Guitar hero Zakk Wylde while playing for Ozzy Osbourne had created several side projects playing different kinds of music which included southern rock and heavy metal. In May 1998 Wylde hooked up with Phil Ondich and started recording an album. They added Nick Catanese as the second guitar player and John DeServio joined as the bassist.

Black Label Society – Zakk Wylde And Strange Brews!

“I'm just worried that there's enough beer on the bus. That's the top priority at all times” – Zakk Wylde

The Formation

Guitar hero Zakk Wylde while playing for Ozzy Osbourne had created several side projects playing different kinds of music which included southern rock and heavy metal. In May 1998 Wylde hooked up with Phil Ondich and started recording an album. They added Nick Catanese as the second guitar player and John DeServio joined as the bassist.

The Brew Masters!

The music which they started to record would culminate into the release of the first album “Sonic Brew”. The album was released in 1999 with the cover art of a whisky bottle designed to look exactly the same as the brand Black Label from Johnnie Walker. The company would in fact take out an injunction on Zakk Wylde which immediately prompted a change in the album cover. The music was very much heavy metal. The album contained the cover of the Ozzy song “No More Tears” which Zakk Wylde had himself collaborated with Ozzy. In fact Zakk Wylde recorded an EP as a promotion for the first album called “No More Tears”.  It also featured a cover of the Beatles song “Come Together”.

“Stronger than Death” released in 2000, was followed by a Live album which recorded at iconic Los Angeles night club called The Troubadour. The CD2 on the release saw Black Label Society play covers again, this time featuring Black Sabbath’s “Snowblind” and “Heart of Gold” by Neil Young.

The Recording Continues

In 2002, Black Label Society released “1919 Eternal” which featured Robert Trujillo who would later go on to join the legendary Metallica. The album featured a metal guitar version of “America the Beautiful” one of America’s greatest and most enduring patriotic song.

Due to several line-up changes there were issues on the recording of the albums and the consistency of the sound. The band went on to release “The Blessed Hellride”. The album is often considered one of their best. The album features the single “Stillborn” which was a major hit and reached No.12 on the US mainstream rock Charts.

Zakk Wylde retuned to recording after working with Ozzy to complete the sixth Black Label album “Hangover Music Vol. VI”.  The album was hugely blasted for its complete change in the sound. The album had softer music and even featured a piano version of the classic “Whiter Shade of Pale” from Procol Harum. The album was generally regarded as the bands weakest recording.

“Mafia” in March 2005 was the bands first commercial success selling over 2, 50,000 copies. After changing record labels the band released their seventh album “Shot to Hell” which peaked at No. 21 on the US album charts

A compilation/live album would emerge after a relative low period in 2009.

• Did You Know: Zakk Wylde was the lead guitar player for Ozzy Osbourne for nearly 20 years

• Did You Know: New York Mets baseball teams star player Mike Piazza featured on the vocals for the song “Stronger than Death”

• Did You Know: Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo played bass and was a member for Black Label Society , prominently featuring on the album 1919 Eternal 

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