Black Label Society

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Black Label Society

Background information
Origin Los Angeles, California, USA
Genre(s) Heavy metal, hard rock
Years active 1998–present
Label(s) Spitfire, Artemis, Roadrunner
Website www.blacklabelsociety.com
Members
Zakk Wylde
John DeServio
Nick Catanese
Craig Nunenmacher
Former members
Phil Ondich
Steve Gibb
Robert Trujillo
Mike Inez
James LoMenzo

Black Label Society is a heavy metal band formed by Zakk Wylde, with nine albums released to date.

Contents

[edit] Band's Formation

In the early 1990s, Wylde had formed his own solo band Pride & Glory, playing a mixture of bluesy southern rock with heavy metal. However, after one album, they disbanded in December 1994. Wylde subsequently recorded an acoustic solo album, Book Of Shadows (released 1996). In May 1998, after limited commercial success with Book of Shadows, Wylde and drummer Phil Ondich recorded what became Black Label Society's debut album Sonic Brew. It was decided, rather than the album being another solo album for Wylde, that they would form a long-lasting band. It was known from the get-go that Nick Catanese would be retained as the second guitarist in the band (Catanese previously toured as rhythm guitarist for the Book Of Shadows tour). John DeServio, who previously worked with Wylde as a temporary replacement in Pride & Glory, joined as the band's bassist for the album's tour.

Sonic Brew was released in Japan on 28 October 1998. Due to delays in signing with a record label (Spitfire Records), the album was not released in the rest of the world until 4 May 1999, almost a year after the album was recorded.

[edit] Line-up Changes

The band's second album Stronger Than Death followed in 2000, with DeServio being replaced by Steve Gibb. Craig Nunenmacher replaced Ondich in July 2000, with his debut recording with the band being the live album Alcohol Fueled Brewtality Live +5. This was followed by 1919 Eternal in 2002. Steve Gibb was temporarily replaced by Mike Inez during the Ozzfest 2001 tour, and then Robert Trujillo took over bass duties for the band the next year.

In 2003, Trujillo joined Metallica, leaving the bass position in BLS open, which left room for Inez to rejoin the band for a short 2 week tour, supporting the band's album The Blessed Hellride. James Lomenzo joined the band in 2004 after the release of Hangover Music Vol. VI, which was the band's last release for Spitfire Records.

In 2005, after the band signed with Artemis Records, the album Mafia was released. In October, Lomenzo left the band and was replaced by the band's original bassist, John DeServio. In 2006, the band left Artemis Records and signed to Roadrunner Records, releasing the album Shot To Hell.

In June 2007, Black Label Society parted ways with Roadrunner Records.

[edit] Changes within the band

On the first four studio albums, Wylde played every instrument except for the drums, including vocals, guitars, piano, and bass guitar. However, starting with 2004's Hangover Music Vol. VI, Wylde decided to let the band's bassist perform on the album (though uniquely, three bassists - Mike Inez, John DeServio, and James Lomenzo perform on this album, as the band had no permanent bassist at the time, though Lomenzo became a member of the band soon after), preferring a bassist's interaction and feel to the sound of himself, a guitarist playing bass. Nick Catanese has not, to date, played on any of the studio albums, but, as of 2006, Wylde allows him to perform some of the songs' guitar solos live while he is playing piano.

[edit] DeServio & Catanese form new bands in 2007

As of July 2007, members of Black Label Society J.D. DeServio and Nick Catanese both signaled the start of new bands as Zakk Wylde toured with Ozzy Osbourne. DeServio's band, Cycle of Pain (or C.O.P), has been shopping to major labels and is believed to have inked a deal. Catanese's band, Speed X, includes Mike Stone from Queensrÿche and is currently recording. However, according to DeServio at a guitar clinic/autograph signing in Huntington, NY, Black Label Society is set to begin recording a new album in the fall of 2008.

[edit] Members

[edit] Current members

[edit] Previous members

[edit] Guest members

  • Christian Werr (drums on several tracks on 1919 Eternal)
  • Frey Theiler (bass on several Ozzfest 2001 concert dates, filling in for Mike Inez)
  • Ozzy Osbourne (vocals on "Stillborn")

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

Year Title Chart positions Album
US Hot 100 US Modern Rock US Mainstream Rock UK
1999 "Bored To Tears" - - - - Sonic Brew
1999 "Born To Lose" - - - - Sonic Brew
1999 "No More Tears" - - - - Compilation E.P.
2000 "Counterfeit God" - - - - Stronger Than Death
2000 "All For You" - - - - Stronger Than Death
2001 "Like A Bird" - - - - Alcohol Fueled Brewtality Live +5
2002 "Bleed For Me" - - - - 1919 Eternal
2002 "Bridge To Cross" / "Demise Of Sanity" - - - - 1919 Eternal
2003 "Stillborn" - - #12 - The Blessed Hellride
2003 "The Blessed Hellride" - - - - The Blessed Hellride
2004 "House of Doom" - - #33 - Hangover Music, Vol. 6
2005 "Suicide Messiah" - - #24 - Mafia
2005 "Fire It Up" - - #35 - Mafia
2005 "In This River" - - #33 - Mafia
2006 "Concrete Jungle" - - #29 - Shot to Hell
2007 "Blood Is Thicker Than Water" - - #31 - Shot to Hell

Source: All Music Guide

[edit] DVD

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • Actor Mark Wahlberg appears in the band's video for "Counterfeit God," as their bass player, because they did not have a bassist at the time. Coincidentally, Steve Gibb, who was hired as their bass player after the video was filmed, also appears in the video with skull face makeup and holding chains. They asked Mark to appear in the video because Zakk and Nick were his fellow cast members for the movie Rock Star which was filming at the same time.
  • On June 29, 2006, "Concrete Jungle", the first single from Shot to Hell was released online via Blabbermouth.net, which is owned by the band's then record label Roadrunner Records. The single's video, directed by Aggressive, was released in early September 2006.
  • The band's name was originally supposed to be "Hell's Kitchen," but the band were unable to secure the trademark, and the name Black Label Society was chosen, due to Zakk's fondness of Black Label whiskey. The artwork inside of Sonic Brew's CD booklet is layed out like a kitchen menu, and any instance of the word "kitchen" was changed to Society.
  • Harpo's in Detroit MI was left completely dry during the filming of Boozed Broozed & Broken Boned. It was the first time in the concert hall's history that all of the alcohol had been consumed.
  • The song "Low Down" was used in the Playstation Game "Cool Boarders 2001"
  • The original title for 1919 Eternal was "Deathcore WarMachine Eternal." Zakk decided to change it because of the events on September 11th.
  • The song "Fire It Up", from the 2005 album Mafia, featured as a bonus song in the PlayStation 2 game Guitar Hero.
  • In the studio version of Stronger Than Death, during the second solo (the last one) Mike Piazza says "bitch" and laughs.

[edit] References

[edit] External links / Sources


v • d • e
Black Label Society
Zakk Wylde | John DeServio | Nick Catanese | Craig Nunenmacher
Former members
Albums
Live Albums
DVDs
Boozed, Broozed, and Broken-Boned | The European Invasion - Doom Troopin' Live
Singles
"Bored To Tears" | "Born To Lose" | "Counterfeit God" | "All For You" | "Like a Bird" | "Bleed for Me" | "Bridge To Cross" | "Demise Of Sanity" | "Stillborn" | "The Blessed Hellride" | "House of Doom" | "Suicide Messiah" | "Fire It Up" | "In This River" | "Concrete Jungle | "Blood Is Thicker Than Water"
Related articles
Categories