Gus G Recalls His “Intimidating” Audition To Join Ozzy Osbourne’s Band

First stepping on stage during the 1990s, Gus G showcased his love for heavy metal and the guitar. Besides releasing solo work, the musician performed alongside groups like Nightrage, Arch Enemy, Dream Evil, Mystic Prophecy, and even Ozzy Osbourne. With the stardom that followed Osbourne, Gus G once discussed how he happened to get the audition. While currently a member of his band Firewind, nothing compared to getting to take the stage with the Prince of Darkness. 

Sitting down for an interview with Romania’s Rock FM, Gus G recalled how he received an email back in 2009, asking him to learn several Osbourne songs and travel to Los Angeles for an audition. While giving the audition his all, it seemed that Osbourne’s management loved it as he was asked to come back and play a concert. “It was a big step up and a big challenge to go from one level to another as a performer, as a guitar player. I came from a background of having my own bands and kind of like always feeling secure in that, but getting a gig like that, for me, was a big challenge, obviously, and intimidating.”

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Gus G Needed To Be More Than A Musician

Not having a great deal of time to prepare, Gus G explained how he needed to increase his playing ability. “I had to step up my game very quickly. I had to dissect my own playing style and figure out what it is and try to improve it. It made me a better professional, so to say, better performer. I just one-upped everything that comes together with being not only a musician, but as an entertainer and performer.”

Although performing with Osbourne was a memorable experience during his career, Gus G considered it a teachable moment. “It was a really highlight of my career, obviously, playing at such a big level and, of course, to play with one of the fathers of this music, heavy metal. So, just to be a part of that legacy is incredible; it’s mindblowing. I still cannot believe it happened. I learned a lot.”

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