Former Ozzy Guitarist Joe Holmes Returns With New Band

12/31/2012
. (Gibson) Former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Joe Holmes has released the first music by his new band, Farmikos.

Holmes was Ozzy's guitarist during for a five-year period, beginning when Zakk Wylde departed the band in the mid '90s and ending when Zakk returned. At the beginning of Holmes's time in Ozzy's band, Zakk was on the verge of becoming Slash's co-guitarist in Guns N' Roses. You can read Zakk's side of that story here.

As for Holmes, he's had quite the interesting career. Aside from several Ozzfest tours with Ozzy - and participation in the writing sessions for the Ozzman's Down To Earth album - he played with Lizzy Borden and also replaced Jason Becker in David Lee Roth's band for the A Little Ain't Enough tour, when Becker had to bow out due to his diagnosis with ALS.

Holmes's Ozzy link stretches back to his guitar teacher: one Mr. Randy Rhoads. "Not only was Randy my favorite guitar player, but he was also a really cool person," Holmes told Guitar School magazine's Jeff Kitts in 1995. "I'm not into idolizing people, but Randy was the perfect guy to look up to and want to take after." So what was it like to learn from one of metal's guiding lights? "Learning from Randy was an incredible experience," Holmes said. "At one time I stopped going to school so I could stay home all day and practice what he taught me." more on this story

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