I think the best thing I can do to celebrate Randy's memory is to play something for him, play music, because that's what Randy liked to do.”

Rudy Sarzo: Hello.

Wikimetal: Hello, Rudy?

RS: Yes.

W: Hi Rudy, it's Nando here. How are you?

RS: Nando, how are you?

W: I'm fine. I'm very happy to talk to you.

RS: It's great to talk to you, too. Good afternoon!

W: It's an honor to be able to talk to you, thank you so much for your time, it's great to be able to connect with you.

RS: Thank you very much, I'm looking forward to the interview.

W: Rudy, around 1984, I was a ten-year-old fan, and after listening to a lot of Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and Quiet Riot back then, I decided to become a bassist. And I still play. To me, you're not only a great musician but also a great performer. I'll start by asking what were the main influences that led you to choose the bass as your instrument?

RS: Well, that's a good question. But basically… You know, when you're young, at least when I was very young, I just wanted to be a musician, I just wanted to play in a band. Being in a band was a way to socialize in the '70s and the late '60s. So it was like a means of socializing. And I had a basic knowledge of guitar, but in our neighborhood in Miami, where I lived at the time I picked up the bass, there weren't any bass players. So I was basically encouraged to play bass because nobody else wanted to do it. It was only later – three years later, more or less in the early '70s – that I really started to understand the concept of what being a bass player means, you know, being part of the rhythm section, perceiving the drums, being the link between the rhythm and the melody, so those are things… Because we didn't have any YouTube or any source of tutorials that are available nowadays. So those are things you had to figure out for yourself, basically. And also listening to great musicians who inspired me back then, like Tim Bogert from Vanilla Fudge in the late 60s, and John Paul Jones and Jack Bruce. And Jaco Pastorius was also a Miami resident. He taught at the University of Miami and played live in Miami Beach clubs. So I got to see him play quite a bit. So yes, I had a lot of inspiration, but in terms of information sources like we have today, I really didn't. It was a matter of listening to a lot of records and listening to the radio.

W: That's great. Rudy, today, March 19th, is a very important and unforgettable date, and you wrote an incredible book, "Off the Rails," about your stories and the time you spent with the one and only Randy Rhodes. We highly recommend that our listeners buy and read this book. Can you share any memories of Randy on this very important day, exactly thirty years after one of the saddest tragedies in rock history?

RS: Yes, you know, I think about him every day, so it's not because today, yes, it's been thirty years, but that doesn't change anything, because I keep thinking about him every day. So I don't think about him more today than on any other day. I think the best thing I can do to celebrate Randy's memory is to play something for him, play music, because that's what Randy liked to do: play music. For me, his contribution as a friend and as a musician was more significant than anything else. So that's how I like to think of him, he means more to me as Randy the songwriter, Randy the friend, Randy the teacher, than Randy the dead rock star – that means nothing to me. It was him being alive and doing everything he did for us, as a friend, as a musician, that really matters… For me, that's the most important thing: Randy when he was alive, not dead. You know, his music lives on. Well… Almost every day I get emails and Facebook messages from young musicians – ten or twelve years old – who are listening to him for the first time and are inspired to play guitar and want to know where that inspiration comes from… Because he’s been inspiring guitarists for the last three years, or more, you know, he was already inspiring music even before he became known as Randy Rhodes, Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist, he inspired a whole generation of guitarists as a teacher in Los Angeles. So he’s been doing this for a long time, and for me that’s more meaningful than just thinking about him.

W: Hey Rudy, do you remember how you first got in touch with Randy?

RS: I auditioned for Quiet Riot in the late '70s, that's how I… I actually got to see him play before that, but the first time I spoke to him was during the Quiet Riot audition in 1977. Actually, if I remember correctly, I met him in '78, that's when I auditioned for Quiet Riot. In '77 I wasn't living in the city yet, so in '78 in Los Angeles, that's when… '78, '79, those were the years I played with Quiet Riot in Los Angeles – the Randy Rhoads version of Quiet Riot.

I had no problem with Yngwie, in fact, it was one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had.”

W: I remember when I was eleven years old, in '85, I went to see Quiet Riot play in Brazil for the first time, and I was very disappointed because I was already a fan back then, and you didn't come with the band. Do you remember why you didn't come with the band back then and why you left the band after "Condition Critical" was released?

 RS: Yes, actually I think the band realized I was going to leave before the tour started, but there were contracts, commitments to the tour that I had made, so I fulfilled those commitments, and at the end of the American tour, I had already announced that I had left the band. Yes, they should have told you that I wasn't coming. I had no control over it, I was no longer part of the band.

W: I know, but probably half the people wouldn't have shown up.

RS: Well, yes, but, I mean, it's still Quiet Riot.

W: I know, I know.

RS: But they should have warned us who was going to play bass.

W: Rudy, changing the subject, we have a classic question on our show, one that we ask all our interviewees, which is: imagine you're listening to a rock radio station, or listening to your iPod on shuffle, full of hard rock and heavy metal music, and suddenly a song starts playing that makes you lose control and start headbanging wherever you are. What song would that be, so we can hear it on our show right now?

RS: It would have to be a Rainbow song with Ronnie James Dio. It could be "Gates of Babylon," that's one of my favorites.

W: “Gates of Babylon” with the unforgettable Ronnie James Dio.

RS: Actually, play the version… The CD is “Dio Holy Diver 20th ^Anniversary ”.

W: No problem, let's listen to that version now.

W: You played with some of the greatest legends in rock history, and, in my opinion, some of the greatest voices in music in general. I had the opportunity to ask Ian Gillen and Geoff Tate the same question, so I'll ask you now: is there a particular story you could share with our listeners about how incredible Ronnie James Dio was as an artist and as a human being?

RS: Oh, sure. How long do we have for the interview? Actually, I could spend hours talking about all the details, but, you know, one of the most incredible things about Ronnie – he had so many good qualities – but I'll only talk about one of them now: the magic factor. Sometimes we… Especially nowadays, with so much computerized music, the soul, the energy, the spirituality, the magic of music is missing in today's music. And that was something Ronnie James Dio was a master of. He could create magic on and off stage, just by being present, by being in the room. But on stage, I don't think anyone can come close to the magic he could create. And that was making you believe that what he was singing was really happening right there, at that moment. And the way he embodied the characters he sang about, I mean, it was simply incredible.

W: And the “Hear N' Aid” project?

RS: You know, I had a very small part in the project, I only participated in the choir recording. It was very significant for Ronnie and everyone involved, because when it happened, they actually wanted to do… Ronnie had contacted the people from “USA for Africa,” and they wanted to make a contribution from the hard rock scene, but what happened was that they didn't want anything to do with it, so Ronnie took responsibility for organizing the whole event – ​​“Hear N' Aid,” the recording, everything, and all the money raised went to “USA for Africa,” without the help of the people who organized it in the first place.

W: So, since you mentioned the current music scene, how would you compare the music scene of the 80s to the current music scene? What are the positive and negative aspects of both periods?

RS: Well, the positive side was the album industry, and the negative side was the album industry. Or rather, the great influence of some marketing techniques that were used. You know, it was good because it helped me a lot personally, MTV playing our videos – for bands like Quiet Riot and Whitesnake, and things like that. But at the same time, it didn't give space to many bands, because basically you had MTV telling the audience, "Hey, this is what you should listen to, because this is what we're going to show on television." So, you know, it was good and bad, in a sense. I think that nowadays, even though it's harder for musicians to get big exposure, especially without the support of a record label, we have great vehicles to do it, like social media, like YouTube, and others. Despite this, the good thing about the 80s is that there was infrastructure, like record labels that nurtured, acted… You know, with veterans, professional A&R – artists and repertoire – people who helped you choose your songs and develop as a band, and producers who could get the best performance out of an artist or group. That's very rare nowadays because, basically, record labels have become distributors, and in many cases, you have to create your album yourself and if the label thinks it's a marketable project, they help you. But there's very little development, very little professional help, you know, from people with a lot of experience with bands to maximize your potential. So it's not as good as it used to be.

W: Speaking of the period you played with Whitesnake, Whitesnake in the late 80s had assembled a real dream team. How did you manage to have so much talent in the band? And was it difficult to deal with the egos of these guys?

RS: No, not at all. Dealing with egos… By the time we formed Whitesnake, we were basically veterans at dealing with bad situations, or at least situations we didn't like, so we started – especially me, and I felt very blessed to be in the company of such good musicians and great friends. Regarding egos, yeah, I don't know, we all traveled on the same bus – wives, girlfriends, everyone, so it was good. Of course, you know, things happen, especially between wives and girlfriends, but regarding the guys in the band – which, for me, is the most important thing, because that's why the audience chose us: to hear the band and see the magic being created on stage by us, understanding each other and communicating musically – that never bothered us. So, yeah, it was an incredible, spectacular experience for me to be part of that group – Whitesnake.

W: What was more difficult, dealing with the egos of four people or with Yngwie Malmsteen's ego?

RS: I have great admiration for Yngwie and his wife, April, who is his agent. You know, a tour with Yngwie felt more like a tour with his family, because he brought his son with him. And other people in Yngwie's family were also part of the team, selling merchandise and things like that. There were no problems with Yngwie, in fact, it was one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had, so personally, that's what I can say, because that's how it was, that's the truth.

And music is rebellion, music is freedom, heavy metal is about freedom of expression, about playing and singing what you feel and what you are.”

W: Changing the subject, Rudy, we had the pleasure of speaking with the great Alex Skolnick from Testament, and he told us a lot about his involvement with the “Unblock the Rock” movement, to help heavy metal bands in Cuba. Since you're Cuban, what can you tell our listeners about the situation these hundreds of Cuban rock bands face, and is there anything we can say to help?

RS: You know, that's very interesting. I didn't know Alex was involved with the movement, that's great. I would love to be part of that movement too, because I'm very aware of the Latin and Cuban music scene. I fully support it; we should try to create the biggest possible front to showcase all these great artists – you know, music shouldn't have any political limitations, music was created so that we, as human beings, can speak to a higher power and communicate with each other. It doesn't have to have anything to do with politics. The problem is that totalitarian governments didn't allow or support rock 'n' roll, metal, that kind of music, because they see it as a weapon against what they are trying to control. And music is rebellion, music is freedom, heavy metal is about freedom of expression, about playing and singing what you feel and what you are. And it's not just communism, it's all totalitarian governments, fascist governments in general, they don't tolerate the music we love, the music we create. So anything I can do, personally, to help our metal brothers in Cuba and any other totalitarian country, it could be China – I hear now that there's a huge, incredible rock 'n' roll scene happening in China, which is inevitable because most of the equipment we use comes from there nowadays, so I'm pretty sure those guys in the factories that make guitars and amplifiers said, "It's our turn to make music now!"

W: That's a big contradiction, isn't it?

RS: Yes, which is great. If there's one good thing that comes from musical equipment being created in China, it's the fact that Chinese musicians now have access to the equipment, so that's great. But, yes, anything we can do to help our brothers be heard and recognized, and have their stories told through their music, and their feelings shared, yes, I would be the first in line to help any of our metal brothers who want to be heard.

W: Can you now choose a song that you're very proud to have written or perhaps participated in, so we can hear it on our show again?

RS: Oh, wow, there are so many, so many… We're going to play something by Ozzy/Rany today, as a tribute. Something like "Mr. Crowley" or "Revelation Mother Earth" – that would be my favorite.

W: Well, that's a great song.

After such an impressive resume, what would you say was – I know this is a very unfair question – but what would you say was the high point, or the high points, of your career? I know that the US Festival was a very important event in your career, but is there anything else you would like to share?

RS: Yes, the US Festival, definitely, playing with Ozzy, with Randy and with Tommy, the Diary of a Madman tours were incredible, every day there was some super event happening. Just seeing the band go from… The fans, who are the people who really dictate whether you'll succeed, really embraced the band, embraced Randy Rhodes as a new force in music, as a guitarist, songwriter, and more, performer. Definitely going to number one with "Metal Health," which was actually released 29 years ago, about a week and a half ago, on March 11th. And going to number one in November 1983, yes. You know, it wasn't just going to number one, it hurts that our competition was "Thriller," you know, the greatest album, the most significant pop album in the history of music. So having that company, that was incredible. And also Whitesnake, I loved being a part of Whitesnake, Dio… Being a member of Dio's band, so many good memories. But, you know, I keep making music, I'm in a band called Animetal USA, we're working on our second album, the first album was simply incredible. And playing with guys like Chris Impellitteri, and Mike Vescera, and Jon Dette, and Scott Travis… And continuing to move forward. Besides Animetal USA, I'm in a band called Tred, with Mike Orlando from Adrenaline Mob and Tim “Ripper” Owens, and AJ Pero from Twisted Sister, we're making an amazing album there too. And being part of Dio Disciples, Ronnie's band, and on vocals we have Ripper and Toby Jepson… And also touring with Blue Oyster Cult. You know, I feel very blessed to be able to make music and love what I do.

W: First of all, Rudy, I really appreciate you taking the time, and thank you so much for the interview. You're definitely one of the best people we've ever interviewed, and very kind; it was great to hear your stories. Before we finish, I'd like to know what advice you would give to a fifteen or fourteen-year-old boy who is thinking about learning to play bass and starting a band?

RS: Ah, okay, very simple. I think knowledge is power: know your instrument. Because the more you know your instrument, the better you'll be able to tell your stories, and that's what we do with our music, whether playing guitar, drums, keyboard, or singing, these are instruments of communication. If you want to communicate your feelings, communicate your messages through music, I'll give you a link to an amazing website: there's a bassist and teacher in England, his name is Scott Devine Bass. It's a free lesson. I go to the website and learn something new every day, so I really encourage everyone, all bassists who want to improve their music, no matter what level of skill you have, even if you're a professional like me, there's still a lot to learn. And this man has an incredible way of teaching, and he wants to share his knowledge with everyone, for free. They are very good tutorials, I really encourage everyone to check them out. Scott Devine Bass. That would be the advice I would give, because that's what I do.

W: Thank you very much, once again. It was great having you here in Brazil.

RS: Thank you for this great interview.

W: No, man, thank you for everything you've done, you're an inspiration, not just to me, but to all music lovers. And it was a real honor to speak with one of the greatest bass players in rock history. Thank you very much, Mr. Rudy Sarzo.

RS: Thank you. Thank you very much. God bless you.

W: All the best.

RS: Bye.