Trends might come and go, much like many an act throughout a whole year's
time, but if there's one thing you can count on with any reliability
and certainty and within the metal scene these days is that Black Label
Society are sure to release another new album with every passing year,
and that it's sure to remain true to its original ideals.
Since launching the band with their 'Sonic Brew' release
back in 1999, guitarist Zakk Wylde and his S.D.M.F.'s (Society Dwelling
Mother F**ker's) have managed to release no less than five full-length
albums (1999's 'Stronger Than Death', 2002's '1919 Eternal', 2003's
'The Blessed Hellride', 2004's 'Hangover Music Vol. VI' and 2005's 'Mafia'),
a half live/studio release (2001's 'Alcohol Fueled Brewtality - Live!!
+ 5'), a compilation (2005's 'Kings Of Damnation - Era '98 - '04') and
a live DVD (2003's 'Boozed, Broozed & Broken-Boned').
Adhering closely to the unrelenting work ethic that has
served him well in the past, Wylde and Black Label Society (who currently
comprise of bassist John 'J.D.' DeServio and drummer Craig Nunenmacher)
have returned with not one, but two new releases for 2006, with the
first being their recently released second live DVD 'The European Invasion
- Doom Troopin' Live', which will be followed closely by album number
eight in 'Shot To Hell'.
After completing another round of Ozzfest dates (which
ran from the end of June right through to mid August) as the second
stage headliners, I caught up with Wylde at home (who was about to duck
out for some lobster, scallops and steak to plough through, along with
some cold ones with Rob 'Blasko' Nicholson) to talk about the two new
Black Label Society releases, how Wylde's work with Ozzy Osbourne's
new album was progressing, his band's upcoming tour of Australia and
how their recent Ozzfest stint went down.
"Ozzfest was ass kicking man. We had a good time.
After a year of going out there and doing other things, it was cool
to catch up with old friends and just hang out. It was great. So it
was pretty much the same old crap. Everybody was drinking, hanging out
and having a blast."
Those who weren't lucky enough to catch Black Label Society
on the recent Ozzfest jaunt will rest a little easier with the release
of the band's second DVD 'The European Invasion - Doom Troopin' Live'.
"My record label (Eagle Vision) asked me if I wanted
to put another one out, and I thought it was a cool idea. So we recorded
the shows we played to the Paris Chapter (which makes up the bulk of
the DVD) and the London Chapter (four songs). I think Eric Zimmerman
(who has filmed three Black Label Society videos, and who previously
worked with Soundgarden, Ministry, Megadeth and Nine Inch Nails) and
Nik Jamgocyan (Co-Director, Editor, and Cinematographer of the DVD and
Zimmerman's partner in US based production and post-production company
Master Cylinder Media) did a great job. They're both super talented
guys and we had a f**king blast while we were doing it. I don't know
how we managed to complete that European tour because the tour bus we
were using was hell the whole f**king time. Do you know what the difference
was between that bus and a Port-A-John? Nothing! There was no f**king
difference! (Laughs) How we managed to make it across the US and through
Europe on that f**king piece of shit is beyond me. It was unbelievable.
There was nothing but a cloud of flies flying around that thing the
whole time. It was hideous. Put it this way, if you didn't have a drinking
problem before you jumped on the bus, you had one by the time you got
off. That's how pathetic it was. But there ain't any pussy ass whining
bullshit here. We still managed to complete the tour and get the DVD
knocked out. We get the f**king job done."
Even more surprising is that Wylde, his band and his crew
allowed the camera men to live long enough to compile a one-hour on
the road documentary.
"Again, the label suggested that we have someone
with a video camera to cruise around with us and film everything. We
didn't give a f**k. Who gives a shit? They follow us around, and it
is what it is! (Laughs)"
Moving onto Black Label Society's upcoming release 'Shot
To Hell', Wylde is once again less than serious when it comes to comparing
it to the band's previous releases.
"People have been asking me that a lot lately and
all I have to say is that I think this album actually sucks more dick
than anything we've ever come out with before! (Laughs) It's more pathetic
than all of my previous albums combined! (Laughs) That's just the way
you have to look at it. I love it when the record companies tell me
that I have to say the album is our best yet. I'll say whatever the
f**k I like. I mean, I wrote this shit! (Laughs)"
As the laughter subsides, Wylde does manage to put 'Shot
To Hell' in a little more perspective, if a little cryptically.
"As always, there's going to be some mellow stuff
on it, along with the heavy stuff. My whole thing is like this - you
could ask me which album is my favourite Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath
album, and the only way I can answer that is to say that I love them
all. It just depends on what mood I'm in. If we're on a road trip and
we don't want to hear 'Led Zeppelin IV' any more, we'll put on 'Physical
Graffiti', 'Presence' or something that we haven't heard in a while.
If we don't want to hear 'Iron Man' or 'Paranoid' any more, we'll put
on 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' or 'Sabotage'. It's like the Rolling Stones
who are on the radio right now. Whatever comes out from the Stones these
days, I'll buy it. Obviously you have the classic Stones and then you
have the new Stones. But it's always the Stones. It's all good in my
mind. The way I always look at it is if you say your latest album is
the best thing you have ever done, then you're only discrediting all
the other albums that you've recorded in the past. I think Black Label
Society albums work in much the same way. They're all different in some
way, but you also know what you're getting yourself in for."
Much like previous ventures into the studio, the recording
of 'Shot To Hell' didn't stand out as any real change from the usual,
apart from the occasional appearance from producer Michael Beinhorn
and his Mellotron.
"Nothing too much changed. It was still the same
amount of dicking around. We did have Beinhorn come down from time to
time, and he brought his Mellotron down to the studio to add to our
jam sessions. Jamming in this group is like a band jamming in the '70's.
If there's a new piece of gear, we actually try it out and see what
we could do with it, as opposed to sticking to a formula. Our whole
mentality is, 'Ah f**k it. Let's try this out'. I'm sure the drugs probably
helped out with the experimentation in the '70's, but they still made
great records back then. So we had the Mellotron down there and it helped
us out in a few parts. But the bottom line is that I'll plug my guitar
straight into my Marshall stack and then put a little distortion on
it. When you do that, you can't help but write riffs. With the distortion,
it sounds as heavy as hell. And then when we get tired of doing that,
I'll sit behind a piano and start jamming with that a bit. And then
when I'm done with that, I'll sit down with an acoustic guitar. When
you start doing the mellow stuff on the piano and the acoustic guitar,
it tends to be the more melancholy and reflective stuff, rather than
the pedal to the metal f**king riffs, which helps even things out."
Aside from adding Mellotron, Beinhorn also helped out
on production duties with Wylde on 'Shot To Hell'.
"The last time I worked with Beinhorn was when I
working with Ozzy Osbourne on the 'Ozzmosis' album back in 1996. That
was years ago man. And before that, the last time I saw Beinhorn was
on my 30th birthday, which was nine years ago. But working with Beinhorn
was great. He's a Black Label brother and I love him to death. Beinhorn
would just come down and ask me if I needed him on the day. More often
than not, I said no. When you know where the f**k you're going, you
don't need to ask for directions right? Trust me, its like telling Jimmy
Page to get a producer. If I want a producer, I'll get Beinhorn down
here. I don't need to be babysat by a show off! (Laughs) Making this
album was exactly the same as when we were making 'Ozzmosis'. We had
a great time. His job was more about helping me get the tones on the
guitar. Beinhorn's not going to tell me how to write the songs. You
don't tell anybody how to write songs. It's the same as if I was producing
something for a band. I might be there for advice, or for my experience,
but I certainly wouldn't be there to tell them how to write a f**king
song! (Laughs)"
One topic that Wylde isn't all that knowledgeable about
is his recent move from Artemis Records (who managed to hold onto Black
Label Society long enough to release 2005's 'Mafia') to Roadrunner Records
(who announced their signing of the band in March).
"I have to be honest with you here and tell you that
I have no f**king idea what that was all about. That's why I have managers
and lawyers. I still have a good relationship with all those guys at
all those other record labels, and they're all good people. Just because
I'm no longer signed on with their label doesn't mean I'm no longer
friends with them. It doesn't mean shit. On the business side of things,
I don't give a f**k. While we're still able to record, I don't give
a f**k what label we're on. All I want to know is when I'm going into
the studio next. As long as we can drink beer and make music, we're
always good to go."
Of course, no conversation with Wylde these days could
pass up the opportunity to find out just what the current status is
of the in-the-works Ozzy Osbourne album, especially given that most
of the material has supposedly already been written and recorded (with
drummer Mike Bordin and bassist Rob 'Blasko' Nicholson) as far back
as May.
"We have like twenty songs completed man, and I had
everything to do with this album, including all the riffs and the mellow
shit. I mean everything. That's the way it should be done. Not like
last time around! (2001's 'Down To Earth', where Wylde was simply a
session guitarist, with no song writing contributions towards the album).
My track record speaks for itself. Between 'No Rest For The Wicked'
(1988) and 'No More Tears' (1992), I think it's f**king safe to say
at this point that I know what the f**k I'm doing. I care about Osbourne.
I mean, he's the godfather of my son. I just didn't want to see another
situation like last time around where there were all these c**k sucking
clowns, who haven't written a f**king song for anybody, coming around
to the studio passing Ozzy songs. They're just a bunch of f**king bullshit
artists, and it really pissed me the f**k off. They just want to get
their head inside Ozzy's ass. I saw that coming and I ain't got time
for that bullshit this time. I see it all the time. They don't bleed
this shit and that's the reason why I care. Once you get the money involved,
all they want is to get their grubby f**king paws all over it all. The
bottom line is, my job is to protect him. So while I have a bit of time
up my sleeves before these upcoming rehearsals, I'm going to be working
with Osbourne. I'll be there just to help him out on the melodies and
all that stuff. Osbourne has got to get this album done. The music is
done right now, it's just a matter of the boss singing his balls off,
and then its all good to go. The plan is to have the album released
in February next year. By that time, Black Label Society will already
be touring with the 'Shot To Hell' album. So Ozzy will be headlining,
with Black Label supporting, with an opening act supporting the two
of us."
As the conversation draws to a close, I eventually get
to one of the more important reasons for our get together in the first
place, and that's the announcement of Black Label Society's first tour
of Australia (which covers five cities in late September, with Vanishing
Point in support).
"We're finally hooking up with the Australian Chapter.
We can't wait until we f**king get down there man. We're going to have
a blast. I'm so glad its finally happening. The last time I was done
there was with Osbourne, Mike Inez and Randy Castillo back in 1998.
We had a f**king ass kicking time down there last time, without a doubt!
(Laughs) So I'm looking forward to playing some shows and hanging out.
I think we start rehearsals next week and then we have five days of
rehearsals so we can knock this shit out. We're already working on it
right now by trying to figure out a set list. We're going through that
list right now. Because we now have f**king eight records, we have to
figure out all the pieces. We have to make way for the piano set, the
heavy stuff and the stuff that's somewhere in-between the two. It ain't
just going to be the balls to the wall stuff, we'll have the mellow
stuff in there too."
With relatively few members of Australian Chapter having
seen a Black Label Society show before, Wylde was quick to offer one
last piece of advice for newcomers.
"Make sure you get a designated driver and start
drinking heavily! (Laughs) The best way to go to a Black Label show
is get a limo and get your friends all piled up in there. Start cooking
in the parking lot, drink and come into the show to have an ass kicking
time. After you're done having an ass kicking time, just keep pounding
them down. That's a Black Label evening right there. Hopefully, by the
time you get home you'll be greeted by your old lady, who'll then give
you a blowjob or get you laid. Of course, you could end up sleeping
on the front lawn, but we don't want to see it end like that! (Laughs)"
I would personally like to thank Zakk Wylde for his
generous time, and Chris Maric at Riot! Distribution for making the
interview possible.
For more information on Black Label Society, check out
- http://www.blacklabelsociety.net
