How did you wind up working with Zakk Wylde?
This is the fifth solo album of mine he’s appeared on. We’ve been friends for 20 years. I was playing with Alice Cooper and he was playing with Ozzy Osbourne when we met. He played on my second album, Inertia. We have a great friendship and a lot of fun when we make records. I’m grateful he takes the time to work with me! How do you approach recording with such distinctive players as Zakk? With Zakk and the other guest stars on my records, I always try to approach it like I’m writing a movie and casting the parts to great actors. If Zakk’s on the record, I write a song with him and his range of facility in mind, but then I always leave room for his interpretation, so he can do his thing as long as it stays within the structure of the composition. The results always exceed my expectations. Both this album and your last one, Blood of the Snake, each have a single vocal track with Zakk singing. Do you write the lyrics and melodies for those as well? [Billy Idol drummer] Brian Tichy and I