Jake E. Lee shared that reconnecting with Ozzy Osbourne shortly before the singer’s passing provided him with a sense of closure regarding his time in Osbourne’s solo band. This reunion was significant after Lee was dismissed in 1987 following his contributions to Osbourne’s albums, Bark at the Moon and The Ultimate Sin. After losing touch for years, the two briefly crossed paths at Black Sabbath’s farewell concert in July, where Lee performed during Osbourne’s solo segment.

Previously, Lee had expressed that he and Osbourne intended to reconnect in the following months, a meeting that unfortunately did not occur before Osbourne’s death. However, Lee told Guitarist that the reconciliation brought him peace, prompting him to contemplate his next steps in music.

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“I always wanted to reconnect with him on any level,” the guitarist elaborated. “While it wasn’t necessarily about music, that would have been a pleasant aspect. I didn’t want our relationship to end on a sour note, with me getting fired and it feeling like unresolved tension.”

When reflecting on how his dismissal affected him, Lee stated, “I never took it to heart. … I felt a bit mistreated during the production of Bark at the Moon. Yet, I understood it was a business decision and not a personal attack.”

Despite this perspective, he acknowledged that he never felt satisfied with his tenure alongside Osbourne. “That might be a personal issue,” he admitted. “I may have been influenced by browsing online discussions, which is usually a poor choice, and absorbing negative comments that labeled me as the least effective Ozzy guitarist, which started to resonate with me.”

“[I don’t] I allowed it to impact me emotionally. That’s just human nature. You can read countless compliments, but one negative comment sticks out like a sore thumb!”

Lee credited Osbourne for enhancing his skills as a guitarist. “I take pride in what I accomplished. … While I don’t see it as the pinnacle of my playing, I was quite proficient, and Ozzy played a significant role in my improvement.”

“In the Hollywood scene, I was often recognized as one of the top guitarists, at least among the top three. However, my time with Ozzy pushed my abilities to greater heights.”

Jake E. Lee’s Role in Validating Ozzy Osbourne After Randy Rhoads’ Untimely Passing

He humorously remarked that the warm reception he received at the farewell concert made him suspect that a memo circulated among fellow musicians, from Nuno Bettencourt to Tom Morello, instructing them to be especially kind to him.

“I genuinely feel much better,” he reflected on the negativity he harbored for years. “Now I must consider something a bit challenging: embracing the idea that I can present myself with renewed confidence, allowing people to engage with me positively, and kickstart a fresh chapter.”

“Alternatively, I might view this as an opportune moment to exit on a high note. I am in the process of determining precisely what I want to pursue next.”

Considering that his contributions to Osbourne’s band helped to affirm that Ozzy’s career was not over following Randy Rhoads’ tragic death, he remarked, “I take pride in being part of that narrative. I always sought to reconcile, to express that there were no hard feelings, and to conclude on amicable terms. I achieved that.”