The Real Story of the Solo in Ozzy's 'Bark at the Moon' (According to Jake E. Lee)

In the aftermath of Ozzy Osbourne's death, guitarist Jake E. Lee has shared how Ozzy made him a better guitar player while using the most well-known tune from his era, "Bark at the Moon" as an example.

Lee was speaking with Guitarist about his time with Ozzy and he credited the singer with one key suggestion that eventually helped turn his solo in "Bark at the Moon" into what you know it as now.

How Ozzy Helped Jake E. Lee Find His "Bark at the Moon" Solo

"I had the second half all worked out, and the first half was something completely different in my mind. It was more melodic; more like a Neal Schon thing," recalls Lee of the session in which he was working on the song.

“I was sure it was gonna work. I can still hear it in my head, and I still think it would work! I spent all night trying to get it the way it sounded in my head, and I know [producer] Max Norman was getting frustrated. And I was frustrated," he continued.

But at that point, Ozzy entered the studio and his input changed everything.

"Ozzy walked in and said, ‘What the fuck is that?’ I said, ‘It’s not exactly how I want it, but it’s close.’ He said, ‘No, no, that’s not working. Just go out there and jam.’ I was like, ‘Why not? I’ll try it,’" shared Lee. “And I think the solo that ended up on the record was my second take of just jamming. Ozzy said, ‘That’s it!’ Max said, ‘Yeah, I think that’s it.’ I was like, ‘Really? I didn’t put any thought into it. I’m just sitting here ripping it out. How can that be the solo?’”

Within the chat, Lee says that while he was a top guitar player in Los Angeles, he felt he got better once he joined Ozzy's band. “It was a do-or-die moment. I do see how I got more focused and better at my craft with Ozzy. I should have thanked him for that, and during my last talk with Ozzy, I did. He did make me a better guitar player. He made me look at my guitar playing more."

In reflecting on Ozzy's advice on "Bark at the Moon," Lee confesses, "Now, years later, I can look back and go, ‘I see how that works!’ He made me rethink how to play the guitar. I appreciate that.”

What Does Jake E. Lee Think About the Legacy of "Bark at the Moon"?

The title song and the album that it came from ultimately became a sticking point between the guitarist and his employer. When Lee questioned the songwriting credits, eventually he was let go from the band. But at that point all the songwriting credits went to Ozzy.

Despite his firing, Lee says, "You can offer me a lot of money to do something, but if I don’t want to do it I just won’t. The fact that they made money on some of their business decisions at my expense is not a big deal to me. It’s wasn’t about money with Bark at the Moon – it was always about the credit.”

Eventually there was some acknowledgment with Osbourne sharing on The Ozzman Cometh compilation, "Jake came up with the riff. It was the first song we wrote together."

Of the song, he shares, “It was such a good tune. It helped confirm that Ozzy wasn’t over just because Randy [Rhoads] had passed. I’m proud to have been a part of that."

Ozzy Osbourne, "Bark at the Moon"

What Else Has Jake E. Lee Revealed About "Bark at the Moon"?

For those looking for some more technical details, Lee spoke with Tone Talk in 2024. When asked about his approach on playing the song, he shared, "I think it was just [the electric guitar] straight in [to the amp]. Because I wanted a really… I felt like, 'purest.' My guitar, my amp, straight in. I felt like that's the way a guitar player should be."

He also recalled Ozzy making a unique proposition early on in recording Bark at the Moon. ""I had a José [Arredondo] modded Marshall that I took with me to England, and that's what I recorded 'Bark at the Moon' with. That was really cool. Through EVs, because I got to try every kind of speaker. Ozzy said, 'Whatever you need, whatever you want to try out for your sound, you got it.' So I took full advantage."

How Did Jake E. Lee Feel About Ozzy Osbourne?

“He was bigger than life – but deep down he was a kind man. He made you like him and you felt like he liked you too,” said Lee in reflecting on Osbourne.

“He changed everything for me,” the guitarist added. “He put me in the spotlight. Whether that would have happened if I hadn’t been in his band is anybody’s guess.”

Lee admits that he didn't have as close of a relationship with Ozzy as fellow Ozzy guitarists Randy Rhoads or Zakk Wylde did, but he did feel that the working relationship worked. "I liked him and I assumed he liked me — but it was always awkward around him. He was the boss; that’s how I looked at him. But onstage it worked. There was a definite connection."

“I always wanted to reconcile, tell him there weren’t any hard feelings and end things on a friendly note. I got to do that,” the guitarist concluded of his reconnection with Ozzy at Back to the Beginning.