“If anything, my s**t’s a little bit harder to play”: Jake E. Lee reflects on comparisons with fellow Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhoads
Jake E. Lee, known for his stint as Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist in the mid-’80s, recently weighed in on comparisons with his predecessor, Randy Rhoads.
Lee, who lent his talents to the Ozzy albums Bark at the Moon and The Ultimate Sin, stepped in after the tragic passing of Rhoads, who had already cemented his legacy with his groundbreaking work on Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman.
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Speaking on a recent episode of Tone-Talk, Lee shares his thoughts on staunch supporters of the ‘Randy is better’ camp, explaining that the debate often comes down to personal preference rather than objective superiority.
“Still to this day there’s people that like my playing, and like it better than Randy’s,” Lee begins [via Ultimate Guitar]. “And then there’s always the people that say, ‘That’s ridiculous,’ like it’s written somewhere that, ‘No, Randy is just better. Anybody who thinks differently is an idiot.’”
“We’re different,” he says. “I’m not saying I’m better than Randy, but I don’t think Randy’s better than me, either. And I don’t think it’s wrong for certain people to like my style of playing better. If anything, my shit’s a little bit harder to play.”
“So the whole, ‘Randy is better, period,’ is just wrong. You have a preference. Once you get to a certain level, it’s not that ‘this guy is better’. It’s [about] who speaks to you.’”
Elsewhere in the interview, Lee also shares what made Rhoads’ playing so unique, saying, “How he used classical styles into the rock thing was unparalleled. I don’t think anybody’s done it better since. I’ve gotta take my hat off to him. The stuff he did was awesome.”
Meanwhile, the guitarist, who was earlier this year shot multiple times while walking his dog in Las Vegas, has offered some details behind his shooting.
“Walking home from our walk Coco and I crossed paths with a couple of thieves,” he said. “Dressed darkly, hoodies pulled down their faces and masks covering their mouths. Standing in a neighbour’s driveway checking out his motorcycle.”
“There was a verbal confrontation which ended with an agreement that I would walk one way and they would walk the opposite. That didn’t work out.”
The post “If anything, my s**t’s a little bit harder to play”: Jake E. Lee reflects on comparisons with fellow Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhoads appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
