# Tom Morello's Forbidden Guitar Moment

> Tom Morello recalls being barred from playing Randy Rhoads' iconic guitar after its 1982 death.
- Title: Tom Morello's Forbidden Guitar Moment · VICE | Shortify
- Summary: Tom Morello recalls being barred from playing Randy Rhoads' iconic guitar after its 1982 death. Tom Morello was forbidden from playing Randy Rhoads' guitar…
- Keywords: tom morello, randy rhoads, rock and roll hall of fame, guitar, jackson-rhoads concorde guitar, cigarette smoke, news, culture, Tom, Morello's, Forbidden, Moment
- Source: VICE — https://vice.com/en/article/tom-morello-recalls-the-one-thing-he-was-forbidden-to-do-with-late-legend-randy-rhoads-guitar
- Author: Dan Milam
- Published: 2026-10-13T15:56:46+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: tom morello, randy rhoads, rock and roll hall of fame, guitar, jackson-rhoads concorde guitar, cigarette smoke, news, culture
## Randy Rhoads' Guitar
Tom Morello was one of few to hold Randy Rhoads' iconic guitar.
## Family Protection
Rhoads' sister sealed the guitar in a secret vault, forbidding anyone from seeing it.
## First Access Attempt
Morello tried to see the guitar but was away on tour when it arrived at his sister's house.
## Second Access
A year later, Morello held the guitar with a leather strap smelling of 1982 cigarette smoke.
## Key takeaway

Tom Morello was forbidden from playing Randy Rhoads' guitar due to family protection, but later held it with a 1982 cigarette smoke smell.