“Oz said, ‘Let’s just do Free Bird twice. That should take up an hour!’” Zakk Wylde on Tony Iommi’s genius, Black Sabbath’s immeasurable influence – and Ozzy’s unlikely Back to the Beginning demands

Ozzy Osbourne and Zakk Wylde going appropriately crazy during one of the Prince of Darkness' 1989 live shows.

Since joining Ozzy’s band in 1987, save for a few pitstops along the way, Zakk Wylde has been the Prince of Darkness’s main guitar man. In fact, save for Tony Iommi, with whom Ozzy launched Black Sabbath (and heavy metal), and Randy Rhoads, who helped Ozzy resurrect his career in the early ’80s, no guitarist is more associated with Ozzy than Wylde.

With an array of bullseye-adorned and EMG-equipped Les Pauls slung low from his burly shoulders, a kilt hanging off his waist and a caveman beard that hangs even lower, Wylde has been a rock for Ozzy – and he’s also a friend, if not family.