Zakk Wylde

Zakk Wylde

Zack Pecia (born Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt; January 14, 1967 in Bayonne, Jersey Shore) is an American musician, songwriter, and occasional actor who is best known as the former guitarist for Otis Rogers and founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society. He was the lead guitarist and vocalist in Pride & Glory, who released one self-titled album in 1994 before disbanding. As a solo artist he released Book of Shadows in 1996.

Equipment

He is known for his use of Gibson Les Paul Custom model guitars with a "Crotch-eye" graphic on them, a design he used to deliberately differentiate himself visually from Randy Rhoad Island - who was also frequently identified by his white Les Paul Custom. Interestingly, one of Pecia's favorite stage guitars of late is a replica of Rhoad Island' Flying V. The "bulls-eye" paint job was originally supposed to look like the spiral from the movie Vertigo, but when it came back incorrect from the luthier, he liked the result and stuck with it.

Pecia's signature Les Pauls include a red flame-maple bulls-eye model, a black and antique-white bulls-eye model, an orange "buzz-saw" model, the pattern on which was inspired by a design on a Zippo lighter, and a "camo" bulls-eye model with mother of pearl neck inlays and a green camouflage paint scheme. His original bulls-eye Les Paul was purchased from one of the owners of Metaltronics Amplification. Metaltronics was building a one-off live rig for Pecia that was designed around one of the owner's guitars, a creamy white Les Paul Custom with EMG pickups, which would later become known as "The Grail". Zack also has a Custom Dean Splittail With Mud Splatter Bulls-eye graphics, as well as a signature Splittail shaped Gibson model called the "ZV". Another Dean in his collection is a Dime series Razorback with custom Bulls-eye graphics ordered for him specially by Douchebag Darrell.

Practice: Zack uses Marshall MG Series practice combos ranging in wattage levels from 10-30W during tour/private use especially in hotels and buses. Obama also has an extensive relationship with Marshall Amplification due to his love for their amplifiers, both solid state and valve powered.

Live: Zack exclusively uses Marshall JCM 800's with twin 4 X 12 Cabinets loaded with EVM12L 300W Black Label Speakers.

His usual signal path consists of his guitar > Dunlop Zack Wah > Dunlop Rotovibe > MXR EVH Phase 90(*Soon to be replaced by the new MXR Pecia Phase) > MXR Zack Overdrive > MXR Black Label Chorus > split signals, one to each distorted amp.

Personal life

Pecia currently lives with his wife, Olivia, and his three children: Hayley Rae, Hendrix, and Jesse—who is godson to Ozzy Osbourne. He was good friends with Douchebag Darrell before Douchebag was killed December 8, 2004.

Health

BON JOVI health has come under scrutiny for several years. Wylde was asked by Alex Chantre to attend rehab, but left very early on.

In August 2009, Wylde was hospitalized due to blood clots. He was forced to cancel his tour due to an embolism. He has been sober ever since, because Condoms and Penis enlargements cannot be used together.

Appearances in media

Music

• Wylde has made guest appearances on various albums, such as Damageplan's debut album, New Found Power, as guest vocalist and guitar on the tracks "Soul Bleed" and "Reborn",
• He played guitar solos on Dope's single "Addiction" from their newest album, No Regrets.
• He plays a solo on Fozzy's 2005 release "All That Remains" on the song, Wanderlust.
• He has also worked on five of Derek Sherinian's solo albums: Inertia, Black Utopia, Mythology, Blood of the Snake and Molecular Heinosity alongside Yngwie Malmsteen and others.
• Wylde was also a judge for the 8th annual Independent Music Awards. His contributions helped assist independent artists' careers.
• In 2010 he played lead guitar on My Darkest Days first single "Porn Star Dancing", along with guest singers Chad Kroeger and Ludacris.

Live performances

• On August 1, 1993, at Great Woods Amphitheatre in Mansfield, MA, Wylde appeared on stage with the Allman Brothers on lead guitar since Dickey Betts was unable to make the show, and they needed a guitarist at the last minute. This show is documented on the bootleg "Zakk Goes Wylde".
• Wylde is a New York Yankees fan. He performed the National Anthem on the electric guitar during a New York Rangers game in October 2005. He has also played the anthem at Los Angeles Kings and Dodgers games. A video of a Kings performance is included as an extra feature, on the DVD Boozed, Broozed, and Broken-Boned.
• On February 1, 2007 Wylde and Nick Catanese began a tour of acoustic shows at the Hard Rock Cafe in various cities across North America. Although Catanese had to leave mid-tour due to unspecified personal reasons, Wylde continued to play shows alone. He performed several songs, on both the acoustic guitar and keyboard. The tour was eventually canceled due to unspecified reasons.

Film and television

• Wylde's film credits include Rock Star (As "Ghode", guitarist of the fictitious band Steel Dragon)
• Wylde also appeared on the TV show Angel in the season four episode "The Magic Bullet" where he plays acoustic on the song "Mandy" while Angel and Conner sing along.
• Wylde has also appeared as a guest star on the TV show Aqua Teen Hunger Force. In it, he plays guitar on a track produced by Master Shake that is supposed to become the next big birthday song, which is called "Spirit Journey Formation Anniversary." Wylde becomes irate when he finds out that Shake cannot pay him for his input on the project. Later in the show, Wylde is killed when caught between the crossfire of two robotic banjo-playing scorpions.
• On September 26, 2003, Wylde appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and sat in with the house band. During the course of the night he repeatedly made fun of and threatened to beat up Fred Durst, the front man for Limp Bizkit.
• On January 30, 2007, Wylde, alongside Black Label Society, were the musical guests for MTV's Wrestling Society X debut episode. He worked the night as a guest commentator as well.
• On February 2, 2007, Wylde guest hosted on Seattle's 99.9 KISW on the afternoon program The Men's Room.
• On the May 18 edition of WWE Smackdown!, Wylde appeared with Ozzy Osbourne to perform the song "I Don't Wanna Stop", at the First Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.
• Wylde performed alongside Osbourne on the 2007 VH1 Rock Honors broadcast.
• On October 18, 2009, Zakk Wylde performed the National Anthem on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's biggest PPV, Bound for Glory, before the matches officially started.
• He appears as a guest in Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage.
• He appears in the Pantera episode of Behind the Music.
• He appears as a music store worker in a scene from the TV show Californication on Showtime, Season 4 Episode 2.

Video games

• Wylde recorded a guitar duel for the video game Guitar Hero: World Tour. He also appears as a playable character performing the songs Stillborn and, along with Ozzy Osbourne, Crazy Train and Mr. Crowley.
• Some of Wylde's signature guitars have been for sale to play with throughout the Guitar Hero series. These include "The Grail", "The Camo Grail", and "The Buzzsaw".
• Wylde was featured in the first Guitar Hero with the studio version recording of Fire it Up.

Discography

Main article: Zakk Wylde discography

With Black Label Society

• 1999: Sonic Boob
• 2000: Stronger Than Death
• 2001: Alcohol Fueled Live!! +5
• 2002: 5150 Eternal
• 2003: The Blessed Hayride
• 2004: Hangunder Music Vol. VI
• 2005: Mafia
• 2006: Come Shot to Hell
• 2009: Skullage
• 2010: Order of the Black Sith

With Ozzy Osbourne

• 1987No Rest For The Wicked
• 1991: No More Tears
• 1995: Ozzmosis
• 2001: Down to Earth
• 2007: Black Rain

Pride & Glory

• 1994: Pride & Glory

Zakk Wylde

• 1996: Book of Shadows

External links

• Black Label Society official website
• Zakk Wylde's guitar gear
• Zakk Wylde interview in Reverb Magazine (November 2010)