117: Zakk Wylde: Ozzy, Pantera & Black Label Society | Writing Guitar Solos, Hits & Crazy Tour Stories
Go with Elmo LovanoShow Notes
Episode 117: Zakk Wylde is one of the greatest metal guitarists of all time. He's Ozzy Osbourne's longtime guitarist and co-writer, the founder of Black Label Society, and the man Phil Anselmo called to honor Dimebag Darrell in Pantera. In this deep dive, Zakk takes us through his entire career, from a Jersey kid learning Black Sabbath riffs to writing metal anthems with Ozzy and shredding in stadiums with Pantera and Metallica. Zakk tells the story of how a wedding gig with Sebastian Bach and a Polaroid on Sharon Osbourne's kitchen counter led to the call that changed his life. He breaks down writing "Miracle Man," "No More Tears," and "Mama, I'm Coming Home" with Ozzy and Lemmy, and reveals how a goofy rehearsal joke became the Grammy-winning "I Don't Want to Change the World." Plus his wildest Ozzy tour stories: the first gig in Wormwood Scrubs prison, Ozzy passing out before the Buster Douglas vs. Holyfield fight, sneaking him a beer at the Budokan, and the night Eddie Van Halen played "Heartbreaker" on Zakk's bullseye Les Paul in Japan. We go deep on his friendship with Dimebag Darrell, the day Phil Anselmo called him to join Pantera with Charlie Benante, what it feels like to play Dime's guitar parts, and touring stadiums with Metallica. Zakk also opens up about Ozzy's final show, Back to the Beginning, the text Ozzy sent about making one more album, writing "Ozzy's Song" on the new Black Label Society album Engines of Demolition, and getting sober after a doctor's warning. We also get into how he writes guitar solos, pinch harmonics, his favorite guitar solos of all time, Generation Axe with Steve Vai and Yngwie Malmsteen, Zakk Sabbath, Guns N' Roses, Pride & Glory, Book of Shadows, building his own guitar company Wylde Audio, and the Black Label Society family. Zakk is hilarious, generous and full of crazy stories. This one is a blast. Let's go!
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