Sound like a religious-based attack on some third-world nation, that you hear about on CNN every other night? Nahhhh. It's just your average, everyday Black Label
Society concert!
Yes, that would be the band of former Ozzy Osborne guitar wunderkind, Zakk Wylde. The man who rips. The man who shreds. The man who takes no shit, and offers
the following to his critics:
The complaint department's closed. There's the door, motherfucker!!
Michael and I had the pleasure of making a recent BLS show up in Springfield, VA, and had the chance to sit and have a little one-on-one with the Wylde one himself. Very candid, very honest, and always willing to give the goods, the six-string maniac didn't dissapoint...
UMR -- How has the tour been so far, Zakk?
Zakk -- "Oh, it's been an adventure. It seems like one thing after another keeps fucking up, but you've just got to take stuff like that in stride, and realize it's part of
being on the road. So we've just been going from place to place, trying to kick as much ass as possible!"
UMR -- What was the deal with your guitars? Did they get taken, or lost, or what?
Zakk -- "They're somewhere between Dallas and Houston, we think. They fell out of the back of a damn U-Haul, somewhere in between. It's pretty messed up... One of
those was the guitar I wrote my first song with Ozzy on, so hopefully I'll be able to get it back."
UMR -- Where else will the tour be hitting? Europe, Japan? 
Zakk -- "We've already been to Japan, which was great, and we'll be heading to Europe real soon. The crowds there are fucking insane, because metal is so huge
in those places. Not that the crowds here aren't great--- it's just that there are more people still into the metal scene there, it seems."
UMR -- What about outside-type projects... Do you have anything going on right now?
Zakk -- "I just recently shot a part for the upcoming movie about the metal singer who gets the lead slot in his favorite band. That was pretty fucking awesome... Now I see
why people want to be actors! You don't have to do a damn thing, and it's easy as hell money! All you have to do is just act a certain way, which for me comes naturally.
I can be sad, I can be pissed off, I can be whatever. In this movie, I played a metal guitarist who likes to drink, and likes to shoot guns. Hell, that's my life!!"
UMR -- What's the scoop on your drumming situation?
Zakk -- "As of right now Phil is no longer with us. He had a couple of rough shows, and actually wasn't able to finish them. He just wasn't able to keep himself together. I love
him like a brother... But right now he just has some problems that he needs to get taken care of. That's his number one priority. So the guy from Crowbar has been filling
in for us, and has been doing a fucking killer job. I couldn't have asked for more."
UMR -- There have been rumors floating about you and Ozzy, and a possible hook-up on another album sometime in the future...
Zakk -- "Ozzy and I are real cool. I actually got to spend some time with him and Sharon and the kids when I was out in California, and that was great. They are
fantastic people. Ozzy and I have always had a great relationship. He said that we'd do the same as always-- that I'd come up with some stuff, we'd sit down and listen to
it, keep some and trash some others, and then go from there. [pause] I did play him some of my new Black Label stuff, though, and all he said was, 'What the hell is that??' "
UMR -- How are you enjoying the whole club scene? Some bands and performers say they actually prefer the club atmosphere
to the big arenas...
Zakk -- "Yeah well... they're full of shit! Seriously, though... Playing is playing-- you can't complain about it. I'm getting paid to do what I love, and as long as it pays the bills
and feeds my family, I love it. But anyone who likes the club deal more has never played the big places. Playing is great, but anyone would choose the big places."
UMR -- Anything else you'd like to tell your fans?
Zakk -- "Just to keep listening to metal, and to come on out to the show if you want to get your fucking head kicked in. Because we're laying waste to every motherfucking
place we hit!"
Bored to Tears--RealAudio