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Editorials

OZZY OSBOURNE TAKES AXL ROSENBERG’S ADVICE

 Friday, July 10th, 2009 at 11:00am by

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Just about a year ago I took it upon myself to offer Ozzy Osbourne five tips to record a good album again. And my very first tip?

  1. FIRE ZAKK WYLDE. I’ve made this suggestion before, and I know it’s a controversial one; Zakk is, undeniably, the best guitar player Ozzy has worked with since Randy Rhodes’ untimely passing. And at his best, Zakk is a brilliant, brilliant guitar player. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, Zakk seems to have decided that he needs to release every semi-coherent riff that pops into his beer-soaked brain. If Zakk can’t or isn’t willing to work his ass off like he was 19 again, step up to the plate, and knock one out of the park, it’s time to explore other options. Ozzy could comb the known world looking for the next Zakk Wylde – lest we forget, Zakk was just some unknown teenager when Ozzy originally discovered him – or, if that’s too risky, I’m sure there’s only about 18 trillion famous axe masters (How about Jerry Cantrell? Pepper Keenan? Ozzy’s already got one former member of Faith No More in his ranks – maybe he can steal Jim Martin away from his pumpkin farm? I know Ozzy almost hired Buckethead a few years back) who would be willing to give the job their best shot.

And, hey, lookit that! Ozzy has revealed to Classic Rock magazine that he is, indeed, parting ways with Wylde.

The Ozzman sayeth:

“Well, I’m getting a new guitar player as we speak,” said Ozzy, “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. 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 Black Label Society. I just felt like I wanted a change, y’know?

“I’ve got a guy from Greece coming in – not the musical, the country of Greece – but I’m not going to say too much about it, cos I don’t know myself at this point. I’ve got a new album, I’m working on it as we speak. I’ve got a studio at my house and I’ve got a guy called Kevin Churko, the guy that did the last album [Churko also worked on Ozzy’s Under Cover album, produced Cheap Trick’s highly rated 2006 album Rockford, and has credits on releases by Britney Spears, Celine Dion and Shania Twain] – he’s great to work with.

So, obviously, I think is great news. Wylde is a brilliant guitar player who seems to have lost any motivation to make something memorable at least a decade ago. And in case we needed any more evidence that Wylde needs to do some soul searching, Black Rain was the weakest Ozzy offering yet.

Of course, the flipside of this is that Ozzy could very well end up making a terrible decision – like Kevin Churko. Churko has done Ozzy no favors, and needs to get kicked the curb, like, five years ago.

On the other hand, I think John 5 is an excellent choice (But only if Ozzy stops calling “Johnny 5.” He’s a guitar player, not a fucking robot, dude.). Monsieur Cinq is a really, really talented guy, capable of shredding his ass off and playing a wide range of diverse material, and, frankly, he’s gone to waste working with the Marilyn Mansons and Rob Zombies. I’m not 100% sold on 5′s songwriting chops, but I’d be wwwaaaayyyy more curious to hear a new Osbourne album with John 5 playing leads than with Wylde back on board.

In other news, I guess Vince and I will really never get to hear Wylde and Ozzy play “No More Tears” live. Oh well.

-AR

[Thanks, Blabbermouth!]

johnny5

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  • Strep Townsend

    The only material I listen to from Wylde is the stuff he released with Derek Sherinian, and that’s good enough for me.

  • Mike

    Good for Ozzy for having the ears to realize that all of Zakk’s stuff from the past stuff sounded like BLS. I wonder if this guy he’s bringing in from Greece is Gus G? I hope not, because the stuff I’ve heard from Firewind sucks balls.

    • MoonSnake

      I was thinking Gus G too when he said Greece. I wouldn’t hate that. I think some of Firewind’s stuff is pretty cool, and Gus can shred up a storm.

    • Sin and Death

      I saw Firewind on tour with Arch Enemy. Before the show, I was like, “Who the fuck is Firewind?” They weren’t too bad. For what it’s worth, their guitarists were actually pretty good. Although that isn’t really a huge shocker, since it seems like amazing guitarists in the metal scene are a dime a dozen.

      • metalguy

        firewind is the only power band i can say i truely love. their guitarists are fantastic

        • Sin and Death

          The only problem I have with power metal is that it’s like Cheetos: Dangerously Cheesy.

          I do loves me some power metal, though. …And Cheetos, for that matter.

  • Sin and Death

    All I have to say is (In Zakk Wylde voice): WHOA YEAHUH!!!

  • ZIltoid

    Zakk Wylde does nothing but abuse pinch harmonics. He’s really one of the worst composers I’ve ever heard. He can’t write a decent solo for shit.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg9iBK0Hu6U

    He can’t even play a damn national anthem without throwing in a bunch of unnecessary pinch harmonics.

    • Strep Townsend

      Sometimes I think he has Yngwie Malmsteen syndome.

    • Sin and Death

      I always joked that Zakk Wylde would eventually come out with an album comprised entirely of harmonics and “whoa yeah’s.” That said, I wouldn’t go so far as to say he’s an unskilled guitarist. Dude can shred. But, yeah, it’s not like I would go out my way to buy his BLS BS, or see him in concert again.

    • FuckinEh

      Ziltoid can you please do everyone a fucking favor on this website and find a knife, and run into it. Over the past few weeks it seems every fucking article that gets posted on this site you have to put your two cents in. By the sounds of things i dont even think you like fucking metal because it seems like you hate every band that comes up in discussion! As for Zakk being a shitty composer, there are sometimes when you shouldn’t talk out of your ass dude. I will agree with you that his newer stuff has not been as good BUT i would fucking love to see you pick up a guitar and write a song like Bark at the Moon or No more tears. These songs are fuckin masterpieces. Pick up a guitar and play a decent solo or write a good song or fuckin write ANYTHING and then you can beak everyone on the internet i guess cuz then your doing your own litttle dick touching thing. I honestly think you must be a complete loser who lives in his mom and dads basement,most likely obese, and has nothing better to do then come on here and complain about fuckin near everything on this site. Go fuck yourself.

      • Canvas Of Flesh

        Ummm, I’m not sure, but isn’t the purpose of having a comments section with each article to, you know, comment? Why the hell would it bother you when someone puts their two cents in? If you don’t like the comments that a user typically posts, skip over them? By the way, Bark and Tears are two pretty shitty songs.

        • The Mighty Fucking Quinn

          I’m not crazy about No More Tears, but Zakk Wylde didn’t have shit to do with Bark at the Moon. That was Jake E. Lee.

          • FuckinEh

            This is true. I was pissed off that there is no love for Zakk on here and didnt think through what i wrote. It just seems like everyone HAS to hate every fucking guitarist or band that has made a name for themselves because they are obviously talented. Im starting to get really sick of it.

        • FuckinEh

          My point is with him is that it is ALWAYS negative. I realize everyone is entitled to their own opinion but when your getting made fun of by Axl and other various people who view and run the site, maybe its time to shut your mouth and keep your negative bullshit to yourself. He does it just to get a rise out of everyone (and i guess its working) so he’s obviously accomplished his goal and should now go bother someone else.

          • Sammy

            I think for a lot of metal fans, and especially fans of guitar, the constructive criticism of Zakk is that while he’s a fantastic guitarist, he is a lazy songwriter with a decided lack of ability to filter. He DOES seem to release damn near everything that comes into his head. He DOES over do the pinch harmonics. And he DOES seem to ruin every beautiful acoustic song with a blazing guitar solo.

            But, he IS an awesome guitarist and he is one of the few rock “stars” who will let ordinary fans onto his tour bus, hand ‘em a guitar and give a lesson while sharing his beer. He has a very “one of us” appeal to him.

      • http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/8345/outside21.jpg Revrant

        Jesus, damned if you do, damned if you don’t, I come in and intelligently defend Zakk, shit all over the place, someone comes in and intelligently criticizes him, shit all over the place.

        What the fuck? The same people each time?

        • FuckinEh

          I tried to intelligently defend him, however i was to pissed off at Ziltoid and ended up sort of making an ass outta myself…
          Its true tho. Its always the same people. Im starting to wonder if they like metal at all

  • ZapBranigan

    I lost all respect for Zakk Wylde when I heard he was on the new Dope record. And then he took them on tour!

    Dope is one of the worst bands ever. Right up there with the crabcore of Attack Attack.

    • Jesse

      That’s fuckin stupid. It’s not like Dope is this huge band and he’s only doing it for the money.

  • Gary S.

    You know who would work great with Ozzy? Tony Iommi.

    • Biff Tannen

      Hahaha…. agreed. Too bad Ozzy is too busy dragging his good name through the mud. How long has it been since Sabbath (with ozzy) reunited?? 1998-1999, right? They put out two HORRIBLE new songs on the “reunion” live album…thats IT. Meanwhile, DIo and Iommi re-unite and put out an very,very solid, if not spectacular album in a little more than 2 years being back together, after doing shitloads of touring.

      • Jesse

        Cough.. Ozzfest ..cough. Although I wouldn’t really call it a reunion since they didn’t do anything but tour Ozzfest for a year. But it was one bad assed show nonetheless.

        • Biff Tannen

          No, they toured the world on their own for a year as well. I saw them at the Rosemont Horizon (now called Allstate Arena) in Chicago on the tour. It was on my birthday in January 99′…. certainly wasn’t Ozzfest. Pantera opened, I believe…..I try to block that part out.
          They also played Ozzfest quite a few years in the 2000′s as well. I know I saw them there in 2005….(i was just there to see Maiden, mind you)
          It certainly wasn’t just a couple of one off ozzfest shows one summer.

          • Johnny

            “Pantera opened…I try to block that part out”

            Are you fucking nuts they were probably ten times better then the shell that was once Sabbath

      • Johnny

        Sabbath shouldn’t ever fucking reunite with Ozzy. Listen to his voice on Symptom of the Universe and lookat his live performances now, he fucking sucks, hes done, his voice is far beyond shot as well as his mind.

  • Keegan Smith

    I’d have to agree a bit that Zakk has been slacking since he put out The Blessed Hellride with BLS, that album was good but the standard went down a couple steps with everything he did after that…to much sucess? Maybe.

    But, Ozzy? HA, the last good record he put out was No More Tears in 199fuckin’1. Can anyone honestly say Ozzy put out an STRONG album after No More Tears?

    But, I’m sad to see Zakk go, this isn’t the first time though. I remember the first time Zakk was out of Ozzy’s band, and Ozzy got Zakk back in like a year or two? That Joe Holmes guy? Ha, he might be good, but face it no matter how bad or good Zakk plays he has a bunch or stage prescenes and lots of charisma, he’s a house hold name and a rock icon. He will be just fine without ozzy, and Zakk can shred and I’m confident he’ll get back up to his high point if he get’s an actual band to help put out BLS albums instead of just writing all of it himself.

    That’s really how zakk has hit a wall in my opinon, 8 our of 10 things he records he writes almost all of it, he’s good but too much of anything is never a good thing. Moderation is key.

    And for the record, this next guitar player will probably just be average. Because the reason Randy was so good and Zakk we’re so good is because they had the drive, and Ozzy was putting out decent songs.

    Good luck Zakk. Even more good luck to Ozzy, I feel like he’s going to need it way more.

    P.S. Why all the hate on pinch harmonics? I know Zakk uses the hell out of them, but it’s a part of his style. That and if you look under pentatonic in the dictionary you’ll find a picture of him. But hey, anybody that can have there own signature gibson guitar for 10+ years along with 3 other spinoffs, props to that.

    • FuckinEh

      I comlpetely agree with everything you said here dude. Fine work.

  • Sammy

    “Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, Zakk seems to have decided that he needs to release every semi-coherent riff that pops into his beer-soaked brain.”

    I think I may have uttered that exact phrase at least a dozen times myself.

  • Sammy

    But you do realize that this means instead of releasing an album every 8 months, Zakk is going to step it up to every other week.

  • yanky

    no no no no no no no no no
    worst news ever
    who the fuck can replace someone like that?
    some two bit fucking schmuck whos going to have to deal with NOT BEING zakk

    at least i got to see ozzy with zakk

  • Canvas Of Flesh

    Ozzy should probably concentrate more on his reality TV career and leave rock music alone.

  • Mike

    I think it was time for them to separate, but Zakk is still a great guitar player. And for the record, Kirk Hammett uses WAY too much wah when he plays, does anybody even care? No! Why would we care about Zakk Wylde’s pinch harmonics?

    • Sammy

      Mike, actually some of us DO care about both. Some of Zakk’s songs have a PH every 8 seconds and it’s annoying as hell. And yes, Hammett would do us all a favor if he’d write a solo without the wah pedal.

  • http://www.kingdomofnoise.blogspot.com MetalMatt

    I could really care less. I became disinterested in Ozzy and Zakk years ago. The quality is just not there anymore.

  • http://www.myspace.com/whiskeyrambleproject x101whiskey_ramble101x

    yeh, I was hopin’ that this would happen before THE OZZMAN DYETH… I would’a fired him as soon as he showed up to practice with his Hulk Hogan voice. BRRRRRROTHER!!!!!!

  • CarlosRamirez

    Zakk Wylde his best guitarist since Randy Rhodes? You obviously haven’t paid attention to Jake E. Lee’s work before.

  • SourDeez

    The pinch harmonic used to be really cool. Now it’s overused and usually sounds tasteless and cliche. Thank you, Zakk Wylde.

    • gnarlk

      thank you dimebag….

  • Johnny

    As I said on the other post, no matter who the guitarist is Ozzy is done either way, he cant sing SHIT anymore let alone write his own fucking songs. It might as well be the guitarists solo CD with Ozzy Autotuned vocals over it

  • sYgnal

    Churko also worked on Ozzy’s Under Cover album, produced Cheap Trick’s highly rated 2006 album Rockford, and has credits on releases by Britney Spears, Celine Dion and Shania Twain

    And this is going to make for a great Metal album?? Ozzy needs more than a new guitarist if he’s gonna release anything that’s in the same league as the new Heaven & Hell CD. He should have people on board that know how to produce a damn Metal album not these freaks that are concerned with a slick money maker.

    *Ahh* Fuck it! It’s not like Ozzy can sing or write anymore…Remember “No More Tours”??

  • RobotScythe

    John 5 is the shit. Don’t judge him by his Manson/Zombie stuff. Check out his solo albums, like “requiem” or “The Devil KNows My Name”. The boy can PLAY. He can do some seriously balls out shredding AND he can play really structured, ineteresting melodic stuff as well. He’s far from the one-trick pony Wylde has become. Wylde overplays everything these days. He’s so worried about looking like a hardass, he’s forgotten hole to play with TASTE and restraint. Everytime he plays a riff or solo, everything he knows how to play shows up.

    • Johnny

      You speak with the tongue of someone who has never seen him play live or listened to his albums.

    • groverXIII

      You got the John 5 part right, certainly… his solo stuff is fucking killer.

  • http://www.myspace.com/breathofmetalproductions pokesmot

    R.I.P. Randy Rhoads
    I agree there hasn’t been a good Ozzy album since “No More Tears”
    The last good song he put out was on the Beavis and Butthead do America Soundtrack.
    That’s like 15 years without a good song

  • http://www.myspace.com/butchfrable Butch

    Sharon has been pushing Ozzy way too much for years, yes, milking every last drop out of what was once a Metal Iconic God… it is a shame how much she used him for every last ounce of validity in his name… she would have done him a huge favor, while still living LAVISHLY with Ozzys name making millions, let him get a little more sober, lay LOW for a couple of years, and made a MASSIVE comeback, with a good solid album and tour… instead she has pushed this man to the very end of any dignity, and sold herself off for every shekel, and ruined any chance for their children to use the name Osbourne with their head held high with pride, instead of money grubbing greed, and substance abuse… ZAKK needs to chill out with putting every riff he records on his personal studio into a half assed effort and calling it a record… he himself needs some sobriety, and to find his roots again, what made him become a guitarist BEFORE Ozzy, like the Pride and Glory record, that album smoked, it showed versatility, skill and songwriting, without the hype, and a pinch harmonic every 5 seconds… he has indeed hit a wall, I know EXACTLY where he is coming from, but instead of putting out half assed recordings, I have stopped recording with the band I am in now, and done some other things away from metal, just to recharge my batteries… Zakk could do with some advice from a half wit nobody like me… lay low Zakk, and com back in the fold with a MASSIVE solid record, and huge tour… DONT soil your name for every nickle and dime until your worth is diluted to ” Oh, Zakk, he was that guy…” recharge, sober up, and come back strong… but that is just my lowly opinion… for Ozzy, Sharon has stripped him of every last shred of dignity… let him retire you money hungry bitch… leave him something, before he is nothing BUT the buffoon you are turning him into…

  • groverXIII

    Axl, you called it perfectly with John 5. He’s a phenomenal guitarist who is going to waste with Rob Zombie. His solo stuff, on the other hand, is brilliant.

  • http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/8345/outside21.jpg Revrant

    “Black Rain was the weakest Ozzy offering yet.”

    Put a gun in your mouth, loud it, pull the trigger, this is officially the fucking stupidest thing you have ever uttered in life, and deserves an appropriate amount of brain splattered on the fucking wall.

    Ozzy has done far worse.

    “In other news, I guess Vince and I will really never get to hear Wylde and Ozzy play “No More Tears” live. Oh well.”

    And then you lose all respect I had for you guys, I don’t even need to add on to that.

    All respect lost.

    “On the other hand, I think John 5 is an excellent choice”

    Yeah, the obscure douche that wears a mask, how am I not fucking shocked you guys cum all over his work? God, you guys are so fucking backwards it astonishes me.

    Of course this d-bag is from my state, where every d-bag in Rock/Rap seems to be from.

    Ozzy should audition like he did for Zakk, he needs someone new, not someone to come in with all these fucking preconditions and ideas about how they want to sound, he needs clay to mold, as he did with Zakk.

    So no, no established mask wearing d-bags, thanks.

    • Sammy

      Rev, point of clarification: John 5 doesn’t wear a mask (or not anymore). Just lots of odd makeup. And he’s not very obscure, at least in the guitar world. Besides, he’d likely be a short-term solution.

      • http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/8345/outside21.jpg Revrant

        Yep, looks like he’s switched to make-up, I’ve sure as hell never heard of him, nothing he’s ever sold or produced himself has ever been notable, and honestly I just don’t like his guitar work, with or without industrial sludge.

        I hope so, I hope Ozzy continues his trend of finding undiscovered talent, it’s created a magically rifflicious dynasty, and I’d like to see it happen a third time with someone capable of molding their sound around his post-ATV accident/aging vocal style.

        • Johnny

          “I’ve sure as hell never heard of him”

          So if you have never heard of him how the fuck can you say he sucks and rag on what he does? Hes a great guitar player.

          Stupid fuck why don’t you actually know something about a topic you are discussing before you let your little David Draiman cum soaked mouth spew shit out.

          • http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/8345/outside21.jpg Revrant

            Because I looked him up after I read the article you shitstain on the ass of Maynard Keenan.

            He’s a boring guitar player.

            Grow a fucking brain, eat a fucking dick, then immediately die, meatheaded sack of shit.

          • Johnny

            Reverant hopes Dan Donegan is the new Ozzy guitar player the kid would drop his paints and masturbate

  • Strep Townsend

    Wylde should just form a new band with Derek Sherinian and some of the players off of Molecular Heinosity and be done with the Ozzy camp.
    It’s not like the Ozzy franchise has that much steam left in it anyways.

  • American hate

    sad to say it but zakk is the only thing ozzy has going for him at this point in his career.

  • http://www.cavemanradio.com caveman

    Rosenberg is a completely ignorant cunt. Of course Black Rain was Ozzy’s” worst album to date” because Zakk DIDN”T write the songs, he just played guitar on the record!!!!! Rosenberg, why don’t you have a clue what the fuck you are talking about when yolu try and discuss the greatest living guitarist. You completely proved yourself wrong by stating that an album Zakk DIDN’T write is Ozzy’s worst. If you want to talk about why Ozzy sucks, try listening to his awful voice or forgotten lyrics on stage, Go fuck yourself, dumbass.

  • Phil

    Author! Why would you call Randy Rhoads Rhodes? Credibility my behind :/ Other than that, i think Zakk outgrew Ozzy, and needs to leave anyway, because his work beats Ozzy’s at this time. SDMF Simple riffs+awesome solos do it for me :)

  • DStreete

    Let’s see, Zakk didn’t write DTE or BR as far as I know…and didn’t someone else play on the covers album? So just how does Ozzy’s stuff sound too much like BLS?

    And something I’ve said for years about non-constructive criticism. Can you do it better? If so, show us. If not, STFU!

  • Pete

    c’mon,you cant blame only Zakk why Black Rain sucked. I think that the biggest reason was,that Sharon picked producer named Kevin Churko,who is known mostly producing pop-artist,such as Madonna.So how you can think that Black Rain could be good after that ?

    Ozzy should get for example Lemmy to produce his record like No More Tears album so we could have a decent Ozzy album