OSBOURNE OZZY, AN EXPLORATION OF HIS MUSIC. GUITAR SCHOOL. TABLATURE
Including transcriptions and lessons featuring the guitar styles of RANDY RHOADS
BY CULPEPPER
INTRODUCTION
65 million albums sold. A career that has spanned some 28 years and many generations. A legend that continues to breed new fanatical followers to add to the countless fans worldwide. Never one to lean towards convention, yet with a genuine heart of gold, John Michael Osbourne was always destined to become one of the world's most enduring, and active, rock 'n' roll legends. Not that he'd have known it when, in 1969, he and his three friends Terry "Geezer" Butler, Bill Ward, and Tony Iommi in a small Birmingham band called Black Sabbath recorded an eight-track album of the same title in 24 hours and set off on a month-long tour of Germany.
On their return, Ozzy Osbourne was to find that Black Sabbath were at the center of a popularity storm, and that he was it's focal point. Their ascent to world stardom became greater through the seventies, and their music has since been recognized as revolutionary by experts and fans alike. When, in 1978, Sabbath and Ozzy could no longer work together, Osbourne set about developing further the sounds and ideas he had always brought to his previous band. Quickly forming a band (Bob Daisley on bass, Lee Kerslake on drums) Ozzy found himself jamming with a slight, quiet young guitarist called Randy Rhoads. The two communicated phenomenally well through their music, and before long had tapped a rich vein of songwriting. This legendary partnership wrote the first two Ozzy Osbourne solo albums, Blizzard of OZZand Diary of a Madman, each of which contained classic songs which to this day remain staples of Ozzy's live set.
Rhoads was recognized as one of the handful of guitarists this century to have taken rock guitar to another level, and his untimely death in a small plane crash on March 19th, 1982, was a genuine tragedy from every possible perspective. The loss of his talent was further emphasized by 1987's posthumous double-live LP Tribute which was recorded in 1981 during the Diary of a Madman tour.
As deep as the loss was (and will always be), Ozzy Osbourne is also a first-class survivor. He hurriedly released a double-live LP of Black Sabbath songs titled Speak of the Devil, furiously worked his way through the pain and went on to record a blistering reposte to all who said he couldn't survive with 1984's Bark at the Moon. Ozzy continued his stratospheric momentum with 1986's The Ultimate Sin, which was to smash the American market in two and further establish him as an iconic figure. 1988 saw No Rest For The Wicked maintain his international popularity, but 1991 was to illustrate the defining moment of Ozzy's ability to reinvent, revitalize, and renew his already gargantuan image.
Sporting a new, fitter frame and fresh, revitlized attitude towards his life and music, Ozzy Osbourne looked younger than ever, whilst the musical ingenuity of No More Tears saw him enjoy his greatest ever successes worldwide. The 18 month world-tour that followed further established Ozzy as one of the world's premier live performers, nightly two-hour sets proving once and for all his rejuvenation. From this, Ozzy released a double-live memoir titled Live & Loud in 1994. By the time 1995 came around, Ozzy had taken a well-deserved 15 month break from the road and had completed writing and recording on the Ozzmosis album. The material further emphasized the strides Ozzy had made with ...Tears and another world tour (15 months this time) saw Ozzy become one of the top 5 most popular performing artists of the year with a slew of sold-out shows. As the tour wound to an end, Ozzy Osbourne was already planting the seeds for a brand new beginning. Phoenix and Southern California were each to experience the "Ozz-Fest," an assembly of the premier talents in heavy metal on one all-day festival show under the legend himself. Each show was a sell-out, an unqualified success that made sure the rest of the world would get it's chance to see an "Ozz-Fest" in the future.
These are mere pen-notes on a career that is littered with successes, notoriety and events. It'd be too easy to think that after 28 years of riding high, Ozzy Osbourne might be considering slowing down a touch. If anything, the circumstantial evidence points to the opposite: he's revving up! Ozzy Osbourne doesn't know anything else but rock 'n' roll. He also doesn't want to know anything else. More to follow. Watch this space ...
FLYING HIGH AGAIN
Words and Music by Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Rhoads, Robert Daisley, and Lee Kerslake "Flying High Again," a powerful rock anthem much in the vein of "Crazy Train," first appeared on Ozzy's second solo LP, Diary of a Madman. However, the excerpts transcribed and studied here are from the electrifying live version found on the Randy Rhoads Tribute LP. Randy's bone-crushing rhythm guitar riff is the dominating factor in the introduction, as the aggressive groove comes to life with a pulsating undercurrent of drums and bass. This basic motif from the intro is used in the first half of the verse sections as well. The guitar figure from the second half of the verse can be thought of as a variation. Here chord accents placed squarely on the beat and steady, muted pedal tones take the place of the syncopated accents and pauses in the original motif.
Moving to the relative minor in the pre-chorus, Randy introduces new material. In this section, Randy's melodic double-stops provide a more fluid accompaniment to the vocal line before ripping back into the groove for the chorus. The first chorus is not a full chorus, but a single statement of the vocal hook over a reprise of the intro riff. The chorus sections that appear after the second and third verses (and solo) utilize a variation of the intro riff customized to support the repeating vocal hook.
Bearing the structure of an intense musical interlude, the solo from "Flying High Again" is quintessential Randy Rhoads. Relying on both familiar and new chord progressions, the solo adds interest to the song's arrangement. Randy's "high flying" guitar work supplies the listener with some serious ear candy.
After a reprise of the chorus and intro sections, the song makes a third rep of the main sections. It then ends with a restatement of the chorus riff sans vocal. Randy adds intensity to this instrumental chorus section with extra rhythm fills. The "theme and variation" approach to the arrangement gives "Flying High Again" a very cohesive structure. Figure 1 Study
The boisterous intro riff from "Flying High Again" is shown in Figure 1. Notice how the intermittent pauses in the riff supply space for interplay with the bass and drums (as well as vocal). Also notice Randy approaches some of the chord accents with a couple of scale steps. By walking into the chords, Randy adds a bit of melodic interest while tying the rhythm together.
As indicated by the key signature, "Flying High Again" is in the key of A. However, the note
choices here imply A Dorian mode (A-B-C-D-E-F#-G). The pivotal use of the bIll (C5) and bVII
(G5) helps to accentuate this modal impression. The scalar fill at the end of the section is also
derived from the A Dorian scale and helps set up the transition to the first verse.
Figure 1 Performance
Randy's tone for "Flying High Again" is massive with lots of gain. The slap-back echo is used to enhance the syncopated accents of the rhythm parts. The quick descending scale at the end of the section utilizes open-string pull-offs. Pick the first note of each pair with a fierce attack, then pull-off to the open note.
... memorized every detail of the solo, Randy's rendering from the live album (Tribute) shown here is practically identical to the studio version.
Randy utilizes a rapid fire arpeggio sequence to outline the F#m (F#-A-C#) and D (D-F#A)
chords implied by the accompaniment in the first two measures. In measure 3, a similar type of
phrasing is used as Randy executes a tremolo lick that leads down to the resolve in the fourth
measure. Here the bending lick targets the root note (F#) with the b3 (A) added as a subsidiary note
(extra harmony note).
At measure 5 Randy takes a different approach when the accompaniment repeats the fourmeasure
progression. This time, starting with a two-part melodic idea from F# Aeolian in measures
5 and 6, Randy saves the busier phrasing for the second half of the progression. Notice the
descending lick in measure 7 utilizes the same hybrid scale (F#-A-B-B#/C-C#-D-E) as the one in
Figure 3, only one octave higher. Randy tags the phrase in measure 8 with a similar bending lick to
that found in measure 4, this time targeting the fifth (C~) with the bend and the b7 (E) added as a
subsidiary note.
With a short ascent of the F# minor pentatonic scale (F#-A-B-C#-E) fragment at the end of
measure 8, Randy climbs into the tremolo phrasing lick that covers the first three bars of the next
repetition of the progression. Notice the slurred line starts out with notes from the F#m in the
accompaniment (Fil and A). The line takes on a life of its own in beat 3 as it makes use of notes from
outside the underlying chords, providing interesting embellishments in harmony. This four-bar
phrase is resolved (in measure 12) with a variation of the resolve found in bar 4 one octave higher.
Over the last time through the progression, Randy uses two phrases that utilize a "question and
answer" type of structure. The repetitive lick in measure 13 is derived from the F# minor pentatonic
scale. In measure 14, Randy applies the musical question mark with a melodic idea from the F#
Aeolian scale, ending on B. The question is answered in the last two bars as Randy races up the F#
minor pentatonic scale to end with a couple of high note bends. The actual resolve of the solo
occurs as the guitar returns to the single note riff from Figure 1 with its strong F# tonality.
Just as the arrangement of the song's sections is important to its overall effectiveness, so is the
structure of the solo. Notice both the accompaniment and Randy's solo are comprised of four 4-
measure phrases. The melodic contours and resolutions of these phrases really make this solo flow.
This kind of structure and symmetry make the solo from "Crazy Train" one of the most memorable
rock solos ever recorded.
Figure 4 Performance
The tapping arpeggios in the first two measures of the solo from "Crazy Train" use a variation
of the type of sequence used at the end of Van Halen's "Eruption" (from the LP, Van Halen). The
first note of each group is "tapped" with the right-hand finger and subsequently "pulled-off' with
the same type of technique as a standard left-hand pull-off-by "pulling" the finger off the string (to
either side) rather than lifting straight up. This will cause the string to snap back, sounding the next
note already fretted by the left hand. The following notes in each group are slurred with standard
left-hand hammer-on/pull-off technique.
Notice the strength and accuracy in Randy's bending and vibrato in bars 4-6. Many guitarists
pass over these important articulations in the pursuit of speed and flash, but they are abolutely
essential to the expression of a powerful solo such as this one.
Notice the similarities in the lick in bar 7 and the one in Figure 3. In addition to the similarities
in the phrasing, the scale shape from which they are derived is the same, although here it is played
twelve frets higher (one octave).
The fast F# minor pentatonic scale phrases in bars 13 and 15 exhibit a bit of Randy's excellent
picking technique. Good control of alternate picking (down, up, down, etc.) is required to execute
both licks. If your alternate picking is not quite up to this level, start slowly (with a down-stroke for
both licks), giving close scrutiny to steady down and upstrokes and synchronization between the
right and left hands. Gradually work up to speed, never playing faster than you can play cleanly.
MAMA, I'M COMING HOME
Words and Music by Ozzy Osbourne, Zakk Wylde and Lemmy Kilmister
Ozzy Osbourne and company collaborated with Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister for several
songs on 1991's No More Tears LP. No one could have expected this unholy alliance to yield the
sensitive, yet powerful ballad, "Mama, I'm Coming Home," but there it was. From the mellifluous
acoustic guitar layers to the moving vocal hooks to the thematic guitar solo, this tune was no mere
pop ballad, but a song of substance born of a mature songwriting team.
Of particular interest in "Mama, I'm Coming Home" is the successful marriage of Zakk
Wylde's country-rock inspired acoustic guitars with Ozzy's metal mayhem. The delicate acoustic
guitars in the intro section establish the main guitar theme with minimal accompaniment. The sparse bass line and total absence of drums in the first few sections allow plenty of headroom for the arrangement to build as the song progresses. Notice even with the entrance of the distorted electric in the second verse and the drums in the second pre-chorus, the mix is balanced so as to never overshadow the melodic content.
Zakk brings it back down just a bit in the interlude following the chorus. The thick acoustic
guitar layers create a graceful transition to the solo. Relying on a thematic approach in the first half
of the solo, Zakk's playing is appropriately meaningful without being overbearing. The slight build
at the solo's end sends the song back into the pre-chorus. The brief breakdown between the prechorus and chorus helps build the extra bit of tension needed before the climactic rendering of the vocal hook.
Figure 1 Study
The intro to "Mama, I'm Coming Home" is shown in Figure 1. Zakk's country flavored lick at
the beginning of the figure is based on E major pentatonic (E-F#-G#-B-C#). The major pentatonic
scale (root-2-3-5-6), as opposed to the minor pentatonic scale (rootJ3-4-5- b7), is not quite as
commonly used in mainstream rock. This is due to the fact most rock tunes are centered around
minor keys or bluesy tonalities that utilize the b3 and b7. However, "Mama, I'm Coming Home" is
indeed in the key of E major, providing Zakk with the opportunity to call on this device more
common to country and southern rock music.
The line that follows is the signature lick to the song. Utilizing the E major scale
(E-F#-G#-A-B-C#D#) exclusively, the line pivots a descending scale off the open E and B notes.
Notice Zakk inserts a couple of E chords as harmony in the last measure in order to thicken the line
before the verse starts.
Figure 1 Performance
Although the entire intro section from Figure 1 can be played with either the pick or fingers,
Zakk uses both in a technique called "hybrid picking." Hybrid picking entails holding the pick
between the thumb and index finger and utilizing the remaining right hand fingers to pluck notes on
higher strings. This technique provides a variety of articulations as well as ease in execution of
arpeggiated figures like the one in Figure 1. I've added suggested picking instructions between the
tablature and the notation ( = downstroke with the pick, m= middle finger, a= ring finger).
Estratti da 10 canzoni:
BARK AT THE MOON - JAKE E. LEE - Words and Music: Ozzy Osbourne - 1983
CRAZY BABIES - Words and Music: Ozzy Osbourne, ZAKK WYLDE, Robert Daisley, Randy Castillo - 1981
CRAZY TRAIN - Words and Music: Ozzy Osbourne, RANDY RHOADS, Bob Daisley - 1981
FLYING HIGH AGAIN - Words and Music: Ozzy Osbourne, RANDY RHOADS, Robert Daisley, Lee Kerslake - 1981
GOODBYE TO ROMANCE - Words and Music: Ozzy Osbourne, RANDY RHOADS, Robert Daisley - 1981
I DON'T KNOW - Words and Music: Ozzy Osbourne, RANDY RHOADS, Robert Daisley - 1981
MAMA, I'M COMING HOME - Words and Music: Ozzy Osbourne, ZAKK WYLDE, Lemmy Kilmister - 1981
MR. COWLEY - Words and Music: Ozzy Osbourne, RANDY RHOADS, Robert Daisley - 1981
NO MORE TEARS - Words and Music: Ozzy Osbourne, ZAKK WYLDE, Randy Castillo, Michael Inez, John Purdell - 1981
SUICIDE SOLUCTION - Words and Music: Ozzy Osbourne, RANDY RHOADS, Robert Daisley - 1981
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