Official Black Label Society Thread

[Mikkamakka]

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's June 15 show at the Petofi Hall in Budapest, Hungary has reportedly been cancelled due to "logistical problems." No further details are currently available.

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY had previously cancelled their June 5 concert in Copenhagen, Denmark because "the promoter of the show was not able to meet the show's contract rider requirements," according to an official statement released by the band.

As previously reported, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY cancelled their June 2 show at the Bradford Town & Country Club in England due to frontman Zakk Wylde "wanting a day off to preserve his voice for the rest of the tour," according to a posting on the Bradford Rio web site. Unconfirmed reports suggested that the band were scheduled to film a live DVD at their June 3 concert at the London Astoria, which was believed to have been the primary reason for the cancellation of the Bradford show.

damn 

[Malcolm]

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY will reportedly be filming their June 18 show at the Carling Academy 2 in Manchester, England for their upcoming DVD. The band are believed to have already shot footage for the DVD at their June 3 performance at the Astoria in London as well as frontman Zakk Wylde's in-store appearance at the HMV on Oxford Street in London prior to the Astoria show. The disc, which will reportedly include fan interviews filmed at the HMV in-store, is expected to surface late 2005/early 2006.

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY recently shot a video for the "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott tribute track "In This River" with director Eric Zimmerman (MEGADETH, NAPALM DEATH). In the video, Wylde is seen strumming an acoustic guitar and seated at a grand piano set in the middle of a flowing river. Once the song reaches the guitar solo, Zakk smashes his guitar and sets the piano ablaze.

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY are continuing to tour in support of their latest album, "Mafia", available on Artemis Records.

[Malcolm]

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY mainman Zakk Wylde recently spoke to ChartAttack.com about his songwriting approach and the group's latest album, "Mafia", available now on Artemis Records. Several excerpts from the interview follow:

On his recording approach:

"Making music shouldn't be like a dentist visit. I don't know why the hell it takes [some bands] eight months to make a record. If you're in the studio that long, you start second-guessing everything. Lay it down and move on.

"With this album ['Mafia'] we didn't have anything. We just walked into the studio ready to go. Eight days later I wrote 23 songs and we recorded the music. Then when it came time for the lyrics, I told the guys to go watch 'Seinfeld' and have some beers while I record the damned thing. It's like that with my guitar solos too. People think because I'm a guitar player, I just wanna wail away, but that's not the case. Guitar solos are icing on the cake, but you gotta have a cake, man."

On his past recorded outut:

"I'm proud of every one of my songs. Each album is a snapshot in time. That was the best job I could do at that time. Listen to LED ZEPPELIN. Jimmy Page's favourite album was 'Presence', their least-selling album. It depends on your mood. Like drinkin' beer. 'What's your favourite beer?' Hell, any of ?em as long as it's not non-alcoholic!"

On the band's live shows:

"When you're thinkin', you're stinkin'. I realized that if we do our albums in this loose vibe, the show should have it too. You gotta just get out there and do it. The joy of improvisation is the thrill of what's going to happen. If you want to see a live band, see what may happen. Otherwise stay home and listen to the record. But when it works for us, it's fuckin' brutal! Playing with great musicians, you don't hear each other, you feel each other. That's what it should always be when you're listening to great music: you just feel it."

[Malcolm]

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY were reportedly forced to cancel their scheduled gig in Manchester, England Saturday night (June 18) after a local biker club, Sons of Hell, allegedly complained that the group's back design is too similar to their own. A BLABBERMOUTH.NET reader, Will from Manchester, wrote, "They [Sons of Hell] were telling people to cover up, take off, or turn inside out their BLACK LABEL shirts, and anybody with a band shirt on that was black and white. They then continued to beat people up who didn't, ripping shirts off. I saw at least three ambulances. It's really bad, I was looking forward to [the gig]. It was all a logo issue apparently. They had an issue with the BLACK LABEL logo being similar to theirs, and in their colours." Another BLABBERMOUTH.NET visitor who went to the venue wrote, "They threatened event staff and fans. The gig was cancelled for safety of all involved."

[mrlee]

Thats a bit gay isnt it. Just because a bunch of motor bikers dont like a logo they go beat people up and make people have no show.

[Malcolm]

Metal Edge magazine recently conducted an interview with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY mainman Zakk Wylde. An excerpt from the chat follows:

Metal Edge: What the hell happened at the L.A. show the other night

Zakk Wylde: "Oh my God, what a night of berserken comedy that night was! We were up there for about an hour and a half, we were jamming, we did 'In This River', then we got to 'Suicide Messiah', and the monitors were feeding back on me the whole night, I couldn't hear a goddamned thing. I go, 'What the fuck?' It was the last show of this run, everyone was dead, beat up and tired, and we just wanted to be home for a few days before going to Japan. Of course, it had to be in El Gay, where all the chaos breaks out! We did 41 shows in eight weeks, and they all went without a hitch?"

Metal Edge: Without a hitch? You wouldn't call Boise, Idaho a hitch

Zakk Wylde: "Boise? You know what happened? We walked into the club and grabbed a few bar stools ? plain wooden stools ? and we started blasting them to seee who could reach the stage with them. We could have gone to Ikea and we could've bought these chairs, they're nothing fancy, and were blastin' them with an aluminum bat. So the owner comes in and starts on me ? 'What the hell are you doin'' And I'm like, 'Don't worry, I'll pay all the damages? I'm Zakk, dude, we're doing a show here, everything's cool, I'll give you the money right now?' Mind you, he's going to make a lot of money off me that night, right? BLACK LABEL likes to drink, he'll make his money. And he starts going off on me. So I go, 'Dude, you're the owner of the bar, you've got to deal with a lot of stress. Here, this one's on me, blow off some stress, whap one of the chairs.' Don't forget who's holding the bat now, right? [laughing] So he goes, 'Fuck this, I'm calling the cops?' And he calls the cops. So he's got three display cases hanging on the wall with guitars and basses in them, and I smashed all three of them on the way out of the club, the glass shatters, and the guitars fall out of all three of 'em. Next thing you know, there are nine cops, and a cop on horseback! [laughing] You couldn't make this shit up! So he comes out there, and I'm all pissed and irate that I might be goin' to jail for bustin' up three fucking bar stools, and I'm going, 'I've got ten acres and a wood chipper, and I make shit disappear!' [laughing] So the cops are standing there going, 'Come on, dig yourself deeper?' So I'm explaining to the cops that I offered to pay right up front, and even offered to let him take a few swings, and that he was just being a douche bag? Anyway, he drops the charges, but pulls the show, even though I was still willing to play. Then he says that I did $60,000 in damages, and wanted me to come back and play a free show for him? Fuck you, motherfucker!"

Metal Edge: You just cleared up the Boise hitch. Now you've got to get back to the Hollywood hitch?

Zakk Wylde: "Dude, you want to talk about all the chaos all the time? [laughing] That House of Blues show was the last show, so we figured the show will go smooth, we'll get through it, go home, recharge the batteries, then off to Japan? Nah, it can't go smooth! [laughing] It's like a tidal wave and tornado came onstage, shit starts burning, it was hysterical. The fucking gay-ity level was frothing and foaming ? it was like pasta boiling over a pot, unbelievable! I launched a guitar, then threw another one into the audience. Craig threw his fucking drums off the riser, pulled a Keith Moon, and James threw a bass cabinet? I think that's the end of the show! [laughing] People were like, 'Did you walk offstage?' No, we didn't 'walk offstage,' we just ended the show! It was un-fucking-believably gay ? it was one for the books, mass chaos. So the next day, I'm like, 'Who else do I have to apologize to?' This is a rock band, this isn't 'Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood'! [laughing] We laugh about it, because BLACK LABEL comedy does get misconstrued as horror, you know what I mean? It's not like we're hurting anybody here! If you've got to be out here doing it, I don't want to be miserable. Let's have a good time, whoop it up, and have something to remember when we go home."

Zakk Wylde's entire interview with Metal Edge is available in the magazine's September 2005 issue, out on the stands now.

[Rob]

Zakk's a crazy motherfucker.  I saw BLS at ozzfest a couple days back.  He's larger than life when performing on stage.  Its like he's not even human.  Its like he's some super crazy drunken viking from the past who somehow knows how to play some amazing guitar.

[deliverthecow]

That Metal Edge interview about the Boise skirmish is something else. I mean i know alot of people on here like the guy but there is no reason for shit like that. Walks into this bar and just starts destroying the place. Who does he think he is. I used to be a huge fan of the guy but shit like that is why i cant stomach the guy anymore. No disrepect Rob i know your a fan. I like the line " I am Zakk dude , where doing a show here". the he starts destroying the guys bar. No wonder he called the cops. The disrespectful shit like that is why i can't fathom the guy.

[Rob]

Yeah, I hear ya, delivethecow.  I think he's an amazing guitarist and performer, but he does some shit that makes you scratch your head.  I honestly think he's a good guy with a good heart.  He just drinks way too much, and that leads to his erratic behavior.  I hope he can get clean soon.  He's been a wild dude for a long time now...since before he started up with Ozzy in the late 80's.  Its probably time for him to tone it down a bit.

[mrlee]

who was he with before he was with ozzy?

[Malcolm]

I dont belive it was anyone..Like im sure eh played in other bands but Ozzy gave himn his first big shot

[Rob]

Yeah, he played in some local Jersey band before Ozzy.  His old band actually did a 10 Questions with Metal Sludge not too long ago.  They had some interesting Zakk stories to tell.  I can't remember their name right now.  It was something like "Jester" I think.

[Malcolm]

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY mainman Zakk Wylde has told MTV.com that he's got two projects in the works he needs to finish once the band's current touring commitments are over. The first is a DVD with live footage from several recent shows BLACK LABEL SOCIETY played over in Paris and London; that, he said, could see release early next year. There's also a compilation CD that should be out around the same time, featuring all of the earliest BLS material as well as some bonus tracks, to be called "Kings of Damnation".

When asked what he thinks of WICKED WISDOM, the band fronted by Will Smith's Holywood actress wife Jada Pinkett Smith, Wylde replied, "What's that?" After being told that it's the Jada Pinkett Smith-fronted group that takes the stage at Ozzfest long before he rolls out of bed, he asks, "What does Jada Pinkett Smith do?" When he finds out she's married to Will Smith, who's also been attending all of the Ozzfest dates, he perks up. "F---ing Will Smith's been on the Ozzfest? What the hell? I need to get an autograph, dude. 'I loved you in 'Ali', bro.' "

[Malcolm]

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY will be heading out on a U.S. headlining tour after Ozzfest. Confirmed dates so far are as follows:

Oct. 14 - St. Petersburg, FL -Jannus Landing
Oct. 15 - Pompano Beach, FL - Club Cinema
Oct. 16 - Orlando, FL - House Of Blues
Oct. 19 - Winston Salem, NC - Millennium Center
Oct. 21 - Washington, DC - Nation
Oct. 22 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
Oct. 23 - Sayerville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
Oct. 25 - Boston, MA - Avalon
Oct. 26 - New York, NY - Nokia Theater, Times Square
Oct. 28 - Baltimore, MD - Sonar
Oct. 29 - Hamption Beach, NH - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
Oct. 30 - Providence, RI - Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
Oct. 31 - Springfield, MA - The Hippodrome
Nov. 02 - Toledo, OH - Bijou Theatre
Nov. 04 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
Nov. 05 - Cincinnatti, OH - Bogart's
Nov. 06 - Milwaukee, WI - The Eagle's Club (The Rave)
Nov. 08 - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue
Nov. 09 - Detroit, MI - State Theater
Nov. 11 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
Nov. 12 - Chicago, IL - Congress Theatre
Nov. 13 - Minneapolis, MN - The Quest
Nov. 17 - San Diego, CA - The House Of Blues
Nov. 19 - Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern Theatre
Nov. 20 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY are continuing to tour in support of their latest album, "Mafia", which has sold 153,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

[Malcolm]

Glam Metal writer Deb Rao recently spoke to BLACK LABEL SOCIETY guitarist Nick Catanese about the group's upcoming headlining tour and Ozzfest, among other topics. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

On how the Ozzfest tour is going:

"All the shows are cool in one way or another. The fans are amazing with us. There is much support and love. All of the BLACK LABEL SOCIETY berserkers in the crowd jamming with us."

On seeing IRON MAIDEN perform:

"It's sick seeing them. They are metal icons. I am looking forward to seeing VELVET REVOLVER ? seeing Slash, Duff and the boys. It's gonna be a great time."

On how Dimebag was instrumental in getting Nick his Washburn guitar endorsement:

"Well, Dime had put some good words in for me which I can never repay him. He was such a genuine guy and friend. I love my signature ET guitars but the guitar that is the closest to my heart is the black and red confederate that Washburn made specially for Dime. It is a one of one. They only made it for him. He loved it, but he went to Dean, so after he passed, I donated my ET guitar that I use in the 'Suicide Messiah' video to the Dime fund and they gave the confederate to me. It's amazing that if Dime was here he would have it, but I think he is happy and smiling up from above knowing that a BLACK LABEL brother is still playing it and paying respect. Dime loved us like brothers, he loved BLACK LABEL so much they even laid him to rest in his BLACK LABEL vest."

On whether Vinnie Paul will join BLACK LABEL SOCIETY on stage at Ozzfest in Texas (Paul had previously jammed with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY at the 2005 WAAF Indoor Beach Party in April in Lowell, MA):

"[The WAAF Beach Party] was a very special show for us, and it was great seeing Vinnie jam with us. I don't know if he will in Texas, but that memory is forever with me."

On BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's upcoming U.S. headlining tour:

"We are gonna take a much needed rest after Ozzfest, recharge then come out in October ready to smash heads. It's gonna be a great tour. The fans can expect what they always get ? a fucking great time, and a lot of crushing fucking music."

[Mikkamakka]

who was he with before he was with ozzy?

He was an unknown 18-years old guitarist.

[Malcolm]

Spitfire Records has set an October 4 release date for a double-disc compilation from BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, entitled "Kings of Damnation - Era '98-'04".

"Kings of Damnation - Era '98-'04" is a look at the evolution of Zakk Wylde's progression as a musician, beginning from his solo venture with PRIDE & GLORY and BOOK OF SHADOWS, leading up to his final album for Spitfire, "Hangover Music Volume VI". As a special treat for the die-hard fans, this package includes rare and previously unreleased acoustic versions of several Zakk Wylde favorites. Two tracks ("Spoke In The Wheel" and "Bridge To Cross") are acoustic takes that were recorded in the UK. The hit "Stillborn" and "The Blessed Hellride" both get the acoustic treatment from his mini Slightly Amped tour of radio stations, while in support of "The Blessed Hellride" album. Disc 2 features unique takes on a number of well-known songs, including PROCOL HARUM's "Whiter Shade of Pale", THE BEATLES' "Come Together", and NEIL YOUNG's "Heart of Gold".

"Kings of Damnation - Era '98-'04" (tracks marked with * are previously unreleased):

01. Losing Your Mind
02. Horse Called War
03. Between Heaven and Hell
04. Sold My Soul
05. Spoke In The Wheel (acoustic version recorded in UK)*
06. TAZ
07. Counterfeit God
08. Stronger Than Death
09. Bleed For Me
10. Demise Of Sanity
11. Bridge To Cross (acoustic version recorded in UK)*
12. We Live No More
13. Stillborn (Slightly Amped)*
14. The Blessed Hellride (Slightly Amped)*
15. Crazy Or High
16. House Of Doom

Bonus second disc:

01. No More Tears
02. Whiter Shade Of Pale
03. Heart Of Gold
04. Snowblind
05. The Wizard
06. In My Time Of Dyin'
07. Come Together

[Malcolm]

 According to MTV.com, a representative at Zakk Wylde's management has rejected speculation that Ozzy Osbourne's working relationship with the guitarist has come to an end in the wake of Osbourne's announcement that he is looking for a guitarist to work with on his next studio effort. A posting on the Ozzy's web site is calling for "all interested parties" to send demos "showcasing their guitar skills" to a Beverly Hills, California, post-office box, but a spokesperson for Osbourne wouldn't reveal whether Ozzy's in need of a lead or rhythm guitarist, according to MTV.com. Stated Wylde's management: "Zakk will play with Ozzy until they are both in the grave."

[old]

To be honest, I couldn't care less if Zakk never played with Ozzy again,
Ozzy has been making pretty crappy albums lately and BLS is still getting
better and better (even tho I prefer STD over Mafia).
And that (un)reality show hasn't made my view on Ozzy any better.

[R4tfink]

Mafia is fucking awesome. Love that album and i can keep going back to it, time after time after time. Which with DTX aside, i can seldom do with a lot of albums released recently.