I put together this collection of guitarists that Randy (and others who knew him) said either influneced him or he admired or liked.

"To this day, I don't have a guitar idol. I have people that are my favorites."-Randy Rhoads

"I have a lot of influences from everywhere. It's hard to pinpoint. I like a lot of classical. I like a lot of blues rock."-Randy Rhoads

Mick Ronson-David Bowie
"Mick Ronson became a very major influence for Randy, both in technique and image. Look at Mick Ronson on a live Bowie video and it's scary how much Randy resembled him."-Kelly Garni

GW: Kelly brightens when I ask if Randy chose a white Les Paul as his signature axe because Ronson played a similar guitar:
"You know, no one has ever suggested that before, but yes, I think he did!"-Kelly Garni





Glen Buxton-Alice Cooper
"A big influence on him at that time-one that isn't spoken about very much-was Alice Cooper's guitarist Glenn Buxton. Randy liked all the wierd noises and feedback that Buxton came up with and would always point them out to me."-Kelly Garni

"Because he liked Glen Buxton of Alice Cooper so much he picked up a white three-pickup SG as well."-Kevin Dubrow





Leslie West-Mountain
"Leslie West was one of my all-time favorite guitarists. I loved his feel. He used a lot of classical. I can feel he's really into it when he does those little classical lines. It's melodic, but mean."-Randy Rhoads

"I can say one of my favorite sounds was when I first heard Mountain and Leslie West with that harmonics and the sustain. I, I just thought it was the greatest thing."-Randy Rhoads





Ronnie Montrose-Montrose/Edgar Winter
"I liked Ronnie Montrose with Edgar Winter alot."-Randy Rhoads

"The first thing we talked about was the type of music we liked. We were both really crazy about the first Montrose album so we talked about forming a band with that type of sound."-Kevin Dubrow






Michael Schenker-Scorpions/UFO/MSG
"I like Michael Schenker's playing alot. He's very classical."-Randy Rhoads

"I think Michael Schenker is excellent. I think he’s a great rock player. He’s very melodic and lots of feeling."-Randy Rhoads






Ritchie Blackmore-Deep Purple/Rainbow
"Ritchie Blackmore was great. I loved his expression."-Randy Rhoads

"I think he’s great. He was one of my real early favorites. He’s got great bluesy phrasing. Ya know? It, it really made me listen to a lot of blues."-Randy Rhoads





Jeff Beck-The Yardbirds/Solo
"Beck is also one of my favorites. He can do anything. He can play one note and it's great."-Randy Rhoads





Bill Nelson-Bebop Deluxe
"The scale-oriented lines he didn't get into at all until he got "Sunburst Finish" by Bebop Deluxe. That album immedietly changed his style. He liked Bill Nelson a lot. I've never seen him mention it in any interviews. There was a song on that album called "Strangers In The Night" and Randy really liked the lead on that one. Bill Nelson's influence was so heavy and immediete that I remember we got into an argument about it because I thought his playing was becoming overly melodic without the nasty side."-Kevin Dubrow





Gary Moore-Thin Lizzy/Coliseum/Greg Lake/Solo
""Later on he came to really admire Gary Moore and Eddie Van Halen. Those were his top two guys." -Rudy Sarzo

"I was rehearsing with Gary when I met Randy. Randy and Ozzy came down to the rehearsal in order to meet Gary. While there, Randy picked up a guitar and started jamming with us for about an hour because Randy was a big Gary Moore fan. I don’t know how big, but big enough to come down to the rehearsal to meet Gary."-Tommy Aldridge





Eddie Van Halen-Van Halen
“Eddie is great. I don't want to get near competing with people like that.”-Randy Rhoads

"I mean, Eddie Van Halen is fantastic."-Randy Rhoads

"Van Halen was one of the few guitarists Randy would talk about. One day I asked him, 'What guitar players do you like, Randy?' And he said, 'I like Eddie Van Halen.'-Max Norman

""Later on he came to really admire Gary Moore and Eddie Van Halen. Those were his top two guys." -Rudy Sarzo




Allan Holdsworth-Gong/Soft Machine/Jean Luc Ponty/UK
"He's great. I love his playing. He's got a lot of great jazz scales. He's got scales where you don't know what they are."-Randy Rhoads





Steve Lukather-Toto
"I quite like Steve Lukather's playing."-Randy Rhoads





Steve Morse-Dixie Dregs/Solo
"I know Randy was a Steve Morse fan."-Bob Daisley





Tom Scholz-Boston
"He loved that guys tone and how clean he played."-Kelly Garni





Earl Klugh-Acoustic Jazz Guitarist
"I like Earl Klugh alot."-Randy Rhoads

good stuff iron!

Thanks for this Iron, very interesting!! That Gary Moore anecdote is too much, oh to even have a cheap audio of that session I wish someone took photos of that occasion. As much as I adore Randy, Ive never been too keen on his influences, except for Gary and Ronson. Can obviously see the influence of Scholz in the commercial QR material. Thanks again.

Wow. I never knew half the people in this thread influinced him. Awesome. Thanks Iron.

I'd kill to hear Gary and Randy jamming.

Wouldn't that be amazing??? I didnt even know this about Tommy and Gary until now!! I just wonder if there really is some document of this somewhere!!

Great work,Thanks

Tommy played with Gary Moore in 1980 and the start of 81 before joining up with Ozzy and Randy. Don Airey was in Gary's band at the time also and they recorded a show that was released a few years later called "Dirty Fingers". As far as a documentation of the Randy/Gary/Tommy jam, I doubt it as it was totally un-planned.

I'm the same way. I've checked out most, but don't get the same kick. If you haven't already, check out some of Earl Klugh's work. It's great, relaxing music Totally the other end of the spectrum from the rest of the guys.

I dunno, I like quite a few of Randy's influences, obviously some of them I don't digg too much, but it's cool to see where he got his inspiration, you can definitely hear where he got his awesome use of harmonics and lead classical runs and stuff.

Being a massive Thin Lizzy/Gary Moore fan it's also nice to know Randy had appreciation for Gary of course, I wonder if he heard Thin Lizzy or solo Gary, or both, or what.

I'm sure, at least from his students. Weren't Thin Lizzy way popular in the States? No one has confirmed he got to to hear the solo Gary. Iron, perhaps you can help on the chronology? I guess that wouldve been possible. I dont have time to look all this up, lol.

I really don't know but I'd guess also that Randy had heard some of Thin Lizzy's more popular songs on the radio ("Jailbreak", "Boys Are Back In Town") but Gary Moore wasn't a part of any of those studio recordings that became really popular on the radio. I'd think he may have heard of Gary's work in Coliseum II (w/Don Airey) or his work on Greg Lake's first solo album or Gary's own solo work in 1979 which included the classic "Parisienne Walkways" which Gary has said may have influenced Randy when it came time to record some of the work on"Mr. Crowley". Also Rudy said that "later on" Randy came to admire Gary and Eddie, so that makes me think more of the solo work Gary was doing and not so much Thin Lizzy.

i didn't know who gary moore was when randy told me he admired his playing. it was in the context of gary moore as a solo guitarist, not "that guitar player in thin lizzy" or anywhere else.

frank.

Appreciated guys, cleared the Gary thing up a bit.

Thanks Cable, will do

Frank and Iron once again clearing things up. Thanks for this one in particular, very interesting stuff!

i do hear some Brian May in some of the Quiet Riot songs.
i know Kelle mentioned the two of them getting the first
Queen record and thought it was great.

Awesome stuff! Very interesting too! Thanks

Wow, a few on there I didn't even know about. Thanks for putting all of this together Ant.

Thanks alot for this thread! I Dident knew all of these.. Thanks again!

This is a great thread. Excellent work!

This really made me want to hear that jam session with Randy and Gary though. I don't think anybody could possibly imagine a better guitar duo. Both players had everything you could ask for in a guitarist...Emotion, technique, melody, tone, creativity ect.

I could see them playing really well together especially since they are different enough that it wouldn't sound like 2 of the same guitarists but both of them still played in pretty much the same genre of music.

Yes, I can see they would compliment each other perfectly, we can only dream what might've been...

Watching this video here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGs5z8CaKX0

When it gets to the solo, you can definitely hear what Kevin was talking about when he talks about melodic lines. I can see where he'd fear him losing his dirty side to his playing, but as we can see that never happened.

This truly is a great list. All the influences I knew he had (JB, EVH, Leslie West, Glen Buxton, Michael Schenker, Mick Ronson) and a ton I didn't know he did (Everyone else on that list.). I'm really surprised he dug Richie Blackmore that much, and Gary Moore too, I really didn't think they'd be his thing. And the great thing is that, aside from Glen Buxton and Mick Ronson, most of these guys are actually still alive! Meaning that you can go see them play soon depending on where you are! Anybody know what he thought about Johhny Winter or Iron Maiden?

It wasn't just guitar players that Randy admired. He loved performers as well. I remember an interview where he said "Elvis is the greatest." That doesn't surprise me since performing is half of one's musical expression...

[quote="RR-ElectricAngel"]It wasn't just guitar players that Randy admired. He loved performers as well. I remember an interview where he said "Elvis is the greatest." That doesn't surprise me since performing is half of one's musical expression...[/quote]

Hey Dude What Interview was this?

I'M SEEING JEFF BECK PLAY WITH ERIC CLAPTON NEXT MONTH THANKS TO MY DAD! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M GOING TO ATTEMPT TO USE MY WIFE'S CAMERA TO RECORD IT AND PUT THE CONCERT ON MY COMPUTER! I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Jeff Beck concert was fantastic, it exceded my expectations quite a lot. I know Randy would have loved to be there. He played with an orcestra and later with EC's band. Eric was great too, but these days aside from that singing he doesn't have a damn thing on him that Jeff can't do better. I recently bought a big 23 track Alice Cooper compilation for 8 bucks and lost it. I WISH I KNEW WHERE IT WAS. Glen's playing on it is very simple and very effective, I can see why a lot of people like what he did for Alice. School's Out has always been on of my favorite songs. Other big players who love Glen and Mick Ronson out there include Slash, Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols, and Kim Thayil of Soundgarden. I love SG Customs, and I'm very happy that Randy got one too while he was alive. Les Paul's weight far too heavily on my poor back. I hope someday to have one in White (not aged), Red, and Black, all with different pickup setups of course. Another great guitar if you want to play like Eddie and Randy are Jackson strat copies with 24 fret maple necks with Seymour Duncan pickups. The guitars I have no are a Black Les Paul with one amazing pickup and one pickup that sounds like sh*t, an SG Standard (red), a rare SG special with strat type pickups, a cheap version of a Tony Iommi SG, a jumbo acoustic, a mini acoustic, a classical, and a yamaha bass (the last three I mentioned are very badly damaged. Thankfully there's another classical here on loan from my Uncle Phil). Does anyone here have a Gibson SG Custom or Jackson maple strat copy?