Zakk Wylde: Ozzy Osbourne Was ‘Ultimate’ Match With Randy Rhoads
Longtime Ozzy Osbourne associate Zakk Wylde has spent many years performing the famous riffs written by guitarist Randy Rhoads. Wylde tells UCR what made Rhoads a perfect match for the former Black Sabbath singer.
"Randy didn’t like Sabbath at all," Wylde explains. "So, from the world he was coming from and where Ozzy is coming from, the fact that he didn’t like Black Sabbath at all, and wasn’t influenced by Sabbath or anything like that, is really how that soup worked."
Wylde points to famous Osbourne solo tracks like "No Bone Movies" from 1980's Blizzard of Ozz as an example of the pop-driven riffs that had visible roots in the music Rhoads had previously been writing for Quiet Riot. "There was a ton of Ozzy material before they turned into Ozzy songs," he says. "The major riff in 'Crazy Train' and everything like that with the A-E-D-A, where it goes all major and everything like that, that was Quiet Riot kind of stuff."
Osbourne, he adds, "really was the ultimate foil for Randy to be the best Randy and bring all of his capabilities to light."
Listen to by Ozzy Osbourne's 'No Bone Movies'
Rhoads died in a plane crash in March 1982, and the former Black Sabbath front man would struggle personally and professionally with filling the formidable void left by the guitarist's death. Bernie Torme, Brad Gillis and Jake E. Lee all spent time performing with Osbourne before Wylde's debut on 1988's No Rest for the Wicked.
Osbourne is set to return to the road in 2022 after numerous health-related cancellations during the past couple years. Wylde will be in the lineup alongside the singer when those dates kick off. The guitarist is now touring in support of the upcoming Black Label Society album, Doom Crew Inc., which will be released on Nov. 26.
Meanwhile, Rhoads will be honored with a Musical Excellence Award at this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Listen to Zakk Wylde's UCR Interview About Randy Rhoads