“So, what are we doing here? Sniffing glue and shooting heroin?” Zakk Wylde is in typically boisterous spirits after being led into the ‘I Am Anarchy’ suite in London’s swanky Chateau Denmark hotel, so called because it’s where punk legends the Sex Pistols lived and rehearsed during their infamous heyday.
It’s a historic venue, but it takes more than that to faze you when you’re Ozzy’s right-hand man, front Black Label Society, lead Black Sabbath covers band Zakk Sabbath, and are an all-round metal guitar legend. But if the ghost of Sid Vicious can’t rattle Zakk, let’s see if questions from Hammer’s notoriously inquisitive readership can!
What does Zakk Wylde do in his free time when he wants to be Zakk Calm?
Chris Baudette, Facebook
“Usually when I’m home, therapy is lifting weights and stuff like that. It’s just as mental as it is physical. You know what I mean? I love lifting. Then, you know, if I’m just chilling, maybe just reading or rolling with the dogs and taking them for a walk.”
Who would be in your ideal supergroup today? Jordy Molnar, Facebook
“Well, I’m in a few of them right now, playing with Rex [Brown, bass], Phil [Anselmo, vocalist] and Charlie [Benante, drums, in the reformed Pantera]. Then obviously when I’m in Black Label Society, I’m playing with Jeff [Fabb, drums], JD [John DeServio, bass] and Dario [Lorina, guitars]. I’m truly a blessed man. All the guys I play with, those are my guys. Without a doubt, they’re all amazing.”
If you could ask Randy Rhoads one question about his guitar playing/ compositions, what would it be?
Bhu_0316, Instagram
“That’s a good question. It’d be like if you could ask Jimi Hendrix something… I think I’d just want to tell him how great he is and how much I love him. That would be about it.”
What’s the most wholesome moment you’ve had ever with The Prince Of Darkness?
Danielluscombe, Instagram
“I remember we played the Budokan [Arena] in Tokyo. I’d always have a bag of beer with me, just in case anywhere we were going didn’t have beer. So, Oz comes in the room after the gig. He goes ‘Zakky, Zakky… you got any beers?’ I go, ‘Yeah, but I’m not giving you one here. You’re going to get us fired! Mom’s [Sharon Osbourne] right across the hall – she’s going to come and see the two of us drinking, is that going to be good?’ He goes, ‘Alright, tell you what, I’ll meet you in the bathroom.’
So I go in the bathroom, I’m waiting. All of a sudden, I hear the door open. He comes in the stall right next to me, and I push a Kirin or Asahi under there. I hear the ‘psssst’ of the can, then ‘glug, glug, glug!’ He downs it in one, puts the can down, pushes it back under and goes, ‘Thanks, Zakk. I’ll see you at dinner.’”
Hammer: Um, we’re not sure that’s ‘wholesome’?
“We were like a couple of naughty schoolkids! It was hilarious!”
Who is the best up and coming guitarist right now?
Osirisheigh, Instagram
“There’s this young kid called Taj Farrant, hold on… [Zakk gets his phone out and begins to play a video of Taj shredding.] Look at this! It’s not just that he’s fast, he has complete control of the instrument, he’s got soul. He’s phenomenal and, you know what, he’s 15 years old! It’s ridiculous!”
Would you ever cover the Dio-era Sabbath stuff with Zakk Sabbath?
Daniel Scott, Facebook
“Yeah, but we’re gonna have to get one of my buddies that could actually sing in the style of Saint Ronnie. What we do is, we just keep it with the Ozz Sabbath. But if we ever did do [the Dio-era stuff], I got a couple of my buddies that can belt that stuff out.”
Hammer: Presumably you’re still a massive fan of that stuff?
“Hell yeah! Ronnie’s amazing. All the stuff with Rainbow, Elf, and then those Sabbath albums. I mean, between Ozzy doing Blizzard [Of Ozz] and Diary [Of A Madman], and Sabbath doing Heaven And Hell and Mob Rules… it was amazing. The first concert I ever saw was [Sabbath on] Mob Rules, forget about it! Those albums are classics. You put them on now, they’re just as fresh as when they came out.”
How do you feel about the current state of the metal scene?
Dante Infernus, Facebook
“I think it’s great. I was talking with Charlie [Benante] about bands. He goes, ‘Yeah, but where’s the… this or that?’ I told him, ‘You’re starting to sound like the, ‘You kids get off my lawn’ guy!’ I don’t feel like that. It’d be like asking Jimmy Page if he felt responsible for keeping guitar going for the younger generation in 1975. Page would go, ‘No, that’s up to the kids.’”
Are you a cat person, a dog person, or both?
Tomás Tomis, Facebook
“I’m a dog guy, but cats are awesome too. I love all animals. If it was Desert Island and I had to go either cats or dogs, and the cats are going to survive as well, I’m a dog guy. I got some buddies that are huge cat guys. I mean, I just love all animals. Put a rhino in the backyard, get an elephant, stick them all in the backyard. They can all hang out and have a good time.”
What do you consider the most difficult thing to play on guitar?
Michael Hermanson, Facebook
“If you take any guitarist and ask them that question, they’ll say it’s a matter of just applying yourself and working on it. Whether it’s a difficult piece that you have to work on, a classical thing, or if you wanted to learn a jazz thing, it’d just be like cutting down a tree. A little bit at a time, every day you’re going to get better. If you apply yourself and do it over and over, you can always get something down.”
What are the best crisps?
George Miller, Facebook
“Kettle chips are real good. All the flavours are kind of insane. The backyard barbecue ones are amazing, salt and vinegar are amazing… Even just the straight-up flavours are great.”
Will you ever tour the [early-90s project] Pride & Glory stuff again?
Niels Vinbech Beier, Facebook
“Yes. Uh… I guess that’ll be next, after we do our Barbra Streisand tribute band! Ha ha ha! So, we have that with the rest of our wedding band. But… yeah, I mean, we could always do the PNG thing, for sure.”
What’s your favourite movie and why? Rebornandangry, Instagram
“I love The Exorcist, but then I also love Animal House. Just phenomenal. I love Rollerball with James Caan… I saw it as a kid, never kind of understood it, the corporations running the whole planet plot. So, I never really got the gist, I just remember me and my friends playing rollerball when we were kids, beating the hell out of each other, riding around on bikes and rollerskates. But now I get it, I appreciate it even more.”
Would you rather have legs for fingers, or fingers for legs?
Ian Robinson, Facebook
“The answer to that question is: whatever it is they’re drinking, give me some of that! How about that? That’s the answer to that question!”
What is your favourite board game?
Anni Kulmala, Facebook
“Axis & Allies. Did you ever play that game? It’s played a bit like Risk, but it’s World War II. If you have five of your friends, it’s like, ‘We’re the Axis and those guys are the Allies. You’re Germany and I’m Japan. You get all your buddies around playing and the game will take literally like 40 hours to play! I mean, you better pack a lunch!”
When will we get a studio recording of [YouTube skit] Toxic Diarrhea?
Jon Rhodes, Facebook
“We could put that on the next album. It’s a family classic, without a doubt. I’ll probably make more money off of that thing than I’ve made on anything I’ve ever recorded in my life. If you wrote White Christmas or any holiday thing, lights out. It’s like Mariah Carey; I guarantee you, she makes more money when Christmas comes around than any other time. Say no more Toxic Diarrhea, let’s do this.”
