Former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee was shot multiple times in Las Vegas early Tuesday morning but is expected to make a fully recovery, according to his rep. Lee, who is also known for his work with the bands Badlands and his current outfit Red Dragon Cartel, is said to be fully conscious and doing well in an intensive care unit at a Las Vegas hospital, the rep said.
Las Vegas law authorities say they believe believe the shooting was completely random and occurred while Lee took his dog out for a walk. The investigation is ongoing and the rep added that no further comment will be forthcoming. “Lee and his family appreciate respecting their privacy at this time,” they added.
Raised in San Diego, Lee worked the Los Angeles metal scene in the early 1980s and played with an early incarnation of Ratt and the band Rough Cutt before joining forces with Osbourne in 1983; ironically, he beat out his friend and former roommate George Lynch, later of Dokken, for the job. As the official replacement for Randy Rhoads — the brilliant guitarist on Osbourne’s first two solo albums who died in a plane crash in 1982 — he was in a tough position and was frequently booed by fans, but played on and cowrote many songs on the studio albums “Bark at the Moon” and “The Ultimate Sin.” He was abruptly ejected from the band by Osbourne’s wife and manager Sharon in 1987 (a not-uncommon fate for Osbourne bandmembers).
He went on to form the band Badlands with former late-period Black Sabbath singer Ray Gillen in 1988 and performed with that band into the ‘90s, although Gillen died in 1993. Lee played with a series of bands and released solo material over the following years, and formed Red Dragon Cartel in 2013, releasing two albums with the band. However, he has recently been suffering from hand ailments and his playing has been less frequent.
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