Joe Holmes
Encyclopedia
Joe Holmes is a Heavy metal guitarist. Born in New Jersey
, he took lessons from guitarist Randy Rhoads
in 1979. Holmes formed the L.A based band called Terriff in 1983. Holmes left Terriff to join Lizzy Borden
in 1987. He left Lizzy Borden in 1988 and reformed Terriff, staying with the latter group until 1990.
Holmes then joined David Lee Roth
's band in 1990 replacing Jason Becker
who was diagnosed with ALS while recording the album A Little Ain't Enough
.
In 1995, after Ozzy Osbourne
had finished recording the Ozzmosis
album, a replacement for Zakk Wylde
was needed for the tour. While working on his own band, "Tariff", Joe got a call from Dean Castronovo (Oz's drummer) to let him know they were seeking a guitar player. Joe went down to Audible studios in Los Angeles and played three Ozzy classics. Holmes auditioned. Holmes did not mention that he had taken lessons from Randy Rhoads (former guitarist for Osbourne) as he thought it would hurt his chances at the job. He succeeded though and got the part.
In Ozzy's book "Diary of a Madman: Ozzy Osbourne - The Stories Behind the Songs" it says ""Always on the lookout for a bright, new talent, Ozzy spotted a guitarist who "plays like a motherfucker". That was Joe Holmes. Holmes, who had previously worked with David Lee Roth, was a pupil of Randy Rhoads. Rhoads, while on tour, would himself take classical guitar tuition, and would also arrange workshops in which he gave lessons to young players. "It's really spooky." said Ozzy, "because when Joe plays the Randy Rhoads stuff, he plays just like him - it's like I can see Randy's fingers.""
Holmes performed on the Ozzmosis
tour with Osbourne. He started the tour 5 September 1995 in Monumental Stadium, Argentina
, South America. He remained Ozzy's guitarist playing Ozzfest
96 through 2000 tours. Holmes left the band while recording and writing the Down to Earth
album. While Holmes does not play on the album, the songs "Facing Hell", "Junkie", and "That I Never Had", which were co-written by Holmes, appear on the album. The only songs from his work with Ozzy that have been released is "Walk on Water
", which first appeared on the Beavis and Butt-Head Do America soundtrack, before appearing on the bonus disc for Ozzy's 1997's compilation The Ozzman Cometh and "Perry Mason
" live from the 1997 Ozzfest Live
CD.
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, he took lessons from guitarist Randy Rhoads
Randy Rhoads
Randall William "Randy" Rhoads was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. A devoted student of classical guitar, Rhoads often combined his classical music influences with his own heavy metal style. While on tour with Ozzy Osbourne, he would seek out...
in 1979. Holmes formed the L.A based band called Terriff in 1983. Holmes left Terriff to join Lizzy Borden
Lizzy Borden (band)
Lizzy Borden is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. Lizzy Borden is also the name of the band's lead vocalist.-History:Lizzy Borden specializes in the shock rock style originated by artists such as Alice Cooper and Kiss...
in 1987. He left Lizzy Borden in 1988 and reformed Terriff, staying with the latter group until 1990.
Holmes then joined David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
's band in 1990 replacing Jason Becker
Jason Becker
Jason Eli Becker is an American virtuoso neo-classical metal guitarist and composer. At the age of 16, he became part of the Mike Varney-produced duo Cacophony with his friend Marty Friedman. They released Speed Metal Symphony in 1987 and Go Off! in 1988...
who was diagnosed with ALS while recording the album A Little Ain't Enough
A Little Ain't Enough
A Little Ain't Enough is the third full-length album by David Lee Roth , released in 1991. It was certified gold on April 11, 1991. Produced by Bob Rock, the album featured the lead guitar work of Jason Becker, a then up-and-coming guitarist who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis a...
.
In 1995, after Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
had finished recording the Ozzmosis
Ozzmosis
-Personnel:Musicians*Ozzy Osbourne – vocals*Zakk Wylde – guitar*Geezer Butler – bass*Deen Castronovo – drums*Rick Wakeman – keyboardsAdditional personnel*Michael Beinhorn – production, keyboards...
album, a replacement for Zakk Wylde
Zakk Wylde
Zachary Phillip Wylde , best known by the stage name Zakk Wylde, is an American musician, songwriter, and occasional actor who is best known as the former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society. He was the lead guitarist and vocalist in Pride & Glory,...
was needed for the tour. While working on his own band, "Tariff", Joe got a call from Dean Castronovo (Oz's drummer) to let him know they were seeking a guitar player. Joe went down to Audible studios in Los Angeles and played three Ozzy classics. Holmes auditioned. Holmes did not mention that he had taken lessons from Randy Rhoads (former guitarist for Osbourne) as he thought it would hurt his chances at the job. He succeeded though and got the part.
In Ozzy's book "Diary of a Madman: Ozzy Osbourne - The Stories Behind the Songs" it says ""Always on the lookout for a bright, new talent, Ozzy spotted a guitarist who "plays like a motherfucker". That was Joe Holmes. Holmes, who had previously worked with David Lee Roth, was a pupil of Randy Rhoads. Rhoads, while on tour, would himself take classical guitar tuition, and would also arrange workshops in which he gave lessons to young players. "It's really spooky." said Ozzy, "because when Joe plays the Randy Rhoads stuff, he plays just like him - it's like I can see Randy's fingers.""
Holmes performed on the Ozzmosis
Ozzmosis
-Personnel:Musicians*Ozzy Osbourne – vocals*Zakk Wylde – guitar*Geezer Butler – bass*Deen Castronovo – drums*Rick Wakeman – keyboardsAdditional personnel*Michael Beinhorn – production, keyboards...
tour with Osbourne. He started the tour 5 September 1995 in Monumental Stadium, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, South America. He remained Ozzy's guitarist playing Ozzfest
Ozzfest
Ozzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne, both of whom also organize each yearly tour with their son Jack Osbourne...
96 through 2000 tours. Holmes left the band while recording and writing the Down to Earth
Down to Earth (Ozzy Osbourne album)
-Personnel:Primary musicians*Ozzy Osbourne – vocals*Zakk Wylde – guitars*Robert Trujillo – bass*Mike Bordin – drumsAdditional musicians...
album. While Holmes does not play on the album, the songs "Facing Hell", "Junkie", and "That I Never Had", which were co-written by Holmes, appear on the album. The only songs from his work with Ozzy that have been released is "Walk on Water
Walk on Water (Ozzy Osbourne song)
"Walk on Water" is a song by British heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne produced by Moby. It was originally released on the soundtrack to the 1996 Mike Judge film Beavis and Butt-Head Do America. Though a demo version appears in the film itself, and on the second disc of Osbourne's 2005 compilation...
", which first appeared on the Beavis and Butt-Head Do America soundtrack, before appearing on the bonus disc for Ozzy's 1997's compilation The Ozzman Cometh and "Perry Mason
Perry Mason
Perry Mason is a fictional character, a defense attorney who was the main character in works of detective fiction authored by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason was featured in more than 80 novels and short stories, most of which had a plot involving his client's murder trial...
" live from the 1997 Ozzfest Live
Ozzfest Live
Ozzfest Live is a live recording of Ozzfest 1996.-Track listing:#Coal Chamber - Loco #Cellophane - Ride Thy Neighbor #Earth Crisis - Broken Foundation #Powerman 5000 - Organizized #Neurosis - Locust Star #Fear Factory - Replica...
CD.
With Lizzy Borden
- Visual LiesVisual LiesVisual Lies was the 3rd album by L.A. metal band Lizzy Borden.It features their "best known" song "Me Against The World". The track was also featured on the 1987 heavy-metal horror film, Black Roses...
(1987) - The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988) documentary filmDocumentary filmDocumentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
- Best of Lizzy Borden (1994)
With Ozzy Osbourne
- Walk on WaterWalk on Water (Ozzy Osbourne song)"Walk on Water" is a song by British heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne produced by Moby. It was originally released on the soundtrack to the 1996 Mike Judge film Beavis and Butt-Head Do America. Though a demo version appears in the film itself, and on the second disc of Osbourne's 2005 compilation...
(1996) soundtrack to the Mike JudgeMike JudgeMichael Craig Judge is an American animator, film director, writer and voice actor, best known as the creator and star of the animated television series Beavis and Butt-head , King of the Hill , and The Goode Family .He also wrote, directed and in some instances produced the films Beavis and...
film Beavis and Butt-Head Do AmericaBeavis and Butt-head Do AmericaBeavis and Butt-head Do America is a 1996 animated feature film, based on the TV series, Beavis and Butt-Head. It was produced by Paramount Pictures in association with Geffen Pictures and MTV Films, and co-written and directed by creator Mike Judge. The film grossed $20.11 million in its opening... - Ozzfest LiveOzzfest LiveOzzfest Live is a live recording of Ozzfest 1996.-Track listing:#Coal Chamber - Loco #Cellophane - Ride Thy Neighbor #Earth Crisis - Broken Foundation #Powerman 5000 - Organizized #Neurosis - Locust Star #Fear Factory - Replica...
(1997) - Prince of Darkness (2005)
With Mass Mental
- How To Write Love Songs (1999)
- Live In Tokyo (1999)