Dear Gene, a bit wandering off field here, you decide on its relevance now and similar stuff later, ok? So you sensor it as such. But I know a lot of you love Randy Rhoads. I visited his now late mother, Mrs. Delores Rhoads, and she was the soul of kindness.

This is some private pictures of Randy Rhoads music academy. Randy really loved that place. Delores Rhoads, Mrs. Rhoads I should say, said something interesting. Ozzy never ever even saw let alone opened Randy's guitar, after his death, the story told on Don't Blame Me.... She guarded those guitars with her life, the Crazy Train video from Tribute being shot in one evening. The guitars flying through the rails , you know.

This little room, seemingly barren (from the very good reason that the spirit of its occupant departed, and I say that respectfully)... Is actually the room down to the chairs itself where Randy Rhoads taught music.

Yes I loved Randy and must watch my mouth now... But it's not quite fair.... His reputation.... Vinnie Vincent was 100 times the guitarplayer that Randy Rhoads was, which is a bit nasty thing to say "about" Randy. Like I said, I loved Randy, since I was a child, so go easy on me.

Also, as a Randy Rhoads sideshow:

Also, I got to know Randy CASTILLO rather quite well, surprisingly well, in 2000, that is 2 years before he died, March 2002. Ozzy and Sharon broke his heart and crushed his spirit and abandoned him for dead, just when he was getting back up on his feet from his firsts rounds with cancer at that time: He was declared in Remission, and victorious over cancer, and went to meet Ozzy and Sharon at the ozzfest show in, oh that last stadium where they used to end the ozzfest tours. Let's see, the Glen Helen in Bakersfield. They played something there, for some reason, could it have been with "Black Sabbath"? In March 2000??? Well, they, Ozzy and Sharon, promised him the ozzfest summer tour 2000. He emailed me to tell me, the same or next day, or the first Monday, after the weekend. He was so happy you wouldn't believe it. This might have been concerning events later on, the 2002 summer tour, it's long time ago now. I know he passed on demos and recordings to Ozzy from me, February 2001, so they couldn't have broken contact yet then. I am a bit confused about the dates here.

Well, point is: They lied to him. They hurt him bad .

He sent me a copy of his heartbroken complaint to Ozzy, very personal, he told me it had been for my eyes only, the copy, not wanting me to publish it. Because I asked him, in at least 2001. It's ultra rare. I still have it

Alex Scholnik, guitar ace from 1 generation after Vinnie Vincent, and now ultra legend guitar ace himself, from Testament told me the same story happened to him, when he, and nobody knows this, got the job as Ozzy's guitarplayer in 1995.... For a day! Tell later if any interest.

Randy Castillo got a new band with his Ozzy bass player, Michael Inez. It didn't really see the light of day, because Randy Castillo died March 2002.

He was quite healthy and back up, and died really unexpected.

Last time I heard from him was in February. He sent me a picture. With his then new girlfriend. Red haired beauty with curls. They went hiking in the mountains. Very much snow. Must find these and post them.

His memory must live on, and he was so kind to me.

Sharon kicked Phil Soussan in the legs at his funeral.

Woops, here are some of the pictures, hang on, I must dig these out quite literally. And I went away in 2000 myself!!! I am not quite sure I want to look back at all this.

But Randy Castillo should be remembered!!!!

By the way, he didn't... Quite clinch, I believe the phrase is.... With Joe Holmes . I pestered Joe ! Joe is kind and nice, believes in Jesus Christ, a really good guy! Love Joe Holmes!

Oh by the way, that guitar is the first Randy Rhoads I bought. It's a USA model, the premier league of Jackson Guitars, proved by the neck-through body construction shown clearly here

I owe one Custom USA Jackson Randy Rhoads, because these wheelbarrows are destroyed from the get-go by the Jackson team themselves because they put fat Les Paul necks and 22 frets on them, making them slow bugs, and not supersonic space machines like Vinnie's was.

My custom Rhoads is very slender neck and of course 24 frets, keeping the Marty Friedman set up, yes on the Rhoads, but still adding Floyd Rose for Vinnie's "sake", adding nothing but headache for myself in the process,

Great posts man. I too visited Musonia and stood in that room that Randy taught in. I was shown around my Kelle, Randy's brother when I showed up out of the blue with my daughter.

Randy was a genius guitarist and so is Vinnie, but they are different. Vinnie could be very well known today if he had his head screwed on differently, but instead this is where it's at. Nevermind, this thread is not about that.

I am glad I got to see Mr Castillo play in '98, when the Ozzy band was still on fire. Sad to hear he got stuffed around by the Ozbournes. Not sure why they do that to people. I'm guessing it's mainly Sharon.

I have a couple of Rhoads guitars, one is a PCS, like Randy's second one, the black one.

More stories would be good!

It will be 40 years since Randy died, on march 19th. Long live Randy Rhoads!!!

Yes, soon it will be 40 years since we lost Randy. Long live Randy indeed!!