I'm a fan (and you should be too) because...When I was in Junior High School in Medford, Massachusetts, I listened to dance and rap music. It was all I knew because everyone I hung around with listened to it. I was never exposed to rock or metal.
In 1985, when I was 13 years old, I went on a vacation trip to a lake in Rindge, New Hampshire with my parents. I went to the local college bookstore (Franklin Pierce College) to browse around. They had a whole section of tapes (CDs were not invented yet).
There was a dance artist on the radio that I liked so I decided to purchase that tape. I do not remember who the artist was, nor do I care.
I pulled the tape out, looked at it, turned it over and purchased it at the front desk.
When I got back to the cottage, I took the tape out of the bag and it was Ozzy Osbourne/Randy Rhoads Tribute. Needless to say, I was shocked. I swear I bought the other tape from the other artist.
I had heard of Ozzy Osbourne and was a little repulsed. When I was a child I heard that Ozzy killed animals on stage and I believed it. I was very naïve.
I smoked a joint and said; "What the hell, I'll give it a shot."
When I heard Crazy Train I said to myself; "What the f*** have I been missing?"
I never looked back.