In a surprising revelation that adds another layer to Ozzy Osbourne’s storied history of guitarists, Al Pitrelli — the longtime SAVATAGE guitarist and TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA musical director — has shared that he was once in consideration to replace Jake E. Lee in Osbourne’s band during the late 1980s.
Speaking in a new interview with Radio Forrest on 96.9 The Eagle in Boise, Idaho, Pitrelli recalled the moment when fate almost brought him into Ozzy’s orbit. “Only one \[interaction],” Pitrelli said when asked if he ever had contact with the Prince of Darkness. “Years and years ago, when Jake \[E. Lee] left \[Ozzy’s] band, and I don’t even know what year this would be — ’87 maybe, ’88. And Max Norman was Ozzy’s producer, I think, on the *Blizzard of Ozz* and *Diary of a Madman* albums. I had known Max in New York City, and he called me up and goes, ‘I’m recommending you to \[Ozzy’s wife and manager] Sharon to be one of the people they look at to replace Jake.’ And I was, like, ‘Oh my God. Fantastic.’”
Pitrelli even had a chance to briefly meet Sharon and Ozzy in person. “Coincidentally, I ran into Sharon and Ozzy somewhere in New York City, I think. I said, ‘I don’t mean to interrupt you guys.’ And I introduced myself to Sharon. I said, ‘Listen, my name’s Al Pitrelli. Max Norman put my name into a hat for potential people that were gonna audition for you guys. I just wanna say thank you for the opportunity, but whatever happens, good luck to you. Love you guys. Respect always.’ And Ozzy nodded and smiled, and Sharon shook my hand very graciously and said, ‘Thank you.’”
But the story took a different turn when another recommendation changed history. “That was the first and last time I ever spoke to him, because a very famous photographer named Mark Weiss recommended Zakk \[Wylde], and I think when Zakk walked in the room, it was all over. And Zakk was the perfect choice for Ozzy back then. If you put me or Zakk in there, put Zakk in there for what Ozzy needed at the time.”
Looking back, Pitrelli admitted the experience was both surreal and motivating. “Well, it was nice because that’s an accomplishment. People were looking at you at that level. I certainly didn’t see myself at that level yet. I mean, you’re talking about Randy Rhoads and Jake E. Lee, and then subsequently Zakk Wylde. But all of a sudden, it’s, like, ‘Well, people are paying attention to me. I should probably keep working really, really hard.’”
That brush with Ozzy’s world didn’t turn into a full-time gig, but it did open new doors for Pitrelli. Shortly afterward, Steve Vai personally recommended him as a possible replacement in David Lee Roth’s band. “Dave’s, like, ‘You’re my guy.’ But he got caught up in some film that he was doing,” Pitrelli explained. “And then Steve reiterated that thought to Alice Cooper when Alice needed a musical director and Alice hired me.”
From there, Pitrelli’s career snowballed into a series of high-profile roles, establishing him as one of rock’s most versatile and reliable guitarists. Now a cornerstone of the TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, he reflects on that time as a lesson in the power of reputation and community within the rock world. “It’s been a nonstop kind of just, like, ‘pay it back’ situation. Everybody takes care of each other when you’re out there, if you come from the old neighborhood.”
While Zakk Wylde would ultimately become one of Ozzy Osbourne’s most iconic guitarists, Pitrelli’s near-miss remains a fascinating “what if” in the history of metal. For him, though, the acknowledgment was enough to validate a career that has since spanned decades and touched millions.
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