‘OZZY REALLY WANTS TO TALK TO YOU’: Jake E. Lee Opens Up About His Final Meeting With the Prince of Darkness — And Why There’s No Bitterness After His Firing
Rock history is filled with explosive breakups, bruised egos, and legendary feuds — but sometimes, behind the amplifiers and spotlight, there’s a quieter story. A human story. And that’s exactly what guitarist Jake E. Lee has finally shared as he reflected on what became his last meaningful meeting with Ozzy Osbourne, decades after he was fired from the band that helped catapult him into metal royalty.
Speaking with a calmness that only time can brew, Lee revealed a moment many fans never thought would happen: a heartfelt, overdue conversation with the man who replaced him, celebrated him, and fired him — the Prince of Darkness himself.
According to Lee, the moment came after years of silence and unanswered questions. Industry friends had whispered for a long time: “Ozzy really wants to talk to you.” For Lee, those words landed softly, not sharply — a sign of the healing he didn’t know he needed. And when the two finally met again, it wasn’t filled with accusations or resentment. It was a quiet, surprising moment of mutual respect.
Lee explained that when he walked into the room, Ozzy wasn’t the wild, unpredictable hurricane of the ‘80s. Instead, he was an older man, reflective, disarmed, and honest. Ozzy reportedly reached out in a way that caught the guitarist off guard — not with theatrics, but with sincerity. It wasn’t an apology wrapped in drama; it was a simple acknowledgement, a gesture that spoke louder than any contract or confrontation.
“He genuinely wanted to talk,” Lee shared. “Not about the past in a ‘let’s settle scores’ way — just… man to man.”
And perhaps the biggest revelation? Lee isn’t angry. Not anymore, and maybe not ever in the way fans imagined.
For years, stories swirled about Lee’s departure from Ozzy’s band — from disputes over writing credits to management decisions that pushed him out. Fans have debated it fiercely, some blaming Sharon Osbourne, others pointing to the chaotic world surrounding Ozzy at the time. But Lee’s recent reflections show none of that matters to him now.
Instead, he chose gratitude.
He acknowledged that being hired was life-changing, being fired was painful, but both were part of the same road — a road that gave him the music, memories, and legacy that fans still celebrate today.
“I don’t hold grudges,” he said. “I don’t have any anger left. I look at that part of my life and feel thankful — even for the bad parts.”
For fans, the moment feels like a chapter finally closed. Two icons, two survivors of an era that burned bright and nearly burned them both out, sharing a rare moment of peace.
In a genre built on volume, distortion, and destruction, Jake E. Lee’s message hits differently — softer, wiser, almost tender:
Sometimes, the real power isn’t in the riffs or the rage.
Sometimes, it’s in letting go.