Ross Halfin "Randy Rhoads" Super Deluxe Edition, Signed Limited Leather Bound Edition of 150 [Very Fine]

Personally signed by Ozzy Osbourne and Ross Halfin.

SUPER DELUXE SIGNED LEATHER-BOUND EDITION # 120 OF ONLY 150 PRODUCED

Super Deluxe Signed Edition. 150 Copies worldwide.

When Randy Rhoads joined the Ozzy Osbourne band at the end of 1979 he not only helped to transform the career of the ex-Black Sabbath front man, he also helped to redefine the metal scene of the 1980’s and has been a prominent influence for hundreds of guitarists ever since and well after his tragic death at the age of just 25 in 1982.

Randy Rhoads by Ross Halfin celebrates his time with Randy and Ozzy Osbourne both on stage and off with hundreds of beautiful, largely unseen images from those early years. Measuring 240mm by 340mm this 280 page coffee table book contains hundred of beautiful images and features an exclusive introduction by Ozzy Osbourne and an epilogue by Rhoads fan, Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello.

“It’s weird. I only knew Randy Rhoads for a couple of years, but it felt my longer. I felt like I knew him for my whole life,” says Ozzy Osbourne. “I still think about him a lot and I wonder what he would be doing now. I owe him a huge amount - he was the beginning of me. He wasn’t just my guitarist; he was my friend.”

"He was great at coming up with riffs. I remember we were at a party in a rehearsal studio in London for the band Wild Horses. Everybody else was really fucked up, but Randy was sitting in a corner with his Flying V, just twiddling along on it. Suddenly he started playing this amazing riff. I went, “What the hell was that?” and he shrugged. I said, “Play it again,” and I started singing these words I had in my head over it: “Wine is fine, but whiskey’s quicker, suicide is slow with liquor…” That was Suicide Solution, written right there" - Ozzy Osbourne

The Super Deluxe Leather Edition:

297mm by 420mm this 280 page hard back book with blue leather cover and 3D lenticular comes in a special, blue handmade clamshell box with white foil and a limited edition giclee print. Each book is numbered 1 to 150.

Each book personally signed by Ozzy Osbourne and Ross Halfin

This edition is physically larger than the previous two editions.

• Binding and size: Threadsewn, 297mm x 420mm
• Cover materials: Hard back book, 3000 micron greyboard with recycled blue leather cover, inlaid lenticular image and embossed Randy logo
• Number of pages and paper type: 280 pages, 170gsm silk artpaper
• Clamshell: Blue Corvan clamshell box, Gold recess, 1 unique print. White foil deboss.

Ozzy Osbourne is famous and important for several reasons, primarily related to his significant impact on rock and heavy metal music. His contributions to music, combined with his distinctive persona and media presence, make him a key figure in rock history.

Pioneering Heavy Metal: As the lead vocalist of Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne played a crucial role in the development of heavy metal. Black Sabbath’s music, characterized by its dark themes and heavy, distorted guitar riffs, helped define the genre.

Distinctive Voice and Persona: Ozzy’s unique vocal style, combined with his larger-than-life stage persona, set him apart from other musicians. His theatrical performances and sometimes outrageous behavior helped cement his place in rock history.

Solo Career: After leaving Black Sabbath, Ozzy embarked on a successful solo career. Albums like Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman featured hits that became classics in their own right, further establishing his influence.

Iconic Moments: Ozzy is known for memorable and sometimes controversial moments, such as the infamous incident where he bit the head off a bat on stage. These events contributed to his larger-than-life reputation.

Enduring Influence: Despite his controversial image, Ozzy’s influence on music, fashion, and pop culture is undeniable. He’s inspired countless musicians and has remained a relevant figure in the rock and metal scenes.

Reality TV and Media Presence: His appearance on the reality TV show The Osbournes brought him to a broader audience and showcased his personality beyond his music career.

Ozzy Osbourne

John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English musician and media personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead singer of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adopted the nickname "Prince of Darkness".

Osbourne became a founding member of Black Sabbath in 1968, providing lead vocals from their self-titled debut album in 1970 to Never Say Die! in 1978. The band was highly influential in the development of heavy metal music, in particular their critically acclaimed releases Paranoid, Master of Reality, and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath in 1979 due to alcohol and drug problems. He then began a successful solo career with Blizzard of Ozz in 1980 and has released 13 studio albums, the first seven of which received multi-platinum certifications in the US. He has since reunited with Black Sabbath on several occasions. He rejoined in 1997 and helped record the group's final studio album, 13 (2013) before they embarked on a farewell tour that ended with a 2017 performance in their native Birmingham. His longevity and success have earned him the informal title of the "Godfather of Metal".

Osbourne has sold over 100 million albums, including his solo work and Black Sabbath releases. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Black Sabbath in 2006 and as a solo artist in 2024. He was also inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame both solo and with Black Sabbath in 2005. He has been honoured with stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Birmingham Walk of Stars. At the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards, he received the Global Icon Award. In 2015, he received the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.

In the early 2000s, Osbourne became a reality television star when he appeared in the MTV reality show The Osbournes alongside his wife and manager Sharon and two of their children, Kelly and Jack. He co-stars with Jack and Kelly in the television series Ozzy & Jack's World Detour.

Randy Rhoads

Randall William Rhoads (December 6, 1956 – March 19, 1982) was an American guitarist. He was the co-founder and original guitarist of the heavy metal band Quiet Riot, and the guitarist and co-songwriter for Ozzy Osbourne's first two solo albums Blizzard of Ozz (1980) and Diary of a Madman (1981). Rhoads was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.

Originally educated in classical guitar, Rhoads combined these early influences with heavy metal, helping form a sub-genre later known as neoclassical metal. With Quiet Riot, he adopted a black-and-white polka-dot theme which became an emblem for the group. He reached his peak as the guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne's solo career, performing on tracks including "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" on the Blizzard of Ozz album. "Crazy Train" features one of the most well-known heavy metal guitar riffs.

He died in a plane crash while on tour with Osbourne in Florida in 1982. Despite his short career, Rhoads is regarded as a pivotal figure in metal music, credited with pioneering a fast and technical style of guitar soloing that largely defined the metal scene of the 1980s. He helped popularize various guitar techniques now common in heavy metal music, including two-handed tapping, tremolo bar dive bombs, and intricate scale patterns, drawing comparisons to his contemporary Eddie Van Halen. The Jackson Rhoads guitar was originally commissioned by him. He has been included in several published "Greatest Guitarist" lists, and has been cited by other prominent guitarists as a major influence.

Ross Halfin

Ross William Halfin (born 11 August 1957) is a British rock music photographer. Since the late 1970s he has worked for some of the biggest acts in rock and heavy metal, including Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, The Who, Kiss, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Van Halen, Def Leppard and many others.

Halfin shoots both freelance and assignment pieces, for magazines and clients directly.

He has toured with many bands, including Metallica, Iron Maiden, Status Quo, Def Leppard, The Who, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Jam, Blondie, Mötley Crüe, Van Halen, Aerosmith, The Black Crowes, Ozzy Osbourne, Kiss, Soundgarden, Queens of the Stone Age and The Mars Volta.

1970s
Halfin began his career working for Sounds magazine in the 1970s, shooting various artists on the punk scene including The Clash, The Jam, The Sex Pistols, 999 and The Adverts.

1980s
After linking up with writers Geoff Barton and Peter Makowski, Halfin moved on to working mainly in the US with bands such as Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Bon Jovi, UFO, Rush, Journey, Aerosmith and Black Sabbath.

In 1980, Halfin became chief photographer of new music magazine Kerrang!, photographing their first cover of AC/DC. He continued shooting with them for the next 20 years.[7]

Halfin took the last photo of Bon Scott alive in 1980, alongside UFO bassist Pete Way.

1990s
In the 1990s, Halfin took to travel photography on a casual but obscure basis, but his work would later resurface in an issue of Genesis Publications in 2011.[11]

2000s

Halfin worked with Eminem and Slayer, and started working with Metallica again in 2007.

He attended the Closing Ceremony of the 2008 Olympics Games accompanying Jimmy Page.

2010s
Continued to shoot Metallica along with other mainly hard rock and metal bands, alongside travel.

In 2011 he confirmed he prefers trees to humans, stating "a tree isn't going to shout at you and it doesn't have 10 people around it screaming: 'We've got to wrap this up right now, mate'".

2020s
He released Led Zeppelin Vinyl: The Essential Collection book in 2021. Started doing Q&A signing with Metallica during M72 World Tour dates across the world, while all-but-stopping his infamous Diary.