Interview With Rudy Sarzo

11-4-2010 **Bass player for Ozzy, Quiet Riot, Dio, Whitesnake and more**

11-04-2010  Interview W/ Rudy Sarzo begin_of_the_skype_highlighting     end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Written by; Stacy Perry

Rudy Sarzo begin_of_the_skype_highlighting     end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting is a Bass player that has been in quite a few very high profile Bands over the years. He is very well known for playing alongside Kevin DuBrow in Quiet Riot, let alone being a part of Whitesnake,
Monster Circus, B.O.C. and DIO, he had also worked with Ozzy Osbourne’s band
where he played with the late, great Randy Rhoads.

His resume also includes such bands as; Manic Eden, M.A.R.S., With Alice Cooper [he played Bass on the tune “Got A Line On you” off of the Iron Eagle soundtrack], Dudes of Wrath, The Thunderbolt [which
was an AC/DC Tribute Band], he worked with Sam Kinison on the songs “Wild
Thing” & “Under My Thumb” as well as being in the Alice Cooper Tribute Band
“Humanary Stew”, plus doing a Tribute to Aerosmith.

This interview is my pleasure to do and I hope you’re enjoying your morning thus far.

First I would like to thank you for taking the time to speak with me due to your hectic schedule.

Over the past 20 years of your professional career, has there been any one particular Artist that you have ended up working with, that has stood out as a true musical influence to you within your
childhood days that actually gave you the drive to become a musician??

After playing with Ozzy, Whitesnake and Quiet Riot Rudy thought he was at the best with what he could do until he met and began to play with Ronny James Dio. Dio to
Rudy WAS and STILL IS “The Man On The Silver Mountain” to me. I had heard that
song as it came through the radio and 35 years later he was playing with him.
Ronny had taught Rudy that there was Magic within everything. Music was the
magic whether it was when recording it, playing it live or just sitting and
jamming with one another as “capturing the magic” was the most important thing.

Ronny was and is still his Sage, friend and shall be forever known as “The Man On The Silver Mountain”. Rudy learned a lot from Dio and for this he is grateful as
Ronny James Dio not only played “music”, but he told stories within the music.
Nothing he did was “just a song”.

At what age did you settle on a particular instrument to play and what drove you to choose the Bass Guitar as that staple??

Rudy first played Bass when he was in his mid teens as he went from playing Lead Guitar to the Bass guitar. He would solo without Chords on the guitar, but then [and
now a day’s] plays the chords.

A few musician’s that Rudy looked up to were Paul McCartney, Greg Lake and John Paul Jones.

When Rudy Sarzo begin_of_the_skype_highlighting     end_of_the_skype_highlighting would play with Ozzy on the song “Suicide Solution” he had given the tune a ‘Funk/Blues’ feel and you can hear a bit of that on the live recordings.
“I didn’t want to play ‘Just Chords’, so I gave it that Funk feel a little bit”

*A bit of laughter from both of us*

When Mr. Sarzo played down in Florida for a bit, he played R & B and had a diverse set of tools and used them as well as applying them to what he did and
still does.

How many years after practicing did you feel you were ready to offer yourself up to the music world as a Bassist and how did you end up falling into Quiet Riot as well as Ozzy Osbourne’s Band??

“I auditioned for Quiet Riot in 1977/1978 and then worked with Randy Rhoads in that band. After Randy left and went on to join Ozzy Osbourne, there came a
time when a Bass player was needed and Randy had suggested me. That is when I
joined Ozzy. I played on Tribute and Speak of the Devil.”

It was in fact Randy’s recommendation that Rudy join Ozzy’s band and that is how he had come into the fold.

Is there a particular Genre of music that you prefer playing, as I know you’ve played with Yngwie Malmsteen, Ozzy Osbourne, Dio, Whitesnake, Quiet Riot and Blue Oyster Cult, just to name a few [which each have their own sounds to them]??

Diversity is what keeps him going. Rudy enjoys original music as it could take you in any direction and when it came to playing with B.O.C. [Blue Oyster Cult], there
were actually Journalists that would have input on the lyrics to make them more
realistic within life. This is what Mr. Sarzo considers to be good music.

There are a couple of questions thrown in from a fan and admirer of your work:

Part 1 would be " Two of your “Quiet Riot” band mates, Carlos Cavazo being one of them, is now playing alongside Warren DeMartini in Ratt; have there been any talks of you playing with them as well??

“Years ago in the mid 1990’s we did speak about working together, but nothing ever occurred.”

The second question that they would like to have answered is: Back in the 1980’s it was much easier to be heard by the industry and to get signed, Other than Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp, what advice would you
give to aspiring musicians/bands??

“Stay in your own town as coming out to L.A. isn’t worth the trip.”

*Small laugh*

“The way to do things now a days is online. The more hits you have on a page for your band, the more networking you do….this is how people come to you. They
will find you.”

I would like to head back to the “Bass” talk due to you having your own line of Peavey Cirrus Basses. I noticed that they come in 4, 5 and 6 string. Which do you prefer to play [or is it depending on the
Artist you are playing with at the time due to the separate songs]??

Which Bass [string wise] Rudy likes to play is dependent on what type of music he is playing. An example would be playing a 4 String for Rock and Roll music, but a
5 String when he was playing with Whitesnake. When it comes to the 6 string, he
will record with one, but not use one live.

When I was watching VH1’s Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp, I was automatically drawn in due to the way you handle helping out the members that you had chosen to create your ‘Band’. What advice do you give to
the Campers when they are having trouble with concentrating on their
instruments [or singing]??

Rudy had asked me if I sang in the shower. I answered “yes”. He said that basically that is what you need to do when you sing in front of people. Whether you are
playing guitar or singing [as the guitar strings would be your vocal chords],
you need to be relaxed and not focused on everyone around you.

“Just pretend you are in the shower, alone, and as you are relaxed with singing to yourself, you will be expressing yourself. Enjoy what you are doing and there
will be no stress.”

It helps to do this or just like a guitar string your vocal chords would ‘break’ if you try too hard. This is how some of the ‘campers’ were doing things, they
would try too hard and lose their voice or get nervous and play too hard. When
Rudy’s ‘Band’ was playing ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’, they were hiding behind the
sound, but when they went unplugged, they were able to give the song a new
twist and make it their own. That is what music should be about….”The magic and
making a song your own”.

The last question I have for you today is What brought you into teaching at the Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp??

“I would teach at Randy Rhoads mother’s school in L.A. and I firmly believe in the statement of THOSE WHO CARE, SHARE.”

*A laugh prior to this statement below*

“If the guy who figured out how to create fire would of never told anyone, then….well…..”

Rudy enjoys teaching and always has, just as Randy Rhoads used to teach also.

“Music isn’t competitive. It’s a marathon in which you pass on the baton to others so they can take it even further.”

Rudy is to this day a fan of music within different genres as well as enjoys hearing Artists that still inspire him and continues to make him a better Bass player.

I would like to thank you, once more, for taking the time out of your schedule to speak with me today and if there is anything else you would like your fans to know about upcoming events or some advice to
give to the Artists out there??

“Bring out your inner rock star and reach it to unleash it as well as being your personal best 24/7….THAT is what a true Rock Star is.”

You can watch VH1’s Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp [beginning on Friday, November 5, 2010] from the first episode on VH2 beginning at MIDNIGHT.

© 11-4- 2010 Stacy Perry

end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Reviews

[StacyPerry]

Contrary to how it is written [we spoke on the phone together for the interview], I only wanted to Quote Rudy where I could be positive, this is why it looks written in the 3rd person at times let along it bounces back to the first person.

I DID interview him on 11-4-2010 over the phone and he is a wonderful guy amongst musician.

He played with Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot, Dio [Ronny James Dio], Whitesnake and MANY more as listed above in some questions. ANY music fan should know that Rudy Sarzo played Bass Guitar for these bands and was on their major hit albums [Whitesnake = Slip Of The Tongue / Ozzy [when Randy Rhoads was alive and after he passed...(apologies for spelling Randy's last name incorrect and may be R.I.P.) Tribute n Speak Of The Devil], Quiet Riot (R.I.P. Kevin DuBrow) = Mental Health and Condition Critical....amongst playing with legends Alice Cooper and Blue Oyster Cult, amongst more].
Rudy is a counselor on VH1's Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp and does an excellent job of holding true to what Ronny James Dio taught him and that is "Music is not a race, but a Marathon. We pass on our knowledge to everyone as we go through life and that is one of the best things we can do. That is where the Magic is and music is magic, that is what makes anyone a true Rock Star".

[Coyote Poetry]

I like this story a lot. You put in a lot of detail. It is cool to read and hear about the men who play the music. He had a great life in music. This is outstanding. Thank you.
Coyote

[[untitled]]

Poetic Voice is Announcing the first Poetic Voice Cash Prize Contest for Poetry. Awards will be given to the writers who submit for consideration the most outstanding poems within the context of Poetry and Word Art.

http://poeticvoice.ning.com/