Quiet Riot’s bassist Rudy Sarzo recently addressed the long-rumored rivalry between Randy Rhoads and Eddie Van Halen. He dismissed the claims in an interview shared on YouTube.
Sarzo was asked directly whether there was a feud between the two guitar legends, a story that has circulated widely over the years. He was unequivocal in his response, calling the narrative a myth rooted in the blurring of opinion and fact.
“No, that’s… No, I think it’s a myth. A myth that people… We’re in a time in history where alternate realities are very common. People invent things to suit their own journey in life,” Sarzo said.
He went on to elaborate on why such stories tend to gain traction. He pointed to a broader cultural tendency to treat personal opinions as established truths.
“People don’t know the difference between an opinion and a fact,” he continued. “So they’ll make a statement based on an opinion to somebody who has experienced what they’re talking about, because they’re so programmed to believe an opinion rather than a fact.”
Sarzo played alongside Randy Rhoads and has firsthand knowledge of that era. His comments offer a clear rebuttal to a narrative that has persisted for decades in rock music circles.
Sarzo played bass with Rhoads in Quiet Riot throughout the late 1970s. Rhoads departed to join Ozzy Osbourne’s solo band in 1979. That shared history gives Sarzo a perspective that few others can claim, and it is precisely that firsthand experience he draws on when dismissing the feud narrative.
The two guitarists reportedly met only once, in the mid-1970s, for an amicable exchange while performing on a double bill along the Sunset Strip. Quiet Riot drummer Drew Forsyth has stated that there was an immense amount of mutual respect between Rhoads and Van Halen. He also noted that the rivalry was made out to be far more than it ever was.
Original Quiet Riot bassist Kelly Garni offered a telling insight into Rhoads’ character. Garni confirmed that Rhoads had no interest in competing with Van Halen. It simply was not in Randy to try to compete, because his brain was wired differently.
That assessment aligns with Rhoads’ own documented outlook. He acknowledged Van Halen’s influence on the guitar landscape while maintaining that his own approach was distinct. The two men were developing their craft in parallel, not in opposition. Those closest to both have consistently said as much.
