As Black Sabbath’s final show draws nearer, more information around Back to the Beginning is coming to light.
With it comes the news that former Ozzy guitarist Jake E. Lee may not be able to play the song he wants to on the night.
Lee replaced the late Randy Rhoads’ in the Sabbath singer’s band in 1982, before being replaced by Zakk Wylde two albums and five years later, thus writing himself into a key chapter in heavy metal folklore. In conversation with Guitar World as part of its bumper edition building up to the gig, Lee has confirmed that, in a surprise to nobody, his heart is set on playing “Bark at the Moon” — his biggest hit with Ozzy — with his former boss on the night. But his fingers and heart may not be aligned.
“I know people are expecting 'Bark at the Moon,' but I don’t know,” he says. “Right now, with my wrist, the arthritis and everything, that would be very challenging.”
Lee is part of the cast assembled by chief curator Tom Morello that will see stars take on Sabbath and Ozzy songs across the two sets. Other confirmed performers include Wolfgang Van Halen, Lzzy Hale, Sammy Hagar and Rudy Sarzo.
Fans began speculating about what Lee might perform shortly after his name appeared in the show’s lineup. It was commonly accepted the guitarist would reunite with Ozzy for one last rip through a song that remained on his setlist for more than 20 years after its release.
But Lee says he's facing an uphill battle. He's still recovering from being shot multiple times last year while walking his dog near his hom in Las Vegas. While his injuries and arthritis are likely impeding his practice schedule too, he says he’s determined to make a go of it.
“I have a couple of months to get up to it, so I’ll practice it just in case that’s the one,” he continues. “But that’s going to be pretty challenging for me physically.”
Thinking ahead, a clear plan B has been set aside. If Lee is unable to play “Bark at the Moon”’s lightning-quick riffs on the night, he’ll pivot to another cut from “Ultimate Sin” — the title tack.
“It's heavy, and I like the solo in it,” he explains. It’s a little less physically demanding, too.
Interestingly, after Lee was shot, Ozzy responded by saying, “It’s been 37 years since I’ve seen Jake E. Lee, but that still doesn’t take away from the shock of hearing what happened to him.”
It sounds like the pair haven’t crossed paths since Lee departed from the band in ‘87, which makes the prospect of a reunion even more special. That time apart, however, isn’t too shocking considering Lee’s previous comments shared with Guitar World about his relationship with the singer.
“We definitely were different types of people,” he accepted. “Ozzy and I, we never connected on anything more than, 'Here’s a song, let’s play it.' We never bonded. We worked well together, but I think maybe at some point Ozzy wanted to get a deeper connection with his guitar player. And he obviously got that with Zakk [Wylde].”
However, according to BraveWords, Lee was approached by the Ozzy camp in the late 2000s, and he stipulated his requirements for a reunion. Greek guitarist Gus G would eventually get the job before Wylde was welcomed back into the fold.
Back to the Beginning takes place at Villa Park, Birmingham on July 5. The event is being streamed worldwide.
