Zachary Phillip Wylde (bornJeffrey Phillip Wielandt; January 14, 1967) is an American musician. He is best known as the lead guitarist forOzzy Osbourne and as the founder, lead guitarist, lead singer, songwriter and producer of theheavy metal bandBlack Label Society.
Wylde's signature bulls-eye design appears on many of his guitars. He was also the lead guitarist and vocalist ofPride & Glory, who released oneself-titled album in 1994 before disbanding. As a solo artist, he released the albumsBook of Shadows andBook of Shadows II. Wylde joined the reunitedPantera in 2022 as a touring guitarist.
Wylde was replaced by ex-Lizzy Borden guitaristJoe Holmes in 1995 until Wylde's return in 2001. Although not credited for songwriting, Wylde recordedDown to Earth and appeared on the supporting tour.[11][12] After auditioning different guitarists in 2004 and 2005, Ozzy Osbourne announced Zakk Wylde as the official guitarist for his albumBlack Rain, which was released in 2007 and also accompanied by a tour.[13]
Wylde rejoined Ozzy Osbourne's band once again for a select number of dates during Osbourne's 2017 summer tour, and then performed on theNo More Tours II tour before the remaining shows were postponed and eventually canceled.[14][15] On September 8, 2022, he again joined Osbourne onstage at theSoFi Stadium along withAndrew Watt to perform "Crazy Train" and the title track for Osbourne's album "Patient Number 9" at theNFL's season opening during half-time. The following day,Patient Number 9 was released featuring Wylde playing guitar on 4 tracks.[16][17]
Formed in 1991 during what was then billed as Ozzy Osbourne's farewell tour following the 1991No More Tears album, Wylde recruited the formerWhite Lion rhythm section of bassistJames LoMenzo and drummerGreg D'Angelo, and originally wanted to name theSouthern rock-inspired project 'Lynyrd Skynhead'.[18] This lineup recorded two songs, an instrumental entitled "Farm Fiddlin" for a 1991 compilation album entitledThe Guitars That Rule the World, and a cover of the blues-standard "Baby, Please Don't Go" for the 1992L.A. Blues Authority Vol. 1 compilation.
By early 1994, the band had changed their name to 'Pride & Glory', with D'Angelo departing and being replaced byBrian Tichy. That year, Pride & Glory released theironly album viaGeffen Records and performed as a main-stage act at the DoningtonMonsters of Rock Festival in England in June of that year. In November 1994, LoMenzo left after a tour of Japan, three days before Pride & Glory were scheduled to begin a US Tour. Scrambling, Wylde quickly managed to find a replacement in his long-time friend,John DeServio, who grew up with Wylde in New Jersey. Pride & Glory played their final show on December 10, 1994, in Los Angeles.
On January 31, 1998, the lineup of Wylde, LoMenzo, and Tichy reunited for a one-off reunion show at theWhisky a Go Go inHollywood.[19]
Following the demise of Wylde's Pride & Glory band, he recordedBook of Shadows in 1996 as a solo album to fulfill his contract with record labelGeffen Records. Wylde wrote thesecond installment ofBook of Shadows in between stints on the road, which was released 20 years after the first album on April 16, 2016, witheOne.[20]
In 1998, after limited commercial success withBook of Shadows, Wylde and drummer Phil Ondich recorded what became Black Label Society's debut albumSonic Brew with Wylde playing lead guitar, rhythm and bass.Nick Catanese previously toured as a rhythm guitarist for the Book of Shadows tour[21] and eventually joined Black Label Society before being replaced by Dario Lorina in 2013.[22]John DeServio, who was a friend of Zakk's[23] and worked as a temporary replacement in Pride & Glory, played bass for the first Black Label Society tour. DeServio became a permanent member of the band in 2005.[24] Zakk Wylde has since released 11 studio albums, 3 live albums, and 6 compilation albums with Black Label Society.[25]
Black Label Society headlined the second stage at the 2006Ozzfest, with Wylde playing double duty with Ozzy Osbourne on certain dates.[26] He and the band also joined Osbourne for theOzzy and Friends Tour in replacement of theBlack Sabbath tour scheduled for the summer of 2012, playing a range of European dates includingGraspop Metal Meeting in Belgium.[27]
Since 2014, Wylde has led aBlack Sabbath cover band called 'Zakk Sabbath', handling guitar and vocal duties, joined byRob "Blasko" Nicholson on bass andJoey Castillo (Danzig,Queens of the Stone Age) on drums, who replaced original drummerJohn Tempesta. JP Gaster (Clutch) occupied the drummer's seat in between, in September 2017.[28] The band tours intermittently and has released the studio albumsVertigo in 2020, followed byDoomed Forever Forever Doomed in 2024.[29]
On July 14, 2022, it was announced that Wylde had joined the reunited bandPantera to tour as a fill-in for original guitaristDimebag Darrell who died in 2004.[30] The new lineup featuring Wylde,Phil Anselmo,Rex Brown andCharlie Benante (replacing original drummerVinnie Paul) debuted on the first night of the Heaven & Hell Metal Fest inToluca, Mexico on December 2, 2022.[31] Pantera then co-headlined Mexico's Monterrey Metal Fest withJudas Priest,[32] and also performed atKnotfest in Chile, Brazil and Colombia.[33] The band embarked on a full-scale tour of Europe in May and June 2023,[34] and supportedMetallica on selected North American dates of their 2023–2024M72 World Tour. On June 15, 2024, Pantera headlined the Opus Stage at UK'sDownload Festival, their first UK appearance in 20 years.[35]
Zakk Wylde joined a rock/heavy metalsupergroup called 'Generation Axe', formed bySteve Vai.[36] The group also includes guitaristsNuno Bettencourt (ofExtreme),Yngwie Malmsteen,Tosin Abasi, and has completed several tours from 2016 to 2019.[37] Select performances from a 2017 show inBeijing, China were released as a live album titledGeneration Axe – The Guitars That Destroyed the World: Live In China.[38] In 2020, Wylde, along with Generation Axe, were joined byBrian May of the bandQueen for a six-guitar performance of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" as part ofAXS TV's 'At Home And Social With Nuno Bettencourt & Friends' special. The track was compiled of recordings from the musicians in their homes during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[39]
Wylde is aCatholic[4] who has described himself as a "Soldier of Christ".[42]
In August 2009, Wylde was hospitalized due toblood clots[43] and was subsequently forced to cancel his tour withMudvayne andStatic-X.[44] After his hospitalization, he stopped drinking alcohol.[45]
As of 2011, Wylde has partnered withBlair's Sauces and Snacks to produce 'Berserker Hot Sauce' and several other variations.[46] He also promotes 'Death Wish Coffee' via hisInstagram page,[47] as they have used his name in marketing their line "Odinforce Blend".[48]
Wylde gravitated toward a particularLes Paul guitar, a bullseye-painted 1981Gibson Les Paul Custom purchased from one of the owners of Metaltronix Amplification. Metaltronix was building a one-off live rig for Wylde that was designed around one of the owner's guitars, a creamy white Les Paul Custom with EMG pickups, which would later become known as "The Grail". Originally intended to look like the spiral from theAlfred Hitchcock movieVertigo, it returned from a paint shop painted incorrectly and Wylde liked the result.[49] Wylde lost the guitar in 2000 after it fell from the back of a truck transporting equipment as he was traveling between gigs in Texas. Rewards were offered to anyone that had information about the guitar. Wylde and The Grail were reunited three years later when a fan bought it at a Dallas pawn shop and saw the initials "Z.W." carved into the humbucker pickups backs. He contacted Wylde's former webmaster Randy Canis to arrange its return to Wylde. Grateful, Wylde gave the fan his signature model in exchange.[7]
Other signature Les Pauls of Wylde's include a red flame-maple bulls-eye model, a black and antique-white bulls-eye model, an orange "buzz-saw" model, the pattern on which was inspired by a design on aZippo lighter,[50] and a "camo" bulls-eye model withmother of pearlneckinlays and a green camouflage paint scheme.
Another one of Wylde's favorite stage guitars is a GMW RR-V, a model that is famously known as the "Polka-dot V". Originally created byluthier Karl Sandoval of California (used byRandy Rhoads), the guitar is often mistaken as a custom Flying V.
Wylde has a custom Dean Splittail with a mud splatter bulls-eye graphic, as well as a signature Splittail shaped Gibson model called the "ZV". Another Dean in his collection is a Dime series Razorback with custom Bulls-eye graphics ordered for him specially byDimebag Darrell shortly before his murder in 2004; since receiving the guitar, he has only ever used it on stage to play the song "In This River", Zakk's personal tribute to Dimebag.
In practice, Wylde uses Marshall MG Series practice combos ranging in wattage levels from 10-30W during tour/private use especially in hotels and buses. He has also been known to use Marshall Valvestate combo amplifiers. Wylde has an extensive relationship with Marshall Amplification due to his love for their amplifiers, both solid state and tube-driven. Live, Wylde exclusively uses Marshall JCM 800's with twin 4 X 12 Cabinets loaded with EVM12L 300W Black Label Speakers. His usual signal path consists of his guitar > (on stage pedal board) Dunlop WyldeWah > Dunlop WyldeRotovibe > MXR ZWPhase 90 > MXR WyldeOverdrive > MXR Carbon CopyDelay > (to a back stage pedal board) > MXR EVH Flanger > MXR Black LabelChorus > split signals, one to each distorted amp into the High Gain input.
A detailed gear diagram of Wylde's 1988 Ozzy Osbourne guitar rig is well-documented.[51]
At the 2015NAMM Show, Wylde announced his new company called Wylde Audio and provided a preview of his new line of custom guitars and amplifiers.[52] Currently he now is seen playing Wylde Audio equipment almost exclusively.[53]
In January 2006, Zakk Wylde was recognized at the Hollywood Rock Walk of Fame for his successful career as a musician and his contribution to the music industry. The event was open to the public and was attended by musicians including Ozzy Osbourne.[54]
On August 1, 1993, at Great Woods Amphitheatre inMansfield, Massachusetts, Wylde appeared on stage with theAllman Brothers on lead guitar sinceDickey Betts was unable to make the show, and they needed a guitarist at the last minute. This show is documented on the bootlegZakk Goes Wylde.[67]
On February 1, 2007, Wylde andNick Catanese began a tour of acoustic shows at theHard Rock Cafe in various cities across North America. Although Catanese had to leave mid-tour due to unspecified personal reasons, Wylde continued to play shows alone. He performed several songs on both the acoustic guitar and keyboard. The tour was eventually canceled due to unspecified reasons.[69]
Wylde appeared onstage December 8, 2011, inIndianapolis, Indiana, to play a cover ofAC/DC's "Whole Lotta Rosie" withGuns N' Roses while Black Label Society opened for Guns N' Roses during a leg of the US tour. Wylde also did this on subsequent shows before Black Label Society finished their run on the tour.[73]
Wylde appeared as himself in theAdult Swim animated programAqua Teen Hunger Force, in the episode "Spirit Journey Formation Anniversary" (season 2, episode 14, first broadcast on October 19, 2003).
Wylde appeared in theCalifornication episode "Suicide Solution" in 2011, credited as "Guitar Guy".[76]
Wylde also appeared playing guitar alongside Lorne and other audience members inAngel's season 4 episode "The Magic Bullet" in 2003.
Wylde appeared in the 2010 filmBones as Jed, Bones' uncle.
Wylde appeared in the 2008 music video gameGuitar Hero World Tour as a playable character. He becomes unlocked upon defeating him in a specially recordedguitar battle and completing the Black Label Society song "Stillborn".
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Zakk Wylde discography atDiscogs
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