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Cinemetal, Editorials

JAKE E. LEE, OZZY OUTCAST

 Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 at 10:33am by

Several of you justifiably called out Axl yesterday for dissing Jake E. Lee in his post about Ozzy’s probable new guitar player, Firewind’s Gus G. Lee could definitely shred, and although his  contribution to the Ozzy legacy ultimately doesn’t stack up against Rhoads or Wylde, he did write the killer riff for “Bark at the Moon” which is actually one of my favorite Ozzy riffs ever.

So whilst making sure I had my historical facts straight here, I managed to turn up this nugget from the Wikipedia page for Badlands, the band Jake E. Lee formed after being fired by Ozzy:

After touring with Ozzy Osbourne in support of the Ultimate Sin album, Lee was fired in a telegram from Sharon Osborne while working on one of his muscle cars back in Los Angeles. Lee was completely caught off guard at the time of his firing and was under the impression he had a solid working gig with the Osborne camp.

Heyo! Sound familiar? Maybe Sharon will officially lay the gauntlet down on Wylde via Twitter. That’d be classy.

Here are Badlands performing “Highwire” live. Lee shreds. And that’s Ray Gillen on the mic, who’d just been let go from Black Sabbath upon forming Badlands with Lee.

-VN

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  • Johnny

    Leave it to Vince to set everything right! Damn you Axl and your knocking of Jake E. Lee

    • Brian Scalise

      Dude, I think Axl opens his mouth before he thinks about what he’s going to say first and nothing but crap rolls out of his mouth. In this case we all remember Jake E. Lee with fondness and a lot of people reflect back on Axl as a dumb ass. The believable story is quite clear.

    • lars

      axel complains about absolutly nothing anyway.. i dig lee and have for a long time..

  • Boogman

    You must be seriously taking a crapper while writing this, Jake is the man …badlands voodoo highway kicked some flippin ass, also… it did wet down plenty a vagina aswell, the man recorded the best solos and riffs Ozzy ever had not to mention the best ozzy records, so it puts him up there with the best shredders ever.

    Anyway Ozzy is a nitwit fukin idiot 2 steps short of Michael fuckin Jackson, and worse is he lets his woman run his business…let the man think for himself..you fukin Biatch…!!!!

    • Johnny

      The best Ozzy records? False.

      That honor goes to Randy Rhoads.

      • Boogman

        Opinions are like assholes….everyones got one…!!!

        • Johnny

          Some things are just facts man!

          • Danno

            Wrong brother…Not facts, opinion. There’s is a difference. Diary of a Madman sounds like Blizzard re-cycled whereas you can hear the song writing maturity from Bark to the Ultimate Sin. I say that with the outmost respect towards Randy, but it is just my opinion.

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Frost/100000249012747 James Frost

        Um dude, I’m as big a Rhodes fan as the next guy, Jake E Lee was the best fucking guitar player to come outta the 80′s, PERIOD!! zack wylde hahahah!! wHAT A FUCKING JOKE!!

        • Zenon

          It’s RHOADS, not Rhodes like the piano. SICK OF IT ALREADY! Any REAL fan would spell his last name right!!! Randy, Jake, Zakk, Bernie Torme, Brad Gillis, Joe Holmes,& Steve Vai are all great in their own way. I just feel Jake is severely underrated simply because he was in Randy’s shadow as far as studio albums are concerned.

    • Danno

      I personally think the first Badlands is their best, but I loved the vagina analogy! Well said.

  • stu1

    I actually think Jake E Lee was the weakest era of Ozzy, over all.

    • Canvas Of Flesh

      I actually think Ozzy was the weakest era of Ozzy, over all.

    • Brian Scalise

      Ok. Here is my take on Jake E. Lee and Ozzy. Both Blizzard of Ozz and Diary Of A Madman were written at the same time and both were recorded by Max Norman at Ridge Farm Studios in England.Rhoads was one hell of a talent but, he did not want to stay with Ozzy and as fate had it he died before he was to leave the band to pursue his degree in classical guitar.Now, Jake E. Lee came in and tore shit up with Bark At The Moon and The Ultimate Sin. You can hear the progression in the music between those two albums. Unfortunately, there were personal differences between Jake and Ozzy. In my own opinion, I believe that Zakk is a great player but, I do not feel the vibe in Ozzy’s music like I do for either Rhoads or Jake E. Lee. Ozzy’s first 4 solo albums just had better substance to them.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Frost/100000249012747 James Frost

      I think you need to learn to play first they become a critic!!

      • Brian Scalise

        Funny, I have been playing guitar since I was 7 and I am 38 now. I have good friends in the business with record contracts and I have gone to college for music theory.Rhoads was bad ass but, so was Jake E. Lee.You can cram a ton of notes into a song like Malmsteen but, you lose the structure of the song by doing it too much. Rhoads found a good groove and so did Lee.

        • Sassoon

          your so dam right, Rhoads was amazing but so was Jake E Lee. They both bring and give a lot to the music. Let just forget about figuring out who is the best and let’s appreciate the music

  • dee snider

    you douches need to hear that band Widowmaker. Dee Snider’s new band after twisted sister broke up way back when..jake e lee played guitar, they only did one album.

    • RobotScythe

      That was Al Pitrelli, not Jake E. Lee.

    • dannyv

      You’re the douche. Widowmaker actually put out 2 albums with Al Pitrelli. Get you’re facts straight dumbass

      • Brian Scalise

        Yes, and Al Pitrelli also, plays with Savatage, Trans Siberian Orchestra and he did play with Megadeth too for all those people out there who do not know who Al Pitrelli is.

  • Glenn

    Love Badlands. Jake was the man then.

  • http://www.hibernum.net hibernum

    My friends used to joke that after having gone through 2 students of Rhandy Rhodes (Zak and Joe Holmes) that eventually we’d see Ozzy guitarists with the pedigree of “student of Blues Saraceno”. What do you think?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWaQUZv-hnw

    Hahahahahah

    • Zenon

      When did Zakk Wylde take lessons from Randy Rhoads? I’d never heard or read that anywhere before…

      • Brian Scalise

        Zakk never did take lessons from Randy Rhoads but, like us all he admired Randy’s playing. If you listen to Rhoads your hear classical guitar influence if you listen to Zakk you hear southern blues influence. They are two totally type of players.

        • Zenon

          Yeah, that’s what I thought. So hibenum is ill-informed and spreading misinformation.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Carlos-Ramirez/631635101 Carlos Ramirez

    People who don’t like ‘Bark at the Moon’ and ‘The Ultimate Sin’ should give the records another shot. Lee used to be a world class writer and his restraint on the playing side was always great too. The first Badlands album is a fucking classic too!

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Frost/100000249012747 James Frost

      Preach on brother preach on, WORD OF WISDOM!!

  • http://www.hibernum.net hibernum

    I really like Bark at the Moon, one of my favorite Ozzy albums. I didn’t like Ultimate Sin. Only two songs I liked. So call the Jake E Lee era a mixed bag for me. Wylde has more albums than any other Ozzy guitarists, but I only like half of them so it is as much a mixed bag as Lee. Am I the only one who liked Bark at the Moon but not Ultimate Sin?

    • stu1

      I like more of Bark than Ultimate, but Bark is far from my favorite, or one of my favorites.

      • Brian Scalise

        I like both Bark and Ultimate Sin. Bark was very dark in content and Ultimate sin has Killer of Giants which is just a brilliant song.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Frost/100000249012747 James Frost

      YES
      YOU MUST BE, ULTIMATE SIN WAS A FUCKING MASTER PIECE,listen to “thank god for the bomb”, “Never know why”,Fool like you”,the solo on that song particularly, may be the single greatest solo ive ever heared in my life !!!, and i play very well!!!

  • http://raiseyerfists.wordpress.com raiseyerfists

    If its on Wikipedia it must be true

  • steverazor

    I don’t understand the hate Ultimate Sin fosters – Jake was a monster on that album and the tour. Ultimate Sin has some terrific songs and the solos are awesome. Phil Soussan and Randy Castillo were a great rhythm section. To each his own I guess. Incidentally, Badlands was vastly underrated.

  • braincake

    lee was much better than wylde…by miles.

    • Boogman

      Totally agree with you on a composition side but not so much on the technical side, Wylde is a monster of a guitar player but his music composition or writing sucks a little bit…it all sounds the same…!!!

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Frost/100000249012747 James Frost

        Techniqaly, Zakk could not sniff Jakes Jock strap!!

  • Vernon

    I thought the Jake E Lee albums were patchy, but there were a few classic songs on each. I read a while back (wish I could remember where) that Jake was a bit aloof and not really into the celebrity lifestyle when with the Osbourne band and therefore didn’t fit in all that well. I think he was better off away from Ozzy anyway.

  • nobody

    Jake E. Lee = more unique style and great “live” performer
    Zak=great chops, kinda one trick pony though…

  • BEAR NER GUADDLE NER

    Great comments. I think Jake filled some heavy shoes. No one sounds like Randy. WICKED. Both Jake and Zach gave what I would call “working man’s” performances. They do a nice job. Both clean. And both fit well with Ozz’s style. But Blizzard and Diary are obviously #s 1 and 2 as far as Ozyy albums go.

  • nobody

    Jake more “unique” and nobody had his bag of tricks (without a whammy bar mind you)
    Zak played on some big records but sounds like Frank Marino (and that is a compliment)
    Randy was the originator of the “solo” era Ozzy stuff along with Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake
    That 1st band was the best overall…

  • mike

    if you have any question , when you go to any current Ozzy Show, watch whoever is on the Guitar copy Rhodes then Wylde but they will do very little Jake E. Lee note for note …..nuff said.

    • Brian Scalise

      God watch the ultimate ozzy video of the ultimate sin tour. Jake was playing that guitar like a freakin madman.I have never seen something like that since.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Frost/100000249012747 James Frost

      BINGO, DING DING DING DING!!! You Da Man, You Da Man, LISTEN TOT HIS FUCKIN GUY, HE KNOWS HIS FUCKING SHIT, FINNALLLYYY, SOMEONE SAID THE RIGHT FUCKING THING, PRAISE GOD, THANK YOU BROTHERR,PEACE!!!!

      • steve wares

        Absolutely right! Despite seeing tons of others I have never before or since seen anything like Jake playing on the Ultimate Ozzy video. The guy was incredible and I am gutted that I will never get to see him play live. I would travel and pay whatever I had to to see him! Jake was the man, for me, by a mile!

  • Jovian

    Anyone who thinks Zakk is better then Jake, has a tin ear for music lmao
    Jake was far more original then Zakk and took over at a time where he had to live up to filling Randy`s shoes wow. The Ultimate sin album was great, try learning those songs and doing the solo`s it aint no ez task lol
    Jake deserves alot of credit, he may not be Randy, but Zakk aint no Jake ! lmao

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Frost/100000249012747 James Frost

      FUCK yeah, keep um commin man!!!

  • http://www.18wheeler.net Bob

    Jake was great and so was Randy. Although I d like Jake better, but that’s comparing apples to oranges. Axl is a dumb ass and should keep his mouth shut. I didn’t care much for Wylde, and Gus is not good either.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jose-Luis-Pomales/100000321386863 Jose Luis Pomales

    In my opinion, Jake E Lee is the best guitarrist in Ozzy history after Randy Rhoads. Zakk has worked with Ozzy for over 20 years and is dismissed cowardly by Sharon Orbourne. That is gratefulness to the man take to the weight and the responsibility to make shine well Ozzy?. Is stupid, bad election

    • Michael Lambson

      Jake’s music speaks for itself, the solo on Bark at the Moon is my favorite solo of all time, there may be more technical players out there, but hearing that solo as a teenager after Randy died just blew my mind with it’s fire and energy! Jake arrived with a nuclear blast, as if saying “Randy was great, but I aint no copycat, so check this out!” No disrespect to Randy R.I.P, or Zakk (he kept the guitar kick ass through the “grunge”, “rap”, and all the other crap), but for me, Jake is better than both of them put together. He’s the one 80s axeman who never sounded like an EVH clone (except Yngwie of course, but that is a whole other story! And he’s yet to be compared to by anyone!), but Jake is the one LA player to actually list EVH as an influence. All the guys who copied Eddie pretend like they never even heard of him! Where Jake openly says was heavily inspired by Eddie, yet he went out of his way not to copy him, and to do his own thing. Hat’s off to Jakey, Ozzy needs him back!

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Frost/100000249012747 James Frost

        YYYYYYEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, ILOVE YOU MAN!!!!!

  • silverbuell

    randy castillo called jake the greatest gutiar player he had ever worked with. he also said jake was an enigma. plus jake himself has said he and ozzy were like oil and water as far as personality went. when i was younger i thought jake must have been the problem. with age comes perspective and hopefully a little wisdom. the rock business, albeit an odd one, is still a business. working with someone who is a heavy drug user, and has been for quite sometime, is taxing to say the least. anyone who has to put up with this can agree. throw in the spectre of an overbearing, to put it mildly, wife running this businesss and “houston we have a problem”. it is an analogy but elvis-col. tom parker/ ozzy-sharron is not that far off sadly. but i digress, jake is a great guitar player, he has his own sound and paticular playing style, in the end that is all that matters.

  • col mustard

    I saw Jake back when he was in Teaser,and he had the whole bag of trick’s even back then.I saw Van Halen 3 times,never got to see Randy or Zakk.But I’ll tell you after watching Jake with Ozzy on youtube I’m blown away by how different he sounded.And also he stepped in right after Randy died and toughed it out for a few year’s with people chanting we want Randy every night.He did a stellar job in a very tough situation.Hat’s off to Jake on a very underrated career.I wish he would put out some new stuff in the near future.

  • Joe Mama

    Didn’t know that Jake was fired from Ozzy’s band. Why? Didn’t get along? Just didn’t like Jake? Didn’t think he was a good fit for the band? Imo the albums with Jake were much better than the albums with Zakk, and that’s coming from a Zakk Wylde fan.

  • JakePoster99

    Recognize the fact that Jake E. Lee took on a spot that few people were qualified for. Ozzy (or I should say Sharon) has never hired a guitar player who wasn’t musically competent and impressive in his abilities. So there should be no arguing about whether Jake was good, better than A or worse than C or whatever. Its a moot point. The bottom line is, he got the job. If there was another guitarist who was more qualified or more impressive at the time, they would have been hired. Since Jake got the job, I’m going to leave it at that says something about the guy’s ability. At that time, he was selected as being the best of those who were available or auditioned. Since then, thanks to the very contributions of people like Jake E Lee, guitar playing had advanced as did heavy metal. You would not have a Zakk Wylde if it were not for the advancements that came from players before him (EVH, RR, Malmsteen, etc). Everything is a progression and you have to look at the guitarist in context. Lastly, people knock Ultimate Sin or Bark at the Moon or make comments about which time period was better/worse. Its like old VH vs new VH. Please be aware that an album is the output of an entire band, not one person. If people out there claim that Ultimate Sin sucked (which I wholeheartedly disagree with that comment), then its a reflection of poor chemistry in the band and Ozzy was just as much a part of that as Jake. Ozzy was paying Jake’s checks so Jake was showing up to work on time and sober trying to write music. Ozzy…was either showing up drugged up or drunk or not showing up at all. Is that Jake’s fault? Jake was and still is one of the most impressive guitar players ever to bless the guitar world. One of the most listened albums I have in my collection that I still go back to regularly is Ultimate Sin and this is particularly because of how unique a style Jake had and how innovative the guitar playing was on that record. When I hit a creative block, one of the albums I reach for is Ultimate Sin. Last but not least, I’m sick and tired of people who judge players by whats on an album. RR sounded like absolute sh*t on Ozzy records. That’s not why he’s famous. He’s famous because of the people who saw him live and saw what a powerhouse of a player he was. Personally, I think the greatest record RR ever played on was the Tribute album – because it was his live recording and thats when Randy shined. I actually think that Jake sounded better recorded than Randy did. Does that mean I think he’s better than RR? No. I just know that when RR recorded, budgets were small and he was only given so many takes so at the end it was best of 3. Same with Metallica’s Kill em All. There’s a reason why the guitars on Four Horseman are not in synch and there’s a string bend in Seek n Destroy that’s not in key (poor intonation to be technically correct)…only so many takes and you stick with what you got. That said, they’re still great songs! By the time Jake joined Ozzy, there were bigger budgets and you could record more takes so yeah, Jake had a slight advantage. Personally I think my guitar hero and the guy who inspired me to start playing (Kirk Hammett) actually sounds his best on records and isn’t that impressive live. He’s certainly proficient but I learned that he’s a guy who can play a rehearsed pre-constructed solo great. Unfortunately he can’t improvise very well and doesn’t have very good “feel” when he plays. However, I do think he is the absolute best guitarist for a band like Metallica and he does well there. Throw him in with CCR for an impromptu jam session and he’ll sound terrible.

    Live, both Randy and Jake were equally impressive. If there’s any preference beyond that, it’s purely subjective and we’re all entitled to our own opinion of who’s style or music we like best.

    • Zenon

      Would probably agree w/ you, JakePoster99, on everything, except for RR sounding like shit on records. Maybe all the “fire” isn’t captured on the first 2 records, but there aren’t “bad notes” that stick out. Live, he played out of key many a time. I just listened to Paranoid live on YouTube. Many sour notes in the fast main lead break.

      • JakePoster99

        Zenon – Agreed in regards to your comment about RR. And to be honest, after posting I thought that was a bit harsh so I retract that statement. Randy did not sound like sh*t on records, he just didn’t sound all that impressive. Having heard only his recorded stuff, I never would have gotten excited. However, having seen him live and having heard recorded lessons from him…it was no doubt he was a virtuoso and had quite a mastery of the instrument at such a young age (at least in the rock realm). When I listen to something recorded, my assumption is…its going to be your best work captured on tape. In RR’s situation, that wasn’t the case. Although there may be a note or two out of key live, thats to be expected (its live) so I wouldn’t be as critical of that – it was more because it was recorded. All that said, I still think Randy live would make anyone shit their pants.

        • Zenon

          Oh, no doubt he was a virtuoso. I have played guitar since Jul 4, 1982. I really dug the first 2 records and thought he was amazing on them. Never saw him live, unfortunately. However, by the time Tribute came out, RR had been elevated to legendary status. So hearing some of the obvious out-of-key stuff on it surprised me, as it wasn’t “a note or 2″. But, also, it did make me feel better about my playing. LOL

    • Jeffrymartinez

      well said , well said

  • 123321

    douche-a-thon. zakk wylde is sh*t compared to Lee. Best Ozzy guitarist with the exception of Randy Rhodes. obviously, most idoits think drinking and gimmicks are more important than talent. the musical progressions from “bark at the moon” to “the ultimate sin” far exceeded anything zakk wylde could ever achieve. everything he’s laid down is just a regurgitated mess of over-processed drop d palm mutes and pinch harmonics. anyone who thinks wylde is a better player than Jake Lee is musically retarded. ignorance is humor for only so long………..”Axl” RosenGoldstienberg obviously needs some “special” classes in music. what an idiot and a total disgrace to talented musicians. Pull your tongue out of gene simmons’ ass and take the captains chair at Rolling Stone magazine you worthless, pathetic h**b.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Frost/100000249012747 James Frost

      WWWOOOOOO HHHOOOOO BOY, YOU TELL UM!!

    • Goag

      You don’t sound like a pathetic loser using anti-Semitism to beef up your argument that Jake E. Lee is a good guitarist. Were you raised by a gourd.

  • http://Www.metalsucks.co Ckemp

    Jake e lee is a icon replacing an icon in Randy Iim am a huge Randy fan people say they can tell I’m influenced by Randy Rhodes when they hear me play . The first time I heard bark at the moon I couldn’t believe he was that great his playing is something I’ve never heard , and have you ever seen Jake live he is and always will be a rock star I love the way he moves on stage with his guitar he is the total package and remember Ozzy fired George lynch and gave Jake the gig

  • http://Www.metalsucks.co Ckemp

    I meet Jake e lee in 86 on the ukulele sin tour he was so cool and so nice ,I told him I played guitar and when he gave me his autograph he put good luck with the guitar he was very humble .I bet we talked for an hour I ask him everything and he never blew me off we also meet Ozzy he was pretty riped but I was wearing this old Randy Rhodes shirt and he said now that’s a cool shirt ,but back to Jake I had caught a pick at the gig and he made sure I had one for a rock star and at that time at his peek to sit there and talk to this punk kid for a hour or more

  • Ken

    Randy Rhoads = Virtuoso of Neo-classical (awesome sound when it was the newest style to break)
    Jake E Lee = Virtuoso of ball bustin blues based rock metal guitar. He often started leads that were very classically constructed with a blues entry. He wrote The Ultimate Sin while Ozzy was in rehab, then let Ozzy edit and addend when he was released. About 70% of it made the final cut. Jake is my favorite player of all time. Plus, best stage presence of any of the guitarists Ozzy has hired.
    Zakk = Heavier sound with southern blues influence. I like his work too, but just not as well as Jake or Randy.
    Gus = ?? Sharon tries to keep an agiing Ozzy current vicariously through his guitarists. Zakk was aging and getting too set in his southern ways, so it was time to gat a young gun to revive the band. I don’t think it is going to work this time. Jake is as good as they come with unique phrasing, but hated the “business” of music. He has had the career that he built. No excuses!

  • brenda g.

    Axl dissing Jake E. Lee? Isn’t that the epitome of pot/kettle/ black?

  • Nascargoodolboy

    You gotta give Jake credit for stepping in after Randy’s Death..That was a tuff act to follow but he did it with his own Style.