The road to Zakk Wylde becoming one of the most recognizable guitarists ever has been paved with some crazy shit: from touring with Ozzy Osbourne to dodging California wildfires to rising above his own struggles with the "elixir," to name just a few examples. Over the last three decades Wylde has kept at it, by hook or by crook: whether it's ax-slinging for the Prince of Darkness or leading his own band of berserkers in Black Label Society, who recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of their 1999 debut, Sonic Brew, with a special "re-blended" reissue package.
Ahead of BLS' reissue, which contains two bonus tracks, a piano version of "Spoke in the Wheel," and an acoustic version of "Black Pearl" (plus the new totally bonkers video for the album's opening track "Bored to Tears"), we caught up with Wylde for our "Breaking the Laws" series — in which we interrogate artists about all manner of infractions, accidents and misdeeds.
Below, read the results of that rapid-fire, totally insane, chat.
WHAT WAS THE LAST LAW YOU BROKE?
JD [John DeServio, Black Label Society bassist] feels every time I pick up a guitar and start soloing it's breaking the noise ordinance record right there. Whatever the law is for noise ordinance, whenever I play a solo, JD says "lock this man up."
WHAT IS THE MOST ILLEGAL THING YOU'VE EVER DONE?
Once again, probably soloing because JD says I should be locked up for noise pollution.
WHAT LAW WOULD YOU OVERTURN IF YOU RULED THE WORLD?
I guess I'd make it mandatory to have a Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Allman Brothers record in every house.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR SUPERPOWER THAT DEFIES THE LAWS OF NATURE?
That my DNA and my blood is all Viagra and Cialis. And I am just jacked up. Think about it. Let's say you guys need to knock down a door. You can say, "Let's just use Zakk." If you got a flat tire and you need to jack the car but you don't have any jacks to use. You can call Zakk. I'm not really useful for much but I'm there.
WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU'D DO IF THERE WERE NO LAWS AT ALL?
I'd probably do the same thing I'm doing now. I'd have some Valhalla Java and listen to Sabbath and the Allman Brothers and Bad Company and all the stuff I like listening to.
WHAT'S THE WORST FIGHT YOU'VE BEEN IN?
Probably with JD arguing that I should put a solo on a song.
WHAT RIFF OR LYRIC WOULD YOU MOST WANT TO STEAL FROM ANOTHER ARTIST AND CLAIM AS YOUR OWN?
Well, probably we'd have to go maybe with something like "White Christmas" because, with the publishing alone on that, I could buy a lot of Viagra.
HAVE YOU EVER STOLEN OR QUOTED A RIFF IN ONE OF YOUR SONGS INTENTIONALLY, IN TRIBUTE, OR BY ACCIDENT?
Yes and when I have that artist said, "Don't you ever degrade my song like that ever again. You pile of shit. Actually, don't even mention you got any inspiration from me. Just go away."
WHAT'S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU'VE COMPLETELY IGNORED?
Puttin' a solo on a record. Whenever JD says, "Please don't. Don't do it. Don't do it." I just ignore it and put it on.
WHAT SONG ON PAPER SHOULDN'T WORK BUT DOES?
Pretty much everything I've ever played on.
WHAT'S THE WORST TROUBLE YOU GOT INTO AT SCHOOL?
I guess just showing up. Everyone was just like, "Can you please leave?"
WHAT'S THE WORST TROUBLE YOU'VE ENCOUNTERED WITH YOUR BAND?
Well, back in the old elixir days, it would have to be running out of alcohol. That definitely had a massive traumatic effect to all. Nowadays I guess it's, you know, whether we run out of Valhalla Java or Viagra.
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE OUTLAW FICTIONAL OR REAL?
The Outlaw Josey Wales. Just because the word "Outlaw" is in the title of the movie. Otherwise, I'd have to say the Hamburglar.
Below, watch Rob Halford talk about the connection between Judas Priest's "Breaking the Law" and the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love."
