Jeffrey Phillip Wiedlandt, known as Zakk Wylde, is one of the greatest guitarists in the world of rock, and that's undeniable. A big fan of working with various different projects such as Proud & Glory, Black Label Society, Zakk Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, and even his solo career, Wylde is passionate about what he does, and it's clear when he talks about music.
On the eve of his arrival in Brazil with Ozzy on his final farewell tour, the guitarist spoke with Wikimetal and revealed some of his thoughts on his friend and mentor's retirement, as well as details about his album creation process and his greatest inspirations.
2018 is a great year for the musician. Besides turning 51 in January, he also has other anniversaries coming up, such as three decades accompanying Ozzy and his craziness, and two decades since the formation of his band Black Label Society. " I can't believe it's been that long ," he says, " It's crazy! I don't feel like I'm 51, I don't feel any different than I did when I was 28."
Perhaps Zakk has learned a few tricks from the Prince of Darkness to feel so young, because despite announcing his retirement from the world's biggest stages , the vocalist is in great shape, winning over countless music lovers worldwide. "I don't know if Ozzy will retire completely. If he wants to do some shows after this tour, I'll go with him. But I think he wants to stop doing only long tours."
Together for 20 years, the duo is one of the most famous and important in rock. Their strength and talent have already yielded five studio albums and three live albums during periods when he dedicated himself solely to singing, that is, between 1987 and 1995, 1998, between 2001 and 2004, and then between 2006 and 2009. Now, they are finally back together and Zakk couldn't be happier: "I'm here for anything he wants to do."
When he's not with Ozzy, the guitarist's focus is on Black Label Society, which in January of this year released the successor to Catacombs of the Black Vatican (2014), the album Grimmest Hits : "People look at it and think it's a greatest hits album, but I don't have any hits, so how can we make a compilation of them? It's 'grimmest' [the worst, the most dreadful]."
Regarding the album's creative process, Zakk revealed that it was quite hectic: “We were on tour with Zakk Sabbath and I remember we had 20 days to write an album, and that's what I did. Every day, every morning, I would get up and start writing riffs. The way I see it, if you can do something today, great, if not, that's okay, tomorrow is a new day. You keep writing until you get something you like.”
Dedication and perseverance are certainly part of the guitarist's routine. Grateful for everything he has achieved during his career, he makes a point of proving that he takes his work very seriously: “You need to work and fight for what you want. No matter what it is, what you work with, you need to strive and make it work. I do what I love, so for me, it was easy. Nobody ever told me I needed to practice because I already did it out of love. You need to be persistent because it's always possible to be better, always. You need to have that mindset.”
With so many projects on his hands, it's understandable that some difficulties might discourage him from time to time, but not Zakk. He doesn't let himself be shaken by the juggling act between the different sounds he produces: "The songs on Black Label Society are driven by riffs and are heavier stuff, while what I did with Book Of Shadows, for example, is more melodic."
“With Ozzy, he asks me what riffs or ideas I have and we create something together. With Black Label Society it’s different because I take care of everything. With him I’m a player, with the band I’m the guy who leads everything ,” he reveals, saying that in his band he is responsible for everything related to it. “I like to take care of the album artwork, the merchandising, what’s posted on social media, everything.”
A complete artist, he guides his own career in the way he wants. Passionate about the industry, the guitarist says there isn't a single part of the job that he doesn't enjoy doing: “Everything I do to be able to play, I enjoy doing. I love music and I love playing, so whatever allows me to do that, I'm doing it. I love the whole process I have to go through to make music and I have a lot of fun doing it.”
“I am very grateful. I thank God every day ,” he confesses, “I do what I love and it’s not easy, but I’m happy doing it .” His passion for music is evident throughout the conversation, and he doesn’t hide his excitement when talking about the classics that inspired him, such as Elton John and his Greatest Hits (1974), Black Sabbath and We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll (1975), and even Led Zeppelin’s debut album released back in 1969. All these albums were the foundation for Zakk Wylde to become one of the greatest guitarists in the world.
Zakk Wylde will be coming to Brazil to support Ozzy Osbourne on his farewell tour, and you can still find tickets for sale by clicking here.