OZZY might replace Zakk Wylde

Paul Marshall, afternoon radio personality and program director for 98.9 The Rock in Kansas City, Missouri, conducted an interview with Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE) earlier this week. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

Q: I need a statement from you. What is going on with all the rumors and all the crap with the Boss [referring to Ozzy — Ed.].

Zakk: “I really have no idea. 'Cause I call up and go, 'What's going on here?' I was just like, 'That ain't cool, dude.' I go, 'If you're gonna can my ass, say it to my face. Don't be doing this shit behind my back; that ain't cool.'”

Q: So there was a tense moment there with you and the Boss?

Zakk: “I have no idea. I guess we're supposed to hook up in August and do this goddamn show [at the BlizzCon convention in Anaheim, California].”

Q: The last time they tried this was “Down The Earth”, and that record [wasn't that great], so I'm guessing if Zakk's not involved, it's not a good Ozzy record.

Zakk: “I have no idea. I'm just like… You could play with anybody you want. Put it this way… It's like my wife… You can be with any guy you wanna be with. But you know what?! If you're gonna be banging a guy in our bed, at least let me watch so I can enjoy it. Let me in on the skinny… what's going on here. That's just not… I don't give a [bleep] what anyone says, it ain't [bleep]ing cool. It's like, hey, you know what?! You're just [bleep]ing on me in a back [bleep]ing alley right now and [I'll] rip your [bleep]ing head off if you're gonna pull this shit. We'll [bleep]ing find out.”

Paul Marshall's entire interview with Zakk Wylde can be downloaded as an MP3 audio file at this location.

Ozzy told Classic Rock magazine in a new interview (stream audio in YouTube clip below) that he's on the lookout for a new guitar player, apparently to replace Wylde. Ozzy appeared late last month as a guest at Slash's headlining concert in Norway, where rumors indicated that he was lining up ROB ZOMBIE guitarist John 5 to take Wylde's spot. Ozzy didn't deny the rumors, saying, “Well, I'm getting a new guitar player as we speak, and everyone has been saying to me for a long time, 'Get Johnny 5!' And I tried him at one time and I didn't really give him a chance. We'll see, I don't know.”

As for why he wanted to break away from Wylde, who has played with Ozzy on and off since 1988, Ozzy said, “I haven't fallen out with Zakk, but Zakk's got his own band, and I felt like my stuff was beginning to sound like (Wylde's band) BLACK LABEL SOCIETY. I just felt like I wanted a change, y'know?”

Ozzy also indicated that he was auditioning a guitarist from Greece, but declined to give further details.

The former BLACK SABBATH singer has been working on his latest solo album at his home studio in Los Angeles, He said that Wylde had recorded material for the project, but added, “I don't know if I want to use it.”

Wylde seemed unaware that he might be out of a job, posting on his Twitter account, “This is news to me.”

Wylde joined Ozzy in 1988 on his “No Rest For The Wicked” album, replacing Jake E. Lee. He has played on every solo Ozzy album since, although he was replaced in the touring band from 1995 to 2001 by Joe Holmes.

As reported on www.blistering.com