As a member of some of the most notable bands in Rock and Roll history, Rudy Sarzo has toured the world and recorded with Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot, Whitesnake, DIO and now Blue Oyster Cult. For over 20 years, Rudy has followed his passion & dreams to the road of success. This feature is an up close and personal interview where he shares how his passion & dreams have led him to his destiny, being a counselor at the "Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp”.

What inspired you to want to be a musician?

Rudy: What nailed it for me, was when I saw the Beatles playing on Ed Sullivan. It was not only that I thought they were really cool & I connected with them, but just having all those girls. I was just a chubby little kid, back then, it was a whole different social, cultural status being overweight. Most of the guys who became musicians were really the outcasts. The guys who were not popular in school, the guys who had a hard time communicating, connecting with the opposite sex, and I just happened to be one of them. I found that the musical instrument, the guitar, and later on the bass, was the perfect tool to communicate with the opposite sex. Something about playing it & the girls reacting to it, that I thought, that’s what I want. Of course through the years, you go through the journey of the reason why you do it, and then you realize, that you’re actually connecting with the music, you fall in love with the process of telling the story through music, and then you just connect with the instrument to the point that it becomes a part of you. It’s an extension of yourself, and then you start speaking the language. I speak Spanish, I speak English, and I speak music, and It’s just something that I can’t remove away from my identity. I am a musician. 

Who are some of your earliest musical influences?

Rudy: The Who, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and The Rolling Stones. But there’s so much more. I also got into progressive music like Yes, King Crimson, then there was the fusion era Weather Report, Chick Corea and Miles Davis was my all time favorite. Of course Latin Rock Music, Santana, Funk, Disco, Motown. I play so many different styles, that’s it’s really helped me go from band to band and be the best that I can be within the parameters of what the band does. I always say I’m joining the band, the band is not joining me! That’s why I’m always able to fit into the styles, people know me as a Heavy Metal Bass player, I never played heavy metal really until I played with Ozzy. Before that, I was at most, a rock player, but I considered myself more of a funk, R & B player more than anything else up until that. 

How did you get involved with the Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp?

Rudy: You have to be recommended. My friend Bruce Culik recommended me. You have to go through a process, so it was a matter of trying to get our schedules together. I was doing a lot of touring with DIO, so it took me a couple of years. My schedule opened up, and I was able to do my first camp.

The camp really is a great concept, how long have you been involved with the camp?

Rudy: It’s been around for 14 years, I’ve been doing it for two. It’s a wonderful idea and the founder of the camp, David Fishof  is incredibly passionate. His passion is addicting! I’m passionate about it, but just to see him so passionate is intoxicating, it really is. I would say every counselor has different approaches, but they love what we’re doing. Every time we do a camp, there’s an outcome that we shoot for, that must happen, at the end of the camp. We’re going to do a cover song, we’re going to do an original song, we’re going to play with an iconic musician, so we prepare ourselves for that. It’s a pretty deep process that I get to really quickly. I learn where each individual is coming from. There’s a difference with the TV Camp, The TV Camp because it’s television, they have to do auditions for the individuals, they’re picked according to certain qualities that they have. We’re not looking for “shredders, we’re not looking for beginners because you have to be able to get something out of them. So they audition, and there’s a certain process. There’s really no audition process when you do the regular “Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp”. I’ve gotten people who have never held a microphone in their lives, to some really good players, people that could be pro right now. 

What were your biggest challenges working on the show?

Rudy: I love challenges so I mean, if there was no challenges, I would fall flat. It’s the hurdles that keep me flying and running faster you know, that’s what I look forward too. Really, there were just circumstances, because of the audition process that we go through for the show.

Who selects the cover songs?

Rudy: We get a certain song list, and you have to stick to these songs because these are the songs that have been cleared. It’s like a deck of cards. You got your hand, you either bluff it, play with it, or maybe you’re handed a straight flush. You just do the best you can with it. I’m prepared for that. Maybe that’s why I don’t really consider it a challenge because I’m expecting stuff like that. 

On the show there was a moment where you gave the bass player in your band your bass, what motivated you to give him your bass?

Rudy: A couple of things. If you noticed in the show, he’s the guy I mentored the least because I felt he needed the least mentoring, so I concentrated on the people that needed the most help. I was so lucky to get him in my band. When I look for a bass player to replace me, I want a guy to be the closest to be like me, so I don’t have to worry about him. He lacked one thing, a sound. I said OK he’s got the chops, he’s got the attitude, I can depend on him, he’s very solid. It wasn’t that I wanted him to sound like me, I wanted him to sound the best. I wanted him to have the best sound for the group. The sound was missing, and the best reference that I could give him for the best sound was the actual instrument that I play! I play what I believe is the best for me, so I figure the best for me hopefully will work for him too. I’m giving him the best that I can give. And he deserves it too! He really does and again I hope that this gives him inspiration. 

How important is it for musicians to be prepared?

Rudy: You have to be prepared on every single level. You have to be prepared for that moment when you get that phone call, or that email, that text for that audition, or for that gig. Also you have to be prepared for your encounter.

On the show you recommended to your band that they should always have questions ready when they meet fellow peers? What type of questions should musicians ask?

Rudy: Not just questions, QUALITY questions! It all depends on the individual, your musical skill level, your interests. Believe me, from somebody who’s been there, I really appreciate it when someone comes up to me, or emails me and asks me an intelligent quality question. Ask me something that’s going to help you elevate your craft, help you take you to the next level. Something technical, something about my sound, something like that.

Are you going to continue doing Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp after the show?

Rudy: Oh Yeah! I am doing it. I fell in love with the whole thing, and it became my priority even before the show started rolling. What the show gives is the opportunity to go behind those four walls that we’re in when we do the camp. If we can influence one individual out there, one person that has taken their instrument and put it in the corner, to pursue another path, but still feels connected, with music, we’ve done our mission. That’s what the show is about, helping others reconnect. That’s all we do as human beings it’s all connecting. To create is to connect. Once it comes out of you, it’s for everyone to share. 

What inspired you to write the book “Off The Rails”?

Rudy: That eternal question I get asked around the world, what was it like to play with Randy Rhodes. In the old days, I used to sit around, tell a couple of stories, walk away feeling like there was so much more to share. It’s all in the book now! Everything that I experienced, is right there. To sit down, make a commitment about reliving in your head, just about your most painful experience in your life, is a tough decision. The need to tell the story of Randy Rhodes outweighed the pain that I was going to go through when I wrote that last chapter. Actually I thought chapter 19 was going to be the hardest, which is the one with the crash, but it was chapter 18 where I knew it was the last time where he was going to be alive in my head. During the writing of that, it was like Randy was still here.

Is there any advice you can offer to musicians thinking about putting together a band?

Rudy: Do it for the love of music. Do it because you have a calling and you MUST play. Not because you want to make a living, or you must get the chicks. Telling the story should be your only motivation. It’s a language of communication, make sure that every time you say something, you have something to say! You have to have a plan, a strategy. The plan is OK, I’m going to get from point A to point B, the strategy is how am I going to get there. It’s the HOW that is so important. Without that, you’re not going to get there. You must know where you’re going in life. It’s your GPS. Strategy = GPS You Prioritize. Model yourself after one person who’s already achieved the type of success that you’re looking for. That’s your reference. There’s two things in life, there’s your passions and your dreams and that is what’s going to drive you. That’s your light to guide you to your destiny. It might not necessarily be your plan, but if you can live your dreams and your passions on the road to fulfill your destiny, you’re going to have a full life. Your passion might be the art that you’re creating, but your destiny might be bigger than that. It’s the cause and effect of you doing your art for the greater good, that your art will fulfill. In my case I came to realize that my dream, my passion was to be a musician, my destiny is to help others fulfill their dreams. That’s my real destiny. You know it is your destiny because it becomes the most fulfilling thing that you do. I was asked what is more rewarding for me, to do a show at Madison Square Garden in front of thousands of people or to do the camp. For me it’s definitely to do the camp! Once you help others realize their dreams, that’s a life changing experience. It doesn’t get bigger than that! Those that can and care, share!