CLASSIC ROCK Magazine Denies Disrespecting RANDY RHOADS

Classic Rock editor Siân Llewellyn has responded to former OZZY OSBOURNE bassist Bob Daisley's accusation that the magazine had disrespected Randy Rhoads, the original guitarist for the BLACK SABBATH singer solo band, at the recent Classic Rock Roll Of Honour awards, where Ozzy was honored for Osbourne's first solo album, "Blizzard Of Ozz".

Bob Daisley, who played bass on the first two solo albums by Ozzy Osbourne, penned a missive this past week claiming that "after the [Classic Rock Roll Of Honour ] ceremony, Randy Rhoads' brother and sister, Kelle and Kathy, were taken aside and secretly handed a paper bag containing an award for Randy, for his contribution to the album." He added: "I find this insulting and disrespectful to the Rhoads family and, in particular, to Randy."

Bob continued: "I'd like to know why Randy's award wasn't presented 'publicly' to the Rhoads family members, and why drummer Lee Kerslake and I weren't even mentioned.

"That album was not a 'solo' Ozzy Osbourne record, as many have been wrongly led to believe, it was a work of art made by four people, the band called THE BLIZZARD OF OZZ. I co-wrote the music with Randy, I wrote more than 90% of the lyrics, and the four band members played on and co-produced the album together, so why did Classic Rock choose to acknowledge only one member of the band?

"I do not begrudge Ozzy receiving his award, but I'd like to know why Randy wasn't acknowledged ceremoniously and why Lee and I weren't even mentioned, let alone given an award for our significant contributions to that album. Classic Rock should know better, and they should be ashamed!"

In response to Daisley's comments, Llewellyn released the following statement on behalf of Classic Rock magazine:

"There was certainly no offence intended, Bob Daisley. We have given out our 'Classic Album' award many times in the past and we often present to one member from the lineup involved in its creation (just to give an example, we presented CREAM's Disraeli Gears to Jack Bruce, AEROSMITH's 'Rocks' to Joe Perry, etc.),and that in no way is marginalising the contribution made by the other band members. Unfortunately, it's simply logistics. We're not the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and we just don't have the budget to fly in/honour everyone involved in the making of a classic album. It's a recognition of the music within. And, as you of all people know, 'Blizzard Of Ozz' is a classic album in every sense.

"The Rhoads family attended the event as guests of Ozzy and he honoured Randy in his acceptance speech saying, 'I've had a great life and some disasters. The biggest was when Randy died. I owe my career to him.' Ordinarily, we only present one statue for the Award (to the person collecting on the album's behalf),but this year we thought it was appropriate to have one made for Randy's family as they were in the room. It was given to them later in the evening — no paper bag, I'm sure! — and we photographed them with it for the current issue."

In a 2012 interview with Rock Cellar Magazine, Daisley revealed that the 30th-anniversary remastered reissues of Osbourne's classic early albums, 1980's "Blizzard Of Ozz" and 1981's "Diary Of A Madman", which came with a box set of previously unreleased live recordings, a coffee table book and other goodies, could have packed much more material than what actually made the release.

"There'd been talk about it during 2010, and it was then that I offered to supply tapes of our rehearsals and writing sessions, to go as proper bonus material," Daisley said. "And I just said that I wanted a royalty out of it, because it's my stuff. But they wouldn't do it because they didn't want to give me a royalty — they just wanted to buy it.

"So no agreement was made, and as a result the bonus material in the box set is minimal, which is unfortunate because I know the fans want to hear the stuff that I've got — recordings of the writing sessions, rehearsals and the songs taking shape. But the Osbournes wouldn't come to the table, y'know. I didn't even ask for an equal royalty, it was just a small royalty I wanted because it's my stuff…"

Daisley added that he had "literally hours and hours of tapes I've got from us writing those albums and rehearsing it" that could have been included in the package. "You can hear the songs changing, the different parts taking shape, and all this stuff would have been perfect bonus material for the box set," he said. "Sadly, the Osbournes are just too greedy and self-absorbed."

Bob Daisley said in a 2010 interview with his web site that he had not been contacted about the 30th-anniversary editions of "Blizzard Of Ozz" and "Diary Of A Madman". The tracks played by Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake on both albums were replaced on a previous reissue after Daisley and Kerslake sued Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne over royalties.

Daisley told the web site, "Neither Lee nor I have been contacted, considered or consulted in the decision to re-release the original recordings. As for royalties, we have not been approached for a reconciliation and have been offered and promised nothing."

Ozzy told The Pulse of Radio he was against the idea of replacing the original tracks when he found out about it. "Believe me, it wasn't my doing," he said. "I mean, I didn't know that was being done, 'cause Sharon was fighting all the legal things that were going down at the time. I said, 'What did you do that for?' And she said, 'The only way I could stop everything was if it went to that level.' And I said, 'You know what, whatever the circumstances were, I want the original thing back.' I mean, I wouldn't have done that."

The replacement tracks were played by current METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo and FAITH NO MORE drummer Mike Bordin.

Daisley says that he and Kerslake were fired because of disagreements with Sharon over a number of things, including refusing to do two shows in one day out of worry that Ozzy would blow out his voice.