Remembering Paul O'Neill (1956-2017)

It’s not often that the passing of someone famous really affects me. When I hear about it, I may think, “Man, that’s a shame,” but I quickly move on. Every now and then, though, someone makes enough of an impact on my life to really hit home. Paul O’Neill is one of those people.

I was incredibly saddened Wednesday night to see a Facebook post from Trans-Siberian Orchestra announcing that Paul had succumbed to a battle with a chronic illness at the too-young age of 61.

I didn’t really know Paul O’Neill personally, but I felt like I did. Not only was he responsible for some of my favorite music ever with both Savatage and TSO, I knew him as a warm and friendly man in several interactions I had with him over the years.

Lemmy Kilmister, 1945-2015

Despite his recent health problems, the news of Motorhead frontman Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister’s death on Monday (Dec. 28) came as a bit of a shock. Like many other folks in the hard rock and metal world, I’m sure, I considered Lemmy one of those almost immortal guys — someone who would always be around. Sadly, cancer is not a fan of anyone.

I still remember the first time that I heard Motorhead. I was probably 11 or 12, already a metal fan, but only just beginning to move into the heavier stuff. Some friends played it for me. I don’t even remember which record it was, but I heard Lemmy’s gruff, shouted vocals and thought, “Who in the heck would listen to that? The guy can’t even sing.” Of course, as the years went by, my opinion changed drastically. In all honesty, I never became what I would consider a hardcore Motorhead fan, but I gained a great respect for what they did, and I certainly became a fan of Lemmy. It was almost impossible not to.

Review: Immortal Randy Rhoads: The Ultimate Tribute

What’s not to like about Immortal Randy Rhoads: The Ultimate Tribute? You’ve got the songs of one of the greatest metal guitarists of all time recorded by an all-star cast of hard rock and metal musicians with the blessing and participation of the Rhoads family.

Unfortunately, there’s quite a bit not to like about it.

While the song choices from the Ozzy catalog feature very few surprises, it is nice to see that they plucked a couple of tunes from Randy’s days in Quiet Riot, and they even get an assist from his brother Kelle on vocals for “Back to the Coast.”

Being a huge fan of Tim Owens, I was excited to see that he was singing on eight of the 11 tracks from Immortal Randy Rhoads: The Ultimate Tribute. After listening to it, though, I think we might have found a metal legend that “Ripper” can’t mimic. I remember him doing a great version of “Mr. Crowley” with Yngwie Malmsteen for an Ozzy tribute some years ago. Here, he sings some of the songs well, but most just don’t work. Though Owens is inarguably a more technically talented vocalist than Ozzy, there’s a quality in Ozzy’s voice that Owens just can’t recreate.

Review: "Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute to Motley Crue"

I remember the early days of the tribute album. One of the first, and one that helped launch the format, was 1994’s Kiss, My Ass. (Yes, I know the original title didn’t have a comma in it, but I fixed it for them.)

Among other “gems,” it included a Garth Brooks cover of “Hard Luck Woman” (surprisingly one of the better tunes there) and a sleepy (yes, sleepy) cover of “Rock and Roll All Nite” by Toad the Wet Sprocket. For many years, that album stood, in my mind, as the worst example of a tribute album, and I thought it would always hold the crown.

How could I have known, 20 years later, that Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute to Motley Crue would be unleashed on an unsuspecting world?

Review: "Ronnie James Dio: This is Your Life"

Any tribute to Ronnie James Dio begins with a conundrum for the artists involved. It’s Ronnie James Dio, one of the greatest singers to ever grace rock music, an iconic voice that can’t be duplicated. So the vocalists here have a tough job right out of the gate. But it’s all for a good cause, as proceeds from Ronnie James Dio: This Is Your Life will benefit the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund.

Anthrax kicks off the album on a high note with a faithful rendition of the Black Sabbath classic “Neon Knights.” I often give Joey Belladonna a lot of grief when I write about Anthrax, but I also believe in giving credit where it’s due, and he holds his own. That’s no small feat, considering he’s being compared to Dio.

Stuck in My Head: Warrant, "Uncle Tom's Cabin"

This is the song that should have been Warrant’s defining moment. Their 1990 album was recorded and ready to go. It was going to be called Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and they were going to stake an attempt at a slightly more serious musical direction on the strength of this piece.

It might have even worked. But their label, Columbia, told them they needed another song, something catchy that might be a hit at radio. In about 15 minutes, singer Jani Lane knocked out the lyrics to a shallow three-chorder called “Cherry Pie,” essentially a three-minute string of sexual references, and the rest is history. When the album came out, the title was Cherry Pie, the song was the lead single and a huge hit, and Warrant’s fate was pretty much sealed.

Ronnie James Dio, 1942-2010

There’s no shortage of great things to say about metal legend Ronnie James Dio based purely on his body of work, from his earliest recordings with Elf and Rainbow, to his multiple stints with Black Sabbath and his stellar solo career. Inarguably one of the greatest voices in metal and the guy credited with bringing the “horns” hand gesture into the metal world (his superstitious grandmother used it to ward off the evil eye) Dio made the kind of impact on his genre that few artists achieve.

But in the hours after learning about his death, it isn’t so much his music that I keep thinking about, but a moment in the summer of 2002 when I had the pleasure and privilege of spending about half an hour with him.

Les Paul, 1915-2009

Whether you knew Les Paul's music or not, you knew his name. While his style leaned more toward jazz, country and blues, Paul left an indelible mark on the rock world. In fact, it's not too far-fetched to say that had Paul not created his most famous invention, rock and metal never would have existed. After all, if you've ever tried to play a thrash riff on an acoustic guitar, you know it won't really work.

It started in the late 1930s with his invention of "The Log," about the simplest "guitar" you could imagine -- a piece of four-by-four lumber strung up and electrified. Over the years, the design thankfully evolved into the Les Paul that has become such an iconic part of rock, and indeed all musical lore. Gibson began producing the guitars in the 1950s, and they've become the primary ax of some of the best players in the world in all genres -- from jazz to death metal. And it's the template that gave birth to all modern electric guitars.

But his impact on the world of music doesn't stop there. Les Paul was also a pioneer in multi-track recording, a commonplace practice today that was first introduced on one of his recordings from 1948.

You may not own any Les Paul recordings. You may not appreciate his style as a player. You may not even like the guitar that bears his name. But if you enjoy any kind of modern music, you owe him a debt of gratitude.

While the video below is a little off-topic for the usual content of this site, take a minute to honor and appreciate two undisputed masters of the guitar, and, perhaps, find a new appreciation for the man whose name is synonymous with the world's most recognizable guitar.

RIP Kevin DuBrow

Even though I'm a little late on it, due to a busy week, I feel like I should still say something about the passing of Quiet Riot singer Kevin DuBrow earlier this week.

To a lot of folks, Quiet Riot will be remembered only for their hit cover of Slade's "Cum on Feel the Noize" or, perhaps, as the first metal band to log a No. 1 record. After that, they slid quickly into obscurity. But the band will always hold a special place in my heart.

I was 11-years-old in 1983 and just reaching a place where I was beginning to discover my own music and move away from the music that my parents were listening to. One of the first bands that I discovered was Quiet Riot, and it was due, in no small part, to that memorable cover of "Metal Health" -- the guy in the leather straightjacket with the metal mask. It played right into the sensibilities of an 11-year-old kid, and even to this day, I believe there are few "more metal" album covers than that one.

So, while the world remembers "Cum on Feel the Noize" and maybe the title track from that record. I remember other songs. I remember the fun "Slick Black Cadillac." I remember the semi-ballad "Love's a Bitch," which seems a bit juvenile today, but at the time, I sang along with feeling, over and over. I remember "Thunderbird," their tribute to Randy Rhoads. I also still enjoy the cheesiness of their second record, full of would-be party anthems, and even the mainstream but catchy "The Wild and the Young" from the otherwise pretty dreadful "QRIII." (Though you certainly wouldn't have told me it was bad at the time.) In fact, they didn't lose me until they released the truly awful self-titled record in the late 1980s without DuBrow.

Quiet Riot was the first band that I ever labeled as "my favorite band," and they held that distinction for quite a while despite their fade. DuBrow will never be mistaken for one of the greatest voices in metal, but it fit the music. If you don't believe that, just try listening to that aforementioned self-titled record.

Though I never caught them live at the peak of my fandom, I was fortunate enough to see them at an ampitheatre show opening for Ted Nugent shortly after they reformed in the late 1990s and again in a local club a few years later. Though I no longer followed their recordings, I enjoyed hearing the old songs played, and both times they put on a high energy show. DuBrow, despite the obviously bad wig he wore both times, was just as flashy and flamboyant on stage as he had ever been and I enjoyed both shows immensely. I was also lucky enough to have the chance to interview DuBrow, who came across as just a normal, friendly guy, and meet the entire band after that club show. Though it didn't mean as much to me as it would have in 1983, it was still a great experience.

Perhaps in the larger metal landscape, where Quiet Riot never quite made the impact that they should have, DuBrow and the band may be viewed as just a footnote -- the band that scored the first No. 1 metal record. But for those of us who, at one time or another, sang along to Quiet Riot songs with great gusto, he will be missed.

Johnny Cash, 1932-2003

"Hello, I'm Johnny Cash."

Those four words, spoken in a deep bass rumble, are instantly recognizable to almost everyone, regardless of age or background.

The death of "The Man in Black," country music legend Johnny Cash, saddened both fans and his fellow recording artists on Friday. It was not just a loss for country music, but the music world in general, said Tim McGraw, who is in town for his annual Swampstock concert.

"Bigger than any musical genre was Johnny Cash," McGraw said in a statement through his publicist. "He was an American music icon that set the standard for how to make music on your own terms. We will miss him."

Country singer Andy Griggs remembered growing up listening to Johnny Cash before making his own way to Nashville.

"Johnny Cash was bigger than life on Charlie Griggs' road," he said. "That road grew intrastate to interstate, and I found Cash was bigger than life everywhere. I don't think any of us will be the same without The Man in Black."

It was Cash's independent and rebellious nature that many fans remember. The famous middle finger ad in Billboard after he won the Best Country Album Grammy in 1998, despite little or no radio support; the way he introduced country audiences to acts like Bob Dylan, via his TV show; the way he redefined himself in the 1990s with rock-rap producer Rick Rubin and reintroduced himself to a whole new generation of fans.

"It was an independent spirit that he brought to the whole music industry, especially for the last 10 years or so with the American Recordings," said musician and radio host Monty Russell, whose band the Hardcore Troubadours closed their set with "Folsom Prison Blues" on Thursday night, just hours before Cash's death.

Russell said he admired Cash for what he did in 1993, by just sitting down with his voice and guitar to record the first "American Recordings" album.

"It was so powerful, just him and his guitar," he said.

Over the course of those four albums, Cash created a new audience for his music through both originals and versions of songs by rock bands such as Soundgarden, U2 and Danzig. Most recently, Cash had a hit with a cover of the Nine Inch Nails song "Hurt." The video, which chronicled Cash's life, was powerful and moving for most fans. Russell said he was disappointed that it didn't win best video at this year's MTV Video Music Awards.

"I thought it was sad they didn't give him that award, because that video laid out his whole life," he said. "It makes you want to cry."

Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails told The Associated Press on Friday that he was honored when he heard Cash was interested in recording his song.

"To hear that Johnny was interested in doing my song was a defining moment in my life's work," he said. "To hear the result really reminded me how beautiful, touching and powerful music can be. The world has truly lost one of the greats."

Cash's turn on "Hurt" was not so surprising to long-time fans. It was the kind of thing he'd always done, said country singer Edd Greer. Cash shared both his triumphs and his pain through his music.

"What made him such a star was that he went through life sharing his hard times, along with his good times, with his fans," Greer said. "His music reflected his life, and he will be missed by millions."

Greer said Johnny Cash's legacy for musicians is in the way he showed them how to stay true to themselves. Like so many others who spoke about Cash on Friday, he used the word "original." Most people said there was no one else like Cash, and likely never would be again.

"I remember Johnny Cash as a great guy who was a total American original," said fellow country star Charlie Daniels. "He shall be missed."

Despite his checkered past and rebellious nature, most people believe that Cash has earned his place in the pantheon of music greats.

"All saints wear white, but I believe the good Lord will welcome The Man in Black," Griggs said.

Tribute: Ozzy Osbourne

For those who only know Ozzy as the doddering, slightly addled father on MTV's "The Osbournes," it may be hard to figure out why legions of hardcore fans are so dedicated to him, why stadiums erupt in chants of "Ozzy, Ozzy" when he takes the stage or why almost every hard rock outfit worth its salt claims him as an influence.

To understand that, you'd have to go back and look at the life and times of the godfather of metal.

The story began in 1970, when a new band and new sound were about to be unleashed on the world. Black Sabbath's self-titled debut album hit record store shelves. The four young men from Birmingham, England, began as a blues band called Earth, but then hit on a brand of music that distilled their industrial roots into pure musical energy.

Though some might argue that heavy metal began with Led Zeppelin, Steppenwolf, Jimi Hendrix or even the Beatles' "Helter Skelter," when you hear the first three haunting, hollow notes of the song "Black Sabbath" - notes that echo like the tolling of a lone bell over a bleak landscape - you know instantly this is a different beast entirely.

The band was built around the crushing guitar riffs of Tony Iommi. Though not the most technically proficient guitarist, Iommi reigns as undisputed master of the riff. Three decades later, he still owns the copyright on most of the best metal riffs ever written.

Giving the band its personality was a slightly overweight, blond singer named John "Ozzy" Osbourne. His vocals weren't as impressive and versatile as his peer Robert Plant, nor were they as powerful as later metal vocalists like Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford and Ronnie James Dio, who later replaced him in Sabbath. But they were unique, and his mocking voice fit seamlessly into the band's gloomy sound.

Thus began a 10-year run that would shake the music world to its core, giving rise to bands like Metallica, Slayer and Pantera. The influence of Sabbath even echoes in the percussive rhythms of today's hard rock.

But like all good things, Sabbath eventually came to an end (at least for Ozzy.) In a drug-addled confusion at the end of the 1970s, Ozzy and Sabbath parted ways. At the age of 30, most people wrote Ozzy off as a washed-up has-been. They were wrong.

Enter Sharon Arden, daughter of Ozzy's manager, who worked tirelessly to get him signed to a solo deal before becoming Mrs. Osbourne. A shrewd businesswoman, most people speculate that Sharon is the only reason Ozzy has lived to see 54, and certainly the main reason for the singer's success.

In 1980, Ozzy released his solo debut, "Blizzard of Ozz," which would become one of the seminal recordings in heavy metal history and spawn classic songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley." He went on to surpass his former bandmates in Black Sabbath, becoming the epitome of metal, while they faded into obscurity as a revolving door for musicians.

One of the primary reasons for Ozzy's success is the bands that he has built around him over the years. One thing fans count on from Ozzy is great guitar.

He found a soulmate in the early 1980s in Randy Rhoads, a virtuoso guitarist whose untimely death in a 1982 plane crash robbed the world of a promising talent. Rhoads' two albums with the Ozzman, "Blizzard of Ozz" and "Diary of a Madman" remain fan favorites and classics of the genre.

Though Rhoads' death hit Ozzy hard, he soldiered on, lining up flashy guitarist Jake E. Lee for his next two albums, "Bark at the Moon" and "The Ultimate Sin." While Ozzy and Lee produced some great songs, they failed to capture the same magic as the Rhoads albums.

But in 1989, Ozzy found another guitarist to fill the void, a fresh-faced kid named Zakk Wylde. The new guitar hotshot had his own unmistakable style, blending lightning fast licks with ear-piercing harmonic shrieks. His first album with Ozzy, "No Rest for the Wicked," was the fastest and heaviest of Ozzy's solo career, a sharp contrast to the more commercial "Ultimate Sin."

Nearly 15 years later, Wylde isn't so fresh-faced anymore (in fact, he's pretty grungy-looking), but he's still Ozzy's right-hand man. He's been partially responsible for some of Ozzy's greatest musical triumphs, including the critically-acclaimed 1992 release "No More Tears" and the highly underrated 2001 release "Down to Earth."

But there have been a few potholes in the road to success for Ozzy - his arrest for urinating on the Alamo in a drunken stupor, his attempt to choke Sharon in a drug-induced rage, a lawsuit brought by parents who claimed his anti-alcoholism anthem "Suicide Solution" caused their children to kill themselves and, of course, the legendary bat-biting incident.

"No matter what achievements I make in my career, I will always be known as the guy who bit the bat's head off," Ozzy said in a 2001 interview with the Associated Press. "Even the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame considers my career a joke because of it."

Indeed, that could have something to do with the reason Black Sabbath has been passed over for induction time and time again, despite the obvious influence they've had on music. But it's not the Hall of Fame that Ozzy cares about, it's the oceans of chanting fans that pack venues wherever he plays - the fans that have allowed him a 30-plus year career. He's never deserted them, and they've never deserted him.

Evidence of that can be found recently, when his insurance company refused to cover a June 11 show in Toronto, because of the SARS scare. Ozzy played the date anyway.

"I'm not afraid of SARS," he said in an interview with Much Music. "I have a commitment and somebody needs to be there for the fans in Toronto."

Despite the ups and downs of his career, and even a temporary retirement in 1992, Ozzy has made one of his biggest contributions to rock `n' roll in the late 1990s with the launching of his annual Ozzfest tour in 1996. The shows, which pair established, big-name hard rock and metal bands with some of the top up-and-coming groups, have been among the top grossing summer tours every year. Now in its eighth year, Ozzfest has helped launch the careers of some of today's biggest hard rock acts, including System of a Down, Static-X, Powerman 5000 and Disturbed.

Ozzfest also gave the world the moment metal fans had been waiting 20 years for in 1999 and 2001, when the reformed original lineup of Black Sabbath headlined the tour.

All of these things and more have combined to give Ozzy one of the largest, most dedicated followings of any rock band on the planet. But there's an easier way to explain it. Just ask any fan, and they'll give you a much simpler answer - "Ozzy (bleeping) rules." Indeed, he (bleeping) does.