Guitar hero Zakk Wylde started playing with Ozzy Osbourne when Wylde was only
nineteen. So, Osbourne became not just a best friend, but a mentor for Wylde during
their decades of music together.
It turns out though Osbourne’s influence and guidance went well beyond music. Ozzy
and Sharon Osbourne were famously married 43 years in what is considered a fairy tale
marriage in the rock world. Together for 43 years and working together as well, they had
a lot to offer Zakk his wife Barbaranne, who first met in sixth grade, has been together
now over 40 years and just happen to be a couple in marriage and music like the
Osbournes.
In an exclusive interview before Zakk’s Black Label Society release their powerful new
album, Engines of Demolition, a superb collection that showcases the full range and
power of the band’s musical range, the Wyldes sat down for their only joint conversation
on marriage, the Osbournes, songwriting and more.
Hit Parader: Do you guys have a song as a couple?
Zakk Wylde: Yes, “The End,” by The Doors [laughs].
Barbranne Wylde: No, “A Song For You,” Ray Charles version, was our wedding song and is our song.
Zakk: But I do use the Ultimate Warrior’s theme music when I enter the love dojo every night. And I come running into the bedroom just like the Warrior when he attacks.
HP: All right, well, even the Warriors’ music is better than “The End.” I love The Doors, but that’s a divorce song. Priscilla [Zakk’s publicist] is telling me you guys have been together 38 years?
Zakk: This year we’re going to be together 78 years now, we’re going on. And that’s dating; we’ve actually been together for 102 between dating and getting married.
Barbaranne: Okay, so I’ll interpret after he answers the question, and give you the real answer. We have been dating since ’85. So, we’re going on 41 years. But we actually did date in eighth grade. Zakk and I have known each other since sixth grade. And in eighth grade, we went to see the Urban Cowboy movie. He tried to go up my shirt. I wouldn’t let him, and he broke up with me the following Monday. Then we started dating again in our senior year of high school.
Zakk: I have gotten to second base, though, since then.
Barbaranne: Now I have to beg him. But when we first got together back in our senior year of high school, we were best friends. Zakk was actually dating my sister. And I was dating the bassist in his band at the time. And then he basically broke up with the bassist for me and said, “I’m going to marry this girl.”
Zakk: Well, now I tell her every day to look and read the fine print in the wedding contract because I have to remind her at all times, it’s like the Willie Wonka contract. So, if there’s something that she’s like, “I don’t want to do, or go,” I say you should have read the fine print. Always read the fine print. As a major manager, you’ve got to know that.
Barbaranne: Yes. I’m pretty good at negotiating content.
HP: Are you guys fans of the artist Patti Smith by chance? I was listening to “Ozzy’s Song.” There’s a great Patti Smith song called “Farewell Reel” that was written for her late husband. It’s one of those little songs that no one pays attention to, but I have always loved. Recently she was doing an interview with Anderson Cooper, and he played the song for her and she started to cry. “Ozzy’s Song” reminds me very much of it, it’s that same vulnerability and openness.
Zakk: Yeah, without a doubt, man. I agree, it’s pretty special.
Barbaranne: I can’t speak for Zakk, although I do sometimes, but I think that it was cathartic writing those lyrics because Ozzy was everything to us and will remain that. So, I think it was cathartic for Zakk to be able to put his soul, heart, and feelings into writing those lyrics.
Zakk: I wrote the lyrics in our library looking at one of Ozzy’s books, the one where he’s pointing and says, I am Ozzy. I was listening to the tune, wrote the lyrics, and when I got done, the book fell off the bookshelf, and it hit me in the head. I looked down at the book, and I heard a voice that said, “Now go make me a ham sandwich and go light on the Coleman’s. And make sure you wash your hands before you make my sandwich.” I went and made a ham sandwich like I had since I first auditioned for the band. And always go light on the mustard, Zakk, it mustn’t overpower the flavor of the sandwich. You must taste the rye bread, or sometimes sourdough, because it’s healthy. Never overpower; with great power comes great responsibility. I heard that the first time Ozzy told me that with the power of Coleman’s mustard. Then I saw it again in Spider-Man when it said with great power comes great responsibility and I was like, “That’s what Ozzy told me when I was making sandwiches with Coleman’s mustard.”
Barbaranne: You’re not going to get a serious straight answer out of him.
Zakk: Surely you must think I’m kidding, I’m not kidding, and don’t call me Shirley.
HP: It does make sense because, Zakk, as you and I talked about, Ozzy was one of the
funniest motherfuckers in the world.
Zakk: Exactly. I tell everybody, in 2018, when we did the “No More Tours 2” thing, we were in rehearsal, and these three guys came in. One guy has got a briefcase with them or whatever, and none of us know who these guys are. Are they monitor guys, lighting guys? So, none of us knew, and then Oz came up, and he’s like, “Sharon got me a vocal coach.” I go, “Well, Oz, Sharon just wants you to be great, she just wants you to be awesome.” He goes, “Yeah, I suppose. It’s a little late in the game for a vocal coach, though, isn’t it?” It was like that all the time. He was hysterical. He really was so funny.
HP: Barbaranne, talk about for you, how inspirational it has been to get to spend so much time with her. And for both of you guys to be around that, because, Zakk, as you and I talked about, as bat shit as Ozzy was in a fun way, he loved his family so much and was such a great family man.
Barbaranne: We’re definitely family with the Osbournes. When Zakk got in the band in 1987, we were babies ourselves, and Zakk calls Sharon mom. She’s basically a second mom to him. His mom passed away when he first got in the band, and Sharon kind of assumed that role for him. And we couldn’t be closer. The kids — Jack, Kelly and Amy — were a brand-new baby, one and two when Zakk got in the band. So, we all grew up together, and they’re our family.
HP: From the music business side, talk about how much you’ve learned from Sharon because she is quite legendary for not taking any shit.
Barbaranne: Nope, she takes no shit. Almost every really big decision that I’ve made, I run it by her. A lot of times, she’ll just text me back one sentence, and I know exactly what she’s trying to tell me to do or not to do. I’ve learned everything from her. As a matter of fact, when I first moved to California and decided I wanted to work in the music industry, Sharon gave me a list of names, numbers, and addresses of other people that she associated with in the industry. My entire career in this industry, she has been my role model and given me the greatest advice. And she even gave me amazing advice, woman to woman, when Zakk was in the throes of drinking. She’s had lots of experience with that, too, and she said you can love him from a distance, Barbaranne. That is the greatest advice she’s ever given me.
HP: Is there anything that really stands out about the early days?
Barbaranne: When Zakk first left to join the band, there was like a series of tests that he had to go through because they had to see if this kid could write. And then after seeing if he could write, it was, could he do a live show and not be shit scared on stage? So, they didn’t announce that he was Ozzy’s guitarist for quite a bit. But when he first went to England to see if he could write with Ozzy, and they lived on this farm area together. Zakk didn’t drink at all as a kid before he left for Ozzy. Then he proceeded to get sick all over the plane. I did not like this. They decided to do a press conference in New York City to announce to the world that Zakk was the new guitar player for Ozzy. Sharon pulled me aside, and it was the first time I had met them. She said to me, “May I have a word with you?” I said, “Yeah, of course.” She’s like, “I need to ask you, does Zakk have a drinking problem?” And I said, “Oh, my, no, he never really drinks.” And she’s like, “Well, he does now.”
Zakk: I was the only one that would drink with him because Oz would name names. He would tell you where the bodies were buried and where we hid the money. It was bad; everybody was in fear of losing their gig.
Barbaranne: Actually, it was very funny, we all knew if you didn’t want something on the five o ‘clock news, don’t tell Zakk and don’t tell Ozzy. But one time, I was over at their house with them. And Ozzy said to me, “I’ll tell you one thing about Zakk, he doesn’t fuck around. And if he did, I would tell you.” And I said I know.
HP: Ozzy made people feel like family. So, now in the band leader role, do you strive for the same dynamic?
Zakk: Yeah, ever since us being in high school with Tommy Carrick, John Kern, and my buddies and the like, we all enjoy each other’s company, and we all enjoy hanging out. I never understood when you hear about bands fighting. We always enjoyed being together, and with Ozzy, it was the same thing; we all enjoyed hanging out with each other. It’s the same thing with the Pantera celebration; everybody rolls together. It’s always a good hang.
HP: Let’s talk about the writing on this album a little bit. One of the songs that stood out to me was “Better Days & Wiser Times.” I’ve talked about this with so many artists. As you get older, you just get more comfortable. You’re happier in life, you’re more confident. So, for you, was that a song that came very easily?
Zakk: Ozzy always said, “I don’t think you’re so much a writer, but you’re a receiver. You pick up on an antenna.” For lyrics, I always end up writing the lyrics last. I have to figure out what I want to sing about because it could be something that you went through that you told me about, and that inspired me to write a lyric.
HP: Were there songs on this record that surprised you? And Barbaranne, same for you. You’ve known him since sixth grade, but I’m sure there are still moments that blow you away.
Barbaranne: I hear him when he writes on the piano, or he’ll be in the garage, and he’ll just be like writing rips or whatever, and I’ll say to him, “What is that? Make sure you record that or save that.” Then when he starts to put lyrics on it, he’ll have me run up to the studio, and he’ll be like, “I want you to listen to what I’ve done tonight.” Sometimes it’ll just blow me away, and a lot of times I will say to him, “What did you write that about? Where was your head at?” Because I’m living with him, and we’ve known each other’s families, we grew up together in the same little town in New Jersey. And I think that I know what he’s written about. And a lot of times I’m totally blown away.
Zakk: I’m a mystery wrapped in a riddle. You don’t even know me.
Barbaranne: Yes, you’re an enigma.
Zakk: After 68 years of marriage, you still don’t know.
Barbaranne: You’re an enigma, dear. Yes.
