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In a new interview with “Guitar World”, Zakk Wylde spoke warmly about his long relationship with Ozzy Osbourne and remembered a few final appearances.
The conversation was the first time that Wylde has been public since Osbourne’s death in the past week. Wylde started playing with Osbourne in 1987 and regularly appeared with him for decades and took up with him. Even if they did not work together, Wysbourne and Osbourne remained close friends.
“Oz was just the best,” said Wylde. “I have my father, who was a veteran of the Second World War; and then Ozzy, who was almost like a big brother. There were almost 20 years old age between us. Our relationship consisted of funny drinking – but if I needed advice, I could speak to him.”
“How to drink – and how not”
Wylde then joked: “There were topics about how to drink and how to drink. You know, the important things in life!”
Wylde was part of Osbourne’s all-star party concert at the beginning of the month in Birmingham, English. That was the last time he saw Osbourne, but Wylde admitted that it was too hectic behind the stage to really spend time together.
“Everyone and his mother were in the backstage area and I just wanted to give him a break,” said Wylde. “I thought we would see him later – the next day or something. But no.
The last text message I got from OZ was: ‘Zakky, sorry, it was like a madhouse there. I didn’t see you. ‘ He said, ‘Thank you for everything.’ It was just two, as we said: ‘I love you, buddy.’ That’s it. “
Ozzy Osbourne and Zakk Wylde were a team until the end
At the “Back to The Beginning” concert, Wylde was on stage for some Osbourne classics, including “Mama, I’m Coming Home” and “Crazy Train”. While “mom,” said Wylde, he tried to keep his acoustic guitar away from the microphone to better support Osbourne, because he “had difficulties in certain tones”.
Wylde continued: “I thought: ‘I have to make sure that I am always there to double him.’ I was about a meter from the microphone when I have to play closer to the microphone, so I have to stop and hold the microphone. spontaneous!”
From the beginning, according to Wylde, he and Osbourne would have had a special chemistry. “Lions put on lions,” he said. “And the hyenas with which you hang around later sort out by themselves! But Ozzy was the most easy to deal with.