Tony Iommi’s opinion on Ozzy’s work with Randy Rhoads

Black Sabbath was formed in 1968 by Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward, and Ozzy Osbourne. That line-up was together for eleven years until the vocalist was fired by the group in 1979, as he was no longer committed to the band and was facing many substance abuse issues.

Ozzy was “rescued” by Sharon Osbourne who became his manager and then wife, launching a successful solo career, which had the crucial help of the late legendary guitarist Randy Rhoads. He played on Ozzy’s first two solo albums “Blizzard Of Ozz” (1980) and “Diary of a Madman” (1981). But before that he had obviously worked with Tony Iommi, one of the most influential guitar players in history: Tony Iommi. But what is Iommi’s opinion on Ozzy’s solo work with Randy Rhoads?

Tony Iommi’s opinion on Ozzy’s work with Randy Rhoads

Over the decades Iommi talked about Randy Rhoads a few times, one of the first times was in 1984 in an interview with Steve Newton (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage). “I think he (Ozzy) has done some good stuff, I really do.” Then he was asked if he enjoyed Randy Rhoads’ guitar playing and he said: “Yeah, he is a good player. I hadn’t actually heard him in person but I just heard him from what I’d heard on the radio, you know.”

Back in 2021, Iommi also talked about Rhoads in an interview with Eddie Trunk. “Good, yeah, he’s a good player. I didn’t really sit down and study Ozzy’s albums because I took concern with what we were doing. But when I would hear it on the radio, yeah, he’s a great player, really great player. But then again, before that, I’d heard Eddie Van Halen, so, great player. Randy was a young lad, and brilliant,” Tony Iommi said.

During the same conversation, Iommi said that Ozzy leaving Sabbath was the best thing for everyone. Because the singer started a really successful solo career and Sabbath was forced to work well again and they’ve managed to do that with Ronnie James Dio, for example. So “people have got two bands for the price of one, really”.

Ozzy Osbourne said that Tony Iommi was the best guitarist he played with

Although Randy Rhoads was an incredible guitarist and was crucial to launch Ozzy’s solo career, the singer said in an interview on his new podcast “The Madhouse Chronicles“ in 2024, that Iommi was the best guitar player he performed with.

“That’s the thing about a band like Black Sabbath: we came from the streets and we knew our stuff. Tony Iommi was, and is, the best fucking guitar player I’ve ever played with.”

“It’s like the Beatles, they wouldn’t have been the same if any one of them had played (in another band). Or the Rolling Stones if Mick Jagger left.”

“I’ve played (Sabbath songs) ‘Paranoid’, ‘Children Of The Grave’ and ‘War Pigs’ (with other guitarists). They do the notes, but it’s not the same! (Although American players) play too fast, Tony Iommi, for whatever reason, is fucking great,” Ozzy Osbourne said.

Iommi is the only member of Black Sabbath who was part of all the albums the group released over the decades. He kept the band alive when Ozzy, Geezer and Bill were no longer part of it.

Randy Rhoads tragically passed away in 1982 at the age of 25 in a plane crash.