The Shocking Reason Zakk Wylde turned down Guns N’ Roses Offer

Welcome to Music Nation 365, where we bring you the latest updates from the world of music. Today, we have an interesting story about the legendary guitarist Zakk Wylde and his almost joining Guns N’ Roses in the mid ’90s.

Zakk Wylde, known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne and Black Label Society, recently opened up about why he did not end up joining Guns N’ Roses despite being considered for the role of guitarist. In a recent interview with host Mark Strigl on SiriusXM’s Ozzy’s Boneyard, Wylde shared the details of his experience with Guns N’ Roses in 1995.

It all started when Axl Rose called Wylde and invited him to jam with the band. Wylde recalls, “Axl called me up and he was just like, ‘Hey Zakk, it’s Axl.’ I was like, ‘Hey, what’s going on man?’ He then mentioned that his name came up during a conversation with Slash and that they were considering jamming together.”

Excited at the prospect of playing with the iconic band, Wylde joined Guns N’ Roses for jam sessions at their rehearsal place. However, as time went on, nothing concrete came out of it. Wylde mentioned that despite coming up with riffs and ideas during their jam sessions, he never received a clear answer about joining the band officially.

With Ozzy Osbourne gearing up for a tour and needing Wylde’s full focus, the guitarist had to make a decision. He revealed, “Oz was like, ‘Zakk, I can’t be sitting around waiting.’ Without Ozzy’s support, I wouldn’t even be in a conversation with Guns N’ Roses.”

Wylde humorously explained the reason for his decision, saying, “I need to save up for pizza money and a soda pop to take out my girlfriend. You know what I mean?” It was this realization that led to the creation of Black Label Society, as Wylde needed to secure funds for his girlfriend’s treats.

Reflecting on the situation, Wylde concluded, “So that’s the reason. I had to get pizza money for my girlfriend.” Despite the missed opportunity with Guns N’ Roses, Wylde’s career continued to flourish with Black Label Society becoming a prominent force in the world of heavy metal.

To hear the full podcast and more insights from Zakk Wylde, tune in to SiriusXM’s Ozzy’s Boneyard. Stay tuned to Music Nation 365 for more news and updates from the music industry!