Former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee has opened up about the physical struggles and behind-the-scenes nerves that nearly derailed his appearance at the star-studded “Back to the Beginning” farewell concert celebrating Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne’s final bow.
Speaking on Chris Jericho’s Talk Is Jericho podcast, Lee revealed that lingering arthritis in his wrist, combined with recovery from being shot multiple times in a random street attack last year, severely limited what he could play at the high-profile Los Angeles event. He was ultimately cleared for only two songs from his Ozzy era: “The Ultimate Sin” and “Shot in the Dark.”
While Lee felt confident he could handle the rhythm parts, the blistering solo in “The Ultimate Sin” — one he wrote nearly 40 years ago — became a major source of anxiety.
“I’d been practicing those two songs every single day for four months, relearning how to pick with a wrecked wrist,” Lee said. “Some days the solo felt great. Other days I picked up the guitar and honestly sounded like Nikki Sixx playing bass — just clunky and wrong. I was genuinely worried I was going to blow it in front of everybody.”
After confessing his fears to the production team, he was told Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt — already part of the all-star backing band — would be available for support. Lee immediately asked if Bettencourt could learn the solo as a safety net.
What happened next left a lasting impression on the veteran guitarist.
“I get this text from Nuno,” Lee recalled with a laugh. “He says, ‘I will learn your solo — as difficult as it’s gonna be — but I’m not taking it from you. Why don’t we play it together so it comes off twice as good?’ I thought, ‘Man, what a total bro move.’”
The pair ended up performing the “Ultimate Sin” solo as a harmonized dual-guitar attack during the show, masking any slight imperfections and turning it into one of the night’s highlights.
Lee assumed Bettencourt would stay on stage for the second song as well, but during rehearsals the Extreme guitarist quietly walked off after “The Ultimate Sin,” leaving Lee to handle “Shot in the Dark” alone.
“I’m looking around going, ‘Wait, where’s my backup?’” Lee laughed. “I even turned to Scott Ian like, ‘You playing this one, man?’ But ‘Shot in the Dark’ is pretty straightforward, and thankfully I got through it clean.”
Lee praised Bettencourt’s gesture as the perfect blend of generosity and respect, ensuring the focus remained on the original players while guaranteeing the performance lived up to the historic occasion.
The “Back to the Beginning” concert, held earlier this year in Los Angeles, featured a rotating cast of guitar legends including Zakk Wylde, Steve Vai, Tom Morello, and members of Metallica, Rage Against the Machine, and Anthrax, all paying tribute to Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne’s legendary career.
