Zakk Wylde has opened up about his closing moments with Ozzy Osbourne, reflecting on their decades-long friendship and the emotional closing efficiency they shared earlier this month at Birmingham’s Villa Park.
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Chatting with Guitar World following Osbourne’s dying on July 24, the guitarist recalled their final time onstage collectively through the Again to the Starting charity live performance, the place Black Sabbath reunited for one closing send-off.
Wylde described the evening as “enterprise as common” when it comes to taking part in Ozzy’s solo materials, noting the songs are “ingrained in my head.” However greater than delivering an ideal efficiency, his precedence was “ensuring that Oz was okay.”
“With ‘Mama, I’m Coming House,’ once we received the acoustic out, I needed to be like, ‘Maintain the guitar away from the microphone so I can sing,’ as a result of Oz’s voice was having bother at sure notes,” Wylde stated. “I used to be like, ‘I would like to ensure I’m all the time there so I can double him.’”
The efficiency ended up being their final in-person second. “Seeing Oz onstage when Sabbath received performed, that’s the final time I noticed him,” Wylde shared. “I’m blessed and grateful, man. Something apart from that might be egocentric. And on high of it, to exit with what’s the biggest-grossing charity occasion of all? That’s unbelievable. He helped a complete lot of individuals as a substitute of creating a revenue. My God, what an unimaginable grasp. What an unimaginable life.”
Whereas he didn’t get to spend time with Osbourne backstage amid the gang of tourists, Wylde acquired a heartfelt textual content from Ozzy after the present.
“Everyone and their mom had been within the backstage dressing room and I simply needed to provide him a break,” Wylde defined. “I figured we’d see him in a while — the following day or no matter. However no. The final textual content I received from Oz was saying, ‘Zakky, sorry, it was like a madhouse again there. I didn’t see you.’ He goes, ‘Thanks for every part.’ It was simply us speaking, saying, ‘I really like you, buddy.’ That was it.”
Wylde, who has lengthy thought of Osbourne household — Ozzy is godfather to his eldest son — added: “Whether or not I used to be taking part in with him or not, if Sharon known as me and my spouse up and stated, ‘Guys, are you able to watch the home whereas we’re away on a enterprise journey?’ I’d do it. It’s like, ‘Should you want me to carry milk and eggs over, I’ll do it.’”
He continued, “With all your folks in your life, lions entice lions, you recognize? And the hyenas you hang around with, that kinds itself out later! However Ozzy was the easiest-going, warmest man. He was really easy to get together with.”
Wylde is ready to hold on Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s legacy via his band Zakk Sabbath, who’re attributable to embark on a U.S. tour starting Oct. 30. He’s additionally presently on the highway with Pantera, whose tour was briefly paused following Osbourne’s dying however will resume on Aug. 2.
