Zakk Wylde shared his memories with Ozzy Osbourne in a new video compilation for Loudwire’s YouTube channel. He mentioned his sobriety and recalled:
“Someone was asking, ‘Oh, Zakk, you don’t drink anymore or whatever.’ I was like, ‘Uh, no big deal. I just snort buckets of glue now.’ So, I replace the booze with the glue, but the whole thing is I was sitting there having a cup of tea, and I was having a cup of coffee with him and mom, and Barb went out to go see a movie or something like that. So, we’re in the house.”
His words went on:
“He was [like], ‘Zakk, I don’t drink anymore. I don’t do drugs anymore. I don’t even smoke. I never thought I’d give that up because my slong doesn’t even work.’ And I go, ‘Ozzy…’ He just pauses for a second. He looks me right in the eyes. He goes, ‘Zakk, why am I alive?’ [Laughs]”
Wylde As An Osbourne Guitarist
Zakk Wylde joined Osbourne’s band in 1987 to replace Jake E. Lee. He was part of the team until 1992 and was featured in hits like ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home,’ ‘No More Tears,’ and ‘See You on the Other Side.’
After starting his own band, Black Label Society, Wylde rejoined Osbourne from 2001 to 2009 and again in 2017.
Being In A Band With Osbourne
The guitarist reflected on his time with Ozzy Osbourne during a chat with Johnny Christ (Avenged Sevenfold) earlier this year:
“I always say, it was a miracle any work ever got done between all the drinkin’, and the comedy, and Ozzy just taking the piss out of himself 25/8. I mean, all you have to do is hang out 5–10 minutes to be on the floor, crying and laughing. Even with Spinal Tap, he was like, ‘Zakk, I remember going to that movie for the first time. I thought it was a documentary on Black Sabbath’ [laughs]. Basically, everything that happened in that movie was like something that happened to Black Sabbath.”
He added:
“But, Ozzy, he’s the best. I mean, all the guys — John Sinclair [keyboards], Phil Soussan [bass], and Randy Castillo [drums], when we started working on the record. And then when Bob Daisley came in, and then playing with Geezer [Butler] — I mean all the guys are great, man. And being you know, 19-20 years old, coming into that and then doing the tours and I’m only 21-22 years old. It’s just amazing. It absolutely exceeded even my wildest dreams.”
Osbourne retired from touring in early 2023 due to health issues but will continue to create music.