Zakk Wylde on Pantera, Zakk Sabbath, Black Label Society and the Secret to Doing What You Love

0:19 This is the Pipe Man here on the Adventures of Pipe Man W4CY radio, and I'm here with. They call me Zach Wild. I love that answer. That's what I like when artists do it. That's how my wife usually calls me. But, anyway, so we'll go with Zach Wild for now. I love it. I love it. So, you're here at Louder Than Life. You haven't experienced it yet, but it's hotter than life out there. Yes. Well, I think we played here three years ago with Pantera. Oh, yeah. You did. Yeah. So, but, yeah, I just, I don't know if I remember if it was this muggy or this hot. I don't think it was. This is like brutal. You're enjoying some adult beverages or you're having some piping hot Oden Force Blend. Who cares as long as you're having a good time watching it.

1:04 There you go. And I think I'd say right off the bat, you must be one of the hardest musicians, working musicians, anywhere. Like, you're doing Pantera. You do Zach Sabbath. You'll be doing that at Aftershock and Black Label Society. How do you do so much music? Well, you know, you girls don't like to be disappointed. I love it. You don't have to be married for 83 years. You know, you have to make sure that the girls have the Jordache jeans and the candy shoes. You know what I'm saying? When you want to bring her out for that slice of pizza and a soda pop. Oh, man. Yeah, exactly.

1:49 So you got to be able to. No, I got to be honest. I love it. I wouldn't. I wouldn't change it for anything. It's one of the coolest parts about it, because I always think this is the case, is that you get to be, like, different musicians in each project you're doing. Like, you don't have to do the same thing over and over again. You get to, like, kind of explore every part of you as a musician. I mean, it's... Well, you know, I mean, like, even down to making... You know, some of my musician friends, you know, the guys are like... They like making the records... Or, you know, they don't like making the records and they like playing live or vice versa. They love making the records, but they don't like touring. I mean, I love the whole thing. I love the whole process. I mean, like even when we played, you know, when I played football, I loved tour days. I loved the practice. I loved the games. You know, where sometimes guys, they can't stay in practice, but they like the games. I mean, whatever.

2:42 But it's just, I love the whole process. But I mean, no, you know, I just tell the same thing. I tell my kids, be like your dad. Just do what you love. Yeah. And it's not work. No one's forcing me to go out and tour. I love doing it. You know, but I mean, I understand, you know, because I have some friends that are just like, Zach, I can't believe you still tour. It's just like, you know, I got some of my buddies that have either union gigs now back home, like in a theater. And, you know, so this way they run the theater and then they can go home to their house and sleep in their bed every night, which I completely understand that too. You know, if it's If anything in life is turning into a chore or it's a drag, then what are you doing it for?

3:24 You're writing your own book and writing your own movie. Yeah. Do what makes you happy, man. See, I love that you're saying that because I'm also a motivational speaker, so I believe in that wholeheartedly. If you wake up in the morning and you don't want to go to work, change what you're doing, man. Yeah, whatever situation you're in. I saw a thing, it was just like, you know, because I'm 59, and it's just like when you're going to be. Oh, so am I. When you hit 60... you know, you've reached the age where, you know, if somebody's, if they don't bring you peace, then they shouldn't be in your life. I go, you should be like that from birth. Right. You know, I mean, I'm just saying, I mean, anyone in your life, if they're not bringing you peace, you got to go.

4:06 Exactly. That's that. And I turned 16. You got to wait 60 years? You got to wait 60 years to figure that one out? I love it because I've always lived life to the fullest. I'm turning 60 in a couple weeks, you know, and Like, I don't even know it's 60. I don't care. Like, I'm still. Yeah, you feel like you're 28. No doubt. So it depends on... I completely agree. Like, I do. I go and I do all the festivals, North America, UK, Europe, and I'll sometimes bring my youngest daughter, who's 31 now, to a festival like Louder Than Life. Halfway through the first day, she's like, Dad, I don't know how you do this every weekend. I'm done already. And me. Yeah, without a doubt. I'll just keep going because I love doing it. I don't have to do it at this point in my career.

4:51 No. I just do it. Yeah, if you enjoy it, then you should still be doing it, man. Exactly. I mean, the Stones are still touring and making records just because they're like, yeah, what do you want to do this weekend? Well, let's make another record. I mean, it's just because they love doing it. Exactly. No one's forcing them to tour and no one's forcing them to make records. It's just because they love it, you know. And that's the whole secret to life. Kids do what you love. That's, that's the key, man. And so, man, when you started to do this thing with Pantera, how did that feel? Cause I know you got like time. Basically, if he were to pick anybody in the world, it would be you. It would be you that he would have picked to do it. So like, how did it feel that first when it first started?

5:40 Well, you know, I mean, uh, Rob Halford, you know, when we first started doing the Pantera Celebration, we were opening up for Judas Priest. We did a couple shows in, I think, in South America. And I think we, you know, we opened up for Priest. And Rob Halford was like, Zach, it's a real beautiful thing you and Charlie are doing, you know, honoring your buddies and stuff like that. I go, thanks, Rob. I go, because I always viewed it as it's not a matter of, If I'll do it, it's a matter of when. You know what I mean? So it would be like Eric Clapton being asked by, you know, Mitchell and Noel Redding going, Eric, would you come out and sing and play Jimmy's stuff? You know, because we want to celebrate Jimmy's life and we want to honor him.

6:26 Eric Clapton's going to say no. That was his buddy. So, you know, you'd be like, of course. So Eric would go out and play and sing and honor his buddy. So it just, you do it. You know what I mean? I love it. Yeah, so me and Charlie up there. I mean, it's an honor for me and Charlie every night to be up there with Phillip and Rex. And, you know, with this amazing thing that they created, the four of them. And, you know, it's this community. Because that's what all bands are. Whether, you know, whether it's Sabbath, Zeppelin, The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers. It's a community of people that love that band that brings people together. Totally. So, you know, like when you're looking out in the audience...

7:07 You have the Pantera Faithful. I saw them when the fellas were playing in front of three people in a pub, in a bar. And from there to them conquering all the mountains that they conquered. And then you have the younger kids that only heard about the legend of Pantera through their uncles and their dads. They say, man, I saw them back in the day and everything like that. So it's a beautiful thing seeing all the younger kids The younger generation hearing these songs for the first time. So it's awesome. And what I do love about that is how metal is today and rock is today with these kids. So in the 80s, I was going to shows that my dad would never go to or take me to. And you see families and generations. And I bring my kids and my grandkids. And it's like it's a family affair like the metal community is.

8:01 Yeah, it's awesome. Speaking of which, my grandson would wear this. This is my 80s battle vest. Oh, well, there you go. So take a look at that and what you think. Metallica. Slayer didn't even have a patch yet, so I put that on there. People in L.A. thought it was a gangbanger. We got some Venom over there. Yeah, you got it all going on. Right. These are all my favorite Irish Catholic folk bands. I know, right? They're all legendary. So when you're doing the Zach Sabbath thing now, not before, but now, do you feel like Oz is always with you there on stage? Yeah, well, I just always feel that way always anyway.

8:41 The way I've always looked at it, I always thank God for the time I had with all of them, with Oz, with my parents, with, I mean, down to your dogs, you know what I mean? So it's just because they're like family to you. Or your friends that have passed away or whatever. It's just that that's the way I always view it. I'm just always grateful for the time you had with them. Yeah, see, that's a cool way to look at it. Now, what was the first moment in your life that you knew music is what you wanted to do? Well, originally, obviously, it was baseball, football, you know, Thurman Munson, Jack Lambert, you know, Dick Butkus, Randy White.

9:24 I love all those names. But, no, it was, you know, sports, obviously, but then when I I started playing when I was about eight, but then when I turned 14 is when I was just like, this is what I'm going to do with my life. So, without a doubt. It's kind of similar to me because I played baseball for nine years. I played hockey. I played all kinds of sports. Yeah, sports, man. And then when I hit high school and I went to my first real shows. I call them real shows. I went to concerts before that, but my dad had moved me. Like in 1980, he said, meet your new mother, pack your bags. We're moving to California. in three days. And then I spent the rest of the 80s in the LA Sunset Strip scene, but not the glam scene, but I was at like Slayer's first show ever, Metallica's first show ever, and of course I saw Oz with Randy Rhoades. And I do have to say something about you, like All these years, I've seen a lot of guitarists with Oz, obviously. You are the one that most makes me remember that night, New Year's Eve, shortly before he passed, watching Randy Rhodes play.

10:32 Randy's the man, without a doubt. Exactly. And it's pretty hard for anybody to match that. And I feel like you matched and went beyond. I appreciate it, brother. But, no, you know, being a disciple, me and Dime being St. Rose disciples, for sure. But, no, it just, you know, it really is the truth, man. I mean, I just, even with my kids, with me and my wife Barbara Ann, it's just like, find what you love and do it. Yeah. You know, you introduce them to whatever. It could be hockey. It could be football, baseball, cooking, whatever. music, whatever it is you love that you have an interest in is what you should be doing. Exactly.

11:12 What's your, like you love all of it, which I love because not all artists do, but what's your favorite part of it? Of being a musician? I guess it's, you know, obviously when you're in the studio, whether it's my mom coming home or whether it's, you know, naming blood from the new record, it just, it's starting from A riff or, you know, something on a piano or an acoustic guitar, it's like a germ of an idea, and it's like a seed, and then as you're in the studio and you just see this thing evolving into this massive oak tree, it just... That's magic. I mean, it's just like seeing this thing come alive. I think if you ask all musicians, you know, I think it's when you write a song and then... Then you're putting the background vocals on it.

12:02 Then you put the solo on it. Then you're putting, you know, a pedal steel thing in it. You're putting piano on it. You're putting back, you know, and then thing just starts, you know, it's just like, you know, Salvador Dali. If he, you know, the melting clock or, you know, the overhead view of Jesus is just like if he started it off as a pencil drawing. And then he started coloring it in. Then, you know, then all of a sudden now it starts coming to life. You know, so I think it's from the germ of an idea to it just turning into this living, breathing thing. So, yeah, it's just awesome. Truly. That is a very cool answer because that is what it's about.

12:43 It's about creating. You know, starting to riff, you know, like let's say walk. where he was doing it on his little practice amp in his, in the living room in his house with the pinball machines and everything. He had this cool idea for a song and he had the music kind of, and then went in the studio, played it with Vinny and then the rest and then Rex. And then Phillip's like, all right, let me put a melody on this thing. And then all of a sudden from him sitting with the practice amp, it turns into this thing. Then, then when you see it live, it's like, man, I was, you know, me and you go, man, we remember when Dime was playing that for us and the, in the living room on a little practice amp, and now we're seeing it at SoFi Stadium with Diamond and the guys playing it. You know what I mean? It's just like, wow, that's pretty amazing.

13:27 It is. So is there one story, good or bad, there's lots of stories, but one that sticks out in your mind most from your whole musical career? No, just a lot of comedy, man. It's just. I imagine so, too. I'm truly blessed and grateful for all the outstanding moments of comedy. You know what I mean? But, no, I think, well, I just always say that to younger bands. I mean, it's just like you get in a van with a U-Haul and you start touring. You go tour for a month. You'll have unlimited stories just in the month of just doing a tour with your buddies. Of course, yeah. It's awesome.

14:10 So. Is there anything else that we haven't touched on that you would want the listeners to know? No, I just got to go back and shave my legs right now and put my eyeliner on and my ruse so it mashes my fishnets when I get up on stage. So that's my current routine. My current grocery list of things I need to do. Nice. And there's the humor right there. It's actually not humor. It's for real. It's for real for sure. Yes. Well, I am looking forward to seeing you here at Louder Than Life.

14:51 Aftershock. And, man, you are a badass. I think we'll be back here in a couple days doing Black Label as well. Exactly. And dishes and laundry, and then we make a chicken piccata for everybody. Oh, that's one of my favorites. That's what Dario does. He uses the capers. He doesn't use salt. Nice. I love it. Well. You rock, and I look forward to seeing a lot more of you over the next decades, and thanks for being on the adventure. I hope to see you more in the next couple days. All right, my brother. You got it. What's going on, buddy? Zach Wild, Pantera Celebration, Black Label Society, Zach Sabbath. We're doing the hang with the Pipe Man over here on W4CY. com radio.

15:32 Thank you for listening to the Adventures of Pipe Man podcast. On W4CY Radio.