This years act was The Guess Who. Known for some great hits like "American Woman". I don't always make it down to see the bands play and have missed a few I would have liked to see. I really wasn't planning to go to this one at first, but then gave it a second thought when I found out that Rudy Sarzo had joined The Guess Who on bass. Now I've never really given The Guess Who much of a thought. Not saying that they aren't a good band. They just came a little before my time and not really what I would normally listen to. But Rudy Sarzo has been apart of my music library for almost my entire life. As a young child, my early music influence was my older sister. She is 6 years older than me and we shared a room when in the early 80's. So I pretty much listened to whatever she listened to. Thankfully she was into hard rock at the time and was my introduction to the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Motley Crue, and Quiet Riot. Quiet Riot's "Metal Health" album was the second cassette tape I had bought for myself and was in heavy rotation in my walkman along with my first tape "Bark At The Moon" by Ozzy. Now when I latch onto something I go in full force. I try to learn everything about the bands I listen to and try to connect on a more personal level. And The Ozzy Osbourne Band was no exception. I started collecting all of his back catalog from Black Sabbath to the brilliance of the Randy Rhoads era. The "Blizzard Of Ozz" and "Diary Of A Madman" albums really made an impression! Then in 1987 Ozzy Osbourne released the "Randy Rhoads Tribute" album. It was the first "Live" album I had ever bought and it blew me away! I have listened to that album more than almost any other album in my music library over the past 30 years. And playing that great bass riff in the song "Believer" on that album was Rudy Sarzo. So when I found out that he was going to be in my hometown playing with The Guess Who, I told myself I needed to go and witness this major part of my youth.
The day of the show, I was thinking my wife and I could walk down to the festival on a urban trail system that led pretty much from my back door straight to the park on what used to be a part of the Nickle Plate Railroad system. It was only a 1.7 mile walk and shouldn't be much of a problem. BUT! I had worked a 10 hour shift already getting up at 4 AM. The temperature was in the low 90's. And by the time I had got off from work, I had made up my mind that I wasn't going to make it. I have Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and get tired pretty easily. I was telling my wife my original plan and she seemed pretty excited about the idea of the walk. She loves to go on walks. So I decided to give it the old college try. I grabbed my camera and headed down the rails (of the Crazy Train!)
We got to the park and the opening band was still playing. We walked around a bit killing time before The main act hit the stage. Most of the area around the stage was already full of people who had brought chairs and had camped out in the blazing sun.We sat off to the side in the shade on the ground for a bit while waiting. Then the band took the stage. We got up, and There he was! I started taking some pics and listening to songs that I had really never heard before. As I watch all I could do was picture Rudy wailing away next to Randy and Ozzy. The band sounded great, but The heat and walk got to me pretty quick. And we still had to walk home. During the only song that I heard that I recognized ("No Sugar Tonight") I decided I wasn't going to make it for the whole show. So we decided to head out. We were walking past the back of the stage. There was like nobody back there. It's not like a typical backstage as it was open to go behind. I stopped my wife for a second and said I wanted to take a few more pictures from that angle. Just then The band ended the song it was playing and Rudy stepped to the side of the stage to get a drink of water. As he stood there catching his breath facing my direction, I decided to try to get his attention. I waved and yelled "Rudy!" And I'll be damned he actually looked! I was by myself about 50 feet away from the back of the stage so I knew he was looking at me. I couldn't believe it! I got his attention! I had to think quick. What do I say? So I raised my "Horns" and I shouted out "YOU ROCK!!!" Rudy then pointed at me and gave me the old "Thumbs up" then turned back to the stage to continue rocking out for the rest of the crowd. In that moment, I connected with one of the people that had been a part of my life for so long that previous to this moment, only came out of speakers. He doesn't know me ,but I've known him for 30 plus years. He won't remember that small 3 second interaction, but I will never forget it. I turned to my wife to bask in my happiness and SHE WASN'T THERE!! She had decided to go sit down on a rock and missed my moment! I was on cloud nine! Felt like a giddy little schoolgirl! But my body was still telling me it was time to go home. So we headed off. She didn't see our interaction but she got to hear about it all the way home!
Here is the full setlist via Setlist.fm, although I missed most of it
Bus Rider
Clap for the Wolfman
Undun
No Sugar Tonight
Haunted Heart
Shakin' All Over
Hand Me Down World
Share the Land
American Woman
In America
These Eyes
No Time
And here are some of the pictures I took. And might I add, Rudy Sarzo is one of the most photogenic people I've ever seen!
*****UPDATE******
Since I wrote this, a lot has happened! I had also posted these pictures on my facebook page. One week later, Rudy tagged himself in one of the pics from his personal account. I was ecstatic! I know it's just a little tag on a social media account, but he saw my picture of him. He liked my picture enough to tag himself in it. That means a lot to me. So just like my moment behind the stage, I decided to try and reach out. I sent him a message saying how much it meant to me that he liked my picture and asked if he had a spare minute, he could read this blog. And I included a link to this original post. It was late at night and I was ready for bed so I didn't wait around for a reply. Then I woke up to his response.
I know some people might think I'm getting a little over excited about this, but I don't care. Yes I'm a little star struck, but music has been such a huge part of my life. And Rudy was there for most of it. This put me over the top!
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