British heavy metal book author Joel McIver (Justice For All: The Truth About METALLICA, To Live Is To Die: The Life And Death Of Metallica's Cliff Burton) has issued the following update:

"After much cloak-and-dagger secrecy, rendered pointless because they were announced at Amazon ages ago, here's a first look at books 17 and 18, which will be published next spring...

Crazy Train: The High Life And Tragic Death Of RANDY RHOADS (Jawbone Press) features a foreword by none other than ZAKK WYLDE, who wrote: "When Joel asked me to write the foreword for this book about Randy, I was beyond honoured. I figured it was the least I could do, considering how much impact Randy has had on my life."

The honour is all mine, Zakk.

One of the ideas behind this book was to reveal the impact of Randy's all-too-brief career on today's generation of rock and metal guitarists, and to that end six-stringers from the entire spectrum of heavy music have either been interviewed or have agreed to be interviewed for it.

These include, but are not limited to, Phil Demmel (MACHINE HEAD), Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE), Gary Holt (EXODUS), Jeff Waters (ANNIHILATOR), Ron Jarzombek (WATCHTOWER, BLOTTED SCIENCE), Pat O'Brien (CANNIBAL CORPSE), Mille Petrozza (KREATOR), Jack Owen (DEICIDE), Ralph Santolla (OBITUARY), Jeff Dunn (PRIMEVIL, ex-VENOM) and Tomas ‘Samoth' Haugen (ex-EMPEROR and ZYKLON). There's a ton of other interviewees to be announced.

'Crazy Train' isn't just about Randy's guitar playing, though: I wanted to show what the guy was really like as a person, and so I also spoke with Randy's oldest friend Pete Wilkinson and his colleagues in OZZY OSBOURNE's band, Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake.

I'm also about to submit Overkill: The True Story Of MOTÖRHEAD to Omnibus Press. This one has a foreword wrtten by my chum GLENN HUGHES (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION), an old friend of Lemmy's who, as eagle-eyed readers will recall, I've been working with on his autobiography. As with the Randy Rhoads biography, the response from a wide range of musicians to interview requests has been astounding, but perhaps that shouldn't be a surprise. After all, Lemmy is God.

Further details to follow.