In a candid new interview, former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee has opened up about his first-hand encounters with a young, ferocious Metallica during their 1986 tour as openers for Ozzy’s The Ultimate Sin trek. The revelations come amid Lee’s recent reflections on his own storied career, including his pivotal role in Ozzy’s farewell concert earlier this year, Back to the Beginning. Lee’s comments paint a vivid picture of a band on the cusp of metal domination, contrasting sharply with the polished image Ozzy’s camp enforced at the time.
Speaking on the Talk Is Jericho podcast, Lee recounted the thrill of watching Metallica unleash their Damage, Inc. setlist night after night. “No, I knew who Metallica was,” Lee said, dispelling any notion of surprise at their blistering speed. “But they were different. I really liked it. Especially with Cliff [Burton] – nothing against any of the bass players, but there was magic. I’m glad I got to see them all those times with Cliff.”5b52e5 He paused for emphasis before adding, “They were heavy as shit. They were angry, there was nothing polished or pretty about them. I thought that was awesome.”3d8813
The pairing of Ozzy’s hard rock spectacle with Metallica’s thrash assault was an unlikely but electric match. From March to August 1986, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and the late Cliff Burton—whose tragic death later that year would forever alter the band’s trajectory—served as the support act for Ozzy’s tour promoting his platinum-certified album The Ultimate Sin. Lee, who co-wrote much of that record and delivered iconic riffs on tracks like “Shot in the Dark,” was at the heart of Ozzy’s lineup alongside bassist Phil Soussan, drummer Randy Castillo, and keyboardist Don Airey.
Lee’s admiration extended beyond the music to Metallica’s unapologetic stage presence. While Ozzy’s shows were a whirlwind of theatrical flair—complete with the Prince of Darkness’s signature glittery outfits and wardrobe mandates from manager Sharon Osbourne—Metallica stormed the stage in jeans and T-shirts, embodying a punk-fueled rebellion. “I love that Metallica went out in jeans and T-shirts and just fucking tore it up,” Lee enthused. “It had a punk attitude to it.”6c651d This raw authenticity, he suggested, was something Ozzy’s operation had begun to drift away from, even as the tour raged on.
Sharon Osbourne’s influence on the band’s image was a recurring theme in Lee’s podcast appearance. He recalled her directive: “You can’t dress like the punters. You can’t be on stage and look like you could also be in the front row.”4c4eec Ozzy himself donned a gold-glitter, big-shouldered ensemble designed specifically for the tour, with custom attire extended to the band. Lee admitted the rule made sense to a degree but felt it went too far in stifling the grit that defined metal’s edge. Metallica’s no-frills approach, by contrast, resonated deeply with him as a refreshing counterpoint.
These reflections arrive on the heels of Lee’s triumphant return to the spotlight at Ozzy’s July 5, 2025, retirement show at Birmingham’s Villa Park Stadium. Billed as Back to the Beginning, the event reunited Black Sabbath’s original lineup for a historic performance and featured a star-studded bill including Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, Gojira, and Mastodon. Lee, who hadn’t crossed paths with Ozzy since his abrupt 1987 firing, was personally recruited by Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello, the night’s musical director. “I can’t imagine doing this without you,” Morello told him, a gesture that helped heal old wounds for the 68-year-old shredder.300094
For years, Lee has grappled with feeling like a “forgotten footnote” in Ozzy’s legacy, often overlooked in documentaries and retrospectives despite his contributions to landmark albums like Bark at the Moon and The Ultimate Sin. The Back to the Beginning gig, where he jammed on classics like “Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley,” marked a turning point. “I’m not mentioned much in documentaries and things about Ozzy,” he shared on the podcast. “But performing there… it finally felt right.”97558f
Lee’s nod to Burton carries added weight in 2025, as Metallica continues to honor their fallen comrade through archival releases and the ongoing M72 World Tour. The ’86 tour remains a cherished chapter in metal lore, bridging the gap between Ozzy’s arena-rock revival and the thrash wave that would redefine the genre. As Lee put it, Metallica wasn’t just opening—they were igniting a fire that still burns bright nearly four decades later.
Fans can catch more of Lee’s insights on the full Talk Is Jericho episode, available now on YouTube and podcast platforms. With rumors swirling of a potential Badlands reunion, the guitarist shows no signs of slowing down.
