By Andrew Catania
Now that the Black Sabbath band has started wrapping up their music career and the final show has been locked in for February 4th, many of us will mourn not having more from the band. However, this is equally pleasing in tandem, that Ozzy Osbourne, the Madman of Black Sabbath who recently turned 68, hasn’t called it a day yet and says that he’s “currently playing around with some song ideas. I have a few things jotted down, and once Black Sabbath is off the road, I will be heading into the studio with my band to get the songs recorded. Once it’s all in the can, you can be sure to see me back on the road again.”
Sounds cool, right!
So now that the big news is out and has enthralled the crazy global fandom of Ozzy – the ultimate Prince of Darkness, apparently, this has become a topic of hot debate about who will play the guitar on his upcoming solo records.
Considering that the Godfather of Metal has a good record of having paired with the top-notch music virtuosos of their time, including Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee, Zakk Wylde, Gus G, Joe Holmes and others, it would surely be interesting to see who the ‘picky’ Ozzy would choose to collaborate with this time around. Rumor has it he’s writing with Steve Stevens but won’t touring with him. If Gus G doesn’t return, who will be his guitarist? Here are our top picks of potential guitarists likely to pair up with Ozzy for his upcoming record.
- Rusty Cooley
Acclaimed for his aesthetic and intricately refined techniques, and rendered as one of the fastest guitarists in the US, Rusty Cooley is a virtuosic name in heavy, progressive and power metal genre. Well-known as the king of shreds, Rusty has been casting a spell through his chords since 1985 and has been associated with the Day of Reckoning, Outworld, Austrian Death Machine, the Rings of Saturn and a number of solos and special performances. He has been called as the ‘Leading Light of Post-Malmsteen Shred-volution’ by the Guitar Player magazine. With Cooley heavily influenced by Rhoads, this would be our logical choice.
- Jeff Loomis
Famous and applauded for his soulful contribution to ‘Nevermore’, Jeff Loomis is one of the top-notch names that rule the present-age metal genre. Jeff Loomis has proven his mettle as a lyricist, composer, vocalist, bassist and keyboard, drum and guitar player.
Aside from a number of fruitful associations with Arch Enemy, Nevermore, Fear Tech, Sanctuary, Conquering Dystopia, Experiment Fear, System, and 7 Eyes, Jeff Loomis has skillfully proved his virtuosity in a number of solos that make a strong emblem of his unique classic arpeggios and gradually flowing nuances.
- Marty Friedman
Famous for his former association with the heavy metal band Megadeth that ruled the music world for the entire decade of the mighty 90s, Marty Friedman has now become a mega music sensation in Japan.
His shredding techniques and style still carry that vibrant and signature ‘Megadeth’ essence, however, his personal preferences and music taste has drifted towards contemporary and Japanese pop. This has influenced him to evolve as an ecstatic fusion of eastern and western music, punctuated and infused with thrash metal, progressive rock, and neoclassic genres.
- Vinnie Moore
Having emerged on the 80s music horizon with his incredible performances in Alice Cooper’s ‘Hey Stoopid’, Vinnie Moore has managed to attain the stature of the most influential musicians who defined and shaped the dynamics and tending patterns of the music scene of the 80s and 90s.
Vinnie Moore has had an exciting career from 1986 to date, that is punctuated with his associated acts with UFO, Alice Cooper, Red Zone Rider, along with a number of hit solos records to his name. Vinnie Moore’s style stems from neoclassical metal, heavy metal, hard rock, and instrumental rock genre.
- Jacky Vincent
Though making the list of prospected senior guitarists joining Ozzy at the young of 27 is itself a validation of extraordinary talent, yet Jacky Vincent has managed to bag a tremendous applause from the audience’s and critic’s camps alike, becoming one of the most sought-after music celebrity with a number of ambassadorships and endorsements to his name. A former member of Falling in Reverse, Jacky Vincent is currently playing for Cry Venom, casting an ecstatic spell through his speed, accuracy, and ferocious techniques.