Black Label Society

H

is real name is Jeffrey Wielandt but under the name Zakk Wylde he rose to prominence at the age of 20 in 1987 when he became Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist, a position he still holds. Black Label Society was started as Wylde's solo project after a short stint in the more southern-styled Pride And Glory, and a solo album entitled Book Of Shadows (1996). Although receiving less notoriety as Ozzy, he nonetheless has managed to promote himself reasonably well. His hard rock albums fused southern blues with modern hard rock, emphasizing on flashy guitars, as one reviewer had said "it reeks of beer and cigarettes".

His operation was originally set up as a duet featuring Zakk Wylde (vocals/guitar) and Phil Ondich (drums) for the release of his debut, Sonic Brew in 1999 and Stronger Than Death (2000).

In 2001 Ondich left, but Wylde got himself a full band proper in the form of Nick Catanese (guitar), Steve Gibb (bass) and Craig Nunenmacher (drums) to release Alcohol Fueled Brewtality Live + 5. Robert Trujillo (ex-Suicidal Tendencies/ex-Ozzy Osbourne) took over bass, while Christian Werr took over drums for the release of 1919 Eternal (2002). But by the follow-up, The Blessed Hellride (2003), only Nunenmacher stuck around, making the act a duet again.