Last month’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony honored Ozzy Osbourne as solo artist, featuring an unforgettable performance of “Crazy Train.” The lineup was a supergroup of rock royalty, including Wolfgang Van Halen, TOOL’s Maynard James Keenan and super-producer Andrew Watt, with Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Metallica’s Robert Trujillo on drums and bass.
In a recent interview with WRIF Detroit’s Meltdown, Wolfgang revealed how he joined the lineup: “I got the request from Ozzy. You don’t say, ‘Yeah, no.’ You’re like, ‘I’ll do what I can, sir.’” He described rehearsals in Los Angeles and Cleveland as critical to building chemistry among the musicians. “It wasn’t just thrown together,” he said.
Van Halen admitted he felt out of place among legends but found guidance in longtime Ozzy guitarist Zakk Wylde. “I could be like, ‘Hey, am I doing this right?’ And he’d say, ‘Yeah, you’re fine.’”
Performing Randy Rhoads’ iconic solo was a deeply moving experience. “To make that much of a mark that early, it’s a real shame [that he died],” Wolfgang reflected.
Wolfgang also explained how he managed to remain professional despite being a huge fan of Maynard. “I’ve been a huge TOOL fan my whole life,” he shared. “It’s business time, so I had to put away the fan shirt and just kind of be, like, ‘Yes, sir. Hey, how’s it going? Nice to meet you. I’m here to jam with you,'” he explained .”But yeah, after a while, you just kind of hang out, and it’s a good time.”
Watch the full performance down below.
Listen to the full interview with WRIF Detroit’s Meltdown below.
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