Marty Friedman has constructed some of the eclectic careers in trendy guitar historical past — from pioneering shred metallic with Cacophony, to his era-defining run in Megadeth – and later changing into a full-blown superstar in Japan with appearances on greater than 700 tv applications. However one high-profile alternative that slipped by means of his fingers was becoming a member of Ozzy Osbourne’s band within the late Nineteen Eighties.
In a current interview with Argentina’s TCDG Guitar Lessons, Friedman as soon as once more revisited that pivotal audition, providing a candid and self-aware breakdown of why he didn’t get the job.
On the time, Friedman was dwelling in San Francisco and struggling financially whereas enjoying in Cacophony with the late Jason Becker: “They really known as me once I lived in San Francisco. I used to be in Cacophony on the time and fully broke, virtually homeless. However Sharon Osbourne known as me up and mentioned if I wish to go to L.A., they’d fly me out to L.A. to audition.
“I am, like, ‘Wow, that is cool.’ So, I did the audition and performed. I assumed I did a superb job. However I did not actually match the vibe of the band very a lot. They had been full-on L.A.-metal sort of fellows with handcuffs of their belts and Jack Daniel’s t-shirts, and so they had been all decked out for rehearsal.
“And I understood doing that for a present, however at rehearsal they wore cowboy hats and every kind of necklaces and jewellery. And so they had been full-on Sundown Strip rock mode. And I got here in a t-shirt and denims. I regarded like a daily man ready for a bus or one thing.”
Finally, the gig went to Zakk Wylde, a choice Friedman absolutely understands in hindsight: “Lastly, Zakk Wylde acquired the job. And he was simply good. He was so a lot better than I might’ve been for that gig. He was good, and he performs very well. So I understood it, however on the time I assumed, ‘Properly, I did a superb job, however I do not assume these guys are gonna [pick me].’ They in all probability went out consuming and partying proper after rehearsal, and I used to be an actual good-boy sort of man. Actually boring.”
Friedman expanded on the expertise throughout a 2024 look on the Speak Louder podcast, clarifying that the audition wasn’t a musical failure — it was a social one: “Studying the Ozzy songs was form of like enjoying the Ramones to me. It was actually simply not wherever close to as mind-bending as what I used to be doing usually. So I assumed I used to be going to don’t have any drawback with the music. However even then, I form of over-practiced. I actually discovered it very, very properly and I knew it backwards and forwards.”
“And so I did the audition. Sounded incredible to my ears. All people was proud of the sound. However I might simply inform that I blew the audition for a totally different motive. And the opposite motive was — I simply wasn’t the identical form of dude as these different guys had been.”
“I imply, the bass participant within the band on the time and the drummer within the band of the time, they had been like full-on LA Sundown Strip, handcuffed bracelets and necklaces and black T-shirts and boots and hats. And so they had been identical to full-on, decked-out, LA metallic dudes. And I used to be the guitar nerd with a daily t-shirt and a pair of denims.”
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