In the complex and often dramatic world of rock ‘n’ roll reunions, few stories resonate like that of guitarist **Jake E. Lee** and his near-return to **Ozzy Osbourne’s** band in the late 2000s. Despite the offer from Ozzy’s camp — personally made by his wife and manager, **Sharon Osbourne** — Lee ultimately turned down the opportunity. His reason? A decades-old grievance he was unwilling to bury: his absence from the songwriting credits on the iconic *Bark at the Moon* album.
A Call From the Past
Lee, who famously replaced Randy Rhoads and played lead guitar on *Bark at the Moon* (1983) and *The Ultimate Sin* (1986), was unceremoniously let go before being replaced by **Zakk Wylde**. But as tensions reportedly rose between Osbourne and Wylde in the late 2000s, the Osbourne camp sought a new guitarist. In a recent resurfaced interview conducted by rock historian **Martin Popoff**, Lee recounts the surprising moment when **Sharon Osbourne** tracked him down for a potential comeback.
> “She actually managed to find me,” Lee recalled. “There were only a handful of people who had my number, but somehow she called me at home. She said Ozzy was having problems with Zakk and they were looking to replace him and asked if I’d be interested in doing some festivals and quite possibly the next record.”
For Lee, who had largely withdrawn from the metal spotlight during that period, the offer stirred a flicker of interest. “I hadn’t done anything like that in a long time,” he admitted. But before agreeing, he made one firm request — and it was a deal-breaker.
The Deal-Breaking Demand
Jake E. Lee was clear. If he was going to return to Ozzy’s band, the past needed to be addressed — specifically, the lack of songwriting credit on Bark at the Moon.
> “I can’t let sleeping dogs lie,” he said. “I said if we’re going to go forward, I want to fix the one problem I’ve had since the very beginning. I want my name on the songwriting credits for *Bark at the Moon*.”
Despite contributing heavily to the 1983 album — claiming to have written everything except the ballad “So Tired” — Lee’s name does not appear in the songwriting credits. In a 2014 interview with **SiriusXM’s Eddie Trunk**, Lee revealed that he had been verbally promised both credit and publishing rights when he joined the band in 1983. Those promises were never fulfilled.
> “It would just be nice to have my name on this stuff that I wrote,” Lee told Popoff. “I don’t want any retroactive payment. I don’t want any future payment. I just want credit — not a penny. Just recognition.”
The Call That Never Came
According to Lee, Sharon Osbourne told him she would consider his request and call back the next day. That call never came.
> “So I took that as a no,” Lee concluded.
Instead, the role of lead guitarist eventually went to **Gus G.** from the band **Firewind**, who joined Ozzy’s band in 2009. Gus would play on one studio album, *Scream* (2010), before parting ways with Osbourne in 2017.
Ironically, the album that Gus G. contributed to was co-written and produced by **Kevin Churko**, whose creative approach would later inspire Lee to form his band **Red Dragon Cartel** in 2013 — a return to recording and touring that gave Lee a fresh platform under his own name.
A Legacy Uncredited, But Unshaken
Jake E. Lee’s rejection of the Ozzy reunion wasn’t rooted in ego or finances. It was about fairness — a desire to have his creative contributions acknowledged on one of heavy metal’s landmark albums. And while his name may not appear on the *Bark at the Moon* credits, his signature playing and songwriting remain embedded in its DNA.
For fans of Osbourne and Lee alike, the failed reunion is one of rock’s great “what could have been” moments. But in standing by his principles, Jake E. Lee solidified something arguably more valuable than a stage comeback — his integrity.
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