Randy California - Night of the Guitar

[divanola]

Randy was a genius and a sweetheart of a dude.....he never lost that young kid attitude about guitars and music

[1957skeeter]

LOVE YOU RANDY...SEEN YOU AT THE RIVOLI IN INDIANAPOLIS IN THE '70'S. THEY SAY IT'S HAUNTED...WONDER IF YOU'RE THERE HANGIN OUT.

[shotdonkey]

@1957skeeter

let`s hope that is NOT the case; as it would mean that his soul has not fully disconnected with the material plane!

however, having been the advanced spiritual being he was, I can almost assure you that "hangin` out at the tivoli" is one of the few things that randy will not currently be doing wherever he is!!!

god bless his soul.

[Corbroek]

@1957skeeter there have been a very good concert in amsterdam, milky way at ??? year 2000?? Randy gave me a plectrum with his name on unlukky i lost it. Love the music of spirit when i was 15, 42 years ago.

[giacjack]

good old times when music was a passion and not business

[triplettam]

One of the best. He died saving his son from a rip tide in Hawaii. Gone way too soon. I think Spirit was the most original and diverse American band ever. RIP Randy. YOUR spirit lives on.

[TheArtbango]

I had the pleasure of opening for Randy and Spirit at the Whisky in the late 70's! Then I was drumming for a band called "Stage" that we move to L.A. . As a tribute to Randy, I will sing Natures Way at my next gig! Randy and Spirit lives on!!!

[Bix12]

Randy should've collected royalties from "Stairway To Heaven", seeing's how he wrote the damn thing.....just sayin'....

[seranda73]

RANDY CALIFORNIA, N.1! :  )

[ankham81]

JUst wish more people saw this, And no doubt Page ripped the Stairway intro fom Taurus.

[strawberrynipples86]

he did a brilliant set at Reading back in the 80's that went out on the Friday Rock Show Radio 1 that included Killer Weed,I Got a line on You and my favourite "Run to your Lover" does anyone know if it's available as I've not been able to find it, similarly Gary Moore, though some of the Reading performances have come out on cd like MSG

[krogers5858]

Whatever he did with a guitar, was completely dwarfed by his last act on earth. He saved his 12 year old son from a rip current, before he was sucked out to sea and drowned. If you had to write a story of your life, could you possibly think of a better way to end it?

[mrwilson41]

@krogers5858 Amen, I was a fan long ago, and he proved he was a man with his death

[TheTimananda]

really great !!

anybody know who the other guitar player on this was?

(don't your speakers have a volume control, #'s?)

[arthurtr]

@TheTimananda It's Steve Hunter

[garyiow]

Saw the legend playing when he supported Ian Gillan,The Mr Universe tour.

The line up that nightwas Samson,Randy California and then Gillan.What a greaT night.

Fond memories.

[elgrovez13]

Terrible audio quality, but Randy is fantastic so it still got a thumbs up. A better quality upload would be awesome though.

[benni0038]

Thanks for this great Video,never i see it bevor. R.I.P Randy

[cbxsage]

Randy was, quite possibly, the most understated ax man ever. He wrote and played with the heart of a lion. One of his best is "The Prisoner", a great example of the limits of guitar consciousness. Randy gave his life for his son, long live Randy California...RIP

[1231238502]

i can't hear a fucking thing

[arhatyellow]

Always dug his playing, always will. Son of Spirit, one of the best.

[lastdaysguitar]

I met Randy years back - a really great and humble player - he was excited to be working with Doors guitarist Robby Kreiger on a recording project - did that ever get finished?

RIP Randy - you died a hero.

[loco6607]

This track has even made my bald head of hair stand on it's head..Brilliant...

[starman714]

Thanks for sharing - like many of the other positive comments here, I'd just like to add my 2 cents. He was all that and easily on a par with the big names of 60's rock and then some. Not just for speed but for feel and finesse too.

I'd also like to add that besides Jeff Beck, I really haven't seen any of the other old school of guitarists absorb and show they could play in the newer styles but Randy could and it's evidenced on his 3 solo albums Shattered Dream, Euro-American and Restless.

[TheBriankz]

He was my favorite giutarist (remyfla). I wish everyone could have seen a Spirit show and how Randy blew the roof off the joint. And yes , He was right up there with all those other guitar legends. None of them had anything on this guy.

[spshapes]

i saw several like '69 and '70, very unique tone and style, he had great sustain! Those guys were not given their due back then. Although it was pretty much all over for them after Jay Ferguson left, that guy was the 'man' on stage with tamberines in both hands full of charisma, made me want the musician life at a impressionable time.

[wesbeebub]

well he was good enough for jimmy page to steal stairway to heaven riff from him

[70sforever1]

Randy was the best! Lost him way too young. I was lucky enough to meet him and hang out with him a bit. He was a really great guy & brilliant guitarist/songwriter/singer. He is missed.

[totonno58]

I went to the concert near Napoli in march 1989, proud to see Pino Daniele, great guitarist from my town, among those stars!

[johndevault]

When was this concert? '80's?

[Westerdd]

yeah its around 1988 at hammersmith palis or odean. I went to the concerts they did the following year in 1989. Was awesome

[johndevault]

Thanks man.

[awesomejohnnet]

Excellent stage presence, great tasty song, nice guitar, good tone, good vibe,

Why is it that songs like this dont become famous? Makes one sick to his stomach to see such talent get overlooked.

[remyfla]

Having worked at Manny's Music and met and watched them all play up close in their prime I have to say though not as well known, Randy California is one of my favorite guitarists and in pure kick ass rock is up there with Alvin Lee, Joe Walsh, Pete Townsend, Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, and believe it or not Frank Zappa!

[gk10002000]

manny's music in NY? We all took the train from Providence down to their and bought our guitars. I got the solid maple fender telecaster back in about 1974. I never really did like the sound. Finally got tired of lugging it all over the country while I moved and was in the air force and sold it in 1996 i think it was.

[mesphinx]

@remyfla you're right man: even FZ he was one of the greatest and had his special tone and style everybody should listen to his triple album "shut up'n play yer guitar" and you'll know it!!

Bysides: don't forget Johnny Winter, Rory Gallaghe and and .... and then, there are so many black guitarists too who influenced most of the quoted players:-D

[Mokum1961]

Hell, I remember a 'Night of...' in Utrecht from the same year! Could this mean that I've seen the great Randy California live? (my memory sucks)

[crimescenestudios]

Love Randy. Just recorded a song he'd love at Crime Scene Studios. Peace. Michael Carpenter - guitarist for 'Spirit Revisited' with Ed Cassidy (after the passing of Randy California)

[stevieVantanna]

How do you do those tap harmonics in the intro?

Is he just tapping 12 frets up from the fretted note?

[mikekorz]

I wonder who taught who what with jimi and randy,

history would have been different had randy went to england with jimi...

[basspond51]

Randy was a flat out genius. Love the echo-plex intro!!  Perhaps one of the most complete guitar players ever. Listen to the pure simplicity and originality of the solo in "Dark -Eyed Woman" Odd though, not seeing Ed Cassidy playing drums...Randy ALWAYS played with his father-in-law. LWest is a good guitar player, but really, he couldnt carry Randys strap!

[spirit1057]

This song is called Groove Thing. It shows Randy's Jimi like style. Randy was a genius player, could say so much with much fewer notes then these guys wailing away with off the wall riffs. This man really understood music. It's a shame the commercial industry ignored him here in the states, but I will say that this.This fan follwed him till the end.

[Falco66441]

@spirit1057 Is there anywhere to find a good audio recording of this song or concert? This is an amazing song and I love this video, but I want to crank it! hehe. I can't get enough of this, but the vhs quality isn't jam worthy ;)

[MegaAndy25]

@Falco66441 Yes there is a double album out there called 'Night Of the Guitar" and

a video of it also. I owned both of them and saw this all live in L.A. I believe it was at

the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium if I'm not mistaken. I think these are still available.

[leonakita]

@spirit1057 agree 100 %

[guitarbob63]

2:14 Will Ferrell will be playing Randy California in the upcoming movie "I got a line on you-The revenge of the bad hair-day"

[Nightfly47]

The bass player is Derek Holt of the Climax Blues Band.

[Monkeyspankerelite]

Where and when was this recorded? Thx for uploading!

[BRECKDOG]

I just noticed these clips and I remember watching this as a teenager)

What is really frustrating is that the the best bit of the night- and the reason I remember it- is where Randy C plays Hey Joe - but its missing.

The song was an OK performance but the intro was amazing using echo delay and interplay with the drums. I hope someone can post it.

[depper]

It was amazing to watch 2 guitarists in particular. Fans of both Randy California and Leslie West couldnt have been happier. Randy and Leslie played so good on this tour, and really helped weave THIS tour into the warmest and most exciting to watch rock tour in the past 15 years, and theres been nothing like it 15 years after either.

[gbrycki]

Both West and California are very powerful guitarists, both also very melodic. It's never just notes for the sake of notes. Geez, I wish I could've been there that night.

[dougienancy]

"twelve dreams of dr sardonicus" is a benchmark in production....recorded two years before dark side of the moon...its a masterpiece

[DirtyDeck]

Yah fucking brilliant album! the only spirit I know actually!

[Alcervic]

Randy Jammed with J.M.H. at the age of 14 enough said.

[sirsartana]

Great performance by Randy California,his Spirit lives on forever R.I.P. Randy

[Jimbothefatcook]

Had tickets for Night Of The Guitars in SF but the concert was cancelled ....just the euro leg of the tour went on .....Guitar Speak was the collection of artists and albums the tour was promoting .

[sirsartana]

Randy was a awesome guitarist and a great human being R.I.P. Randy we miss you!

[JimmyRimsphere]

Has anyone ever said that Chaz Michael Michaels from Blades of Glory looks like Randy California?

[dudnetto]

I Wish I was there . . .After hendrix . . .Just Randy . A Genius !

[TommyS5150]

Well done for putting this on man , anybody who has any footage please put it up

[zzbin]

thanks for uploading this. cant get enough of randy :)