Zakk Wylde talks Ozzy Osbourne, baseball and the state of New Jersey with Nestor in 2004
Zakk Wylde, a guitarist from Ozzy Osbourne’s band, discussed his experiences with the band and the reality TV show “The Osbournes.” He shared insights on the inception of Ozzfest, which became a major festival for heavy metal bands. Wylde also talked about his transition from being a fan to joining the band, his friendship with Mike Piazza, and his sports preferences, particularly his support for the Yankees and Giants. He highlighted the camaraderie among musicians and athletes, mentioning his interactions with Scott Spiezio and Ken Daneyko. Wylde also touched on the band’s current setlist, which includes a mix of Ozzy’s career spanning from Blizzard to recent works, and emphasized Ozzy’s enduring legacy.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
Ozzy Osbourne, TV show, Ozzfest, Black Label Society, heavy metal, sports connection, Mike Piazza, Yankees, Babe Ruth, music festival, band lineup, Sabbath, Randy Rhodes, Metallica, legendary status
SPEAKERS
Zakk Wylde, Nestor Aparicio
Nestor Aparicio 00:00
For taking off every time Ozzy comes to town. Ozzy, Metallica, poison, motley crew. I love the bands too, and I just give them a hard time. I got to work because it’s what I do. But Ray went out and he actually produced a radio show today. I don’t know if it’s a sports show or not, but he went out and he got his Zach wild. He said he was going to do it. So we’ll go out right now to the to the hotline. We welcome in from Ozzie’s band. I don’t know if he’s been featured on the Osborne’s because I haven’t seen all the episodes. Zach, what’s going on? Man,
Zakk Wylde 00:32
what the hell is going on over there?
Nestor Aparicio 00:34
Do you get to Ozzy’s palace? Me, have you ever been featured at all, like even during the sound checking the Osbornes or No, yeah,
Zakk Wylde 00:42
you know, I’ve been on it. I mean, the whole thing is, usually, when I see them, cameras come, I just go rolling out. Either I head to the bar, I just get on the tour bus and start pounding as many beers as possible.
Nestor Aparicio 00:50
What would you don’t want to be a part of the show? Why not? The
Zakk Wylde 00:53
cameras come rolling around. It’s just, it’s insanity. I mean, I, you know, I’m like, Boss, how the hell do you do it? You know what? I mean, it’s just like, you go to take a dump, and those cameras follow you around. You know, I’m saying,
Nestor Aparicio 01:02
Does Ozzy, like, acted up a little bit forward, or is that? Do we get into real oz like, when you put the show on? Are you like, That’s my man, or no,
Zakk Wylde 01:09
yeah, that’s the real deal, man, trust me. I mean, it’s insane, because people are like, Oh, dude, do you watch the show much? I’m like, watch it. I live it. What the hell do you think I need to be watching it for? You know, I’m saying, How
Nestor Aparicio 01:20
much fun is that? Huh?
Zakk Wylde 01:21
There’s some insanity going on at all times. Trust me with him. It’s there’s never a dull moment. But you get
Nestor Aparicio 01:27
to step out, like you got the whole solo thing going on, and you you do some promotion at Westminster. I’m gonna plug that thing for you, but just run me through like, oz fest. Can you tell me where you were the moment Ozzy turned to you, or Sharon, and said, Zach, we’re going to do this thing called oz fest. It’s going to be huge. We’re going to have a TV show, and we’re going to be multimedia celebrity. I mean, I don’t know that that was birth this way. I mean,
Zakk Wylde 01:50
the TV show. I mean, he never really thought. I mean, he was just like, oh, we’ll do a couple episodes. Like, he was like, they want us to do this, this TV show. He’s like, I don’t even know what the hell it is he goes and it’s just like, he was probably beyond for a little bit, and that’s about it. He had no idea was going to blow up until, like, what it is, you know, I put it this way, somebody this, this woman, you know, like people that watch it don’t even know about his music. Because, I mean, the whole thing is, like, one woman comes up to him one day and goes, Oh, I really like watching your show. And I was just like, All right, well, thanks, you know. And she goes, you know, my son’s told me about the show, you know, I watched it. My son’s told me you do music too. He’s like, what you’re like, he’s a singer, you know what? I mean, they just think, like, he’s an actor or something like that. He just walks around his house all the time, you know? I mean,
Nestor Aparicio 02:34
Zach. I mean, I go back far enough that I remember the morning Randy Rhodes died. I saw the blizzard tour. I saw die every mad man, I’m a little older now, you know, I’ve mellowed a little bit on the whole thing. But, I mean, I saw Sabbath with Ozzy. I saw Sabbath when they were running around with Ronnie James deal. How far do you go back? Like, when, what was the day you met Ozzy Osbourne, being, you know, a stud guy that’s going to be a part of his band, probably,
Zakk Wylde 02:57
you know, I mean, it was like, you know, obviously, even with Randy, I remember, you know, they were all freaked out because we had Texas go see my Madison Square Garden. But, and you were just a fan, yeah, total huge Sabbath freak. And then, you know, we all love Randy Rhoads and everything like that. So, I mean, the whole thing is, I came in after no one Jake left. Is when JK, we left? Is when I came in. I caught a pick from Jake man.
Nestor Aparicio 03:19
I caught a pic from Jake during like, maybe the 87 or 88 tour. And Metallica was opening that night at Merriweather. So, I mean, that was probably
Zakk Wylde 03:26
not, it was about like 86 because I, you know, I came in right around 87 so yeah, and then that’s when I started firing it up with him. So
Nestor Aparicio 03:33
80 but in 81 you’re just a kid going to Madison Square Garden. In 87 you’re in the band. What the hell happens in that period of time that gets you into the band? Well,
Zakk Wylde 03:42
you know, I mean, I was a drug dealer for a while now, my kid anyway, so it got me into, might have been more money in that to play, audition like everybody else, but, you know, but I think I was the only, the only other guitar player I can hang with him alcohol wise. So I think that’s the reason why I got gig, all right, well, at least back in the day for, I don’t think it had anything to do with my guitar playing,
Nestor Aparicio 04:02
but for you, having grown with the band, tell me about the genesis of something like oz fest, because, I mean, it came along, I guess on the back end of Perry Farrell Lollapalooza and all that other stuff that was going on, and the chicks had their little thing happening. And I guess Sharon, being the business side of this thing, says, Let’s do an oz fest. And, I mean, the thing could have crashed and burned long before the TV show happened, but this thing has
Zakk Wylde 04:25
just been incredibly, I mean, it was just, it’s a festival for, like, you know, hardcore heavy bands, as opposed to, like, you know, like, all the alternative stuff. At the time when it was going on, the Gazi tried to, you know, get around to do, to get on one of the festivals. And I think that guy kind of laughed at him and just said, oh, you know, you’re done, you’re finished. We don’t want you out here. And it was like, You know what? Screw you jackass. We’ll come up with our own festival. And right now, it’s like the biggest running festival out there. So, I mean, the whole thing is just like, you know, it’s just, you know, I think it’s a great festival, you know, just for outlet for all the bands you know,
Nestor Aparicio 04:58
could you have envisioned? That the day that they call you in for band meeting and say we’re gonna have this festival.
Zakk Wylde 05:04
No, no, I’m never even there for that. I did just tell me when to get my MC crowd ass where I gotta go, and just tell me when to show up. What part of New York are you from? Man Jersey City originally, man living out in California now, Jersey City. So
Nestor Aparicio 05:17
are you like, run me through the sports thing, because it’s one of the reasons we brought you on. We brought you on. We know you got, like, your good buds with Piazza accurate, yeah, he’s
Zakk Wylde 05:24
a godfather. My son. Nice, nice.
Nestor Aparicio 05:26
What is he good godfather? I mean, he’s Italian. He must be, right? Oh, yeah, I
Zakk Wylde 05:30
got three, you know, I got three kids. So I got, you know, my daughter, and we got our two sons. So, yeah, Mike, the godfather of our second son, right now. Hendricks, hey, when Michael Rhodes wild, that’s, that’s his name. But the whole thing is, yeah, no, Mike’s, Mike’s kick ass dude, man.
Nestor Aparicio 05:46
So how do you meet Piazza? Is he a Dodger? A met? How did that work? Oh,
Zakk Wylde 05:50
well, you know, I think years ago, I was supposed to meet Mike, when he was a Dodger. We’re going to do some, some magazine that’s hooked up, this thing where Mike was going to interview all these guys in bands and stuff like that, because Mike, you know, Mike jams on the drums and stuff like that, no Moodle on a guitar. But, you know, so we’re going to do that. But it never, never panned out. And then I ended up doing the national anthem at Shay. And then, you know, so ever since that might have been, you know, ever since that point on
Nestor Aparicio 06:13
Zach wild from Ozzy’s band joining us here, promoting a bunch of stuff. Black Label society, the blessed Hell Ride, also going to be in Westminster from six to eight, signing some autographs, hanging out at the record tape traders, good friends of ours, record tape trader help us out at the station the
Zakk Wylde 06:30
way it’s looking right now. I don’t know if we’re going to make it to six o’clock. Well, let’s
Nestor Aparicio 06:33
say 615 then how’s that? Say, Yeah, I
Zakk Wylde 06:35
don’t know about that either, because we’re gonna have to stop and get some beer. I’ll make it 618 All
Nestor Aparicio 06:39
right? 618 in the three bubweisers Later, we’ll have it all going on. Zach, with the Rock and Roll and the music and the sports connection for you, and being a jersey guy, like I got to know Sid Fernandez a little bit when he was here me, Sid was a huge metal guy. And Steve Everett football player for the ravens, you’re a huge metal guy. There’s a I mean, as much as the hip hop and the rap thing goes with the NBA and with athletes in the NFL, there’s a whole heavy metal sports connection that goes on as well. Oh
Zakk Wylde 07:07
yeah, without a doubt, man. I mean, at the guys, you know, good friends with Scott spiezio, Scott, you know, you know third baseman. You know Scott plays first third, all types of stuff with the angels and stuff like that. So you know Scott Mike, you know, I mean, all the guys, whenever we’re in town, some somebody’s out, and somebody will be hanging. The other day, we just had Ken dannico on the bus. We get to show up in Jersey. So, you know all the hockey players, I mean, they’re all complete metal heads. So, you know, they always show up, popping around, drinking some beers with us. So
Nestor Aparicio 07:34
who are you a fan of, like, a jersey guy? Are you Yankees? You met you giants, your jets? Oh, Mike’s
Zakk Wylde 07:39
The Godfather, my boy. So, you know, I mean, I’m, I’m still, I gotta go with my beloved Yankees. They almost blew it today, but, uh, and no Yankees devils, then, you know, obviously, if it’s gonna be basketball, root for the mix the bricks. But, uh, that’s about it, man, giants, New York Giants, and that’s my football team, so, and that’s what I grew up on, you know, then I’m a huge Babe Ruth fan, huge Yankee fans. So that’s about it, man.
Nestor Aparicio 08:02
Well, we’re gonna forgive you for that right here. We don’t have a lot of use for the Yankees around here. Don’t be shouting that stuff on stage down to Nissan on Friday now,
Zakk Wylde 08:10
I think we got with the Orioles are coming up pretty soon. I think we playing you guys next. And what
Nestor Aparicio 08:15
do we see at oz Fest on Friday? I know Ray’s taking the day off again. I’m convinced that they have oz fest once a month around here, because he’s always out seeing you guys play. But do me a favor, man, get him a backstage pass and let him give Ozzy a hug for crying out loud. But raise a real oz guy. Tell me what’s in the set, like, how long does Ozzy play these days, and what kind of stuff you guys play? Because I haven’t seen Ozzy probably, like, 10 years since hammer Jack’s for crying out loud.
Zakk Wylde 08:39
Oh yeah, what I remember when we did that show that was pretty damn hysterical. But I’m surprised the place is still there
Nestor Aparicio 08:47
now. It burned down afterwards in order
Zakk Wylde 08:51
we put such a beating on it. But when I come
Nestor Aparicio 08:53
is a lot, a lot of Sabbath stuff, or, you know, diary stuff, or more recent stuff, what’s
Zakk Wylde 08:57
basically throughout his whole career, everything from Blizzard all the way, you know, with the stuff I did with him, you know, and some Jake stuff in there, and then, then, obviously, you got to throw a good dose of Sabbath in there. So notice that’s ass kicking. I mean, we just got done doing Toronto. We grew up and, you know, going all the way across Canada, we were doing three hours a night. Wow, three hour shows a night. I mean, it was, like, ridiculous, you know, we’re doing the bows at the end of the night. I’m asking, What are we doing that’s Born to Run by Springsteen. Nice show. But, I mean, it’s like, not a show kicks ass right now. I mean, Ozzy singing his balls off. So, you know, we’re just having a good time. The band sounds kick ass because we got Jason, Jason’s playing with us, Jason Nestor, and then, you know, Jason’s playing base. And then, you know, obviously Mike Borden is always throwing
Nestor Aparicio 09:42
down, no freaky thing, the whole Metallica Ozzie switch of the bass player thing, huh? Well,
Zakk Wylde 09:47
it’s no big deal. Because, I mean, Roberts, you know, Robert to Rios, you know, with Metallica now, Roberts a Black Label brother, anyway, so, no, it’s like musical chairs. You know, it’s just like, because the whole thing is Jason rather than friends back since when Robert was in sewer. Sidle tendency. So, I mean, it’s like, no big deal. When we were down doing the rehearsals, Robert was even down there just hanging out. Jason was going to do it. What the hell are you doing on this one, you know, this one tune, what are you playing on this and, you know, he just go on just, you know, guys are helping each other out. Yeah. I mean, it’s no big deal. We’re all buds. So, I mean, I was just talking to Robert a couple days ago. So, yeah, it’s no big deal. I mean, you know, immediately make it out to be more than what it is. But, I mean, you know, it’s no big deal my wall Bloods and we’re all like hanging out so,
Nestor Aparicio 10:25
so what with Ozzy? Last question for you here Zach, with Ozzy, does he astonish you? I mean, his ability to stick around, your ability to be a kid and and know him as a fan now, to know him as a business associate, as as a guy in his band, and the fact that it’s 2003 most people would have put him on their Deadpool back in 81 not only is he alive, probably better never, and bigger than ever. I mean, Ozzy has reached this legendary status that’s really never going to go away.
Zakk Wylde 10:53
Nothing like an icon. He’s the Elvis of the Elvis of metal. But, I mean, it’s just like, No, I remember. I remember when he actually when Elvis died, when Ozzy turned 43 I remember we just sitting around drinking some beers, we just tanked, and oz goes, well, look at it this way, I beat Elvis. He’s like, I’m still breathing, but I mean, no, we’ll do the bows at the end of the night. And I’m just like, boss, I don’t know how the hell you’re doing it. He just goes. Oz will just go. We got no other choice, bastard. What are we going to do? Go home and just do basket weaving? You know what I mean? So, I mean, it’s the only thing he knows his music. So, you know, that’s it. I mean it, dude, he’s, he’s, you know, I thank God for him. Every day. He’s the best. Well, I
Nestor Aparicio 11:36
appreciate you coming on, giving us some time your Black Label society, the blessed hell, right? This thing’s selling. Nice for you. I mean, you you pushing us out on osfest to him, and you’re moving some, some albums you got, like a lot of bands, a lot of selection for anybody at osfest to buy a bunch of music, correct? Yeah,
Zakk Wylde 11:52
no good with this. It’s called the FYE tent, you know, it’s just like every day, you know, the bands will go out there and, you know, just meet all the fans, sign stuff and everything like that, and just hang out. So, you know, do that every day. You know, drink some beers with everybody and just chill out. Then, you know, I’ll be out there every day. I’m out there about, like, between three and five o’clock, and then I just get back on the bus. You know, have a couple cold ones, and get ready to fire up the Aussie machine and kick some ass. All right.
Nestor Aparicio 12:16
Well, I appreciate you spending some time with us here. I apologize to my audience that you’re a Yankee fan, but you know, you got
Zakk Wylde 12:23
to be a fan of something. I ain’t a French sitter.
Nestor Aparicio 12:25
Well, you’re right, that’s all right. You got to be a fan of something, as long as you like sports. You’re saying, you know, I’m saying, Well, hey man, good luck to you and and the band. And keep an ad on the road and give Ozzy much love from Baltimore. Tell them to get in here and play Baltimore once in a while. We got it, brother. Thanks a lot. Zach,
Zakk Wylde 12:40
take it easy. Bucha,
Nestor Aparicio 12:41
all right, you got it. There we go. Whoo, that was a wild one there. Man, that’s, yeah, we don’t get a lot of rock stars on here anymore. Man, I like doing that. That’s fun. Ray, is that all about?
12:57
Dude? That guy’s a badass. You just don’t know when he played with his band last year, he came out with a chain around his neck, probably you and I together couldn’t lift. He wore around his neck off. You know, he’s just
Nestor Aparicio 13:12
Besides, he’s mad. He.
