RANDY RHOADS Fans Join Forces To Raise Funds For 'Priceless' Memorabilia

BLABBERMOUTH.NET has received the following news submission from the fans and supporters of late OZZY OSBOURNE/QUIET RIOT guitarist Randy Rhoads:

"I am a member of a chat board www.randyrhoads.tk. We are a web board dedicated to the preservation, dedication, and memory of Randy Rhoads. We are the only website officially endorsed by the Rhoads family. Recently one of Randy's friends and bandmates from his QUIET RIOT days (Kelly Garni) hit some rough spots and was going to be forced to sell some priceless memorabilia. Being as Kelly was always giving to the fans of Randy Rhoads, we felt we should help.

"The item he was going to sell was a scrapbook that contains all sorts of 'one-off' things collected by Kelly during his QUIET RIOT days, like original rare photos, press clippings, handwritten notes by Randy Rhoads, original sheets showing show times for gigs in Hollywood and much more.

"We on the website decided that these precious items belong in Kelly Garni's possession and no one else, as these are rare and hold a great amount of personal value to him. A rough donation number of $45 came up by a member of the board and many people posted messages back saying that they would be willing to donate that amount to Kelly in order for him to keep his prized possesions. Word got back to Kelly about our idea to help donate money so as he could keep these items and not have to part with them. Kelly responded to our chat board (as he is a V.I.P. member) with the following message:

"'This has all been very diffilcult for me. First the decision to part with these things was like cutting off a piece of myself, then the response from all of you was so overwhelming, I felt helpless again because there was no way I could think of to truly let each one of you know how much you all mean to me. Like most people, I have my pride, and I didn't want to accept $ for nothing. I didn't know what to do! I didn't even know what to say so I held off responding to this unbelievable generosity. But then I got an idea. And once I told my wife about it, she took it and really turned it into a great plan. And so I will tell you all our idea here, and, if you agree with it, we'll get started on it from our end.

"This thing here that Des and others have created has given Randy a new life. He lives here. And so that book should stay here. With all of you. I will sell the book to all of you. Either 100 people at $45 each or 45 at $100 I will let you all decide. I am going to photograph each page in the book, along with some other things Randy wrote or made. These things will be put onto a NUMBERED DVD. Also on this DVD will be things like the recording of Randy and me jamming at a party prior to the formation of QUIET RIOT and other things that people don't get to see or hear unless they come to visit me. This way whoever has this DVD will in essence, have the book. These 'investors' will also recieve a numbered certificate showing their ownership in the book.

"'So, there it is. Let me know what you think. My wife doesn't ever go on these kind of boards, in fact she didn't even know that any of this was going on. I got an e mail from one of the members that kind of spilled the beans (a good thing). She started to cry when she saw all of the kindness you all showed and your regard for me. She really didn't know. She thinks people just call and wite because of Randy. And I must admit, even I thought that way; that's why this was so overwhelming. She said, 'Look at what a great thing generosity is; it took a bad situation and made it turn into something that is good for everyone.'

"Thank you all so much and I am very anxious to hear your thoughts on this project.'

"Please help us raise the funds and join in the celebration of the life, times, and memory of Randy Rhoads."

For further information, visit www.randyrhoads.tk. The direct link to the information and donation part of the site is here.