Talked to Zakk Wylde on the Radio today!

[Rockstar]

Zakk was on the local Boston rock station WAAF. People could call in and ask questions. He was talking about who he thought were some of the greatest guitarists ever, and he didn't mention our god VAI, so I called in and asked him what he though of Steve. He said Steve is a friend of his and he thinks he's great. It was cool to have him answer my question but now I wished I'd asked him so much more. Also wish I'd plugged my cover band while on the radio with 3000 listeners. I wish I could have asked him how he was able to learn some of Randy's solo's because even though I'm not a pimple on Zakk's ass, I can't learn those solo's at all and now my cover band can't do hardly any Ozzy tunes because I can't pull of the solo's. You have to play those solo's pretty much perfect cause people can recoginize those melodic solo's. I wonder if Zakk learned those on his own, or did someone show him those solo's. What do you guys think?

[Petie]

That's pretty cool! Did he mention learning Steve's parts for "My Little Man"?

I happened upon Zakk's email address a while ago when a mutual friend in the music industry sent out an email to everyone in her address book. But I was too scared to email him. *LOL*

[wilch]

I wish we had cool people like that being interviewed on Australian radio.

Good old Zakk. I like his signature gibson. It's the only les paul that I would even think about buying.

wil..

[Rockstar]

I didn't know Zakk played one of Steve's songs! When or why would he do that? I thought it was hard enough to learn Randy's solo's but jesus I'd never nail any of Steve's stuff. You should have emailed him, he's really cool. What I didn't know, was that while he was at the radio station yesterday, he was drinking beers and it was only like 8 o'clock in the morning. He was also wearing a dress. He walked around the radio station going into business meetings with a dress on and a Heinekin beer in his hand asking suits "You guys going to get some work done today!"
He's a funny guy, and I really enjoy his playing.
Oh and I love his signature gibson too! I bet it screams with the EMG 's in it! Too expensive for me though, I could buy 2 Jems for that price. Maybe the epiphone version? Nah, I could get a used Jem instead.

[guitarob]

I heard this show too. Zakk's one cool guy and great player.

Photos here: http://www.waaf.com/jocks/hillman/

[jeff l]

Hey that's really cool mon, must have been quite a thrill. I remember WAAF....They used to call themselves "The WAAF Giraffe". Do they still do that?

[ShredOrDead]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

I didn't know Zakk played one of Steve's songs! When or why would he do that?

"My Little Man" on OZZMOSIS.

Ozzy was working with Steve for a couple songs, and I heard two different versions of what happened: 1) the two guys just weren't clicking, so they amicably went their separate ways; 2) record label legalities prevented them working out a deal to work together.

Anyone know the real story?

[Ancestor]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

I wonder if Zakk learned those on his own, or did someone show him those solo's. What do you guys think?

I thought I read that he used to teach guitar. I would imagine that he learned them on his own. There are certainly enough study guides available for anyone having trouble learning what the notes are. After that, all you need is the technique to pull them off.

[jaymond]

Originally Posted by ShredOrDead

"My Little Man" on OZZMOSIS.

Ozzy was working with Steve for a couple songs, and I heard two different versions of what happened: 1) the two guys just weren't clicking, so they amicably went their separate ways; 2) record label legalities prevented them working out a deal to work together.

Anyone know the real story?

I heard that the record company heard what they were doing and totally freaked and refused to put it out because it didn't sound 'Ozzy Enough'...At least thats what I heard!

J

[Rockstar]

Originally Posted by Ancestor

I thought I read that he used to teach guitar. I would imagine that he learned them on his own. There are certainly enough study guides available for anyone having trouble learning what the notes are. After that, all you need is the technique to pull them off.

I don't know how to read music, but I kinda understand tab. I guess I could buy a book and spend a few MONTHS trying to put that together. It's a good thing that the new songs coming out nowadays don't have any solo's and are wicked easy to play, because I'd be screwed. If this was the 80's, a time when guitar solo's were as fast as you could get them, with as many notes as you could possibly squeeze in there - I wouldn't be able to be a lead guitarist, I'd be a loser bass player. HEHEHEHEHE....

[ShredOrDead]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

I don't know how to read music, but I kinda understand tab. I guess I could buy a book and spend a few MONTHS trying to put that together. It's a good thing that the new songs coming out nowadays don't have any solo's and are wicked easy to play, because I'd be screwed. If this was the 80's, a time when guitar solo's were as fast as you could get them, with as many notes as you could possibly squeeze in there - I wouldn't be able to be a lead guitarist, I'd be a loser bass player. HEHEHEHEHE....

Hey, don't get suckered into playing mediocre just because that is currently the hip thing to do. I'll take virtuosity over mediocrity any day. The really good guitarists never go away. Sure their bands might break up, but they just join another band. Look at Whitesnake -- current guitarists are Reb Beach (Winger, Alice Cooper, Dokken) and Doug Aldrich (Lion, Dio). And that's just this incarnation. And if you read the lineups of half of the prog metal bands, a lot of the positions are filled by a never ending circulation of the same musicians.

[Rockstar]

Originally Posted by ShredOrDead

Hey, don't get suckered into playing mediocre just because that is currently the hip thing to do. I'll take virtuosity over mediocrity any day. The really good guitarists never go away. Sure their bands might break up, but they just join another band. Look at Whitesnake -- current guitarists are Reb Beach (Winger, Alice Cooper, Dokken) and Doug Aldrich (Lion, Dio). And that's just this incarnation. And if you read the lineups of half of the prog metal bands, a lot of the positions are filled by a never ending circulation of the same musicians.

I guess because I'm doing the cover band thing, I'm trying to play it as close as possible to the original artist. Yeah, I'm in a cover band. I'm know that all you guys do your own thing and play your own music, and that's great, but I got sick of being in an original band. You get treated like crap! Your band gets squeezed in with 10 other bands, to play about 5 songs tops, then without getting any money, you get rushed off the stage. You may get a loyal group of friends that come to your gigs, but otherwise nobody cares to hear your music. And you may only get a gig or two a month. That sucks. My cover band plays every friday and saturday and we play all night. We make pretty good money and everyone likes the tunes because they know and love them.
I just meant that if you listen to today's rock top 40 (Creed, Nickelback, etc) that the solo's (if there even is a solo) are so easy that luckily I'm able to hold on to a job as a lead guitarist. If I was playing 80's tunes I'd probably sink trying to learn something with some TALENT.
I do extend a solo once and a while though, especially on AC/DC songs, and a song called LIT UP by Buck Cherry. Does that count as a little bit of virtousity?

[ShredOrDead]

I hear ya. But if I played covers, they would all be from the 80's! It just sounded like you were giving up on learning your instrument, which I think would be a shame.

[Rockstar]

You know what Shred, you're right. In a way I think I am giving up, by not learning anything complex. If I hear a really fast solo, I skip right over learning it and move on to something easier. People in the crowd ask for Ozzy and Van Halen and I pout and think, jeez I wish I could play you one but I suck. I've never taken any lessons and I learn things totally by ear. Each note of a solo I find on the neck, not using any theory or knowing any scales at all. If the notes come along too fast, I can't learn the solo. Maybe I need lessons, I don't know. Believe it or not I've been playing since I was like 8 or 9 years old, and now I'm 31. I know like 1 pentatonic scale, and a couple of tricks and that's it. I need to get myself motivated to learn some scales. Thanks for the kick in the butt Shred, I'll start thinking more about playing something with some talent. I got to go buy a book or something this weekend.

[ShredOrDead]

Glad I could motivate you.

Personally, my guitar playing improved 200% (as did my improvisation abilities) when I learned the major scale in every mode and the pentatonic minor and major scales in every mode (still not confortable enough with the harmonic minor to "noodle" ). The Guitar Grimoire, Scales and Modes is what I used and STILL use -- every scale in every mode all across the fretboard, and the diagrams are easy to follow IMO. Actually, all the books in that series are great.