“Being in a band is a lot greater than the enjoying. Really, the enjoying is down on the checklist”: Earlier than Megadeth, Marty Friedman says he auditioned for Ozzy Osbourne – however “failed miserably”

Marty Friedman has opened up on his experiences of auditioning to grow to be Ozzy Osbourne’s guitar participant again within the late ‘80s – an audition the previous Megadeth hero says he “failed miserably”.

Shortly earlier than Friedman ultimately joined Dave Mustaine and co on the onset of the ‘90s because the thrash steel group’s new lead electric guitar participant, he was shortlisted as one of many “1000’s” of guitar gamers who had been eyed up for the Osbourne slot, which had been vacated by the outgoing Jake E. Lee in ‘87.

That Friedman was summoned for a six-string try-out on the time isn’t any shock, given his work alongside Jason Becker in Cacophony had established his popularity as one essentially the most promising up-and-coming guitarists of his age.

Nonetheless, the expertise didn’t pan out precisely how Friedman would’ve thought, with the Jackson signature artist lately recalling how he “failed miserably” – however not due to his guitar chops.

Talking throughout a Q&A session on the current Metalmania III Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp, Friedman mentioned the ill-fated electrical guitar try-out, which was first put in movement when he obtained a name from Ozzy’s spouse and supervisor, Sharon.

“I really bought a name from Sharon Osbourne approach, approach again, and I used to be residing in San Francisco, and so they mentioned, ‘We would wish to fly you right down to audition for Ozzy,’” he defined (through Blabbermouth). “And I am, like, ‘Oh my god. That is nice.’ 

“I used to be virtually homeless on the time, residing with my then-girlfriend and coping with the lease and all that stuff, as California rock musicians do,” Friedman went on. “And I used to be so completely satisfied to get the decision. So I discovered the music, went right down to L.A. – they flew me right down to L. A. to play with the band. And it was, I assume, the blokes who have been within the band on the time.”

Regardless of “enjoying the whole lot completely simply wonderful”, and though Friedman “thought it sounded nice”, the audition ended up being a write off. Not due to his enjoying, however as a result of their “photos have been very completely different”.

“These guys within the band have been, like… it was identical to a rehearsal, and so they have been completely decked out in Nineteen Eighties Sundown Strip… cranium t-shirts with handcuffs and lengthy necklaces,” Friedman mirrored, “They usually have been simply able to exit on the Strip, and I used to be simply in denims and a t-shirt, completely regular. 

“I simply thought that… It was only a completely different air. It wasn’t like these three guys are gonna get collectively and jell, although it sounded wonderful, I assumed. I imply, I assumed I performed the whole lot accurately.”

By the sounds of it, saying he “failed miserably” appears to be a little bit of an over exaggeration from an outsider’s perspective, particularly since we think about Friedman nailed the elements he was required to play for the Osbourne gig.

However, it was a chastening expertise for the younger participant, who happily was capable of take just a few life classes away with him after the audition.

“Being in a band is a lot greater than the enjoying,” he went on to conclude. “And, really, the enjoying is type of down on the checklist. You probably have the identical type of vibe with the individuals, you’ll be able to simply type of odor it: ‘That is the man I wanna hang around with.’ 

“And it was completely different on that degree… They smelled like L.A. and I smelled like San Francisco, which was a distinct odor. Neither of us smelled excellent. However they have been cool. All people performed the whole lot nice. They have been auditioning 1000’s of fellows. So I did not get it.”

Although Friedman admitted he “would have liked to have gotten the gig”, he did be aware some life-style variations that in all probability wouldn’t have match nicely with him – “They have been in all probability simply preparing to return out ingesting, and I am not a really huge drinker” – and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than he was linking up with Mustaine as the brand new Megadeth man.

Friedman lately rekindled his relationship with Megadeth earlier this yr, taking to the stage with Mustaine and co for his first performance with the band in 23 years.

This is not the primary time Friedman has been crucial of his previous enjoying, having mentioned “probably, it simply plain sucked” of his attempt to cover Jeff Beck in front of Eddie Van Halen.

Somebody who shares Friedman’s ache is White Lion shred hero Vita Bratta, who this yr instructed Guitar World of his own failed audition with Ozzy Osbourne.

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Matt is a Workers Author, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Whole Guitar. He has a Masters within the guitar, a level in historical past, and has spent the final 16 years enjoying the whole lot from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his ardour for writing and music throughout his day job, Matt data for numerous UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.