Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society – Zakk Wylde

Zakk Wydle’s Black Label Society has turned the notion of what a rock band should. Inspiring legions of fans (knows as Berserkers) all over the world to follow the mantra: Strength, Determination, Merciless, Forever. SDMF for short, the Berserkers, along with Wylde have created a heavy metal institution true to his vision of uncompromising, unfiltered and restrained rock and roll.

Metal Obsession had the honor to speak with the Zakk Wylde about the upcoming Soundwave Festival in 2012 across Australia, Ozzy Osbourne and everything in between.

Metal Obsession: Hey Zakk. Did you have a good Christmas?

Zakk Wylde: Oh yeah, without a doubt man. We’re getting ready for the new year, and we’re getting ready to start doom-troopin’ once again.

MO: That’s awesome man. So you released your acoustic album “The Song Remains Not The Same” earlier this year, which included a few songs off Order of The Black. Is this the reason behind the album title?

Zakk: Yeah pretty much, I mean besides the fact that we’d roll like Led Zeppelin, but I mean ah, yeah because I just thought it was a great name for the title. So I mean it’s just ah, because the songs are the same, but, the songs remain but they’re not the same, y’know what I mean. The only thing that keeps them the same is the working titles.

MO: Where do you get the inspiration to make the occasional Black Label Society acoustic album?

Zakk: Well as much as I love Zeppelin doing Black Dog, I love listening to them do Going to California aswell, y’know what I mean? As much as I love listening to Black Sabbath, I also love listening to Elton John or Neil Young doing the mellow stuff. So y’know, I dig it a lot man.

MO: How’s it been working with Black Veil Brides on their cover of the KISS song “Unholy”

Zakk: It’s been pretty good. I met them over at Ozzy’s movie premiere, then Blasko from Ozzy Osbourne’s band, he manages Black Veil Brides. So he came upto me and said “Zakk, do you wanna play a solo on their new EP?” so I said “Yeah, of course man.”

MO: Earlier in 2011, you were meant to do an Australia wide tour with Motorhead, how come you pulled out?

Zakk: Um, I forget what ended up happening on that. It was either, we were in the middle of doing something else, or there was some other thing… Like, we all wanted to do it, but something else came up in the middle of that, so we weren’t able to do it. But hopefully, eventually sometime or another, we can go back down that road.

MO: From what I’ve seen, you’ve had a bad history with Limp Bizkit, who is also on the line-up for Soundwave Festival. What’s the go between you and Fred Durst now, is there still bad blood?

Zakk: Nah, there was never any bad blood anyway. The story is, it was because a record company executive told me I needed to sound more like Limp Bizkit. This is back when Black Label just started, when I had to go around trying to get a record deal, kissin’ ass and nobody wanted to touch me with a ten foot pole. Well man, that’s being kind.

The whole thing is, the guy actually said to me “Zakk, if you change your image more, and if you sound more like Limp Bizkit, then maybe we’ll think about doing something with you.” [laughs] So, that’s how that whole thing started. After all, I have to thank Fred for the inspiration. [laughs]

MO: It’s been well over a year now since you shocked the metal world and announced that you’re staying sober. How has it been, have you found it stressing over that time to not have a beer or smoke, and if so, how have you managed to stay strong?

Zakk: Well the whole thing is, y’know… Ah, like just the other day, I actually stopped shitting my pants, so hopefully I’ll be able to do this for a while [laughs]. Just like with the drinking. So hopefully I’ll be able to continue to stop crapping my pants. But I mean, doctors told me because I had a blood clot, he said “Zakk, you can’t be drinking like you were drinking before dude. If you were firing back cocktails like you were hanging with the guys, if you were drinking a case of beer a day, and then throwing back Crown Royal on top of that, then just forget about it dude!”

He goes “With the blood thinners on, you’ll be pissing blood out of your dick, your ass, your eyes, your ears, every part of your body blood will be pouring out of it.” And I was like “…You gotta be kiddin’ me.” And he said “Zakk, put it this way, you can have a beer or two, but I take it you don’t drink like that when you drink?” And I go “Nah, I… Forget about it.” I told him how much I drink and he said “A case or two cases a day, you can drink that much?!” and I said “Yeah, easy.”  So yeah, y’know, he goes “Alright, Zakk, that’s gotta end like, NOW.” [laughs]

So I mean, nah I didn’t go to rehab, I didn’t do anything like that so y’know. Actually, my wife asked me about just checking it out or whatever, so I went down to rehab for about 5, 6 days or whatever and said nah I can’t do this, I gotta get outta here. I don’t need to be here, if I’m gunna stop drinking I don’t need to give you guys $20,000, I’m outta here!

MO: How often do you use the Prototype Razorback that Dimebag gave you, is it more of a home time guitar or do you take it with you to play a gig every now and again?

Zakk: Dime’s guitar, I’ve got that guitar in the vadican right now. I also jam on it every now and again without a doubt, I haven’t brought it out on the road for a while though.

MO: Tell me about the time 7 years ago when Ozzy was in hospital and you ripped his oxygen supply off.

Zakk: You mean when Ozzy messed up his neck?

MO: Yeah.

Zakk: Without a doubt man, we went in there and Ozz was messed. He kept asking me “Zakk, make sure they don’t do a tracheotomy.” So I leaned down because I couldn’t hear what he was saying, and I was pulling the oxygen mask off of him, just so I could hear what he was saying, I was like “Ozz, what are you saying?” and he goes “Make sure they don’t do a tracheotomy!” And I’m like “Bro…”, then all of a sudden, the oxygen mask came off of him. [hysterically laughing]

Ozzy’s just sittin’ there telling all the docs, he goes “Get him away from me, he’s trying to kill me!!”. We were all crackin’ up man, but Ozzy is doing better now man.

MO: What exactly happened to Ozzy anyway? I never really looked into it.

Zakk: Once again, he was cruising around with no helmet on, just flying around on an ATV and flew off the thing.

MO: Typical Ozzy. [laughs]

Zakk: Well yeah, he’s lucky he didn’t kill himself man. I think it’s safe to say, lets just keep him off the ATV! [laughs]

MO: Being a young guitar player who’s still learning and is inspired by your playing, can you please give me some tips of shredding and nailing pinch harmonics consistently?

Zakk: Well it’s just like anything man; Practice, practice, practice! And I don’t care what anybody says y’know, if you practice for 10 minutes, you’ll be 10 minutes better than you were before. That’s just a fact.

MO: You’ve been apart of 21 albums in over 2 decades, what can you say is the album that you’re most proud of musically?

Zakk: Um, well obviously No Rest For The Wicked because it was my first album with Ozzy, then obviously No More Tears and stuff. But I mean, definitely the last album we just did, I’m real proud of that one because that’s the first album we did in the Black Vadican, and sonically I love the thing, the production on it and the way it came out man.

MO: If you had to pick 3 male and 3 female metal musicians to round up for a gathering, who would they be?

Zakk: What, 3 metal guys?

MO: Yep, and 3 metal women.

Zakk: Ah, fuck, I dunno man. [laughs] Let me say, Lady Gaga, uh, Justin Bieber, uhh… [laughs] y’know, Brittany Spears, the new kids on the block [laughs]…… Yeah, lets go with that… Justin Timberlake, y’know… All the hardcore black metal guys.

MO: So you don’t really have a serious answer for that question?

Zakk Wylde: Nah, y’know the reason why I picked the black metal guys; They’re all good at burning churches! [both of us laughing]

MO: Last question, where do you think you’d be without music in your life?

Zakk: Umm…Obviously I’d be a beer taster, y’know, I’d be a brewer. [laughs]

MO: It’s been an absolute pleasure talking to you. Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Zakk: Nah, we’ll just call out to all of our Australian family, we’ll see you in a couple of months, be strong and keep bleeding black!

MO: Alright, thanks so much for that man, I’ll see you in Melbourne soon, have a good new year!

Zakk: You got it my brother, I’ll talk to you in a bit man!

Check out Lamb of God at Soundwave Festival and sideshows!

SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL VENUES AND DATES FOR 2012

BRISBANE: 25TH FEBRUARY – SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL @ RNA SHOWGROUNDS / SOLD OUT

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=246313265416952

SYDNEY: 26TH FEBRUARY – SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL @ OLYMPIC PARK / SOLD OUT
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=233867790003182

MELBOURNE: 2ND MARCH – SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL @ MELB SHOWGROUNDS / SOLD OUT
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=243654682348739

ADELAIDE: 3RD MARCH – SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL @ BONYTHON PARK
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=279093168779036

PERTH: 5TH MARCH – SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL @ CLAREMONT SHOWGROUNDS
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=282403391778781