first impressions...

Talk about Zakk Wylde here.

Moderators: Randy Perry, The Flying Dutchman, Stiltzkin, skezza, Trigger

Post Reply
rice_pudding
Mass Poster
Posts: 1734
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2007 5:49 pm
Location: UK

first impressions...

Post by rice_pudding »

zakk joined up with ozzy before i was born so even though im fully aware of the axe playing masters that preceded him to me he's been ozzys guitar player since the dawn of time :lol: . but im sure it was a lot different if you were a fan back in the 80s.

So i was wondering, to those of you who were about back then how did you feel when zakk oined the band?
What were your expectations of Zakk?
Did he live up to them with his playing on No Rest For The Wicked?
How did you feel about Jake leaving the band?
Basicaly what were your first impressions?

Zakks held down his role as ozzys axeman since i've been an ozzy fan so i've not had to deal with the anticipation etc. of a new guitar player joining the band. Just trying to get a feel for the mood back then :)

P.S. i make no apology if this makes anyone feel old :wink:
Paul Wolfe
Mass Poster
Posts: 5272
Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2006 10:19 am

Post by Paul Wolfe »

I do feel old, but not 'cause of this thread :lol:

I remember when Zakk first joined Ozzy's band. The anticipation wasn't as high as it was when Jake joined, but I was curious. I remember thinking how cool it must be for him, going from playing covers of Crazy Train to playing it with Ozzy. I also remember him saying things early on like that he intended to use primarily pentatonics in his playing with Ozzy because the "exotic" stuff (modes, etc) had been done so much and he wanted to set himself apart. THat reminded me of Jake saying he refused to put a trem on his guitars because everyone at the time was using a Floyd.

I also Rmember Zakk saying he got the bullseye paintjob on his guitar because he didn't want to be disrespectful to Randy - being a blonde kid playing a white Les Paul Custom. I thought that was cool.

When I heard No Rest... I was thrilled that he replaced Jake. I thoght Jake was a great player, but I hated the keyboards all over those records. Back in the '80's you either liked guitar OR keyboards, not both. Mainly because keys were a new wave/Debbie Gibson kind of deal and guitar was Eddie and Randy! I even remember keyboard players (new wave types) bashing Eddie for the 1984 album, saying, "He's a guitar player, you can tell he knows nothing about playing keyboards." It was kinda funny.
User avatar
Zakk Daniels
Mass Poster
Posts: 513
Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 12:06 pm

Post by Zakk Daniels »

I was so in awe of Zakk when No Rest For The Wicked came out. To this day Zakk is my 2nd favorite guitarist. Many say he squels too much, but that is one of my favorite things about his style. I love the pinch harmonics. His are so extreme. I still think he is the best since Randy, but that is only an opinion of mine. No other explanation needed.
Work Sucks!! Thats why I am on here reading posts!!
rice_pudding
Mass Poster
Posts: 1734
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2007 5:49 pm
Location: UK

Post by rice_pudding »

thanks for the replies interesting to hear everyones opinion :)
Fozzy41
Madman
Posts: 471
Joined: Fri Sep 22, 2006 7:31 pm
Location: UK

Post by Fozzy41 »

Followed Ozzy since 1980, seen him play with Randy, Brad Gillis, Jake E Lee, Zakk Wylde and Joe Holmes. When Randy died and Brad joined I personally thought he was great after seeing the Irvine Meadows video. When I got to see him in concert in Dec '82 I was well impressed, but a few weeks later sadly he was gone. There wasn't much anticipation waiting for the anouncement Of Ozzy's new guitarist as it happened so quickly, one week Brad was fired, the next week Jake was in, quick as that. I can still remember the article in Sounds, I think I've got it somewhere. Enjoyed Jake, especially Bark at the Moon era, although the introduction of more keyboards, (not Jake's fault) Ultimate Sin era, spoilt it for me. Don't remember been too dissaponted when Jake left, there was a gap of a couple of months before Zakk's arrival, I remember been very excited about any new anouncement 'cos I was hoping the band would return to their earlier raw sound with the arrival of a new guitarist. Zakk's arrival seemed fairly low key I seem to remember, I believe they played a one-off gig in Wormwood Scubs Prison in July '87 as a sort of test for Zakk, which he passed with flying colours. Then we didn't really hear anything for about 9 months as they recorded No Rest for the Wicked. Before No Rest was released they toured the UK as part of a small venue tour, this was my first introduction to Zakk Wylde, I thought he was fantastic, really pleased with him, sounded ace, they played 3 unreleased tracks from there forthcoming album and I loved 'em. Saw them twice more on The No Rest Tour and they were brilliant, possibly my favourit Ozzy tour, I remember thinking at the time how much I preferred him to Jake. And to be honest I've liked him ever since. The fact that I met him on that tour and he came across as a fantatic genuine guy also meant he went up even higher in my estimation. He comes in for a bit of criticism on this site but I like his sound on the whole, in BLS he maybe overdoes it a bit for my taste, but with Ozzy I like him. Also his loyalty to Ozzy over the years is amazing really,
he knows he owes Ozzy a helluva lot and he's respectfull of that, a rare thing in the music industry today.
User avatar
yohendrix
Junior Member
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:35 pm
Location: Ramsgate, Kent, UK

Post by yohendrix »

Zakk Daniels wrote:I was so in awe of Zakk when No Rest For The Wicked came out. To this day Zakk is my 2nd favorite guitarist. Many say he squels too much, but that is one of my favorite things about his style. I love the pinch harmonics. His are so extreme. I still think he is the best since Randy, but that is only an opinion of mine. No other explanation needed.
Zakk Daniels! you know Music!!
User avatar
McLowery
Madman
Posts: 301
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 7:27 am
Location: Vancouver, WA

Post by McLowery »

Personally, I couldn't stand to listen to No Rest for the Wicked all the way through in one listening straight out of the gate. Zakk was obviously being held on a tight leash on his debut with Ozzy but, IMO, the album lacked soul and I was for sure Ozzy's luck at getting godlike axe wielders was up.

Well I went to the NRFTW show in Portland back in 89 and well, I had to eat a big piece of dookie pie! Zakk's performance blew me away (he hit Randy's and Jake's solos with a proverbial HOME RUN!) Then No More Tears sealed the deal for me and wrote Zakk's name down at the gates of six string Vallhala. I think No More Tears is Ozzy's3rd best studio album right after BOO and DOAM. Although Jake, to me, is a better player the strength of No More Tears' songwriting was just awesome.
Oh bring me some CHUNKY PUDDING, and bring it RIGHT NOW!!!
DayNah
Cool Member
Posts: 154
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2007 4:51 am
Location: Moncton NB Canada

Post by DayNah »

I remember being sad when Jake left Ozzy.......But I remember reading alot of interviews with Ozzy before NRFTW came out and how he praised Zakk up and down.....He said he had never seen another guitarist ever that impressed him like Randy did, but Zakk did this....I remember getting NRFTW and loving it(still do actually)....
User avatar
Snowy
Junior Member
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 12:24 am
Location: Canada

Post by Snowy »

Fozzy41 wrote:Followed Ozzy since 1980, seen him play with Randy, Brad Gillis, Jake E Lee, Zakk Wylde and Joe Holmes. When Randy died and Brad joined I personally thought he was great after seeing the Irvine Meadows video. When I got to see him in concert in Dec '82 I was well impressed, but a few weeks later sadly he was gone. There wasn't much anticipation waiting for the anouncement Of Ozzy's new guitarist as it happened so quickly, one week Brad was fired, the next week Jake was in, quick as that. I can still remember the article in Sounds, I think I've got it somewhere. Enjoyed Jake, especially Bark at the Moon era, although the introduction of more keyboards, (not Jake's fault) Ultimate Sin era, spoilt it for me. Don't remember been too dissaponted when Jake left, there was a gap of a couple of months before Zakk's arrival, I remember been very excited about any new anouncement 'cos I was hoping the band would return to their earlier raw sound with the arrival of a new guitarist. Zakk's arrival seemed fairly low key I seem to remember, I believe they played a one-off gig in Wormwood Scubs Prison in July '87 as a sort of test for Zakk, which he passed with flying colours. Then we didn't really hear anything for about 9 months as they recorded No Rest for the Wicked. Before No Rest was released they toured the UK as part of a small venue tour, this was my first introduction to Zakk Wylde, I thought he was fantastic, really pleased with him, sounded ace, they played 3 unreleased tracks from there forthcoming album and I loved 'em. Saw them twice more on The No Rest Tour and they were brilliant, possibly my favourit Ozzy tour, I remember thinking at the time how much I preferred him to Jake. And to be honest I've liked him ever since. The fact that I met him on that tour and he came across as a fantatic genuine guy also meant he went up even higher in my estimation. He comes in for a bit of criticism on this site but I like his sound on the whole, in BLS he maybe overdoes it a bit for my taste, but with Ozzy I like him. Also his loyalty to Ozzy over the years is amazing really,
he knows he owes Ozzy a helluva lot and he's respectfull of that, a rare thing in the music industry today.
His arrival did seem to be pretty low key. I remember reading the music mags as a teen, wondering who was gonna replace Jake. Then I sorta forgot about it LOL, and kinda focused more on what would Jake do next. Then one day I was watching videos and there's Zakk. I was really into him back then. I must say I've re-discovered him again and can't believe how I forgot all about him over the years. I followed him up until NMT.
BUHZERKER
Senior Member
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:00 pm

Post by BUHZERKER »

I was pissed.. I wanted the gig..
Post Reply