Jake E. Lee, the guitarist who anchored Ozzy Osbourne’s solo band from 1982 to 1987, has opened up about feeling like a “forgotten footnote” in the heavy metal icon’s storied career—until his participation in Osbourne’s farewell concert, Back to the Beginning, restored his sense of recognition.
In a recent interview on the Talk Is Jericho podcast with host Chris Jericho, the 68-year-old musician described the event as “maybe one of the best weeks of my life.” Lee, who contributed to two of Osbourne’s landmark solo albums—Bark at the Moon (1983) and The Ultimate Sin (1986)—said he arrived at the show feeling sidelined, only to be met with widespread respect and support from peers.
“Everybody treated me so respectfully and [there was] encouragement and support from everybody. It made me feel special,” Lee shared. He attributed his prior sense of obscurity to minimal mentions in Ozzy-related documentaries and a complete absence from displays at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The invitation to perform came unexpectedly from Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, the event’s musical director. “When Tom called, I didn’t know why,” Lee recalled. “I’d never met him before, but… he said, ‘I can’t imagine doing this without you.’ Hmm, really? Cool! I’m in!”
Held at Birmingham’s Villa Park stadium near Osbourne’s childhood home in Aston, Back to the Beginning featured an all-star lineup with acts including Metallica, Slayer, Guns N’ Roses, Gojira, and Mastodon. Osbourne delivered two sets: one with his solo band and a historic reunion with Black Sabbath’s original members—Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—their first performance together since 2005.
Lee joined a supergroup segment, performing “The Ultimate Sin” (with Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale on vocals) and “Shot in the Dark” (with Disturbed’s David Draiman on vocals), alongside ex-Megadeth bassist David Ellefson, Faith No More drummer Mike Bordin, and Osbourne’s keyboardist Adam Wakeman.
Lee replaced the late Randy Rhoads in Osbourne’s band in December 1982, nine months after Rhoads’ tragic death in a plane crash. He was dismissed in 1987 and had not spoken to Osbourne in decades prior to the invitation. In a June Guitar World interview, Lee expressed surprise at the outreach and enthusiasm for witnessing Black Sabbath’s final original lineup performance.
Tragically, Osbourne passed away on July 22, 2025, at age 76 in his Buckinghamshire home, just 17 days after the concert. Lee paid tribute on social media the following day, noting, “The finality of it hits me in waves.”
The event marked Lee’s first major public appearance since surviving a shooting outside his Las Vegas home in October 2024. Struck by three bullets—one piercing his right forearm—he spent time in intensive care. In the podcast, Lee discussed ongoing recovery through physical therapy, which has alleviated severe pain but left lingering discomfort after extended guitar playing. “It doesn’t really hurt… just enough to guide me towards re-training my right hand on how to pick,” he said.
Lee continues to perform with his band Red Dragon Cartel, which has released two albums: Red Dragon Cartel (2013) and Patina (2018).
