ZAKK WYLDE's 'Hellfire Halloween Bash'; More Details Revealed

Gibson Guitar, Epiphone and Monster Cable have partnered to celebrate the launch of two new signature model guitars and pro headphones with a special event in New York on Halloween, October 31, 2009. Zakk Wylde, legendary guitarist for OZZY OSBOURNE and founder of the heavy metal band BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, is set to perform at a free concert event at the Hard Rock Café New York in Times Square beginning at 8 p.m. The event will feature a major nationwide promotional radio campaign, special online contesting and viral marketing and a first-hand look at the special line of the signature Zakk Wylde Gibson BFG USA guitar and Epiphone Graveyard Disciple. The event is also co-sponsored by Dunlop Pedals.

Gibson's month long promotional "Rocktober" campaign will culminate with two major Zakk Wylde appearances and events in New York City. In addition to the concert performance, Zakk will host a special "meet-and-greet" at New York's renowned 48th street Sam Ash music store from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. the night before, October 30, 2009. Zakk Wylde's Hellfire Halloween Bash concert with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY follows the next day at New York's Hard Rock Café in Times Square. The concert will include V.I.P. guests who won their exclusive "all-access" tickets and the opportunity to meet Zakk through a major nationwide radio contest that will be promoted heavily throughout the month of October. In addition, fans of Zakk Wylde will be offered the opportunity to register for tickets to the event. Interested fans will be given the opportunity to show the world their best "Zakk Wylde" audition through a major YouTube contest launched on Gibson.com in mid-October. Monster will also be doing major online promotions for their new headphones and giving musicians and fans alike the chance to win a pair of Turbine Pro in-ear speakers and a new Zakk Wylde Gibson BFG guitar from Gibson USA personally signed by the guitar maestro. Look for Zakk's special video message at MonsterCable.com or Gibson.com.

For information on how to register for free tickets, fans can go to MonsterCable.com or Gibson.com beginning on Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come-first-served basis and will be limited to two per person per household. Gibson Guitar chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz and Monster Cable's head monster Noel Lee will be on hand to award special surprises to some of the guests and partake in media interviews. Winners of the radio promotions will receive a new Epiphone Zakk Wylde Graveyard Disciple guitar, a set of Monster's new Turbine Pro in-ear speakers, a set of Dunlop pedals, tickets to the Zakk Wylde's Hellfire Halloween Bash, a special meet-and-greet with Wylde and entry into the Hard Rock Times Square.

The new Zakk Wylde Epiphone Graveyard Disciple is dying to be played. Designed by Zakk in cooperation with Epiphone, the new Graveyard Disciple combines killer sound with equally killer looks. Shaped like a coffin, the edges of the body are tapered and pin-striped in silver giving it a striking visual appearance and depth while providing for a comfortable feel.

As with most all Zakk's guitars, the neck is made of Hard Maple for bright attack and glued into a solid Mahogany body adding a touch of warm and of course, sustain. The neck features a "D" profile, SlimTaper neck with a smooth, satin finish for fast and effortless lead work. It is topped off with a bound, Ebony fingerboard and medium-jumbo frets with easy access to all 22 frets.

The Graveyard Disciple combines an original Floyd Rose tremolo with EMG HZ pickups. The tremolo cavity allows for serious dive bombing as well as pull-ups. The EMG HZ-4A is positioned in the bridge position for optimized lead performance while the EMG HZ-4 is voiced for and positioned in the neck position. Designed to emulate the sound of their active counterparts (the EMG 81 and 85),these HZ's are probably the quietest passive pickups available.

Other features on the new Graveyard Disciple include a multi-bound headstock with mother-of-pearl "cross" inlay, black hardware with premium 16:1 ratio Grover machine heads, Mother-of-Pearl topped metal knobs, Epiphone's non-rotating output jack and Zakk's signature silhouette on the back of the headstock. For added comfort and convenience while playing in the seated position, the guitar features the brilliantly designed and patented Steinberger LegRest. Fold it down and rest it on your leg. Fold it up and it practically disappears. It comes with a custom-made Coffin case featuring the Graveyard Disciple artwork on it. And for this limited edition model, you also get a Certificate of Authenticity.

The new Zakk Wylde Gibson USA BFG Guitar embodies the mammoth tone and over-the-top rock attitude of its name sake and offers all the equipment necessary to undertake your own scorched-earth attack on your local music scene. It features a rough-hewn book matched maple top, a rounded '50s spec neck with ebony fingerboard, sizzling EMG 81 and 85 humbucking pickups all approved by Zakk Wylde himself. The guitar comes in two Zakk-certified finishes to choose from, a Bullseye graphic or Buzzsaw graphic over a satin natural nitro finish all produced by the world’s most famous guitar manufacturer, Gibson USA.

A new 15-second audio message from Wylde announcing the Hellfire Halloween Bash can be heard below (click on player to launch audio).