Zakk Wylde’s 10 Favorite Virtuoso Albums

I interviewed Zakk Wylde for the cover story for Guitar World’s April 2005 Virtuoso issue. This list of Zakk’s Top 10 Guitar virtuoso Records ran with it.

•Van Halen, Van Halen
(Warner Bros, 1978)
“It could be anything by Ed.”

•Ozzy Osbourne, Blizzard of Ozz
(Jet, 1980)
“It could be anything by Randy.”

•Pantera, Vulgar Display Of Power (US Release) [Explicit]
(East West, 1992)
“Dime’s pure brilliance.”

•Al DiMeola, John McLaughlin & Paco DeLucia, Friday Night in San Francisco – Live
(Columbia, 1980)
“Unbelievable and an absolute must-have for all guitarists.”

•Alcatrazz, No Parole From Rock N Roll
(Grand Slamm, 1984)
“Yngwie’s unaccompanied solo is flat out inhuman. He did everything that Al di Meola does on steroids.”

•Gary Moore, Corridors of Power
(Mirage, 1982)
“Jesus Christ! He’s got it all – the tone, the chops, the singing, the riffs.”

•Jimi Hendrix, Band of Gypsys
(Capitol, 1970)
“’Machine Gun’ is unreal. Jimi is one with the instrument.’”

•Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush – Live
(CBS, 1978)
‘I just played this for friends and their jaws dropped. It’s way beyond good.”

•The Allman Brothers Band,At Fillmore East
(Polydor, 1971)
“Duane and Dickey just going for it.”
(Updated and expanded as The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings (6 CD Edition))

•Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Sky is Crying
(Epic, 1991)
“His version of ’Little Wing’ is proof that God exists.”

•Joe Satriani, Surfing With the Alien
(Epic, 1987)
“Joe’s phrasing reminds me a lot of Billy Gibbons, but he has the chops of doom.”
(Updated and expanded: Surfing with the Alien Legacy Edition (CD + DVD))