BIOGRAPHY - Zakk Wylde

Zakk Wylde was born in 1967 in Bayonne New Jersey – real name is Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt.Zakk Wylde is probably best known as former guitarist for Ozzy Osborne and for being a founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society who he still plays with. He was also the lead guitarist and singer in Pride and Glory in 1994 and made one album under the same name before disbanding. Zakk Wylde also released Book of Shadows as a solo artist in 1996. Black Label Society was formed in 1998 and so far has released 11 albums. Zakk Wylde played on Ozzy Osbournes, Ozzmosis album and toured on the “Retirement sucks” tour in 1995. However, it is with his hard metal band Black Label society that Zakk Wylde has played with most. Black Label Society was first formed in 1998 when the first album Sonic Brew was released. Today the band always seems to be on tour and still regularly release albums.

Zakk Wylde is well known for his distinctive guitars. He usually plays a Les Paul custom model with a bull’s eye design, painted on in red and white. The bull’s eye graphic was supposed to look like the spiral from the film Vertigo; however, a mistake from the guitar maker made the image resemble a bull’s eye, which Zakk Wylde actually preferred. He has used the bull’s eye design as a trade mark ever since. Zakk Wylde has other signature guitars, including a custom flame red Gibson, a black and white antique style Les Paul, an orange buzz saw patterned Les Paul and a camouflage model complete with mother of pearl inlays and a camouflaged bull’s eye paint job. Another celebrated guitar is a white Les Paul known as “the Grail”.

Dimebag Darrell was a close friend and he ordered a custom-made bulls eye Dime Series razorback (Flying V) as a present for Zack Wylde, shortly before his death in 2004. Zack Wylde custom guitars have been featured in the game Guitar Hero and his performance of “Fire it Up” also reproduced for the game.