Most double-live albums are exercises in self-indulgence. A live
\nalbum is rough enough. But, with rare artists such as Ani DiFranco,
\nCowboy Junkies and….Ozzy Osbourne, the experience can sometimes
\nyield beautiful results.<\/p>\n
Even for heavy metal haters,
\nTribute<\/i> is an album that you can’t dismiss. Yes, it’s Ozzy,
\nbut it also is a requium for a very talented guitarist who could
\nhave very well changed the face of heavy metal music:Randy Rhoads.
\nBefore joining Ozzy’s solo band, Rhoads helped co-found Quiet Riot.
\nHe was 16 at the time.<\/p>\n
His technique was a unique mix of guitar god theatrics and
\nrestraint classic guitar prose. And, for a guitar lover,
\nTribute<\/i> has tons of guitar solos from Rhoads. The most
\nnotable guitar solo, “Suicide Solution” was a nice slap in the face
\nfor censors of Mr. Osbourne in the mid 80s. While the solo might
\nnot have been as spectacular as some of the other songs on the
\ndouble-live album, it was a listed solo on the liner notes, next to
\nthe song that was a calling card to the right wing zelots who
\nwanted Ozzy banned from the record bins.<\/p>\n
If you were going to knock “Suicide Solution”, you were knocking
\nRandy Rhoads. And I personally ask Mr. Dobbs or Mr. Falwell to
\nknock Osborne after looking at the liner photos in the album’s
\ninner sleeve. Or the touching tribute written by Randy Rhoads’s
\nmum. It was not an 8-ball that killed Rhoads. It was not an over
\ndose of any substance. It was a senseless plane crash. And Rhoads’s
\ntalent spoke for itself. For a scapegoat, Osbourne is way too human
\nof a person to have any of that shit stick.<\/p>\n
But
\nTribute<\/i> rarely resorts to mushy sentiment. Heavy metal is
\nclear and present in all its cartoony glory. From the operatic
\nopening of “I Don’t Know” to the Beavis and Butthead thunder of
\n“Iron Man”. It’s also quite a funny listen. See,
\nTribute<\/i> was my first Osbourne purchase. I was expecting the
\ndevil-worshipping, bat-munchin’ madman. Instead I get this pushing
\n40 hippie yell out “I love you all!” and “you’re beautiful
\npeople”.<\/p>\n
Some things you outgrow, I realize that. “Mr. Crowley” and the
\nwincingly sappy, “Goodbye to Romance” do precious little to me at
\nthe age of 25. A lot different when I listened to this when I was
\n15. Other songs, such as “Revelation (Mother Earth)” and “Children
\nOf The Grave” are mediocre at best.<\/p>\n
Still, the live versions of these songs beat the LP versions all
\nto hell, save for the vintage Black Sabbath songs. With the amps
\npumped, it seemed like Randy Rhoads took his guitar playing to the
\nnext level, utilizing all of the fuzz and the feedback that live
\nrecordings\/performances offer.<\/p>\n
The album closes with “Dee”, studio out-takes from Rhoads.
\nThere, you hear a shy, vulnerable musician try to decipher which
\nversion of his performance to keep. It’s all acoustic. You hear him
\nlaugh, you hear simple suggestions, you hear his voice. And it’s a
\ntragic loss.<\/p>\n
All that said,
\nTribute<\/i> has to get an approval from me. It elevates some of
\nOzzy’s solo work, which sometimes didn’t translate to tape very
\nwell. It gave us a better understanding of Rhoads’s talent. And, it
\nwas a fitting retrospect to an artist who was still growing when he
\ndied in 1982. Yes, a heavy metal fan should have some Black Sabbath
\nin their collection, but if you’re looking for Osbourne’s best
\nmoments on record, look no further than this double-live album
\nextravaganza. Scary, eh?<\/p>\n
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