Jake E. Lee Says He Felt Like a ‘Forgotten Footnote’ in Ozzy Osbourne’s Legacy

Guitarist Jake E. Lee says he spent years feeling like a “footnote” in Ozzy Osbourne’s storied career — until performing at the metal icon’s retirement concert gave him a sense of belonging he hadn’t felt in decades.

In a new interview with Chris Jericho’s Talk Is Jericho podcast, the 68-year-old musician opened up about how participating in Ozzy’s farewell show, Back to the Beginning, helped him reclaim his place in the Black Sabbath legend’s history.

“It was a great week for me,” Lee said. “Maybe one of the best weeks of my life. I came in feeling like a footnote, maybe even an almost forgotten footnote — like, ‘Oh yeah, we’ll throw him in there too.’ But everybody treated me with so much respect and encouragement. It made me feel special.”

“I’m Not Mentioned Much in the Documentaries”

When Jericho asked why he had felt sidelined, Lee explained that he often went unacknowledged in retrospectives about Ozzy’s career.

“I’m not mentioned much in documentaries and things about Ozzy,” he said. “At the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — not a photo.”

That’s why Lee was both surprised and grateful to be invited to perform at Back to the Beginning, held at Birmingham’s Villa Park Stadium, near Ozzy’s childhood neighborhood of Aston. The guitarist revealed that it was Tom Morello — Rage Against The Machine’s guitarist and the show’s musical director — who personally reached out to him.

“When Tom called, I didn’t know why,” Lee recalled. “I’d never met him before, but he said, ‘I can’t imagine doing this without you.’ Hmm, really? Cool! I’m in. Even if it was just to be there for Black Sabbath’s final show — I’d do it just for that. I’d go tech for somebody!”

A Full-Circle Farewell

Back to the Beginning was a massive celebration of Ozzy’s legacy, featuring performances from Metallica, Slayer, Guns N’ Roses, Gojira, and Mastodon. The night ended with two sets from Osbourne — one with his solo band and another historic reunion with his Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, marking their first time performing together since 2005.

Lee took the stage as part of an all-star supergroup, performing The Ultimate Sin and Shot in the Dark alongside former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson, Faith No More drummer Mike Bordin, and Ozzy’s longtime keyboardist Adam Wakeman. Vocal duties were shared by Lzzy Hale of Halestorm and David Draiman of Disturbed.

For Lee, the moment was deeply personal. He joined Ozzy’s solo band in 1982 — just months after the tragic death of Randy Rhoads — and went on to record two classic albums: Bark at the Moon (1983) and The Ultimate Sin (1986). He was dismissed from the band in 1987 and hadn’t spoken to Ozzy in decades before the invitation arrived.

“It’s a thrill to be a part of it,” Lee told Guitar World earlier this year. “And even more so for me to watch it. I hope Ozzy can get through it. I haven’t spoken with him or seen him in decades. I really don’t know what condition he’s in, but he deserves a final farewell performance.”

Tragically, just 17 days after Back to the Beginning, Ozzy Osbourne died at age 76 at his Buckinghamshire home. The following day, Lee posted a heartfelt tribute on social media, writing, “The finality of it hits me in waves.”

Recovery and Resilience

The performance also marked Lee’s first major appearance since surviving a shooting outside his Las Vegas home in October 2024. He was struck by three bullets, one of which passed through his right forearm, leaving him hospitalized and uncertain whether he’d play guitar again.

“I went to physical therapy to rebuild the muscles and keep them stretched,” he explained. “It used to hurt just to open doors. Now it doesn’t really hurt — I just get some discomfort after playing for a couple of hours, but not much. Just enough to guide me toward re-training my right hand on how to pick.”

Despite the ordeal, Lee continues to make music with his band Red Dragon Cartel, which has released two albums — Red Dragon Cartel (2013) and Patina (2018).

Looking back, the guitarist says Back to the Beginning wasn’t just a tribute to Ozzy — it was also a personal moment of recognition after years in the shadows.

“For the first time in a long time,” he said, “I didn’t feel forgotten.”