Former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee recently shared insights about Sharon Osbourne’s strict dress code policies and his admiration for Metallica’s authentic stage presence, in an interview with BraveWords.
Lee’s comments came in response to a question about his thoughts on Metallica when they opened for Ozzy and their notably fast playing style.
“No, I knew who Metallica was. But they were different. I really liked it. Especially with Cliff (Burton) – nothing against any of the bass players – but there was magic,” Lee said. “I’m glad I got to see them all those times with Cliff. They were heavy as shit.”
Lee went on to describe Metallica’s raw energy and contrasted it with Ozzy’s more theatrical approach during the Ultimate Sin tour.
“They were angry, there was nothing polished or pretty about them. I thought that was awesome. Especially that Ultimate Sin tour. That’s where we had to dress a certain way, you know?” he explained. “Ozzy had that gold glitter big-shouldered thing going and he had a guy that made clothes for everybody. You couldn’t dress yourself if you were in Ozzy. Not back then.”
The guitarist recalled his discomfort with the mandatory costume requirements and Sharon Osbourne’s specific instructions about stage appearance.
“So you had to go to the clothing designer and say what you wanted and I remember seeing Ozzy’s outfit, seeing the bass players’, and I was like, ‘Damn, if I have to wear this shit can you please just mute it down?'” Lee continued. “I mean, most of my shit is black and white, there’s no glitter. And I still felt uncomfortable.”
Lee then revealed Sharon Osbourne’s key rule about band members’ stage presence.
“And I remember one of Sharon’s things was ‘You can’t dress like the punters. You can’t be on stage and look like you could also be in the front row.’ When I joined, she told me that,” he said. “I remembered that, but I didn’t think we had to go that far. And I love that Metallica went out in jeans and t-shirt’s and just fucking tore it up. I thought that was awesome. It had a punk attitude to it.”
Lee’s perspective on these contrasting approaches reflects his unique position during a pivotal era in heavy metal history. He witnessed both the theatrical spectacle of Ozzy’s productions and the raw authenticity that would define thrash metal’s emergence.
Wikipedia reported that Jake E. Lee replaced the late Randy Rhoads as Ozzy’s guitarist in 1982. He played on the influential albums Bark at the Moon (1983) and The Ultimate Sin (1986). His tenure with Ozzy came during a crucial period when heavy metal was evolving and diversifying into multiple subgenres.
The Ultimate Sin tour that Lee referenced was particularly significant in metal history. Ultimate Classic Rock noted that this 1986 tour featured Metallica as the opening act. This created a fascinating contrast between Ozzy’s established theatrical metal presentation and Metallica’s emerging thrash metal aesthetic. The tour showcased two different philosophies of heavy metal performance that would influence the genre’s future direction.
Lee’s admiration for Metallica’s approach proved prescient. The band’s authentic, no-frills presentation would become a template for countless metal acts. Guitar World documented that Lee’s own guitar work during this period helped define Ozzy’s sound in the mid-1980s. He privately appreciated the more stripped-down approach that bands like Metallica were pioneering.
Despite his success with Ozzy during the 1980s, Lee later stepped away from the spotlight. Louder Sound confirmed that he made a comeback with his band Red Dragon Cartel in 2013. His recent reflections on the contrasting styles of that era provide valuable insight into the creative tensions that shaped heavy metal’s evolution during one of its most transformative decades.
