Dude thanks for posting this. All I knew about Bernie Torme is that he was the first guy who replaced Randy Rhoads in Ozzy's band supposedly a heck of guitarist. Evidently the new triple record isn't out or on Apple Music yet so l'm listening to Blackhart, Bernie's 2015 release. I really like what I'm hearing classic Euro hard rock. If it's Bernie singing, he sounds a lot like Luther Dickinson (bless his heart.) Lol! The guitar tone is spot on. Again tippin' my hat to you jzfunk. 😉

Bernie was the only bad guitarist pick that Ozzy ever made. Tough times as Randy had died but Bernie was never able to play Randy's stuff. Even on the Randy tribute album, he can't handle Flying High Again. Just not really his style of playing. Easy to see why he didn't last.

Ozzy's first choice was Gary Moore but he passed. So Bernie was brought in to finish commitments. He helped Ozzy and in return his nae has stuck around and many who would not ever hear of him got the chance.

Au contraire my Canadian frere ... Gus G? Wtf? I spoke with somebody who caught Oz with Bernie and raved about it FWIW. I'm just sayin' I liked what I heard on Bernie's record Blackheart from 2015 great tone classic Brit/Euro hard rock/metal. Would love for some of our buds across the pond to chime in. I have a feeling he's a much more known commodity over there.

I have a couple of bootlegs from those shows and Bernie lacks. Opinions differ but Bernie did not get the gig for the reason that I gave. It is just not his style of playing - he knew it and Ozzy knew it. He helped out and got his name out there. Without that very brief time, who would even know who he is? Although he had played with Gillian, he wasn't exactly a household name.

The crowds for those 7 shows were not overly accepting and he couldn't take the pressure. He is very below Randy standards which is nothing to be ashamed of as very few can reach that standard. Even Brad Gillis felt the pressure and he can play circles around Bernie.

I have all the Gillian albums, his stuff with Dee Snyder and a few of Bernie's own albums.. I like him and know his playing. Much more of a classic rock blues based player then a metal shredder. Similar to how the original Whitesnake players were not metal guys.

Bernie with Ozzy was similar to Snowy White joining Thin Lizzy following Gary Moore's last departure. Poor Snowy never stood a chance. Watching him try to cover Moore's and Robertson's parts is just painful. Just not his style of playing at all.

Bernie with Ozzy - bad audio but you get the gist of it. Good player but has to change all the solos to try and cope. Not a bad player but just not his thing.

Flying High

Mr. Crowley

Now Gus G. while not my favorite of Ozzy players, he is far better suited for Ozzy than Bernie. Not sure what you don't like about him but he can play. Saw him in a bar here a few months back with his band and he was great. Real nice guy also. Technically he is probably the best since Randy, The others haven't really been able to release instrumentals like this. Live, he was flying and playing some complex stuff. Again not sure what you don't like but he can play.

The Quest

Mr. Crowley with Gus - he does a good job.

Jake and Zakk are more straight forward pentatonic blues stuff just played a million mph. Gus is more schooled in theory and the same with Brad. I like them all but from projects outside of Ozzy I would take Jake as Badlands would top the others.

The Master that they all try to emulate with Ozzy. Randy Rhoads

My favorite Torme stuff is definitely his Gillian years

No Easy Way

[Edited on 3/21/2017 by CanadianMule]

Dude thanks for posting this. All I knew about Bernie Torme is that he was the first guy who replaced Randy Rhoads in Ozzy's band supposedly a heck of guitarist. Evidently the new triple record isn't out or on Apple Music yet so l'm listening to Blackhart, Bernie's 2015 release. I really like what I'm hearing classic Euro hard rock. If it's Bernie singing, he sounds a lot like Luther Dickinson (bless his heart.) Lol! The guitar tone is spot on. Again tippin' my hat to you jzfunk. 😉

You are welcome.

"classic Euro hard rock", that's my bag as far as that genre All of the 70's and early to mid 80's from overseas. I tend to favor that style of hard rock more than anything.

Bernie is a very good player, but I have never heard his Ozzy stuff, just read things on how he fit in. So I really cant give my opinion.

The Ian Gillan solo album "Glory Road" with Bernie Torme is really excellent, worth checking out for sure.

Gillan's voice was still strong, and as CM noted, Bernie has a great old school hard rock feel rather than the Euro Metal thing. I'd see him doing better in an Aerosmith kind of band than playing "Mr. Crowley."

The Ian Gillan solo album "Glory Road" with Bernie Torme is really excellent, worth checking out for sure.

Gillan's voice was still strong, and as CM noted, Bernie has a great old school hard rock feel rather than the Euro Metal thing. I'd see him doing better in an Aerosmith kind of band than playing "Mr. Crowley."

Those Gillian albums don't get as much credit as they deserve. Ian is still in fine form and the songs cook.

Bernie is more of a Rory influenced player than a Randy type player.

I always liked Mel Galley, Bernie Marsden and Mick Moody as a guitar players and what they brought to the table for the early Whitesnake.

Here's one with Mel
Whitesnake Crying In The Rain

I always liked Mel Galley, Bernie Marsden and Mick Moody as a guitar players and what they brought to the table for the early Whitesnake.

Here's one with Mel
Whitesnake Crying In The Rain

I like that era also and I pretty much view different eras of Whitesnake as different bands. Those early guys were blues based while Sykes tore it up. But any of those players would sound silly trying to play a Sykes solo. 😉

Same song - same band name - pretty f'n different - lol

Crying In The Rain

I always liked Mel Galley, Bernie Marsden and Mick Moody as a guitar players and what they brought to the table for the early Whitesnake.

Here's one with Mel
Whitesnake Crying In The Rain

I like that era also and I pretty much view different eras of Whitesnake as different bands. Those early guys were blues based while Sykes tore it up. But any of those players would sound silly trying to play a Sykes solo. 😉

Same song - same band name - pretty f'n different - lol

Crying In The Rain

Exactly!

I bought the 25th Anniversary of Slide It In and it has an extra disc of the original recording with Galley and Moody. Its pretty cool to hear . Sykes is just a monster guitar player and made those recordings so much bigger and fuller sounding . That guy is a beast of a guitarist.

Here is a version of Whitesnake- Moody, Marsden, Murray, Paice, Lord & Robert Hart.
Ready 'n' Willing

Bernie Marsden & Jon Lord - Here I Go Again

Celebrating Jon Lord 'Burn' (Dickinson, Hughes, Paice, Airey & Wakeman)

[Edited on 3/23/2017 by jszfunk]