“They were all having a difficult time, having lost a bandmate and a good friend. It was a dark moment, and I was in the middle of it”: Robert Sarzo was hired and immediately fired as Randy Rhoads’ replacement – but he has no regrets

Robert Sarzo is one hell of a player, as demonstrated in his band Hurricane and his diverse soundtrack work – but his career is often framed as a case of what might have been.

That’s because, in the aftermath of Randy Rhoads’ death in 1982, he was hired and almost immediately fired from Ozzy Osbourne’s band, in favor of Irish gunslinger Bernie Tormé. Sarzo holds no grudges: “For me, it wasn’t a gig to get,” he says.

“They’d just had a tragedy. And Randy was a very close friend of my brother [Ozzy bassist] Rudy. They were all having a difficult time, having lost a bandmate and a good friend. It was a dark moment, and I was in the middle of it.”

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He went on to form Hurricane, scored the ‘80s hits I’m On to You and Over the Edge, and he’s remained active, though nomadic, since. “I’m proud of the results I’ve achieved throughout my life,” he says.

“Everything I set out to accomplish, so long as it was within my control, I made happen through discipline and commitment. Every experience, including the difficult ones, has shaped me into the person I am today.”

What inspired you to pick up the guitar?

I lived in Havana, Cuba, until I was 6 years old. Havana was very musical. My aunt Perla once took me to a Christmas party at a casino where she was performing as a singer and flamenco dancer. I fell in love with the stage and lighting – it seemed to be a magical place. My uncle Sergio was a classical pianist and opera singer who performed for us when we visited him.

On September 1, 1961, our family left communist Cuba, abandoning everything we owned for freedom. After a couple of years in Miami as refugees, my parents moved to New Jersey in search of more work.

That’s where I watched The Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show in NYC, across the Hudson River – and I decided to become a professional guitarist. My parents ordered a Silvertone acoustic guitar from the Spiegel catalog, and my brother Rudy and I shared it. Not having the money for lessons, we figured out how to tune and play it on our own.

After two years in New Jersey my parents moved us back to Miami. When we arrived, all the kids were learning to play musical instruments and every block had a band. The British Invasion had spread all over the country.

I traded some baseball cards for a Harmony guitar and amp and I began jamming with other guitar players. That’s how I learned how to play with a band.

How did you develop your skills?

I could only purchase an album once in a while, but I figured out how to learn songs from vinyl. I’d slow down the turntable; I’d place small rocks in the middle of the record to slow the motor even more for dissecting guitar parts. I learned how to transpose music by slowing down the vinyl, which changes the key of the song.

In 1970 I got a job at a busboy at The Royal Palm Hotel. With that money and a little help from my parents, I purchased my first new Gibson Les Paul sunburst from Ace Music, and an early-1960s Marshall 100-watt Super Bass Plexiglass head with a matching 4x12 cab from a friend.

I started organizing musicians to create bands, and booking the bands for school parties and private events. So I had more money to invest in more musical equipment. My brother Rudy was in some of the bands; we’d share the same responsibilities.

What led to the call from Ozzy and Sharon to become Randy Rhoads’ replacement?

I knew Randy, Ozzy, Sharon, and the band through Rudy. I was living in Paramus, New Jersey, at the time, and whenever they played in the area I’d visit them.

Ozzy and Sharon knew I’d been recording and touring with DL Byron, a signed artist on Arista Records, and that I’d been performing on the arena circuit, supporting Bob Seger and Boomtown Rats and headlining.

So I got a call from my brother, who said, “Ozzy wants to talk to you.” Ozzy told me Randy had died, and asked if I was available and interested in coming to LA to rehearse with the band. I told him I was, then Sharon got on and took my information to book my flight for the next day.

On the flight I had my 1970 Gibson Les Paul and a cassette of a live Blizzard of Ozz show. I had a middle row, all four seats, to myself so I was learning the songs during the flight.

What was the audition like?

I got picked up at LAX by the band – it was my first time in LA – and we went to the Beverly Hills Hotel, where we stayed for the night. Next day, we went to a soundstage rehearsal studio in, I believe, San Bernardino, where we started to rehearse the set. I was playing through a 100-watt Marshall supplied by the studio.

After a week of rehearsals, Ozzy and Sharon told me they wanted me in the band, and started making arrangements to build me a pedalboard from the same guy who’d built Randy’s in England.

Take us through Don Arden hiring Bernie Tormé, which led to you losing the gig.

Either Sharon’s dad Don, or brother David – I don’t remember which – had sent a guitar player from England with all his equipment. He’d already been paid for the tour, so they had to use him.

How did that feel?

From the moment I got the call from Ozzy in New Jersey, to the rehearsal where he officially brought me into the band, I felt a deep sense of validation. Every hour I spent studying Randy’s performances and working to honor that legacy felt worthwhile. Being hired by Ozzy himself was an incredible affirmation that my preparation and dedication had paid off.

At the same time, the experience was a reminder of how unpredictable the music industry can be. Artists may have their own vision – but ultimately, decisions can shift based on management or label priorities.

It was a whirlwind, professionally and emotionally. But I walked away proud of the work I delivered and grateful for the opportunity to stand in that role, even briefly.

Did you speak with Ozzy and Sharon again?

Yes – a few days after leaving LA I reunited with the group for their performance at Madison Square Garden. I joined them at the post-show gathering hosted at Don Arden’s NYC penthouse.

It felt less like a celebration and more like a memorial for Randy. Don Airey sat down at the grand piano and began playing Goodbye to Romance. We all sang along in Randy's memory. Even with our voices filling the room, there was a profound silence in the air – a collective mourning for his absence.

Ozzy asked me to step into his room to speak privately. He apologized sincerely and explained that he’d genuinely wanted me to join the band. Regrettably, that was the last time I ever spoke with Ozzy and Sharon.

How did you move on to form Hurricane?

When I got home I realized that LA offered the perfect combination – Miami-style weather without the humidity, and the driving energy of New York’s music industry. I put my house on the market and relocated my wife and our three-year-old son to Sherman Oaks, which kept me close to Hollywood and the major studios.

I checked out a few established bands that were looking for a guitarist, but none of them captured the sound I was envisioning. So I decided to build my own project from scratch. I began placing ads to recruit like-minded musicians. I already knew I wanted to name the band Hurricane – a nod to my years of living through them in Miami.

My goal was to pair a heavy, powerful guitar sound with strong, melodic vocal harmonies. Bassist Tony Cavazo was the first member to come on board – we were completely musically aligned at the time.

What gear were you using when you recorded Hurricane’s hits I’m On to You and Over the Edge?

On I’m On to You I played one of my Ibanez RG550 guitars through a Marshall 800 with a 100-watt head and 4x12 Celestion speaker cabs. Our producer, Bob Ezrin, brought us the song and we remade it in our style.

With Over the Edge, I recorded all the guitars, acoustic and electric. I used an Alvarez Yairi 12-string and a 6-string. For the heavy tracks I played one of my RG550s through the Marshall 800. I came up with the guitar parts, then it became a band collaboration. We did a lot of pre-production with Bob.

What led to the end of Hurricane?

We spent upwards of 330 days a year together, balancing intense touring schedules with demanding industry pressures. Given our distinct personalities, that level of constant proximity naturally created friction. By the time we began work on our third album, we’d just drifted in different musical directions.

Why did you decide to move into soundtrack work?

I have a deep passion for the recording process and creating music tailored for cinema. My introduction to scoring occurred in 1979 at The Record Plant in New York City, where I recorded for the Allan Moyle punk film Times Square.

Following my time with Hurricane, a producer invited me to compose for his new film, The Collector, written and directed by the legendary Marcus Dunstan. I ultimately created half of the soundtrack cues, which solidified my path forward.

You later worked with Geoff Tate’s version of Queensrÿche with your brother Rudy.

That was an incredible professional milestone. We’d grown up sharing a room and playing in numerous bands together, so our musical synergy was built over a lifetime. That created an effortless chemistry on stage – it made the entire experience feel completely natural.

What are you working on now?

I co-wrote and produced my last Hurricane album, Reconnected, in 2023. I recently worked with Kevin Martin, Rudy, Robin Diaz, producer Danny Saber, and songwriter/label owner Luca Zanna. We recorded a song called Live with No Regrets. I’m also going back into the studio to record a new release for Zanna Records.

I play guitar 24/7, even if I’m on vacation. I travel with my Ciari Ascender professional folding electric guitar and my SparkGo amplifier. I also perform with my band, 80 Proof VuDu.

• Reconnected is on sale now.