Official Black Label Society Thread

[Malcolm]

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY will be releasing a live DVD, entitled "The European Invasion - Doom Troopin' Live", on June 27.

"European Invasion" captures BLS live on their sold-out European tour last year. Witness the full Paris show as well as four tracks from the Astoria in London. Bonus footage includes a one-hour-long "on-the-road" documentary, three promo videos taken from the Billboard Top 20-charting album "Mafia" and the making of documentary for the promo video "Suicide Messiah".

"The European Invasion - Doom Troopin' Live" track listing:

Disc 1:

Paris Chapter ? Recorded on June 17, 2005 at Elysee Monmatre in Paris, France:

01. Stoned and Drunk
02. Destruction Overdrive
03. Been a Long Time
04. Funeral Bell
05. Suffering Overdue
06. In this River
07. Suicide Messiah
08. Demise of Sanity
09. Spread Your Wings
10. Solo Acoustic Jam
11. Spoke in the Wheel
12. Fire it Up
13. Stillborn
14. Genocide Junkies

London Chapter ? Recorded on June 3, 2005 at the Astoria in London, England:

01. Been a Long Time
02. Suicide Messiah
03. Stillborn
04. Genocide Junkies

Disc 2:

* Backstage Pass - On the Road Documentary
* Promo videos for "Suicide Messiah", "Fire it Up" and "In This River"
* The making of the "Suicide Messiah" promo video

[BLS-Pride]

You beat me to it lol. That one hour Doc. should be amazing.

[Malcolm]

The Associated Press recently conducted a short interview with OZZY OSBOURNE/BLACK LABEL SOCIETY axeman Zakk Wylde. Read on:

AP: What is the BLACK LABEL SOCIETY?

Wylde: "The running joke was that it was a bowling and drinking club. But we suck at the bowling and just drink more. When BLACK LABEL started, it was heavier music and I was thinking about naming it black something. My wife asked me the name of the hard alcohol ? Black Label. It's just the term for your best stock."

AP: How does it feel to more or less be launching your new album ? after the success of the last one ? with a second-stage headlining spot on Ozzfest?

Wylde: "It's awesome. It's called 'Shot to Hell'. It?s all about our pancreas, kidneys and livers after Ozzfest. We have a batch of extras on ice all the time. If you blow one out, we'll stick another one in you and pour you another cocktail at the same time."

AP: So you're a pretty big party guy?

Wylde: "I never did hard drugs. The only partyin' I ever did was drink beer and that's pretty much what I do now. I like being in control all the time anyway. I would never show up on stage smashed."

AP: What about Ozzy?

Wylde: "One thing with the boss, when I first joined the band he was still getting loaded ? drinking, doing coke. But he never drank before the shows. After the shows, he'd get (messed up) and I'd wonder how we were going to do the show the next day. He'd always show up. I heard stories with SABBATH where he'd disappear for three days and they couldn't find him."

AP: What's your most outrageous backstage diva request?

Wylde: "I never go backstage. These days I just stay on the bus. You're looking at a $1 million tour bus with everything on there ? guitars, ESPN, satellite TV. I sit and practice all day and I have beer and guitars. Why the hell do I need to get off? I'm married with three kids ? I'm the Al Bundy of metal. It would just lead to trouble.

AP: You have three kids and seven dogs ? do you ever get any sort of peace at home?

Wylde: "It's definitely an insane asylum. I wouldn't change it for nothin'. I don't care how much money you make, if you don't have anyone to share it with, what's the point of having it?"

[Malcolm]

Roadrunner Records has pushed back the projected U.S. release date of the new BLACK LABEL SOCIETY album, "Shot to Hell", to September 19 from the previously announced July 3, a spokesperson for the label has confirmed to BLABBERMOUTH.NET.

"Shot to Hell" will be BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's first release for Roadrunner. The album is the follow-up to "Mafia", which debuted in March 2005 at #15 on The Billboard 200 chart and at #1 on the Top Independent Albums chart. The top rock track "In This River" from "Mafia" was recently included on the "MTV2 Headbangers Ball: The Revenge" album, also available on Roadrunner.

BLS, who have secured a second-stage headlining slot at this year's Ozzfest, will tour the world extensively in support of the new album. BLACK LABEL SOCIETY mainman Zakk Wylde is also writing and recording with OZZY OSBOURNE for his new CD, to be released sometime next year.

[Malcolm]

On top of helping Ozzy Osbourne write songs for his next record, guitarist Zakk Wylde is putting the finishing touches on "Shot To Hell", his first BLACK LABEL SOCIETY album for Roadrunner Records. Produced by Zakk and Michael Beinhorn (OZZY, KORN, SOUNDGARDEN), and recorded with longtime pals Craig Nunenmacher (drums) and John "J.D." DeServio (bass), "Shot To Hell" takes the ferocious hard rock of such BLS albums as 2003's "Blessed Hellride" and 2005's "Mafia" to a whole new level of "brewtality."

"I never run out of ideas," Zakk says. "We just came in here and started knocking it out. That's how you make records." That take-no-prisoners attitude is all over such snarling tracks as "Concrete Jungle", "Blood Is Thicker Than Water" and "Give Yourself To Me", while reflective ballads like "Lead Me To Your Door" and "Sick Of It All" mix moody melodies with screaming guitar solos. "It's a real cool mix of heavy shit and mellow shit," Zakk explains.

During the recording of "Shot To Hell", Zakk and crew turned Ameraycan Studios in North Hollywood, CA into a cross between a Guitar Center and a teenage boy's bedroom. "We had a Mellotron in here, a Hammond B-3, a ton of Marshalls and just about every guitar I own," Zakk recalls. "It looked like 'Sanford and Son' out in the parking lot ? a whole garage-sale going on with the equipment, you know? And we had pictures taped up on the walls of Randy Rhoads and Jimmy Page, just for inspiration, because you've still gotta listen to music with a fourteen-year-old's ears. Remembering when you were like, 'Dude, we're going to see ZEPPELIN this weekend!' ? that's what it's all about, man. Because once you lose that, then you shouldn't be doing it anymore."

In the two decades since Ozzy plucked him from obscurity (at a gas station job in New Jersey) and hired him to be his new guitarist, Zakk has established himself as a guitar icon on the same level as Rhoads, Page and Eddie Van Halen, thanks to the impressive work he's done with Ozzy, as a solo artist, and as the leader of PRIDE & GLORY and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY. He's won practically every guitar magazine award there is, and he's regularly cited as a major influence by the latest wave of metal guitarists. For Zakk, such recognition is humbling and gratifying, especially since he and his late pal Dimebag Darrell were about the only guitarists still flying the flag for seriously shredding solos during the nu-metal Nineties.

"Me and Dime would always say to each other, 'Are we the only two assholes who can still get from low E to high E and back safely? Does anyone even practice scales anymore?'" Zakk says with a laugh. "But if what I do inspires some kid to pick up a guitar and jam, that's the shit, without a doubt. You can always get better, though that's how I look at it. You never turn your back on practicing - that's what got you where you're at. You could be the heavyweight champion of the world, but you've still gotta train, you've still gotta focus on what got you there. When you lose sight of that, then everything just falls to shit. I'll tell ya, brother, I talk to God every day, and thank him for everything I've got."

Indeed, Zakk has plenty to be thankful for. Despite his gruff exterior and rowdy reputation, he's a devoted family man who's still married to Barbaranne, his high school sweetheart, and who dotes lovingly on his three children and his seven dogs.

"People say, 'Zakk, you must get a lot of chicks,' and I always laugh," he reflects. "When you've got filet mignon at the house, why would you go to McDonald's? I mean, I've got buddies with chicks in every town, but I'd rather just go to a pub and relax, talk to the bartender and solve the problems of the world. This business is like being in an insane asylum, and you need time to relax and get away from it all. What works for me is being with my family, drinking a beer, hanging out, and lifting weights."

The summer of 2006 figures to be a busy one for Zakk. Not only will BLACK LABEL SOCIETY be headlining the second stage at Ozzfest, but he'll be playing guitar for Ozzy's selected Ozzfest appearances. "Ozzy's scheduled to do about ten shows," he says, "but I know him ? if he's having a good time, and his voice feels fine, he's gonna wanna keep doing more. I've got no problem with that, because I love playing with him."

BLACK LABEL's Ozzfest appearances are certain to draw a large contingent of what Zakk terms "The Brotherhood" ? BLACK LABEL's network of diehard fans, who sport their BLS "colors" and local chapter affiliations at every show. "It's just like one big family," Zakk says. "The beauty of it is that it's bigger than me, it's bigger than the band. It's become a lifestyle ? just like how Harley-Davidson is more than a motorcycle. All the chapters come down to the shows we all hang out and take the piss out of each other ? the Boston chapter roaches my ass all the time, because they know I'm a Yankee guy. And whenever we're near a big city on Ozzfest, we'll check and see if there's a baseball game happening that night, and we'll round up our troops from the local chapter and hit a game."

Zakk's a major sports fan, and an ardent supporter of the Yankees, New York Giants, New York Knicks and New Jersey Devils. Baseball legend Mike Piazza is the godfather of Zakk's son, Hendrix, and Zakk has had the honor of playing the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium, Shea Stadium, Staples Center and Madison Square Garden. "Whenever I play it, the home team always wins," Zakk laughs. "If I can keep my streak up, I won't have to perform live anymore ? I'll just hire myself out to play the National Anthem. The phone's definitely gonna get busy around playoff time!"

[Malcolm]

[mrlee]

thats a pretty funny cover.

looks a bit dio sabbath era inspired...

[BLS-Pride]

ZAKK WYLDE Says He Was Just A 'Studio Guitar Player' On Last OZZY OSBOURNE Record - July 3, 2006
Mick Stingley of Metal Edge magazine recently conducted an interview with guitarist Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

Metal Edge: It's been a while since you and Ozzy wrote together.

Zakk: "Well, we didn't? With the last album [2001's 'Down to Earth'], I didn't even write anything on it, you know what I'm saying? So, with 'Ozzmosis' [1995], it was? The way that one was written, we were all over the place, you know? It wasn't like we sat down and wrote the thing. The way it is now, we're just going over to Ozzy's studio and knocking it out there. You know, I just come in and start jamming some riffs, and that's it."

Metal Edge: Was there pressure on Ozzy from his record company to use outside writers? To write "hits?"

Zakk: "I don't know about record company pressure for hits. I mean, as far as hits go, look at 'No More Tears'. 'No More Tears' ended up being a hit song, on radio, but if you really listen to the song, it's so friggin' long. I would have never thought that thing would've gone on the radio. 'Mama I'm Coming Home', if it's like a ballad, obviously it's going to have, you know, odds are that it would be a better choice as to what gets played on the radio. But with Ozz, the last album was already written, so I was more or less like a studio guitar player on that record. Everything was already done, so I just came in, and I was able to do my own thing, put my treatments on there, whatever, my squeals, and pings, and this and that, and yadda yadda yadda. I put my own stamp on it, but everything was already written. Ozzy had been writing with a bunch of different guys and stuff like that, and he was like, 'Zakk, I dig the material, but I don't want to sit around for another five months writing songs.' He was like, 'Enough is enough. I just want to record the thing and get out on the road."

Metal Edge: What did you think about that Rolling Stone issue a couple of years ago, with a list of top guitarists?

Zakk: "Oh, God? That thing was pathetic. I mean, dude, I think they had Eddie Van Halen at, like, 70-something, Randy Rhoads almost didn't even make the list. I was like, 'You gotta be kidding me!' Then they had Kurt Cobain, he's like, 12??? God bless his soul, Kurt was a great songwriter ? you know what I mean? ? who happened to be playing guitar. He would have been laughing his balls off, above Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads. Yngwie wasn't even on the friggin' list! Steve Vai wasn't on the list. I don't even know if Slash was on the list, and we're not even talking about rock guitar players. Danny Gatton, Albert Lee, none of these guys were on that list. I mean, I don't know who figured out that list."

Metal Edge: Were you bothered that you weren't on the list? Certainly your fans were?

Zakk: "Nah? It's Rolling Stone. I just laughed. Their audience would vote Dave Matthews the best guitar player on the planet, you know what I mean? And that's that audience, and there's nothing wrong with that ? it is what it is. I could understand if the guitar magazines had a list, and Yngwie wasn't on it, gimme a break. It was unbelievable?"

[metallex78]

Tickets for BLS's Australian tour in September went on sale this week, is anyone else here going?

[Malcolm]

Roadrunner Records has revealed the track listing for BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's new album, "Shot to Hell", due on September 19 through Roadrunner Records. It is as follows:

01. Concrete Jungle
02. Black Mass Reverends
03. Blacked Out World
04. The Last Goodbye
05. Give Yourself To Me
06. Nothing's The Same
07. Hell Is High
08. New Religion
09. Sick Of It All
10. Faith Is Blind
11. Blood Is Thicker Than Water
12. Devil's Dime
13. Lead Me To Your Door

[metallex78]

Got my tickets for their September tour yesterday, can't wait to see Zakk rip it up!

Anyone know what the recent BLS setlists have been like at Ozzfest?

[Malcolm]

check out the Ozzfest thread...there in there

[Malcolm]

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY will be teaming up with BLACK STONE CHERRY for a U.S. tour in the fall. Confirmed dates so far are as follows:

Oct. 14 - Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues
Oct. 16 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
Oct. 18 - Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live
Oct. 19 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
Oct. 20 - New York, NY @ Nokia Theatre
Oct. 21 - Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
Oct. 24 - Hartford, CT @ Webster Theatre
Oct. 25 - Clifton Park, NY @ Northern Lights
Oct. 27 - Hampton Beach, NH @ Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
Oct. 28 - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
Oct. 29 - Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall
Oct. 31 - Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
Nov. 01 - Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
Nov. 02 - Detroit, MI @ State Theatre
Nov. 04 - Covington, KY @ Madison Theatre
Nov. 05 - Saint Louis, MO @ The Pageant
Nov. 07 - West Des Moines, IA @ Val Air Ballroom
Nov. 09 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
Nov. 10 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
Nov. 11 - Minneapolis, MN @ Quest Club
Nov. 14 - Tulsa, OK @ Cain's Ballroom
Nov. 15 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Coca Cola Bricktown Event Center
Nov. 17 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
Nov. 18 - Austin, TX @ Austin Music Hall
Nov. 19 - Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
Nov. 21 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
Nov. 22 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
Nov. 24 - Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre
Nov. 25 - Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
Nov. 28 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
Nov. 30 - Cabazon, CA @ Key Club at Morongo
Dec. 01 - Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
Dec. 02 - Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
Dec. 03 - Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
Dec. 07 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Dec. 08 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern LG

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's new album, "Shot to Hell", is scheduled for release on September 19 through Roadrunner Records.

[BLS-Pride]

ZAKK WYLDE Discusses Possibility Of Playing DIMEBAG's Parts In PANTERA 'Reunion' - July 27, 2006
Blender.com has uploaded several Ozzfest-related features/interviews, including a two-part video interview with Zakk Wylde in which he discusses how he auditioned for Ozzy, Sharon Osbourne's hate for his beard, havoc with golf carts and Rob Zombie at Ozzfest, unreleased material that he has of Dimebag Darrell, the possibilty of filling in for Dime if PANTERA ever reunited and more. Check out the inteview: Part#1, Part#2. Also available at Blender.com is an UNEARTH interview in which they discuss their new album and their participation in Ozzfest. Check it out at this location. An all-encompassing Ozzfest feature that includes the above-mentioned interviews, photo slideshows and more can be found here.


vid psrt One - http://www.blender.com/video/771/ZakkWyldeOzzfest2006.video?src=jk04
vid part Two - http://www.blender.com/video/772/ZakkWyldeOzzfest2006,Pt.2.video?src=jk05

[mrlee]

i dont think pantera should do a reunion tour without dime.

all those four members are what made pantera what it was.

i just think they should leave it, or at least the name pantera.

if they made a band with the 3 members and zakk, play pantera stuff but not under the name that would be great!

cause zakk should defo be the one. he and dime were so close.

[BLS-Pride]

Vinny will never work with Phil. Wont happen.

An e-card for the upcoming BLACK LABEL SOCIETY album, "Shot to Hell", featuring album info, weblinks, AIM icon, and links to a contest giving away five signature Zakk Wylde model guitars, can be accessed at this location. The e-card also contains full streaming versions of "Concrete Jungle", "Black Mass Reverends" and "Blood is Thicker than Water", taken from the upcoming CD.

Produced by Zakk and Michael Beinhorn (OZZY OSBOURNE, KORN, SOUNDGARDEN), and recorded with longtime pals Craig Nunenmacher (drums) and John "J.D." DeServio (bass), "Shot to Hell" takes the ferocious hard rock of such BLS albums as 2003's "Blessed Hellride" and 2005's "Mafia" to a whole new level of "brewtality." A September 12 release via Roadrunner Records is expected.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/shottohellecard/

Blood is Thicker Than Water is a damn fine tune.

[Malcolm]

Justin Donnelly of Australia's The Metal Forge webzine recently conducted an interview with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY). A few excerpts from the chat follow:

On the new BLACK LABEL SOCIETY album, "Shot to Hell":

"As always, there's going to be some mellow stuff on it, along with the heavy stuff. My whole thing is like this ? you could ask me which album is my favourite LED ZEPPELIN or BLACK SABBATH album, and the only way I can answer that is to say that I love them all. It just depends on what mood I'm in. If we're on a road trip, and we don't want to hear 'Led Zeppelin IV' any more, we'll put on'Physical Graffiti', 'Presence' or something that we haven't heard in a while. If we don't want to hear 'Iron Man' or 'Paranoid' any more, we'll put on 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' or 'Sabotage'. It's like THE ROLLING STONES, who are on the radio right now. Whatever comes out from the STONES these days, I'll buy it. Obviously you have the classic STONES, and then you have the new STONES. But it's always the STONES. It's all good in my mind. The way I always look at it, if you say your latest album is the best thing you have ever done, then you're only discrediting all the other albums that you've recorded in the past. I think BLACK LABEL SOCIETY albums work in much the same way. They're all different in some way, but you also know what you're getting yourself in for."

On working with producer Michael Beinhorn on "Shot to Hell":

"The last time I worked with Beinhorn was when I working with OZZY OSBOURNE on the 'Ozzmosis' album back in 1996. That was years ago man. And before that, the last time I saw Beinhorn was on my thirtieth birthday, which was nine years ago. But working with Beinhorn was great. He's a BLACK LABEL brother, and I love him to death. Beinhorn would just come down and ask me if I needed him on the day. More often than not, I said no. When you know where the fuck you're going, you don't need to ask for directions, right? Trust me, its like telling Jimmy Page to get a producer. If I want a producer, I'll get Beinhorn down here. I don't need to be babysat by a show-off! (Laughs) Making this album was exactly the same as when we were making 'Ozzmosis'. We had a great time. His job was more about helping me get the tones on the guitar. Beinhorn's not going to tell me how to write the songs. You don't tell anybody how to write songs. It's the same as if I was producing something for a band. I might be there for advice, or for my experience, but I certainly wouldn't be there to tell them how to write a fucking song! (Laughs)"

On the current status of the new OZZY OSBOURNE studio album:

"We have, like, twenty songs completed man, and I had everything to do with this album, including all the riffs and the mellow shit. I mean everything. That's the way it should be done. Not like last time around! (2001's 'Down To Earth', where Wylde was simply a session guitarist, with no songwriting contributions towards the album) My track record speaks for itself. Between 'No Rest For The Wicked' (1988) and 'No More Tears' (1992), I think it's fucking safe to say at this point that I know what the fuck I'm doing. I care about Osbourne. I mean, he's the godfather of my son. I just didn't want to see another situation like last time around where there were all these cock-sucking clowns who haven't written a fucking song for anybody coming around to the studio passing Ozzy songs. They're just a bunch of fucking bullshit artists, and it really pissed me the fuck off. They just want to get their head inside Ozzy's ass. I saw that coming, and I ain't got time for that bullshit this time. I see it all the time. They don't bleed this shit, and that's the reason why I care. Once you get the money involved, all they want is to get their grubby fucking paws all over it all. The bottom line is my job is to protect him. So while I have a bit of time up my sleeves before these upcoming rehearsals, I'm going to be working with Osbourne. I'll be there just to help him out on the melodies and all that stuff. Osbourne has got to get this album done. The music is done right now, it's just a matter of the boss singing his balls off, and then it's all good to go. The plan is to have the album released in February next year. By that time, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY will already be touring with the 'Shot to Hell' album. So Ozzy will be headlining, with BLACK LABEL supporting, with an opening act supporting the two of us."

[BLS-Pride]

Black Label Society's new album, Shot to Hell, will be in record stores tomorrow and testimonials are pouring in from a few of guitarist Zakk Wylde friends and associates...

When asked what he thought of his long-time partner in crime's new BLS album, the Prince of Fucking Darkness himself decreed: "Black Label Society's new album, Shot to Hell, kicks ass. Right now there's not another rock guitarist alive who can go toe-to-toe with Zakk Wylde. He's in a class all by himself." ~ Ozzy Osbourne
Meanwhile, Rita Abbott - a longtime friend and widow of the one and only 'Dimebag' Darrell Abbott - had this to say: "The last true living legend! [Shot to Hell is] pure brutality at it's finest, done only by the man who can... Zakk, you rock! ~ DimebagzHag, Rita

[mrlee]

i heard the new song, it was terrible. its like, got no power to it, silly vocals and like a 2 second solo.

[F*ck Fear]

i heard the new song, it was terrible. its like, got no power to it, silly vocals and like a 2 second solo.

Right