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Zakk Wylde recently recalled his surprise at how many of the guitarists who auditioned for Ozzy Osbourne’s band saw it as just a lucrative job. In contrast, Wylde viewed the opportunity as almost sacred, with a reverence that set him apart from the others. Ozzy Osbourne recently spoke to Revolver magazine about his four-disc retrospective box set, "Prince of Darkness", and the upcoming 10th anniversary edition of his Ozzfest traveling festival, In the conversation that follows, Ozzy thoughtfully recalls what made each of his great guitarists special, and elaborates his criteria for choosing a guitarist, his audition process, and his theory on why it's good to be bad. Let’s start by looking at your past guitarists. How did you find Randy Rhoads? "Thinking back, it was quite extraordinary. I had been in Black Sabbath since high The former Black Sabbath frontman had just rocked Madison Square Garden and was holding court at his crib when Gillis arrived to audition In 1982, young hotshot guitarist Brad Gillis found himself at the feet of none other than Ozzy Osbourne, still reeling over the recent death of his loyal Ozzy Osbourne: “I’m clean and sober but I’m far from f***ing sane!” In remembrance of Ozzy Osbourne, who has died aged 76, MOJO revisits a classic interview with Black Sabbath’s Prince Of Darkness. The history of the Ozzy Osbourne band is best understood as a series of distinct musical eras, each defined and architected by its lead guitarist. While Osbourne’s vocals provided a constant, iconic presence, the guitarist role was that of a primary co-writer and sonic visionary, fundamentally reshaping the band’s sound with each new arrival. Guitar icon Zakk Wylde recently looked back at his life-changing 1987 audition for Ozzy Osbourne ‘s band, recalling his surprise that while he viewed the opportunity with near-religious reverence, many of his fellow guitarists simply saw it as a career move. Ex-Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman looks back on the time he “failed miserably” during his audition for Ozzy Osbourne’s band. In his recent appearance on Ultimate Guitar's "On the Record" podcast, Wylde looked back on auditioning for Ozzy and one particular photo he sent to the singer along with the tape. Now, Chris Impellitteri – founder of heavy metal band Impellitteri, who was widely considered to be one of the fastest guitarists of all time in his prime – has opened up on the time he himself auditioned for Ozzy’s band. Ozzy Osbourne’s hometown of Birmingham, England is about 4,000 miles from Birmingham, Alabama. Still, Osbourne left a heavy metal mark here in Alabama, as he did the rest of the world during his After Ozzy Osbourne was dismissed from Black Sabbath in 1979, his future in music was uncertain until he met Randy Rhoads through Sharon Arden, who would later become his wife and manager. Osbourne described Rhoads’s audition as “a bolt of lightning” that reignited his passion for performing. Following the announcement that Ozzy Osbourne has died at the age of 76, we're revisiting the Guitar World archives to look back on the life and legacy of the legendary Black Sabbath singer. Ex-Quiet Riot guitarist Randy Rhoads helped revitalise Ozzy's career (Image credit: Getty Images) Tensions in Black Sabbath had simmered long before Ozzy’s firing. After temporarily quitting the band in 1978, he’d kicked around the idea of a band called Blizzard Of Ozz, but it came to nothing. The 1980s were a golden era for budding rock guitarists, and one of the most sought-after gigs was playing for Ozzy Osbourne’s solo project. This wasn’t just any band; Randy Rhoads, Brad Gillis, Jake E. Lee, and later Zakk Wylde all played lead guitar for the legendary rocker. Randy Rhoads: The Guitar Wizard Randy Rhoads, a guitar virtuoso and visionary musician, left an indelible mark on the world of heavy metal with his exceptional talent and innovative approach. His contributions to Ozzy Osbourne’s band during the early 1980s revolutionized the sound of the genre and earned him a place among the most revered guitarists in rock history. Unsurprisingly, one of the candidates was Impellitteri founder Chris Impellitteri, and in in a new chat with Guitar World, the revered neo-classical shredder revealed both the circumstances that Whether or not Vandenberg auditioned to replace Lee four years later is to be seen. But it’s clear that, by hiring Wylde, the Osbourne camp chose a loyal player who worshipped Ozzy for his musical talents and not simply for his bloated bank balance. When Ozzy Osbourne left Black Sabbath, few could have expected how much his solo career would take off. Randy Rhoads’ talents were paramount to that success, and it set a precedent for the level of talent Ozzy’s future lead guitarists would be required to bring. Randy Rhoads claimed he was too tired to audition for Ozzy Osbourne ’s band, the late guitarist’s brother says. It wasn't the only excuse he used before finally taking part a trial
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