Former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee has shared his admiration for Metallica’s unpretentious stage presence during their 1986 opening slot on the Ultimate Sin tour, highlighting the stark contrast with Ozzy’s elaborate dress code.
In a recent interview with BraveWords, Lee recalled his first impressions of Metallica—fresh off the release of Master of Puppets—and the “magic” they brought with late bassist Cliff Burton. “They were heavy as shit. They were angry, there was nothing polished or pretty about them,” Lee said. “I’m glad I got to see them all those times with Cliff.”
Lee, who played with Ozzy from 1982 to 1987, described the mandatory glam-inspired outfits enforced on the headlining band, including glittery, big-shouldered designs crafted by a dedicated costume designer. “You couldn’t dress yourself if you were in Ozzy. Not back then,” he noted, adding that he begged for toned-down versions of black-and-white attire to avoid feeling “uncomfortable.”
He credited Sharon Osbourne with the rule: “You can’t dress like the punters. You can’t be on stage and look like you could also be in the front row.” Yet Lee found Metallica’s approach refreshing: “I love that [they] went out in jeans and t-shirts and just tore it up. It had a punk attitude to it. I thought that was awesome.”
The comments underscore Ozzy’s knack for spotlighting emerging talent, as Metallica’s raw, no-frills performances left a lasting impact on Lee amid the era’s theatrical heavy metal scene.
