Rudy Sarzo: From Cuba to Rock Legend

to you from our home studio here in Miami, Florida at the College of FIU's College of Communications, Architecture in the Arts. My name is Sergio Ta, your host. And today we have an extremely special guest, a Cuban hometown hero, who has been part of some of the largest rock bands in history, including Aussie Osborne, including founding and being a co-founder of Quiet Riot. He'd also played on Whit Snake, Dio, and a number of organizations, a number of incredible bands that have shaped musical history. My friend Rudy Sarzo, welcome to the show, brother. >> Gracias. Gracias. Such a pleasure to be here. >> My my our Cuban hometown hero. So, when when we look at the

80s rock >> scene, the last person I would expect to see on there with the big hair is obviously a is a Cuban guy, right? So take us before we get there, take us back to your roots in, you know, growing up in Cuba. You came over, I think it was in 1960, you said. >> What were some of the musical impressions that really made uh an impact on your career? >> Yeah. Uh you know, as a as a kid, I was born in 1950. So I my parents used to take me and then later on when my brother was born four years later, both of us We never had a babysitter. So what and

they were young and they like to enjoy life. So you know my parents would take my brother and me to actual clubs, you know, because they they love to go dancing, you know, and it was not like not like a really heavy drinking environment like let's say a club, you know, just like to drink and stuff. It was more like a social club with music. And back in the day, you know, we didn't have DJs. We have live music. And Havana was full of live music wherever you went, you know. And then we had La Comparas, which was like local, you know, we had those. I always look forward forward to those because that's where

you saw a parade, you know. We live near, you know, like two blocks away from El Mong Blanco. That was our our corner where we lived. and Gallaliano was maybe a block away and a block away from El Malikong. So, you know, Malikong was that's where the laaras, you know, the parades >> sure >> will go up and down and that was really such a treat because it it was not just one weekend. It was like multiple weekends, you I think for a whole month you have every weekend a parade and it was basically the music that really attracted me to going there because it was like marching bands but there was like Latin marching

bands. They were just playing you know they were not playing like John Philip Soua type of music you know like congas and >> you know kind of like they have in Brazil you know those those big parades. So, you know, people were dressed up, ladies with feathers in their hair and, >> you know, half naked, >> a big party, >> big party, you know, and that was like, wow, this is, you know, like I said, music always punctuated everything in my life, you know, something like if I went to, you know, to any event, there were always music there, live music, you know, whether it was a piano player with a singer or if it

was an orchestra. and uh back in the day, you know. No, no, I'm talking about the >> some of the other ones. Yeah. >> Friends that I have that >> Sure. >> No, I'm just specifically talking about the Peter Peter Pan program. So you know this is the state of the country at the moment that there was a lot of fear that families were going to be separated which they were once you put a family in jail for because of political reasons you know basically because they want to >> they want to possess your property and any bank accounts that you have and all of that you know businesses and so on and that's how

Castro operated and that destroyed many families. So in order to protect the children they were they became part of the Peter Pan program. Whereas in my family is we all left Cuba at the same time. And of course it had it its risks uh because my dad was a technician at the Laista Buia which was like the the major magazine in Cuba. And the irony was that uh CaveDo which was the owner of the magazine was a supporter of Castro. And I recall this cavedo once Castro entered and you know with a revolution he threw a a big party in his ranch right outside of Aana because he urged all the employees to attend to

show support for Castro. And as I recall, Castro was given a look around the place, you know, and he liked it. So, what do you know? Next thing you know, Castro takes over the ranch. >> Oh my gosh. >> And and his supporter Cavo had to leave the country, you know, you know, things like that. It It was pretty ruthless, you know. And >> so you came over in in 60, then you went to Jersey 61. No, actually we actually we we uh we came in ' 61 right after the Bay of Pigs and in between >> the uh uh the missile crisis and then in ' 63 my family was relocated to to New

Jersey and that's when I went to school in in West New York and I remember being in in the classroom when Kennedy got shot because that's how we found out the teacher sent us home and then we turn on the TV and in the news, you know, we get a gist of what actually happened. And it was instant instant watching our return to Cuba, hopefully maybe ship go up in flames because Kennedy was the only one who we count we could count on to hopefully liberate Cuba from communism back then. After that, nobody else did. And we knew that nobody else was putting out with Crewf and Castro like Kennedy was. And once that happened,

it was like we're here. We're not we're not leaving. >> Yeah. Reality set in. >> The reality really set in big time. And that that was gamechanging for us. And I think for many many many families, Cuban families, they saw that this is, you know, we have to make a really make a living here because before then it was kind of like we were kind of like waiting like something's bound to happen sooner or later and he gets shot, you know. >> So then you you grew up there until what age? >> Oh, yeah. That was my it it was interesting because it was my life changed. Uh and in a way you know you

know when tragedy happens you can either you know be depressed for the rest of your life you know being traumatized by the event or you can actually after the morning period see some kind of silver lining you know because you have as I was 13 years old when this happened and I had the rest of my life in front of me and so did my generation. You know, so when Kennedy get shot, you know, it was right right around Thanksgiving and then we had Christmas, New Year's Eve. It was no celebration, nothing. And then the Beatles show up on that Sullivan, February 9th, 1964. And that was the game changer. I mean, it was like

our life went from black and white to living color because one of the things that it did that that it did for me, and I don't know if your parents when they moved to Massachusetts, if they experienced this, but where I was living in West New York, which is right across Manhattan on the Hudson, you know, it was at a time where certain I would say just about every ethnic group stuck together. They live together in blocks and little sections of the neighborhood. >> And in school, it was the same the same dynamics. And we were I mean maybe there might have been less than 10 kids from Cuba at the school at the time

versus like 50 or 100, you know, Italians or or Irish or whatever. And once the Beatles appear on Ned Sullivan show and it you know the next day we went from having pompadors like Elvis to combing your hair down little bangs and it became an instant identity like you you like the Beatles and it's like yes and then there's an interest people want to talk they ask do you have an instrument? Yes, I have a guitar at home. And of course, you know, we're just kids. We really >> barely know what we're doing, you know, but we were in the consciousness started collecting became a collective consciousness of that. And then of course, you know,

we kept being fed more groups from England. Ed Sullivan had every week he will have a band coming in from England or sometimes the United States like the Beach Boys and so on. And it was a constant flow of new music and new identities, new image, you know, like the Stones were different from the Beatles. And then you got the kinks and you got the animals were a little bit more blues based. And there was like this all these different influences, you know, that we experienced growing up. And every time one of us in our little group now now now we have musical, >> you know, not necessarily bands by musical commonality. a community, musical

community, and one of us will learn something like a new chord. We will all share it and find ways to utilize it or how the songs that you're listening to on the radio actually use those chords. You know, >> what attracted you to the bass guitar? >> That's an interesting question. So, everybody had a guitar once, you know, and this happened when I moved back down to Miami. I six, my parents, you know, we drove from West New York in a Corv all the way back down to Miami. And so as soon as we settled, I I went to all every block had a a band, you know, this was our social network. >> Yeah.

>> Kids getting together with bands. We had no internet, no uh you know >> Yeah, of course. >> No Facebook or or Instagram, nothing. It was just you do it face to face, you know. And so I went brought my guitar with me and I went down to my block because you cannot join the band across the street. You have to be in your block, you know. >> Yeah. Sure. >> We have rules. And I walk in and I introduce myself and I said, "I I want to join your band." And they look at my guitar and they go, "We have too many guitar players." And I said and they and then they said, "If

you want to join the band, you got to play bass." And I said, "What is that?" And they said, "It's it's like playing a guitar solo during the whole song." And I went >> and four strings. >> I'm in. >> I'll take it. >> Well, so what I did is I took the two extra strings, you know, the B and the E, high E and high B of my guitar, which was an acoustic guitar. I mean, nobody had professional. >> That's funny. So, you just took off the strings and all of a sudden you had your bass. That's >> Yeah. Yeah. Which Yeah. Basically, in theory, that's what it is, you know, except an octave

higher >> because of the gauge, >> but you know, we were just kids. We were just using that in order to have like our own community neighborhood getting together. Yeah. Yeah. in like a little club, you know, and get us out of the house because, you know, one thing that which was one of these >> you found kind of your outlet to get away from all the arguing different families and frustrations out into music, right? >> Into music. Into music and and the ones that decided not to be musicians because not everybody, you know, wanted to do that, those became like little gangs. Little gangs, you know, gang. And that would happen is they would

take the the dad would come home. They're living in a in a apartment. In my case, it was like a like a flat. We didn't have separate bedrooms. It was like, you know, my mom and dad's bed there and my brothers on my bed here. And it was all like one big room. You what you want to do is get out of there and, you know, you get get some >> personal priv some privacy, fresh air or whatever, you know. But the the other kids went through the same thing, but they they would have a dysfunctional home to deal with where the mom and the dad, they're yelling at each other and, you know, everything

rolls downhill, you know. And so the kids would take that anger into the streets and fight each other, you know. So that >> that is something that that I grew up with, you know, that that street anger. And if somebody got in your face, you had to defend yourself because you have to let them know that you were not going to put up with it, you know. So yeah, there was a lot of fights, a lot of anger going on. And u Yeah, it was and we took it as life life in you know. >> Yeah. >> You know, >> but then you started playing in in bands. Did you realize at what, you know,

at what point did you realize that you're saying, "Wow, I love this. I love music. I love playing the bass." Because you have become, you know, over the 40 plus years that you've been doing this as as a professional and even before then in clubs and so forth. I've seen videos of you before. You're meticulous. You're you're a master of your craft and you're extremely meticulous when it comes to the tones and the sounds and you know you're you're an artist when when it comes to that. You're extremely detailed. At what point did you say my god I'm just obsessed with this? >> That's that's an interesting question because I mean you know I have

to look back to give you an answer. And what happened was that being in playing in Miami, I was surrounded by future legends, Jacko being one of them. And I used to go and watch them play. Yeah. Jack. >> Yeah. >> Wow. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. >> And there was a a club called the Newport Lounge right on the beach in North Miami. And Jacko was playing bass in his early days with Wayne Cochran and the CC Riders. And I used to go and watch him, you know, and it was basically a bass lesson, you know, just to see. But then again, you know, I didn't I did not have the proper academic music education

that that he had, even though he claims to be self-taught. He surrounded himself with the best musicians in town. So, he was learning from them, you know. And uh also when I was playing in the kingas circuit, uh it was it was an interesting uh situation because the bulk of the musicians were Cubans, which meant that we play whatever was on the radio, but we always had a certain swing when we played it, Right. >> And the singers had accents, big accents. And to us that was normal >> because we talk like that. Of course they're going to sing like that. So when a bass player named Will Lee, who he's best known for the

David Letterman Orchestra and he's one of the top rated bases, you know, in the music >> and an incredible singer. >> He he's American, you know, he's Anglo and his father was the dean of music at the University of Miami. So he was getting a proper >> really >> Yeah. academic wow >> education. Oh yeah. And you know so he enters the kinga circuit and it's like where did this guy come from? >> You know to be here. >> Yeah. Exactly. He's overqualified you know. But but then again, you know, when when you're exposed to to greatness, you can either turn your back from it and say, "No, I I choose not to have to

put the time and effort >> to elevate myself >> to somewhat, you know, get close to that greatness, you know, because greatness can be can be learned. >> I mean, there there's certain aspects such as talent, but knowledge you would put in the time >> that yeah that talent without knowledge is just talent but you don't know what you're doing but if you if you can actually gain musical knowledge and know what you're doing >> the talent will start coming up to the surface because you're doing it the right way because >> you're leveraging the n the natural talent by having the right environment right knowledge you can piece it together >> and I find

this because you know I've been doing this for a long time and also I am exposed to other musicians around me and young ones too. We have two things that we're dealing with. We're dealing with a physical talent. You know people might have hands a certain size or strength power you know that's physicality but it's not consciousness. Consciousness is completely different. And if you can match you know I mean the the the ones who are like beyond you know the like like the greatest ones it's combination of the right physicality for the instrument to be able to play it and and the high consciousness of playing the instrument. But there's a level in between that

that you can still uh get results, you know, high results if you compensate one for the other. You know, most great musicians have discovered that, you know, find out your weaknesses and your strength and work in both, >> you know. >> Yeah. >> Work in both. Try to level them >> to >> Yeah. be very balanced, you know. >> So, you spent some time a period of time here in Miami, then you decided to go out to LA. >> What What caused that decision? What what triggered that? >> Another great question. There was no the type of music that I wanted to play, which was not dance music. I wanted to be in a rock

band. Rock. And I tell you what happened. In the 60s, Coconut Grove became the haven for all the hippies. There will be like Sunday free concerts in the park. >> Yeah. All of that going on. And so we're we're looking at the 60s. Arthur Guthrey, Jackie Gleason, a lot of the celebrities have moved down to Florida to create uh their business ventures coming from New York. Now they're down here and they're developing developing properties, putting money into into real estate and other other ventures and then they see this Miami turning into a you know a place that that's let's say if you if you were real into real estate and you're developing uh suburbs you

know all these communities and somebody will come down from New York and say I don't want to move here look at all these bunch of hippies and I'm talking about Coconut Grove, which is one of the prime real estate, you know, communities. >> Still is. >> Yeah. All of a sudden, Coconut Grove is turning to like this, you know, people sleeping in the park and not it was the hippie generation, not necessarily homelessness, but that consciousness, right? So, they were trying to find a way how to fix that problem. So, do did you ever hear about Anita Bryant? >> No. >> Okay. Back in the 60s, she was she was like a like, you know,

one of not a not a super famous singer, but she had a couple of songs and she was an entertainer and she advertised Orange juice, Florida orange juice. Right. >> Sure. So with her and some other, you know, politically active entertainers, they were going to create a the the parade or the event for decency and it was going to be a small just to create awareness for decency, right? So around the same time the doors the doors play at what was that? Was that Bayern? No, not Bayern. What is that in Coconut Grove? the amphitheater. >> No, no, it was enclosed, but it was right there in Coconut Grove. >> They performed and that's where

Jim Morrison supposedly allegedly reveal himself, you know, put down his pants or something. >> Wow. I didn't know that. >> Yeah, >> they played here in Miami. >> Wow. >> In Coconut Grove. >> That's incredible. And there's no photos showing that he did it, but that was enough for the authorities to now, you know, apprehend Morrison. He had to come back for who will be touring and he would have to go down to a, you know, to go, you know, for, you know, in front of a judge and all that trial. There was a trial going on. Oh yeah, Google all this. And so now the parade that was going to be this little event,

now it's at the Orange Bowl. It became like a massive massive >> movement. Massive movement to get rid of all the hippies. If you go to Coconut Grove, there's still one or two head shops >> right in that corner, you know, that that that little street right there. >> And it went from a hippie paradise to gone. No more. >> Especially now, it's incredible. It's changed so much. And it's lost its its vibe. It it's lost its character that it was known for. >> Yes. But then but then again, it was good for the real estate. >> Sure. >> Got rid of the undesirable hippie community that they had in Miami. >> And then how

did that get you to LA? What was the connection there? >> I'm getting there. Okay. So now you could not play rock and roll in a club in in Miami. Not even North M. I mean, we were we were the band walked in and said, "Sorry guys, here's your new playlist." So now all of a sudden it's dance music. No rock and roll. I'm talking about Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, you know. >> Yeah. Nothing. >> The Stones, none of that because that was hippie music, you know, and you were not allowed to play that, you know. And so now we had to move our bands now start playing in full Ledale which was a

different county, >> right? Yeah. Yeah. >> And Yeah. And that >> completely different vibe up there. >> Exactly. Especially back then rock and roll. >> Yeah. As soon as you cross the uh the county line, you know, from >> Dayton Broward. >> Dade and Broward. Yeah. So now, okay, I'm back again in a more of a So, so we decided like around 7374, moved to New York again, proximity, you know, you go up and down the coast, you're in New York, you know, we went we w up in Udica because again, it was kind of like, okay, some of the guys in the band had family and friends in Udica and they could help us

out to to establish ourselves in that community and to start getting the band together And before we knew it, we wind up that band broke up and we wind up in Pamos, New Jersey, my brother and me. And then he got married. And so it meant that, okay, he's going to lead a whole different life than me. I'm not married, so I need to move on. And that's when I uh started I that that's when I started going west. First I went to the Chicago area. area. >> Yeah. >> Uh there was a really good scene there, musical scene. This is in the mid70s and and there was a lot of great players and all

that. And eventually that's when I I started playing the whole Midwest circuit again to get some money together. Always the objectivity was to move to Los Angeles. And I did in 70 I I did we did it like a reconnaissance trip in 76 just to get a feel of of what was going on musically and we we decided okay this is where we need to be but we're not ready yet. So we went back to the Midwest in 76 and I wound up we you know we started playing the whole circuit Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, you know, Minnesota wherever we could get a booking to get some money and then take all that money and now

we're going to move to LA. And that was 1977. >> Wow. So you get so you get to LA, you start visiting all the the famous clubs, the the whiskey, the trouidor, you know, going to the Rainbow Room, >> listening to all the the bands that were coming up, >> and then you stumble upon Quiet, right? >> Yeah, that was 1970s. I woke into the Starwood uh and they were playing and I was I was really impressed because, you know, by then I have been all over the country playing clubs. So, I seen what the competition was and when when I when they finished the set, the singer Kevin Dero started walking around the club

and I bump into him and I introduce myself and I told him, "Hey, listen, you know, I've been seeing all these other bands around the country and you guys are really got it together. just keep doing what you're doing and you know you guys are going to get a record deal because that was the objectivity too of being in a rock band in LA. Not to play top 40, but to actually, you know, create original music and get a record deal, make a living out of touring and recording. >> And so you connected with him there. And then how did you end up playing with them? >> Well, so I met him. That was that

brief meeting that we had in the club. And then the band that I was in in 77 broke up. We ran out of money. >> So I moved to to New Jersey again where my brother was. And now he had a a lounge band with his wife and they didn't have a bass player. So he invited me to come in play bass. And again, I got I put my money away and then when I was ready, I say, "Okay, I got enough money." I went back to LA and I have bought the ticket already to return. And I get a phone call from Kevin saying, "Hey, man. We're looking for a bass player and everybody

tells me that I should give you a call." And I go, "Yeah, I'm going to be in LA in a couple of days. So, I'll call you when when I get there and, you know, we'll get together." And I auditioned for them. And I got I got the >> Wow. And so you played with them for for a while. Did you join Let me think. You played with them for for a few years, right? For a couple years. And then you played with Randy Rhodess. >> Yeah. >> The magician. You know, the incredible guitar player Randy Rhodess. >> Yeah. >> From what I hear, he was just an incredible person. Just once in a generation

talent. >> Yeah. What what what happened was that >> was that >> uh a couple of things happened. Uh, I joined the band in 78. By 79, New Wave and Punk had become the flavor that that that the record industry was looking for, which was the opposite end of what we were doing. We were we were quiet riot just like many bands on the Sunset Strip. We're more of a glam metal band. And so we were not DVO, we were not the Knack, you know. So, it was like we're hitting banging our heads against the wall trying to get the attention of the record companies and they just didn't care. And then Randy gets the

opportunity to play with Azie and so he left the band in 1979 and the band just broke up and Kevin Dro put his own band together called Dupo which I joined like eight months before I joined Aussie. I moved in with Kevin and then I get the phone call from from Sharon Aussie. She was Aussy's manager only at the time. They were not a couple. And I uh because Randy recommended me, you know, they were looking for a certain type, you know, not only somebody that that could play the music, but somebody that had a certain image and most important somebody that was not going to be a bad influence on Aussie. and and Randy

kept telling them, you know, Rudy's the guy. Rudy's the guy. So, I got the call, got the audition, and and yada yada yada, here I am. >> I mean, that must have been amazing. What What was going through your mind when you said, "All right, you're our guy and you were going to be playing bass with Aussie Osborne." >> Yeah. You know, I talked about this whenever a man asked that question because, you know, sometimes you have to reflect on certain things to actually put the conversation in perspective. I was raised Catholic, you know, and I and I and I always believe that, you know, my spir I I've I've always been somewhat when I

say somewhat of a spiritual person is because I was seeking a lot. Seeking, not being able to find exactly what I could connect with spiritually. And while I was struggling as a musician, I found serenity and peace reading the Bible and I read both the Old Testament and the New Testament. That was my my uh peaceful place among all the chaos and dissolutions and frustration. I could always get some serenity out of out of my life going there. And then I finished reading both the Old Testament and the New Testament. And I had an epiphany. I made peace with God that as long as my fingers kept moving, I was going to keep trying. But

if I never made it, that's fine. My relationship with God was more important than anything else. And that gave me such a sense of serenity, peace. I mean, it's And then Aussie and Sharon show up. They listen to us play it once. Then Aussie gets up on stage. So I got to play the song four times. Then he turns around to me and says, "Hey man, do you want the gig?" Yes. Yeah. Okay. Wow. >> We got a bass player. And you know, it's one of those moments that my life went from black and white to living color. You know, it was like, okay. But see, knowing where the blessings come from, having that spiritual

center kept me from going off the deep end, you know, in my life. You know, as a matter of fact, that that day I went from sleeping on the floor in Kevin Dro's apartment on a shack carpet with a with a sheet, no mattress, no box spring to moving in with Sharon's family in the house up in in the hills. It just happened organically. They were such generous, kind people. They still are. But I'm reflecting on that moment, you know, and Azie, you know, he took a look at, we were playing pool and he took a look at me and says, "Man, you look like You need some rock and roll clothes." And he just

leaves the room, comes back with his suitcase and pours it on the pool table >> and he said, "Just grab whatever you want." I mean, nobody had ever done that for me. And I'm in awe because I'm seeing all these clothes that I seen on album covers, Black Sabbath album covers and >> and magazines and it's like, "No, I can't have that. >> This is Aussiey's clothes that I'm wearing." >> And it's just here, take it. >> That's wild. >> And they were always like that, you know? I mean, I only left the band because Randy died and it was just I did not know how to deal with pro, you know, post-traumatic syndrome. uh

you know this is like 44 years ago. I mean I don't even think anybody talked about that you know bad things happen in life and then you deal with it but nobody >> Yeah. Nobody has spoke about that. >> Exactly. So how do you deal with it? You know what does this mean? You know and and the only way that I could deal with it was to go somewhere else so I don't have to experience being on stage playing the same songs with the same production. You know, we had a castle and we had a dwarf running around and now you look over to where Randy is supposed to be and he's not there. Yeah.

How do I deal with that back then? Now, now now I get it. >> I get the responsibility that of all of us who are left behind to carry on and celebrate the memory and and and the and the music that we made with those who are no longer with us. It's up to us to do that because we're the ones who were there to really know, >> you know, what it's like to play with these, you know, giant >> talents, you know, musicians. >> Well, >> and you went on tour with them and you for the Blizzard of Oz and Diary of a Mad Man. >> What was it like, you know, I've always

wondered this, you know, what is it like being in front of a massive crowd? I mean that that energy that you receive from them, the adrenaline running through your veins. I I think maybe one of the biggest crowds you guys played in the the uh 83 the US festival. >> Yeah, the US festival. Yeah, >> I think right. >> Yeah. >> What was what what is that like to be on stage? >> The first big crowd that I play was with Azie July 4th, 1981, Day on the Green, the Oakland stadium. And I recently played another one Birmingham, you know, with for that Back to the Beginning show. >> Yeah, of course. We got to

talk about that. >> Yeah. And >> and you know, in Havana, we didn't have a big waves or anything. It was very calm. >> Yeah. You can just see for miles, right? >> See for miles in the beach. Very. And that's that's what I see that that's what I related to when my first stadium. Oh, this is it's a sea of people, souls. It's the same thing as me being a kid watching the ocean. So, I feel a huge calm when I'm on stage and especially in a uh in a stadium, a big setting. >> I go back to that. >> Yeah. It must be incredibly powerful because your actions, the sounds that you're creating

are impacting the lives of tens of thousands of people and them just kind of reacting to that. That's got to be unbelievable. >> You know, it's okay. It's interesting you mentioned that because for any musician on that stage, you don't have any control of how you are heard because you're you're trusting engineers, sound engineers and sound people, >> the equipment and you're on stage. So what we do the best bands I've ever played with are the ones who contain and as musicians in a whole you know so taking that in consideration I have to really learn how to play with them how to fit in with them. And so, you know, I imagine touring with

Aussie must have been wild. And you wrote a book about it, the off the rails aboard the crazy train in the blizzard of Oz. So, if you haven't read that, there's I'm sure there's a million stories in there. For those who haven't read it, what's one story that you can share that sticks out in your mind? >> Well, you know, I the reason why I wrote it is because, you know, about 25 years ago, basically the beginning of pretty much the beginning of the internet, we had MySpace as the major source of >> Yeah, of course. you know, you know, we didn't have Facebook yet or or Twitter or or Instagram. It was MySpace. And

there was so much so many conspiracy theories and innuendos regarding Ry's death that it was appalling the stuff that I was reading. I was going like, I I can't believe people can imagine that this is what happened because this is horrible. So I figure if I don't respond to this not just with a post I'm talking about telling the whole story in a book how did this happen? >> The lies are going to become the truth because if the lies do not get contested >> then you know say no this is a lie and this is the truth they will become the facts. And so I took a year and a half out of my

life while I was touring with bands and and I had my laptop. I went through three bands and two laptops uh writing the book and it was a it was it was a labor of love because I needed to tell the truth of what actually happened and how it happened and the aftermath how we all felt about it and dealt with it somewhat. By somewhat meaning >> you cannot deal with everything. you just do the best that you can to wake up in the morning and carry on with life. And it changed everybody. It had a a a beyond massive effect on everybody's life. Ry's passing that we still feel today, you know, and that's

what the book is about. I wrote it for Randy just to And it's in the uh the back of the cover when you pick it up, you can read why why I wrote it, you know. >> Yeah. Yeah. And was there was there a funny moment that you remember with Azie on tour that that really sticks out? >> Oh, yeah. I mean, that's it's >> probably a million different ones. >> It was it was it was a delight. He was the funniest man I've ever I've ever toured with and he was predictably unpredictable. You never knew what was going to happen on stage any night, you know, but you knew something was going to happen.

I just don't know what it is. Just like, you know, him biting the head >> of the bath >> was in De Mo, Iowa in 1982. >> Uh we're just, you know, like in the very beginning of the tour. And some, you know, I'm I'm doing my little headbanging thing, you know, just kind of like taking the base from side to side and and I open my eyes and there's thing in front of me. It's like a crumpled up furry ball. >> Oh my gosh. >> And I look at it and I point at Azie like, "Check this out." You know, like look, look at this. And then I just went on my way playing.

you know, I had a job to do. So, no, he was he was caught in the moment, you know. He just >> Yeah. Yeah. >> just going for it. And he thought he was monkeying around with a toy >> a little >> Wow. >> toy bat, I guess. And it was real. It was dead, but it was real. Yeah. >> That's unbelievable. And you didn't even realize what had happened until afterwards. >> Yeah. So, you know what's interesting is that so you're you're a man of faith. You know, you're raised Catholic. I believe you're Christian, right? And >> you know, you were on tour with one of the iconic rock artists that is the prince

of darkness, so to speak, right? And from the outside he looks, you know, potentially he's a devil worshipper and all this stuff, but yet here you are in the band, >> you know, a a a very religious a man of faith. I mean, I would have never have pictured that, right? >> Yeah. But >> I always understood that me playing with Aussie was a blessing because of my spiritual. I mean, it happened with I had that conversation with God where I surrender everything within a couple of days. That's when I get the phone call. That's not >> Maybe you were meant to be that counterbalance. >> Yeah. This was a gift to him. This was

a gift. This was God's response to, "Okay, you're giving me control of it. Okay, I'm going to put you here. This is your blessing." You know, >> that's incredible. >> I used to get off the stage and go in my bunk and and read and read the Bible just from gratitude. Yeah. >> Just out of gratitude to God for having given me this experience. >> Wow. and then we'll get get out of the bunk and just hang out with the band, you know. >> But yeah, >> I always so I I used to say I used to think, okay, I know this is theater. This whole thing is made up about Azie being, you know,

this this this evil entity or whatever, the prince of darkness. He's the nicest guy, you know, and that's what I go by persona. >> I go by the reality how people treat me, how people treat each other. Not by you know not by what they are preaching to me and they might act completely different to how they preach. I judge I judge nobody. I am if I am exposed to certain actions I can see them and I can see for you know the reality of what that person is like by their actions. >> Phenomenal. And then, you know, to to wrap things up, I know we've been we've been, you know, late on time here,

but this has been phenomenal. Azy's last concert that you just had now in England, and you were amongst, >> you know, I just saw a post on on Instagram with with you and the members of Metallica and a number of other rock, you know, gods out there that had been influenced and or impacted by Azie. Tell me what that was like to to go back and >> Yeah. and be there for that. >> Yeah. But you know, my main reason for for participating, of course, they asked me to do it, but what I wanted to accomplish by being there was to be to be able in person to thank Azie and Sharon for giving me

a career. I mean, without them, I mean, we'd probably not even be having this conversation, you know. Of course, thanks to Randy Rose introducing me to them. And that's all I really wanted to do, you know. Of course, they sent me a list and there were songs I was going to play. And it was like not until like a couple of weeks before that I knew exactly who I was going to be playing them with. I was just say, "Okay, I'm going to play these songs. I'm going to show up ready, let God take over, and I'm going to have a great time because I'm going to be so grateful and so happy to be

there. And that was it. And then when I show up, I realized that everybody else who was there felt the same way. They all had a reason why to be thankful to Azie, to Sharon, and to Black Sabbath. Quiet Riot tour with Black Sabbath. As a matter of fact, when we got to number one, we were on tour with Black Sabbath that November of 1983. Uh, I played many Black Sabbath songs with Aussie. Uh, he did a record called u Speak of the Devil and of course, you know, I I was in Azy's band, you know, so it was just a matter of of being there. It was a love fest. All the musicians, there

was so much love and appreciation. for the people that were being celebrated, all the members of Black Sabbath, Azie and and Geyser and Tony and Bill and Azie personally, you know, there's a whole history. There were so many alumni of Azy's band who went on to play with other bands like Metallica, Robert Trujillo, Mike Highness with Alice and Chains and so on. Zach Wild now with Panta. So, it was it was like it was a family reunion really was. >> Yeah. It was like the tree, right? and all the branches, the roots that spread out and he's had such an influence. >> Yeah. >> Well, thank you my friend for being on Game Changers. Guys,

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