MARTY FRIEDMAN Explains Why He Lost The OZZY OSBOURNE Gig To ZAKK WYLDE

Marty Friedman has built one of the most eclectic careers in modern guitar history — from pioneering shred metal with Cacophony, to his era-defining run in Megadeth – and later becoming a full-blown celebrity in Japan with appearances on more than 700 television programs. But one high-profile opportunity that slipped through his fingers was joining Ozzy Osbourne’s band in the late 1980s.

In a recent interview with Argentina’s TCDG Guitar Lessons, Friedman once again revisited that pivotal audition, offering a candid and self-aware breakdown of why he didn’t get the job.

At the time, Friedman was living in San Francisco and struggling financially while playing in Cacophony with the late Jason Becker: “They actually called me when I lived in San Francisco. I was in Cacophony at the time and completely broke, almost homeless. But Sharon Osbourne called me up and said if I want to go to L.A., they’d fly me out to L.A. to audition.

“I’m, like, ‘Wow, that’s cool.’ So, I did the audition and played. I thought I did a good job. But I didn’t really match the vibe of the band very much. They were full-on L.A.-metal type of guys with handcuffs in their belts and Jack Daniel’s t-shirts, and they were all decked out for rehearsal.

“And I understood doing that for a show, but at rehearsal they wore cowboy hats and all kinds of necklaces and jewelry. And they were full-on Sunset Strip rock mode. And I came in a t-shirt and jeans. I looked like a regular guy waiting for a bus or something.”

Ultimately, the gig went to Zakk Wylde, a decision Friedman fully understands in hindsight: “Finally, Zakk Wylde got the job. And he was just perfect. He was so much better than I would’ve been for that gig. He was just right, and he plays really well. So I understood it, but at the time I thought, ‘Well, I did a good job, but I don’t think those guys are gonna [pick me].’ They probably went out drinking and partying right after rehearsal, and I was a real good-boy type of guy. Really boring.”

Friedman expanded on the experience during a 2024 appearance on the Talk Louder podcast, clarifying that the audition wasn’t a musical failure — it was a social one: “Learning the Ozzy songs was kind of like playing the Ramones to me. It was really just not anywhere near as mind-bending as what I was doing normally. So I thought I was going to have no problem with the music. But even then, I kind of over-practiced. I really learned it very, very well and I knew it backwards and forwards.”

“And so I did the audition. Sounded fantastic to my ears. Everybody was happy with the sound. But I could just tell that I blew the audition for a completely other reason. And the other reason was — I just wasn’t the same kind of dude as those other guys were.”

“I mean, the bass player in the band at the time and the drummer in the band of the time, they were like full-on LA Sunset Strip, handcuffed bracelets and necklaces and black T-shirts and boots and hats. And they were just like full-on, decked-out, LA metal dudes. And I was the guitar nerd with a regular t-shirt and a pair of jeans.”