Louder AAA
Hey Zakk, you’ve got a new Black Label Society album, Engines Of Demolition, out. That’s exciting, isn’t it?!
“Oh, for sure! Of all the Black Label Society albums… this is the next one! That’s why it’s special! Ha ha ha!”
You still get excited about releasing new music, though?
“Yeah, without a doubt. I love everything. I remember reading an interview with Keith Richards and they said to him, ‘Do you think you’ll ever retire?’ and he goes, ‘Retire from what? Reading a good book? Having a cup of coffee?’ Why would you retire from this? It’s a good analogy from Keith. He loves playing music, what would he retire from this for?”
One of the songs on the new album is dedicated to Ozzy - Ozzy’s Song.
“Yeah, I already had the music written before he passed, but after we put Ozzy to rest, I went home and wrote the lyrics. Obviously, I wouldn’t have wrote it if Oz hadn’t passed, but I kept playing it to my wife and she just kept referencing it – ‘Put Ozzy’s song on.’ So, I just ended up calling it Ozzy’s Song.”
Ozzy must have taught you a lot over the years…
“Oh, of course! So many things. But I remember talking to Ozzy about the vocals on Sabotage and I was like ‘Whoa, Oz, you really took your Wheaties that morning, didn’t you, because the vocals are incredible!’ I tried to get some tips, and asked if he was having vocal lessons back then, and he said, ‘No, Zakk. Just lots of alcohol and drugs.’ Ha ha ha! I guess those are the steroids of rock’n’roll!”
You have your own Death Wish Coffee blend, Valhalla Java Odinforce. How do you take it?
“Straight up, man. I can’t drink it with cream and sugar. Put it this way, if there’s a lid on it and I get it for my friends, who have those syrup ones that are about 560 million calories, and I accidentally take a sip, I feel like my teeth are about to explode. I can’t even taste the coffee! I like the espresso taste; I like it bitter!”
I make out with all my dogs.
Zakk Wylde
It’s super-strong, right?
“Oh yeah, it’s like putting a shot of espresso in your coffee. When they sent me that as a sampler to try, I knew it was the one.”
You’ve also put your name to Berserker Hot Sauce. How hot do you go?
“Well, there’s ‘hot’ and then there’s ‘burn the top of your oesophagus’. I like it kinda mellow; I want to be able to taste the food. But I got buddies who will not be satisfied until you have to take them to the hospital after they eat. I’m talking molten lava, bro!”
What’s the hottest thing you’ve ever eaten?
“I don’t! I won’t even go there. You know what’s going to be hot, what do I wanna put myself through that for? That takes me away from my Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber albums!”
We were looking on Instagram and a pug account recently named you as the celebrity pug owner of the day!
“Oh, I’m a big animal guy. Every time I go to a shelter I just wanna scoop them all up and take them all home!”
Are you a bit soppy around your pets?
“Yeah, totally, man. I make out with all of my dogs! I just make sure I brush my teeth before I make out! Ha ha! I gotta look out for them!”
You were famously in the movie Rock Star. You still hang out with Mark Wahlberg?
“I haven’t seen him for a while, but Mark is good people, very mellow. Everyone involved was super-cool, not just Mark but Jen [Aniston] and the director Stephen Herek. Great experience.”
So, did you manage to turn Marky Mark into a metalhead?
“Actually, it was very funny, because he said to me while we were doing the movie, ‘Zakk, I have to be honest with you, I didn’t even know any of this music existed.’ His brothers just played him rap growing up. You think, ‘How can you not know about Led Zeppelin?’ But he just wasn’t from that world. Super-cool guy, though.”
Engines Of Demolition is out now via Spinefarm. Black Label Society play Bloodstock in August
