Jake E. Lee Critiques Nikki Sixx’s Bass Playing Skills

Jake E. Lee recently shared his experience performing at Ozzy Osbourne’s final concert, Back to the Beginning, in an interview with Chris Jericho. For the veteran guitarist, nerves struck during the first rehearsal—a rare feeling for someone with decades of stage experience.

“The first rehearsal, which was the night after I arrived, I actually got nervous, which I never do,” Lee said. “It’s not in my nature to get nervous. Watching Nuno Bettencourt and the musicians rehearsing while I was waiting for my turn, I started to get really nervous, which was weird.”

Encouragement from fellow musicians helped steady him. “Frank Bello was standing next to me, and he turns to me and says, ‘I can’t wait to watch you.’ I’m like, ‘Dude, I’m really nervous.’ And he’s like, ‘No, you’re Jake E. Lee. You could go up there and fart and we’d applaud.’ That made me feel okay.”

Months of Preparation and Musical Challenges

Lee spent four months preparing for the show, relearning his picking technique after a wrist injury. Even familiar material posed challenges, particularly the solo from “Ultimate Sin.” “I’m doing the solo and I’m like, ‘Oh sh*t, I don’t know if I can pull this off.’ Some days I’d pick the guitar up and I go, ‘Yeah, I can do it.’ But then there’d be other days where I sounded like Nikki Sixx playing bass,” he admitted. Nuno Bettencourt stepped in to learn the solo alongside Lee, transforming a potential weakness into a collaborative strength.

A Poignant Reunion and Lasting Legacy

Tom Morello, the concert’s musical director, personally urged Lee to participate, telling him, “I can’t imagine doing this without you.” The July 5, 2025, show at Villa Park in Birmingham marked the final live performance of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. For Lee, who hadn’t seen Ozzy since leaving the band in 1987, the moment was deeply personal. He described feeling “special” after years of feeling like a “footnote” in Ozzy’s legacy.

Despite having arthritis and past injuries, Lee delivered a performance that blended technical precision with emotional depth. The poignancy of the concert grew even more when Ozzy passed away just 17 days later, making Back to the Beginning his final show. “It wasn’t just about playing the notes perfectly,” Lee reflected. “It was about being part of a moment in rock history that nobody can ever take away. To share that stage and witness Ozzy one last time—it’s something I’ll carry with me forever.”

The reunion, both onstage and backstage, transformed Lee’s participation into a historic and deeply emotional chapter in rock music, cementing his role in one of the genre’s most unforgettable moments.