Jake E Lee

Jake E Lee

Jake E Lee

Real Name: Jake Lou Williams
born: 15th February 1957, West Virginia, USA
style Heavy Rock/Shred

Best known for being the lead guitarist with Ozzy Osbourne and his own group Badlands.

Bio

Jake began playing the piano at the age of 6, his older sister had a guitar that Jake would mess around with until he discovered Jimi Hendrix & Led Zeppelin he knew then that all he wanted to be was a rock guitarist.
Jake was obsessed with the guitar and would constantly walk around with an acoustic guitar at school practicing.

Ratt

Jake joined a band called "Mickey Ratt" in 1980, the band changed its name to "Ratt" and began gigging around Los Angeles, Ratt built up a huge following, but Jake left Ratt to seek a better future for himself.

Dio

after leaving Ratt jake joined the band "Rough Cutt", the band was being produced by Ronnie James Dio and it was here that Jake caught the eye of Ronnie Dio. He wanted Jake to join Dio as lead guitarist and they wrote some tracks together, this partnership was not to last, it is alleged that Dio wanted Jake to take a "backseat" which Jake was simply not prepared to do, besides at this time Ozzy Osbourne had come to L.A to look for a replacement for the late great Randy Rhoads and he`d been invited to audition.

Ozzy Osbourne

Jake was invited to audition for Ozzy and out of hundreds of guitarists from around the world Jake was chosen just marginly over George Lynch. It was going to be a tough job replacing one of the greatest guitarists in the world, but Jake knew he could do it!
Jake remained with Ozzy for four years touring the world and releasing 2 albums in thi time "Bark at the moon" and "The Ultimate Sin" featuring the hit single "Shot in the Dark" until he left in 1987 to spend more time with his family, Jake and Ozzy remain friends to this day and Ozzy has invited Jake on many occasions to reunite Jake has always declined.

Badlands

With Jake leaving Ozzy he was in undated with phone calls to join various different projects, none of which interested him until he recieved a call from Ray Gillan, Gillan wanted to put together a blues metal band and Jake was more than interested! they recruited Greg Chaisson on Bass guitar and Eric Singer on drums and called the band "Badlands"!
The band put out their first album in 1989 the self titled "Badlands" album and toured to promote it, their next album "Voodoo Highway" was a much more bluesy album, Ray Gillan and Jake began to have personal issues whilst on tour and Ray left the band, a new siger was drafted in but Badlands was to disband soon after.

Discography

Rough Cutt

• "A Little Kindness" and "Used And Abused" 1981
  

Ozzy Osbourne

• Bark at the Moon 1983
• The Ultimate Sin 1986

Badlands

• Badlands 1989
• Voodoo Highway 1991
• Dusk 1998

--Smells 14:11, 16 January 2008 (UTC)