THE BEAST

Guitarist Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE, ZAKK SABBATH) was recently interviewed by Mistress Carrie of the Boston radio station WAAF. The full conversation can be streamed below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET) :

On the 20th anniversary of forming BLACK LABEL SOCIETY:

Zakk: "20-year birthday for BLACK LABEL. We're having a birthday cake that says 'Happy birthday, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY. 30 more years to go to catch THE ROLLING STONES. Get to work, you rookies.'"

On returning to Ozzy Osbourne's band:

Zakk: "Gus [G.] is doing FIREWIND. Gus is a good buddy of mine — he's just a monster on the fiddle — and [Ozzy] was like, 'Zacky, Gus is going to be doing a FIREWIND thing; he's going to be doing some solo things. Are you available for dishes and laundry and making my ham sandwiches — going light on the mustard?' I said 'Yes, I can do that.'"

On whether Ozzy will ever retire:

Zakk: "I remember back in '91, doing the 'No More Tours' tour. This is the extended 'No More Tours' tour, of the tour of the 'No More Tours' tour. The tour is still going, but we will end it. In 2020, the 'No More Tours Tour That's Touring Again Tour, That Would Tour Because We Are Touring Tour' is going to end."

On selling coffee and guitars:

Zakk: "For me, it's just a natural progression. It's like [baseball legend] Carlton Fisk playing with the Red Sox; then he coaches the Red Sox; then he's general manager and head of player operations. It's like, the only next step for him is to be an owner. Being with Gibson, I couldn't ask for anything more. I got treated amazing, and they're like family to me. The same thing with Marshall, and everything like that. But now it's time for me to be a team owner.

"It's not for everybody. Some of my friends, they're like, 'Zakk, all's I want to do is just play and go home, dude.' But I love doing everything. I've always done all the merch ideas, the album art — I'm involved with all that stuff. I just love being involved with all of it. As far as the guitars, instead of having just a couple of signature guitars, I was just, like, 'It'd be great to have complete lines of guitars.' It's just a matter of branching out. It'd be like, back in the day if I was a kid, I'd have a paper route, then I'm mowing lawns, then I figure out how to take care of pools. I enjoy working. With the touring, I'm out on the road — I'm probably doing over 300 shows a year. I love getting on stage every night. I look forward to it. To me, it's not work. I still look forward to getting together with the guys and us going and doing the stuff."

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY recently kicked off a North American tour in support of its 10th full-length album, "Grimmest Hits", which was released January 19 via Entertainment One (eOne). Joining them on the trek are CORROSION OF CONFORMITY on all dates, with EYEHATEGOD and RED FANG appearing at select shows.

Wylde will also play alongside Ozzy Osbourne during the legendary vocalist's "No More Tours 2" worldwide farewell tour, which kicks off on April 27 at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Jacksonville, Florida.