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Zakk Wylde <\/strong>played with Ozzy<\/strong> Osbourne<\/strong> for over 30 years, playing on six Ozzy<\/strong> Osbourne<\/strong> studio records, and three live ones. Osbourne<\/strong>‘s first solo record was recorded in 1980, and Wylde<\/strong> came into the picture in 1988. So, it goes to show how long, and arguably how strong, the pair’s bond was, further proved by the fact that when Wylde<\/strong> received the news while on tour with Pantera<\/strong>, the band cancelled two dates and rescheduled three dates not only out of respect, but to allow Wylde<\/strong> the proper time to grieve a friend of three decades.<\/p>\n Since then, Wylde<\/strong> hasn’t been too tight-lipped about how Osbourne<\/strong>‘s death has impacted him. “It was definitely beyond just us playing in a band together and making music,” Wylde<\/strong> told GuitarWorld<\/a><\/em> in July of this year, right after Osbourne<\/strong>‘s passing, “I have my father, who was a World War II veteran; and then Ozzy<\/strong>, who was almost like an older brother. There was almost a 20-year age gap between us.” Further on in the interview, Wylde<\/strong> elaborated that it was indeed a familial-like relationship: “Ozzy<\/strong> is the godfather of our oldest son. Whether I was playing with him or not, if Sharon<\/strong> called me and my wife up and said, \u2018Guys, can you watch the house while we\u2019re away on a business trip?\u2019 I\u2019d do it. It\u2019s like, \u2018If you need me to bring milk and eggs over, I\u2019ll do it.'”<\/p>\n With one last text after Back To The Beginning<\/em>, in which Osbourne<\/strong> told Wylde<\/strong>, “\u2018Zakky<\/strong>, sorry, it was like a madhouse back there. I didn\u2019t see you.\u2019 He goes, \u2018Thanks for everything.\u2019 It was just us talking, saying, \u2018I love you, buddy.\u2019 That was it.” Wylde<\/strong> didn’t end up saying goodbye to him that night, because “I figured we’d see him later on \u2013\u00a0the next day, or whatever. But no<\/a>.”<\/p>\n