Randy Rhoads's isolated guitar tracks from the song Crazy Train, featured on Ozzy Osbourne's 1980 Blizzard Of Ozz album, have been discovered.
For fans of the late guitarist, who died tragically in a plane accident in 1982, this recording is as close to The Holy Grail as it gets.
Known for his ability to double and triple-track his takes with astonishing perfection, this audio of his pure, naked guitar tracks does raise some questions.
At first listen, the rhythm track might sound like one guitar in a stereo spread. Upon closer inspection, however, it could be two guitar performances as there are slight variations between the channels in the harmonics and the odd minor timing, not to mention different lengths of pick scrapes.
Of course, this could be an illusion created by two different mics on the same amp/take being panned hard as different mics will pick up different harmonics. But to our ears it sounds like two very similar but separate takes.
At the time of this recording, Rhoads was using two guitars primarily, a 1972 Les Paul Custom (white when new and yellowed over time) and a Karl Sandoval-built 'Flying V' with dual humbuckers and a Fender tremolo. (The latter guitar featured Rhoads's trademark polka dots.)
The solo section is interesting. While it is entirely possible that Rhoads used the whammy bar on the 'V,' the same sounds could have been obtained from bending the neck - on either the V or the Les Paul.
In any event, Rhoads's playing is breathtaking. Check it out below:
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