Black Sabbath made in the metal world of music.
When Ozzy became a solo artist he had a great chance of ruining his career but instead has did quite the opposite. I personally like Ozzy's solo work even better than the music he made with Black Sabbath. Part of the reason for his success has been his ability to team up with such great guitarists for his solo work.
Randy Rhoads is nothing short of a legend. His work on songs like Diary of a Madman/Over the Mountain/Flying High Again/Dee/Suicide Solution and Mr. Crowley made him an instant and quite legitimate legend. His tragic death was a huge loss both personally and professionally for Ozzy and it just about destroyed his career.
Ozzy tried to rebound with Jake E Lee and although there was some success the music lost its edge and Ozzy's legacy began sinking into mediocrity. The future didn't look good.
Enter Zakk Wylde. The first song I really paid attention to his work was with Ozzy on "Breaking All the Rules" from Ozzy's best-album-in-years NO REST FOR THE WICKED. Although this song wasn't a huge hit it showed flashes of greatness to come from the new axeman with the crazy name. The guitar work on that song just had a heavy, hard-hitting, screaming metal nastiness to it. What followed was in my opinion Ozzy's best music yet, largely due in part to this extremely gifted guitarist. No More Tears up to the current Black Rain need no history as they speak for themselves. Songs like Perry Mason/No More Tears/Facing Hell/Black Rain/My Jekyll Doesn't Hide/Gets Me Through/Not Going Away are just samples of what Zakk has contributed to Ozzy's solo career.
This is the first Showdown that I have went into where my vote actually changed. I went into this thing thinking "it HAS to be Randy". However as I was looking over my cds I just couldn't stop being amazed by how many awesome pieces of amazing axework Zakk has laid down over the years. He saved and re-energized Ozzy's career and quite possibly even took it to higher levels than Ozzy had ever reached previously. My vote goes to Zakk.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: The Ultimate Showdown #3...WINNER ANNOUNCED!
This is interesting..as I think Zakk himself would vote for Randy...in every interview i've seen with him he has been respectful of Randy to the point of idolisation.
They are both sensational guitarists...in a "shred off" I suspect that Randy would win as I remember his style as a little more fluid than Zakk. Randy uses such impressive legato runs and stuff like that. He is more of an all-rounder you could say. He is one of those people who's guitar technique is just scary. Then there's crazy train. What a song. Need I say more!
However Zakk has contributed so much to the Ozzy music. The trademark harmonics as part of the riff, the alternate picking madness...the all around attack, the wah wah on the bends while hitting the strings so hard they scream out....then I think No More Tears...the Miricle Man solo....and some of the great music on the Black Rain..album...there is no doubt in my mind Zakk is some kind of GOD.
There needs to be a "draw" button.
I'm going to go with Zakk. Massive love and respect for Randy - as he paved the way - was a huge inovator, a role model to Zakk himself, and clearly a guitar legend from his riffs and solos..so i have nothing but praise for him......but Zakk is who got me into Ozzy...(Randy having died when I was 4.5 years old!)..his presence is amazing, his skills are amongst the best in the world...and he's just taken the torch that much futher down the road for us.
Re: The Ultimate Showdown #3...WINNER ANNOUNCED!
Zakk, for all the reasons Slinger mentioned in the original post
The only reason it was a hard decision for me is because Rhoads went too soon, and who knows what kind of crazy shit he could have come up with later(if memory serves he was a classical guitar teacher).
When judging it just on which Ozzy albums I prefer though, it's Zakk pretty easily. Plus I shouldn't include this, but I can't really separate it, I really think everything outside of Ozzy Zakk touches has turned to gold.
Re: The Ultimate Showdown #3...WINNER ANNOUNCED!
I love Randy, but like it's been said, he went too soon to know where he'd grow with his style. I've loved Zakk for years, one of my favorite players. My favorite Ozzy solo material is the stuff Zakk's played on. That's where my loyalty's gotta go.
- Gunslinger
- Rep: 88
Re: The Ultimate Showdown #3...WINNER ANNOUNCED!
Zakk is out-axing Rhandy 8 to 4. I expected this one to be closer. Anyoone who wants to vote and have your opinion counted do it, this showdown will end soon.
