The music world is still reeling from the passing of the “Prince of Darkness,” but the 2024 BRIT Awards just provided the ultimate send-off. In a weekend defined by high-octane emotion, Zakk Wylde led an all-star cast of Ozzy alumni to honor the legend with a performance that will go down in guitar history.
Just weeks after Ozzy’s Back to the Beginning farewell show, the heavy metal community proved that while the man may be gone, the riffs are eternal.
The Ultimate Ozzy Alumni Reunion
The stage was a “who’s who” of Osbourne’s career. The powerhouse lineup featured:
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Zakk Wylde: The “Beast from the East” and Ozzy’s longest-serving guitar player.
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Robert Trujillo: Current Metallica bassist and veteran of the Down to Earth era.
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Tommy Clufetos: The heavy-hitting drummer from Ozzy’s final tours.
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Adam Wakeman: Longtime keyboardist and son of prog-legend Rick Wakeman.
This core unit—the same group that helped induct Ozzy into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame—delivered a slide-heavy, bone-shaking rendition of the 1991 classic, “No More Tears.”
The Gear: Zakk’s Wylde Audio Nomad
Walking down the runway, Wylde looked every bit the Viking guitar hero. He was wielding his signature Wylde Audio Nomad, draped in his iconic black-and-white Bullseye motif.
The Nomad’s offset body style provided the perfect visual anchor for what was about to happen next. If you’re a fan of high-output pinch harmonics and sustain that lasts for days, this performance was a masterclass in Zakk’s signature “Berserker” tone.
Breaking Down the 52-Second Solo
While the performance was tight, it was Wylde’s 52-second guitar solo that stole the headlines. Here is how the shred-fest unfolded:
| Phase | Description | Technique |
| The Build | Wailing, emotive bends as he moved down the stage runway. | Slow-burn vibrato & sustain |
| The Climax | A rapid-fire blur of pentatonic licks and “bullseye” attitude. | High-speed alternate picking |
| The Tribute | The solo peaked as the screens behind the band illuminated with iconic images of Ozzy. | Harmonic squeals & dive bombs |
The Robbie Williams Factor
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night was the man on the mic. British pop icon Robbie Williams stepped in as the frontman, delivering a gritty vocal performance that bridged the gap between pop and metal.
This wasn’t Williams’ only heavy metal moment of the weekend, however; he also recently shocked fans with a surprise collaboration featuring Black Sabbath founder Tony Iommi. It seems the “Angels” singer is officially trading in the pop charts for the “Iron Man” life.
“To see Zakk back on that stage, playing those riffs for the boss one last time… there wasn’t a dry eye in the house,” noted one attendee.
The BRIT Awards tribute was more than just a star-studded performance; it was a loud, distorted, and heartfelt “goodnight” to a man who defined heavy metal for over half a century. While the world may have lost the Prince of Darkness, the chemistry between Zakk Wylde and the rest of the Ozzy alumni proves that the music is in safe hands.
Whether it was the precision of Wylde’s 52-second shred session or the unexpected vocal grit of Robbie Williams, the night served as a powerful reminder of Ozzy’s far-reaching influence. It wasn’t just a tribute—it was a celebration of a legacy that will continue to inspire guitarists to pick up a “Bullseye” and turn their amps up to eleven for decades to come.
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#Zakk Wylde #Ozzy Osbourne #No More Tears
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