Page 18 - RockRevoltMagazine-Fall2016
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Gone but not forgotten that didn’t sound good enough. We were
You cut me down just to watch me bleed like, “Let’s make it 20.” Because, the only
other guy that could probably go 20 years
Hey, Zakk. How are you? I hear you (laughs). So, I have to ask you – without making another record would
I’m doing good, brother. Just sitting in be Richard Branson. So, regardless of
the gym right now waiting for this hot it’s been 20 years now since the first “Book of whether people didn’t like the record, or
rockin’ call. I gotta stay sexy at all times, Shadows” record. What made now the right they think it’s the best record since sliced
you know? time to put out a follow-up to the first one? bread, the thing is – we now own that
record (20 years). You’ve gotta have goals
My whole thing was, it took Guns ‘n Roses (laughs), and you’ve gotta have a reason
Chinese Democracy 15 years to make. At to get out of bed.
that point, we were like, “We have to put The thing is, if somebody hadn’t
out this record.” When it got to 16 years, mentioned we were coming up on the
20-year anniversary, we would have made
another Black Label album or something.
I really couldn’t believe it had been almost
20 years. While I was knocking around
doing whatever crusade we were doing,
like the “Catacombs of the Black Vatican”
crusade or whatever, the Black Label
family in whatever town we were in would
ask me, “Are you ever going to do another
one of those “Book of Shadows” albums,
because I really dig the mellow stuff? I
was like, “Maybe if I get around to it, in
between changing diapers, world peace,
and curing syphilis and gonorrhea.” I
feel like I could knock that out before
brunch. We’ve been rolling, doing Black
Label since 1998, so it’s not like we’re
sitting around for the last 20 years, and
I gave you the last word
And that’s the last thing you’ll take from me
I’ve always done my mellow thing on the in a different mood; it’s a different color, a
Black Label albums anyway. The whole different flavor of food. Instead of eating
thing with the “Book of Shadows” is that the same thing all the time, I’d rather go
it’s mellow from beginning to end – if you to an ass-kicking deli.
want to chill out, just put this thing on.
I’m listening to this record, and I love the
At this point, Zakk, you’re probably just as range of emotion on here; whether it be
well known for the mellow material just as the passage of life in “Autumn Changes,”
much as the heavy stuff. As you mentioned, or the fighting through the tough times
you’ve been sprinkling the mellow material in “Darkest Hour.” Where do you find the
into Black Label Society all these years. inspiration for a lot of this stuff? Is there
What’s it like for you writing the softer fare any particular place that’s a hotbed of
– is it a different mindset for you going into inspiration for you?
a project like this?
It’s funny, I was talking to a guy who said,
Not really. It’s like, I love Zeppelin when “Well, I don’t know how to write songs.”
they do “Whole Lotta Love,” and I love it He could play, but he was talking about
when they do “Thank You.” I love when writing songs. I said, “What do you mean
they do “Black Dog” as much as “Going to you can’t write a song?” “Knocking On
California.” The heavy stuff is super-fun, Heaven’s Door” is three chords – great
too. I love it all – I love playing piano just lyrics and a killer melody. As far as the
as much as I love playing the guitar, and lyrics, it’s just like with anything. Like in
stuff like that. Playing the piano puts you bodybuilding; you’re not going to start off