Ozzy Osbourne made his guitarist Zakk Wylde cry from laughing when he was hospitalized a year and a half ago due to an injury. Wylde told the story in a new Guitar World interview.
How is Ozzy doing? You guys are back out on the road next year…
“Hopefully! Ozzy is still hilarious. I remember when he messed his neck up and I went to visit him at the hospital. He had all these flowers in his room and I asked who they were from.
“And he goes, ‘I don’t know, but all the cards said, ‘You’re not dead yet’… whoever they’re from, they must not like me too much!’ I was in tears.
“He’s always been hilarious. We were having a blast with the shows, he was singing great every night.
“So yeah, he’s working hard, getting all his power lifts, deadlifts, benches, and squats up to the same amazing numbers they were before he hurt himself.”
Ozzy got you a 1957 Gibson Les Paul Junior as a birthday present early on. We’re guessing you’d never dream of selling that one…
“Especially because The Boss got it for me. I remember we were opening for Mountain and Leslie West had the hugest guitar tone. He played a ’57 Junior, so Ozz got me that for my 21st.
“It will always have a special place in my collection, plus it’s a great-sounding guitar. I’ve kept all my special guitars.
“People have asked me in the past if I’d sell The Grail or The Rebel and it’s like, ‘Nah!’ Those guitars will always be a big part of who I am.
“When we did ‘Ozzmosis,’ I remember [producer] Michael Beinhorn got me a red ’58 double-cutaway Junior and I still have that. I still have my ’65 SG. I’m never gonna get rid of those old guitars.”
