Short Bio:
Rudy Sarzo's credentials as a bass player are quite impressive. He has been a professional
recording and performing artist worldwide for over 28 years. As a member of Ozzy
Osbourne's band, from March 1981 to September 1982, Rudy toured the world in support
of the "Blizzard of Ozz" and "Diary Of a Madman" records. His bass playing can be
heard on Ozzy's multimillion selling CD "Tribute" and "Speak of the Devil" CD and
DVD.
As a member of Quiet Riot, from September 1982 to January 1985, Rudy recorded the
multi-platinum albums "Metal Health", the first Heavy Metal debut to reach #1 on
the Billboard charts and "Condition Critical". During this period Rudy headlined
worldwide tours, appeared on numerous MTV videos and was voted #1 Bassist in Circus
Magazine for 1983.
As a member of Quiet Riot, from September 1982 to January 1985, Rudy recorded the
multi-platinum albums "Metal Health", the first Heavy Metal debut to reach #1 on
the Billboard charts and "Condition Critical". During this period Rudy headlined
worldwide tours, appeared on numerous MTV videos and was voted #1 Bassist in Circus
Magazine for 1983.
As a member of Whitesnake, from April 1987 to September 1994, Rudy recorded the
multi-platinum album "Slip of the Tongue". During this period Rudy also performed
worldwide on headline tours in support of the multiplatinum "1987" and "Slip of
the Tongue" albums and appeared on 6 MTV videos.
As a member of the reunited Quiet Riot, from May 1997 to August 2003, Rudy performed
worldwide on headlining tours and as special guests in support of the Quiet Riot
CDs "Alive and Well" and "Guilty Pleasure. Rudy also appeared on VH1's Quiet Riot,
Behind the Music. In November of 2003, "Quiet Riot Live in The 21st Century" DVD
was released after the group disbanded.
His recordings with all of these artists combined have sold over 30 million copies.
In February of 2004, Rudy joined Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force for the U.S. 30
city "Attack Tour".
In April of 2004 Rudy became a member of the multi-platinum Heavy Metal group DIO
and has been touring worldwide since.
Rudy also plays with Blue Oyster Cult when not touring with DIO.
Gear:
Peavey Cirrus Bass (4, 5, & 6 string), Dean Markley Strings Blue Steel, Line6 wireless
and Lowdown Head. Peavey VB3 Head and VB8 cabs.
February 2010
AGB: I heard you started out as a guitar player, playing in bands in Miami;
what made you make the switch to bass?
Rudy: I played guitar, however, not in bands. Playing in bands, I've always
been a bass player. I've played with a lot of guitar players who don't consider
themselves part of the rhythm section. The reason why I'm always considered part
of the rhythm section is because I've been a bass player since day one. I know a
lot of guys, a lot of big names, they live for that moment when they solo, and they
don't consider their contribution during the rest of the song as important as that
moment. And to me, if you are not doing a guitar solo, then you are a rhythm guitar
player. And to me, 95% of the song, at least, is the rhythm section. My favorite
guitar players are the ones who are really strong rhythm guitar players.
AGB: What made you pick the bass?
Rudy: I think the bass picked me. I think anybody who actually devotes themselves
to an instrument is picked by the instrument, and yeah, I was picked by the bass.
The first time I saw a bass guitar, I thought it was a useless choice of a purchase,
because a bass has four strings, and a guitar has six strings, and you get more
with the guitar than you do with the bass. More bang for your buck. Of course the
things that you consider when you're a kid - and you really don't understand the
function of the instrument itself - and I did play guitar when I was young, but
I was more into the Ventures and those instrumental groups, because of course this
was pre-Beatles. What I really gravitated towards was playing the melody on the
guitar, so when it came time that nobody in the neighborhood (because in the old
days, we didn't have gangs, every neighborhood, every block had a band), and so
then I moved back to Miami, and the band in my neighborhood needed a bass player.
They talked me into it, and they said "It's like playing a guitar solo through the
entire song", and I thought "That's a cool concept, I like that". It wasn't until
a few years later that I really completely understood what the role of the bass
player was, was that it's like the partner of the drums and the rhythm section.
AGB: You couldn't have known then that you'd be where you are right now -
what were your driving forces? Were you ever ready to give it up for something else?
Rudy: No. You live in Las Vegas, so I'm sure you've seen this. You go into
a casino, and someone's playing quarters, or dollars, or nickels or whatever at
the slot machines, and they say "You know what, I'm tired of this machine", and
they get up, and then someone else comes in, puts in a coin, and they get the jackpot.
My jackpot was the bass and I wasn't going to give it up.
AGB: Here's a funny one for you, it's kind of off-side, but we've only been
in Vegas for six months now. We came here from Florida.
Rudy: Yeah, but in six months, I'm sure you've been to a casino once or twice.
[laughs]
AGB: No, I was going to go see Monster Circus, there was someone I wanted
to see there. [laughs]
Rudy: And you moved all the way from Florida just to see Monster Circus!
That's devotion. [laughs] Yeah, I can't wait to go back to Vegas. I had a blast,
and it was a really cool show, but unfortunately the investors ran out of money,
and a lot of money was wasted - but that's a different story. While I was doing
it, I loved it, and I think Las Vegas is ready for, not only for that type of music
- but also given the demographic in Las Vegas, the baby boomers who grew up with
80s metal. Give them their own shows, rather than going to see some of the other
stuff. [laughs] All due respect to the performers who have been in Vegas for thirty
years or so, but I think it's time to kind of pass on the torch.
AGB: This is kind of along the same line, when I was growing up, Paul McCartney
was the driving force for a lot of new bass players; did you know that you're in
that position right now? A lot of people I talk to say "Rudy Sarzo" when I ask what
their driving force is.
Rudy: So it's all my fault. Don't blame me! [laughs] I've had so many people
to blame for that myself, and the number one guy I have to blame for that myself
is Tim Bogert, and he knows that. It comes out in every interview, and I've told
him. When I first heard Tim Bogert and Vanilla Fudge, I thought, "That. That's who
I'm going to model myself after."
AGB: That was part of it, too, was where did your influence come from? I
mean, I remember I went to Legend Valley in Ohio in 1984...
Rudy: What's that near? What other city is that near?
AGB: Buckeye Lake.
Rudy: Keep going [laughs]
AGB: Well, there were four bands playing that year. Kick Axe, Fastway, the
Scorpions, and then there was this band called Quiet Riot. [laughs]
Rudy: Ahh.
AGB: And I was at the side of the stage where the bass player was; as a matter
of fact, I could probably touch the stage, and I thought, "This guy can play" -
and that was you.
Rudy: Like a lot of people that were around back in the 80s, I'm one of the
very few guys, especially with the English bands, (and I know this because I talk
to a lot of the English bass players) - I came from Motown influence - and of course
I was influenced by the British Invasion - but living in Florida, I had to play
a lot of dance clubs, back in the late 60s and early 70s, and I played a lot of
R&B. I played with my fingers. And after that I was in fusion bands... God, I used
to go see Jaco Pastorius play around town in Miami before he formed the Weather
Report. He used to play with a guy named Ira Sullivan, who had the Baker's Dozen.
There was this quintet that he had, with Ira. And I thought that, with that genre
of music, there were a thousand guys that were of the caliber of Jaco Pastorius.
That was the reason I didn't pursue that genre of music, was because I thought "My
God, look at this guy, there's got to be a thousand people around here like him,
I think I'll just stick with metal or rock, because that's what I can really handle".
The level that Jaco was playing at that time was...that was the time that he recorded
his solo record, so the guy was a monster player, he had incredible chops; he had
everything. And a composer! An incredible composer. That was one thing people miss
about Jaco; not only was he an incredible craftsman on the bass, his compositions
were... to be honest with you, they were beyond any of the great bass players that
came after him, or before him. And I'm a huge fan of all these other guys, and they're
great at what they do and as good [as], or they've taken what Jaco did to a whole
different level... I'm a huge fan of Victor Wooten. I love him, and I ran into him
at the NAMM show, and I had to tell him what I feel, that he is the greatest bass
player alive today. But his composition skill - or his creativity - is different
from what Jaco's skills were. And it's so unfortunate that he passed away and the
doctors were not able to give him the right treatment for his condition, because
I would've loved to hear what else was inside Jaco that was never able to come out;
all of that beautiful music. Then again, once you get to that level of Victor Wooten,
Stanley Clarke, and Marcus Miller, Brian Bromberg, and Jeff Berlin, and on and on,
it's like looking at diamonds. Which one do you like better? They're all gems; they're
all beautiful. Each one has different characteristics that make it stand out, and
they're all great musicians.
AGB: You've played with several bands; Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot, Whitesnake,
Blue Oyster Cult, Dio, Yngwie Malmsteem Rising Force...
Rudy: I did a tour with Yngwie; in three months I played more notes than
I did during the whole 80s. [laughs]
AGB: Well, I have to ask, you've got to have stories, and I know you can't
get into every one of them, but what do you remember most? What pops out in your
mind?
Rudy: Yeah, for example, me playing with Ozzy; I wrote a book about it titled
Off the Rails. You know, there's so much to tell. Each band is different; with each
band, I'm a different bass player, because my philosophy is the band is not joining
me - I'm joining the band, and I need to fulfill to the best of my ability what
their needs are. I mold myself to their needs. I came from a very eclectic musical
background, because growing up, I had to learn how to play everything to make a
living. I can fit. If this band is a little bit more metal, or a bit more rock,
or a bit more progressive, and so on - I can do all that. For example, with BOC,
I can go from playing funk...they have a song, where the bass part was originally
recorded by Randy Jackson. It's called Shooting Shark, and I actually get to play
slap. None of the other bass players that they had before me played it like that.
They'd all play with a pick, or they'd do their own version of it...if that's the
way Randy Jackson played it, I'm going to play it like that. So I went back to my
70s, playing in Florida in the bar bands, playing in a funk group...and I started
playing it slap - and it sounds the way it should sound; the way it was recorded.
So I'm able to go in that direction, and when it needs to be really fast, there
are certain techniques I use with my finger picking style that make it so that it's
easy to replicate the picking. It's kind of like what Victor Wooten does with his
thumb; the up and down thing... I do that using my fingers, without using the thumb,
like my middle finger, or my index finger. Things that I have to develop in a hurry,
to get that swing that playing with a pick gives you.
AGB: Yes, I picked up your 'Rock Bass Essentials' DVD and watching the section
where you played the arpeggios - you played them unbelievably fast.
Rudy: Then again, how many times to I get to play an arpeggio? I don't, but
I know how to do it. And as a matter of fact, I practice the arpeggio in order to
play something different than what I play on stage, so I think outside of the box.
You know when I get to play arpeggios? When at the end of the song, the band is
winding down, and it's outside of the song. When the band's just playing the ending,
I think “Hey, I can play an arpeggio here.” It's like learning a five dollar word;
something you're never going to use until you find that very moment when you're
going to drop it in a sentence, and it might take you a lifetime, but that moment...
yeah, it's coming. [laughs]
AGB: This question can be off the record, as shortly after we started talking
about the interview I found out that Ronnie James had stomach cancer... how's he
doing?
Rudy: No, he's almost done with the treatment... I talked to him a few days
ago, and he's really strong; he sounds great, and they're already planning to go
out for Heaven and Hell this year.
AGB: : I was going to say, I know you've been busy touring with BOC, Dio,
and that kind of thing...
Rudy: Well, actually I've been a member of Dio since 2004, but I’ve been
able to spend more time with BOC in the last few years, because Ronnie's been on
the road with Heaven and Hell a lot. And this past winter, we were going to go out
as Dio, but two days before we were scheduled to leave, he was diagnosed - originally
with a stomach ulcer - and then it came out that it was stomach cancer, and he's
been having treatment ever since.
AGB: Do you have any other projects that you're working on, coming up that
you might be doing away from BOC or Dio?
Rudy: Yeah, a couple things. I've been doing this thing called Rock and Roll
Fantasy Camp lately, and they're turning that into a reality show for VH1, so I'm
going to be a part of that. It's a Mark Burnett production; he does the Apprentice,
Survivor and stuff like that. So that's coming up soon. I just did VH1 Classics’
“That Metal Show” that will air March 20th. I'm working on a lot of other projects...
actually they're TV shows that have been developing for the last couple years and
they are all coming together now.
AGB: You've been in the music business for quite a few years... it's just
over the past 25 that you've worked professionally ...
Rudy: I've been in the business since 1981, so that's... 28 years. I mean,
I was making money before... I've been a professional musician for over 38 years
now, but as far as being in the arena, recording artist level, it's 28.
AGB: I was just wondering, with the Internet... back in the 80s, when you
were playing with Whitesnake, you had Geffen, and all of these big record companies
behind everybody, and now it seems like everyone's going independent... how does
that affect you, and the music industry as a whole, in your mind?
Rudy: How has it affected me...It's brought me back to square one. It made
me realize the reason I started doing this. The reason why I started doing this,
is... being a musician is a calling. I don't care if you're a lawyer, or a pharmacist,
or a guy that works at Home Depot, at some point, if you've ever picked up an instrument
and sat around with some guys and made some music and so on, you're still a musician.
A musician is not something that you are only when you're practicing hits, you're
a musician; you're a storyteller. We as human beings...it's our nature to communicate,
whether it's with a higher being, or with ourselves, with each other...the musical
instrument is just a tool for communication. You know, there are other ways to communicate:
writing, filmmaking, painting...the arts, basically. The whole thing about the music
industry going through a metamorphosis, yeah, it's had some effect on me. But it
doesn't keep me as a ten year old that picks up Guitar Hero, and falls in love with
the music that I fell in love with thirty years ago, or forty years ago, and he
gets the calling. He says "Hey! I wanna pursue this!" Now, the kid - just like when
I was fourteen years old, I didn't know anything about the music industry; I didn't
even know there as a music industry - all I cared about was "Man, this feels good.
I like doing this. I like being a part of being a musician like all of these other
musicians that are inspiring me." So, thirty or forty years later, I wind up going
back to square one, saying "Hey, wait a minute. Let me not put so much emphasis
on the music industry as I must put the emphasis on why I started this to begin
with." So this was something I was able to get back in touch with when I starting
participating at Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp. Because the Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp,
I'm not sure if you're familiar with the process, but basically you go there, and
musicians like myself are counselors, and we're given four or five campers to work
with from all walks of life. They might happen to be a lawyer or a doctor or a school
teacher, a soccer mom, a member of the military - people who keep the world spinning,
while I'm free to make music 24/7. So it's a way of me giving something back to
them, and thanking them for keeping the flow going, because if everybody was a professional
musician, we would be screwed, you know? [laughs] And I looked into their faces
and the joy that they have just because they're...they had the same joy in their
faces as I did when I was fourteen years old. We're just out here, we're playing,
we really don't care exactly what it sounds like - of course everybody wants to
make it sound as good as possible, but it's just the joy that we're playing our
instruments. And yeah, being a part of Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp gave me that,
it gave that feeling back to me, and it's really changed my life. So that's my view
on the whole music industry. [laughs] I bet that's not the answer you were expecting.
AGB: No, it never is. I'll tell you, I've gotten so many answers from different
people; some are angry, some are happy that anyone can put out a song on the internet,
okay how can we sell that song now?
Rudy: Okay, but how many people [who] have given you that answer have actually
sold 30 million records?
AGB: I'd say probably... two. I can't say that they were so much upset about
it, however...
Rudy: I don't really care about the people who are upset about it, because
at the end of it, there's nothing you can do about it. All you can do about it is
actually embrace the new technology, and think what positive things you can do out
of this new generation with this new way of communicating.
AGB: Well, Stuart Hamm gave me his thought that it's opened up a new doorway,
you can do things you couldn't do before, which is a good thing.
Rudy: Of course, of course. But then again... I love Stu, he's a phenomenal
musician. Stu was never really in a mega, multi-platinum band. But what I find interesting
about my own point of view, is that I can actually embrace that, I can understand
it. Not only do I understand it, I was one of the first guys to create a bass loop
library; I worked with Sony, I've done the instructional DVDs on how to use ACID,
I just did a trade show. I did a demo for Vegas on how to make your own 3D, stereoscopic
movies, using the new 3D cameras and Vegas. You know, so I definitely embraced technology
way at the beginning. I mean, I've been using Pro Tools since 1994. I do get it.
And I do understand that it must be embraced, or it'll leave you far behind. And
there are some new opportunities, but then I can see guys who have sold as many
records as I have being very bitter about it, and I have seen my royalty statement
decline by about 80%, just like everyone else. But what can you do? You know, you
have to re-invent yourself and move forward.
AGB: I have a question here that someone wanted me to ask you: Was it hard
to keep adding fresh material to your initial catalog?
Rudy: No, I mean you have to keep going. You can never look back and say
okay, as it's a never-ending evolution. Be true to yourself, and also do not neglect
the foundation you've built with your fan base. You know, a lot of people tend to
do that. They tend to make a lot of changes and leave their fan base behind. You
can't really do that; in my opinion, you must please the original fan base, and
build upon that.
AGB: Another quick question; Are you using Peavey gear exclusively?
Rudy: Yeah, my signature model Peavey Cirrus- yes, exclusively. I also use
the new Peavey VB3 Head and VB8 cabs. Also, I’m a big fan and also use Line6 Lowdown
head and their wireless systems. I wouldn't want to go onstage with anything else.
AGB: So if you walked into a music store and bought a stock bass, you could
use it stock, and play it without changing anything.
Rudy: Exactly, as a matter of fact, when I had my first signature model,
I specified that it has to be built in a way so I can walk into a Guitar Center
and grab one off the shelf, change the strings... because there's a certain kind
of strings that I use, Dean Markley’s Blue Steel .45 - .105.
AGB: That was actually my next question, was what kind of strings are you
using?
Rudy: Yeah, I use Dean Markley Blue Steel. At the time that I had the other
bass, a few years ago, it used to be Rotosound. And I can tell you, Peavey makes
some great strings. The very kind that they send to me, I go "Wow, these sound good",
but the problem is, I don't have an endorsement with their strings. Which means
that even if I play the bass with that string, and I have it set for that string,
that's the only set that I have, is the set that it came with. So my basses are
specifically set for the Blue Steels.
AGB: Well, I don't want to jeopardize any endorsements that you have, however
if you could choose any strings, what would they be?
Rudy: No, I play my choice of strings, which is the Blue Steels. Anything
that I play, it's my choice.
AGB: Okay, good. I don't think I'd want to play something that feels wrong
or I don't like either.
Rudy: That would be like being stuck in a bad marriage. [laughs]
AGB: [laughs] I know what you mean, luckily, I'm not there.
Rudy: I mean, can you imagine that? You travel so far, you get yourself on
a plane, and you get onstage and you're going to hate what you're doing, or playing?
You just can't do that; that would be... punishing. [laughs]
AGB: Okay, just two more things, and then I'm going to let you go... You
do know that you're considered a nice guy in rock and roll.
Rudy: Really? Oh boy, that's a lot of pressure. [laughs]
AGB: Yeah. I hope I didn't ruin your day. [laughs]
Rudy: Well, it comes down to this; you treat others the way you want to be
treated. I want people to be nice to me, so I'm nice to them. It's that simple.
AGB: Well, part of the thing is that you've worked with some people who are
notoriously difficult to work with, I mean Ozzy, Kevin DuBrow...
Rudy: Kevin is a whole different subject, I mean it's been documented, if
you want any dirt between him and me...
AGB: No, I don't want dirt, I was wanting to know what was the most difficult
situation you've ever played in?
Rudy: My most difficult situation I've ever played in...Quiet Riot.
AGB: What was the best? I mean, they're all good, but it kind of goes back
to that memory thing, which one did you enjoy the most?
Rudy: Everything else. And, don't get me wrong. I've had some great times
with Quiet Riot, too. Quiet Riot was the one that had the most extreme. I had the
best of times with Quiet Riot and I had the worst of times with Quiet Riot. Hey,
let me tell you, there's nothing better than having a number one album. But then
again, there's nothing worse than having to leave your own band because they don't
want you there. And you have to leave your own band at the top of the industry.
So it was the best of times and the worst of times in that band. And it's a reality.
I'm not making anything up, and it is what it is. It happens. But you know, every
other situation has its own beauty. You know like Whitesnake - that was incredible.
I mean, playing in that band with those guys, it was fantastic. Great music, and
we were a very successful band. To me, it was the closest thing to being in a super-group.
And I say super-group because everyone had their own legacy with their own band
before we all got together for Whitesnake.
AGB: I was going to say I saw Adrian in the band Vandenberg...
Rudy: Yeah me too!
AGB: …and you in Quiet Riot.
Rudy: That's right, we played in Northern California. At the Stones. We did
three Stones shows in Northern California. One in San Francisco, Palo Alto and one
in Berkeley.
AGB: You know Rudy, I've taken up a lot of your time today and I'd better
let you go; it has been really great talking to you.
Rudy: You too; I really appreciate it. See, this is way more than I could
have given you - I could have never given you these answers in a questionnaire format.
You know, to me, it's all about communication, and this is what we did. We communicated.
AGB: I hope to catch up with you sometime, maybe get to a show when you guys
are playing somewhere. Unfortunately, when I saw Las Vegas, I thought Nevada, and
I didn't stop to think Las Vegas, New Mexico.
Rudy: [laughs] Well, next time I'm in Vegas, let me know, and come down.
AGB: Alright, take care of yourself, we'll be looking for you, and hopefully
catch upwith you on the road somewhere.
Rudy: You got it, my friend. God Bless you.
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