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Guitarist Zakk Wylde
Black Label Society Poster Buy at AllPosters.com
Guitaist Zakk Wylde Best known for his long stint in support of Ozzy Osbourne, Zakk Wylde has been slowly taking over the reins as a an axe slinging metal god. In 1987, Wylde was introduced as Osbourne's new lead guitarist, and has remained with Ozzy through a series of hit albums. He sent Ozzy a demo tape in 1987 and was hired to replace the departed Jake E. Lee, a momentary stand-in for the deceased Randy Rhoads, an idol of Zakk's. Wylde was hired at the age of 19 after only one audition. He first appeared in No Rest for the Wicked in 1989 with Ozzy Osbourne. He is known for his use of Gibson Les Paul guitars with a unique "bulls-eye" graphic on them. Zakk Wylde's guitar-playing style is usually characterized by his use of pinch harmonics (also known as artificial harmonics), and his guitar soloing technique is usually characterized by his use of the minor pentatonic scale, playing rapid box-pattern licks using strict alternate-picking, creating a very distinctive, choppy attack, compared to the more fluid playing styles of other rock guitarists.
Zakk Wylde was born Jeffery Philip Wielandtto a Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Wielandt on January 14, 1967 in Bayonne and raised in Jackson, New Jersey. He also has a sister, Amy. Zakk was given the nickname “Flip,” short for his middle name Phillip, by his dad. This is what friends and family called him. Zakk began guitar at the age of eight, only to quit a short time after due to lack of interest. Zakk then attended Jackson Memorial High School were he then picked up the guitar again at age 14. He began taking lessons from his high school football coach’s son, LeRoy Wright. And later studied classical guitar with a guy from Freehold, NJ, and later with a guy in Manhattan. Zakk formed his first band “ Stone Henge” playing songs at parties like Ozzy’s “Bark at the Moon” and other songs by Black Sabbath and Rush. It was at that time when Zakk started dating a classmate named Barbaranne Caterina, who would later become his wife.
After graduating from Jackson Memorial High School in 1985 at the age of 18, Zakk was working at a local supermarket and doing roofing, and playing in various bands. That’s when Zakk began to write originals and joined a band called “Zyris” replacing guitarist Dave Linsk who left to form his own band and is currently playing for Overkill. Upon joining Zyris is when he started calling himself Zakari Wyland. He got the name from the TV show Lost In Space’s character Dr. Zachary Smith. Zyris played original material as well as covers by their favorite bands, like: Black Sabbath & Led Zeppelin. It was at that time Zakk gave guitar lessons in Jackson, New Jersey. Zyris played some, but not many gigs in the southern Jersey area. Many believed they toured up and down the whole eastern coast of Jersey, but that is not true, though they did get a special gig at the infamous “Stone Pony” made popular by Bruce Springsteen, and Bon Jovi.
Hearing on the Howard Stern Show that Ozzy would be auditioning unknown guitarists, Zakk never thought it to be more than a fantasy. At one Zyris show Zakk was discovered playing by rock photographers Mark Weiss and Dave Feld. Amazed at Zakk’s playing, Dave confronted Zakk, and mentioned that Ozzy was looking for a new guitarist and that they would pass along a press kit. Zakk got the audition with Ozzy. He took the audition figuring, “Well I’m only working at a gas station, what do I got to lose?!” During the audition Zakk played a few Ozzy songs and some acoustic and classical stuff. After the audition he returned home thinking he didn’t get the job. One day he received a phone call from Sharon Osbourne asking if he would join the band. And of course the rest is history.
As for Black Label Society... by Matt Mooring - Perennial Ozzfest-er and guitar mag God Zakk Wylde has released the seventh Black Label Society album in as many years, and this year’s offering of fourteen hard rocking anthems of brew and bravado is entitled Mafia. The bearded guitar abuser is something of a known quantity these days, and the short version of the review is that if you dig the band’s prior work, you’re likely to enjoy this as well. Although admittedly a casual fan, over the years I’ve heard nearly all of the band’s work, and was interested to hear the direction of this album. 2003 found BLS in top form on the successful The Blessed Hellride, an album that blended the band’s usual heavy grooving beer drinking metal with more supercharged, aggressive songs like “Doomsday Jesus” and “Stoned and Drunk”. BLS followed up with the scenic back roads of last year’s Hangover Music Vol. VI, an album consisting of slower tracks that were mostly rootsy Americana with a few attempts of Beatle-like harmonies. It was an album that felt like a byway, and although it seemed clear it wasn’t a permanent direction for the band, it was less clear how the songwriting experience would bleed over into Wylde’s typical writing style. Unfortunately, it seems that some of the air has been let out of the momentum toward the heavy, driving tracks, but there is plenty of grooving, vintage BLS on display, and Mafia is an album that fits in well with the band's discography and should be well received by fans.
Black Label Society's Fire it up Video - windows media player
Radio Interview: Zakk Wylde Interview - This guy says what's on his mind. Check it out.
"You can gain access to many more riffs by signing up for Riff-O-Matic. Not only will you get access to the entire Riff-O-Matic archive, but you'll also get a new riff every day with Riff-A-Day."
Black Label Society - Brewtality Buy this T-Shirt at AllPosters.com
Zakk Wylde, live - 1989, 10 minute Zakk Wylde solo
"You MUST devote yourself to the task at hand. This can be
difficult if you "don't seem to have the time" to play or
practice. You will have to sacrifice some things in order
to make time for your music. For example, Friday nights may
be reserved as your weekly night to go to the movies with
your friends. It may be a good idea to forget that for a
while and use the time more constructively to develop your
chops." - DEDICATION
Updated: 3/4/07
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