In the world of music, controversies often swirl around bands. These issues may arise from the band’s style, lyrics, public statements, or incidents involving band members, sparking debates and reactions among fans and critics alike. One such band that has faced its fair share of controversies is Black Label Society, fronted by Zakk Wylde.
Nicholas Catanese Case
The first controversy that surrounds Black Label Society is the sexual misconduct of their former guitarist, Nick Catanese, with a minor. In January 2018, the musician was found guilty of sending sexually explicit messages to a 14-year-old female. As reported, he also wanted explicit photos and sex acts from her.
Catanese faced charges of unlawful contact, corruption of minors, and endangering the welfare of children. Judge Donna Jo McDaniel of Allegheny County Common Pleas ordered him to be on probation for five years, register as a Megan’s Law offender for 25 years, stay away from minors, and not use computers with internet access.
Wylde reflected on the case, speaking to MetalSucks in 2018:
“Now people are like, ‘Zakk, what do you have to say?’ I was shocked, as everybody else is. I would have never seen this coming in at all. So when we found out, we were like, ‘You’ve gotta be kidding me, man.’ I’m pretty much just like everybody else that saw the news. One of my buddies was just asking, ‘The whole 17 years, did you ever see anything like that?’ No. He was always sweet with everybody, and he was always a good dude. So I’m just baffled.”
While working at the School Of Rock in Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania, the rocker started sending messages to the teenager on Instagram. The student informed the police that he sent explicit photos and requested nude images from her in return. Catanese confessed to the messages and videos during his interview with the police.
Black Label Society And The MC Controversy
The second controversy associated with the Black Label Society is their connection to motorcycle clubs. On their official website, the band wanted to make it clear that they have no official ties to any motorcycle clubs, writing:
“Black Label Society is not a Motorcycle Club (MC). Black Label Society is only a band. Black Label Society has no motorcycle club affiliations; however, in the past, Zakk has talked with MC’s about the BLS Colors.”
In 2008, the Black Label Society also released a statement to explain that their patches and colors were not meant for motorcycle riding and could lead to problems with motorcycle clubs. They wrote to inform their fans:
“BLS patches/colors were not made for riding. In fact, it is not a good idea at all. If you are wearing the BLS colors and approached by a member of an MC (motorcycle club), show them respect and be cool. Let them know that is merely a band and nothing more. If they ask you to remove your colors, do as they say. So be cautious about where you fly the Black Label colors. We don’t want to see anyone hurt.”
This issue caused the band trouble before, like the one they faced in 2005 with motorcycle clubs in Europe. They had to cancel a Manchester show because the Satan’s Slaves Motorcycle Club threatened them. Outlaw motorcycle club members joined Zakk’s soundcheck and demanded that all merchandise featuring a three-piece BLS patch be removed. The BLS patch looked similar to the Satan’s Slaves Motorcycle Club patch. So, SSMC members attacked fans in BLS gear and threatened to disrupt the show unless it was canceled. Zakk canceled the show for fan safety.
