Episode 46: Ozzy Osbourne, Part II: Jake E. Lee, Zakk Wylde, Joe Holmes, Gus G. and more

The Rock and Metal Profs: The History and Philosophy of Rock and Metal

The Madman is back!!! On this episode of RAMP the profs cover the Jake E. Lee and Zakk Wylde years, and they even dig into the Joe Holmes and Gus G. tenures with Ozzy. After the departure of Brad Gillis at the conclusion of the Diary of a Madman tour, Ozzy paired with San Diego native and hot shot guitarist Jake Williams (Jake E. Lee). Soon Ozzy reached a level of commercial success that Black Sabbath never enjoyed. Ozzy was mainstream! Yet he still battled his demons, and his feud with certain televangelists became the stuff of water-cooler talk and music videos. After two incredible albums, Jake was unceremoniously fired, and replaced with guitar beast Zakk Wylde! Continuing his tradition with a string of revolutionary guitarists, Ozzy and Zakk produced a string of legendary hard rock/metal albums, even as the genre was being marginalized by record companies seeking to maximize profits with younger audiences. Dr. Lewis and Matt scrutinize the business side of Ozzy and Sharon, their unparalleled success in the music industry, and the Oz-man's impact on music and culture over the last 50 years.