Classic Rock
caught up with OZZY OSBOURNE
last week at the SLASH & FRIENDS gig in Norway, where the whispers backstage had guitarist John 5 (ex-MARILYN MANSON, currently with ROB ZOMBIE) lined up as a possible replacement for Zakk Wylde.

"Well, I'm getting a new guitar player as we speak," said Ozzy, "and everyone has been saying to me for a long time, 'Get Johnny 5!' And I tried him at one time and I didn't really give him a chance. We’ll see, I don’t know. I haven’t fallen out with Zakk, but Zakk's got his own band, and I felt like my stuff was beginning to sound like BLACK LABEL SOCIETY. I just felt like I wanted a change, y'know?

"I've got a guy from Greece coming in – not the musical, the country of Greece – but I’m not going to say too much about it, cos I don’t know myself at this point. I’ve got a new album, I’m working on it as we speak. I’ve got a studio at my house and I’ve got a guy called Kevin Churko, the guy that did the last album – he’s great to work with.

“And it’s great to have your own studio. On one hand it’s great and on the other it’s not, cos when you’re at the studio you can go, ‘Sorry darling, I can’t get home for dinner, I’m stuck at the studio…’ But she can fucking come down stairs now! But I’m just enjoying my life now…”

So you’re taking it easy recording this album?

“Oh yeah. Zakk came down and did a bunch of stuff and I don’t know if I want to use it but I’ve got it there if I do. And this Kevin Churko is a bit of an all-rounder so I’m getting back to basics in some respects. One thing about a guy who can’t do all the finger-tapping stuff is that he plays better on the riffs cos it’s not all [hums riff for 'Iron Man' followed by over-the-top widdling].”

Does HEAVEN & HELL having a new album out make you more competitive?

“No. Not in the slightest. I really wish them well. I mean I’ve been out of that band three times longer than I was ever in them. But people say, ‘What do you think about Dio?’ He’s great singer. I’ve grown up since the days when I used to get pissed and slag him off. For whatever it’s worth, good luck to them. I don’t want to make enemies – I made enough when I was drinking, I try to make friends with people these days!”

David "Gus" Griesinger of BackstageAxxess.com recently conducted an interview with Zakk Wylde on his position in Ozzy Osbourne amid rumors of the contrary.

When asked about the recent news that Ozzy was seeking to replace Zakk, he stated "Everything's cool, man. I mean, Ozzy's always jammed with other people — since we did 'Down To Earth' and all that other stuff. So it's no big deal. If Ozzy's gonna play with someone else, what am I gonna do anyways? At the end of the day, when we did the Down To Earth record, Oz had other people coming in and writing with him. , 'Boss, knock yourself out,' you know what I mean?! What we're supposed to do is there's this date in August — August 20, I guess, down in Anaheim [BlizzCon convention] — and then after that, we're supposed to finish the [new Ozzy] record up in September or something like that. We did 16 or 18 songs or something like that, so we'll write some more, finish the record, and then we're supposed to do like a year[-long] world tour."

Will this soap opera
ever end? Will Ozzy's camp just issue some sort of statement? Is the baby really Zakk Wylde's? Everything is still up in the air regarding Zakk Wylde and Ozzy Osbourne. Two weeks ago, everything seemed OK, Zakk stated he was meeting with Ozzy and all was good. But today Zakk spoke to an Oregon radio station and thing's didn't sound so peachy.

"I've gotta be honest with you. The boss [Ozzy] hasn’t even given me a phone call, so I mean… I’m just like… I don’t know what’s going on over there. Are we doing this thing or are we not doing it? When I keep getting asked these questions, I go, 'Call the boss. When he tells you, then he can call me back.' I mean, it's just like... I love you, man. Whatever you want, that's cool. But if we're doing this, let's do it, and let’s whoop some ass. But if you don't wanna do it, then just give me a heads-up. Call me, man. Tell me what the hell’s going on. I don’t know what the hell’s going on over there. We’re working on the new record, we'll be back in September, we'll work on finishing the record. And then we’re supposed to do the tour. I mean, it's like, dude, you don't wanna play with me anymore? Fine. Play with whoever the hell you wanna play with. I couldn't give a rat's ass. Like I’m gonna get all jealous or whatever. But you know what?! Man up and give me a phone call and tell me what the hell's going on. You finished with me? Cool. I mean, it's just like... Everything's sounding like Black Label? I guess everything sounded like Black Label when I first started with you, when I was 19. It was still the same guy; I don't know what you're talking about.”

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbe ... mID=125680
Gus G (from "Firewind") is an awesome guitar player and will be the best thing OZZY's done for his band in a long time IF he decides to make Gus his permanent guitar player (and if Gus accepts).

Never been a Zakk Wylde fan or a Black Label Society fan so don't care if Zakk's out of the band or not.