👑 In a new interview that offers a fascinating look into the intertwined histories of hard rock’s most influential figures, legendary bassist Bob Daisley has shed light on the mutual respect between two guitar titans: the late, great Gary Moore and Ozzy Osbourne’s mid-’80s axe-slinger, Jake E. Lee.
During a recent appearance on The Metal Voice, Daisley, whose own extraordinary career spans collaborations with giants like Ozzy Osbourne, Rainbow, Uriah Heep, and Moore himself, was asked to rank the musicians he’s played with. While Daisley diplomatically refused to name an absolute “best,” he emphasized the exceptional talent of the Irish blues-rock maestro.
“In my opinion, Gary was one of the best guitarists who ever lived,” Daisley asserted, acknowledging the profound loss the music world suffered with Moore’s passing in 2011.
Moore’s Verdict on Ozzy’s Guitarists
Daisley, who played on many of Moore’s pivotal albums, including Victims of the Future, revealed a particularly telling anecdote about Moore’s opinion of the guitarists who succeeded him in the Ozzy Osbourne camp—a band Moore was actually Ozzy’s first choice to front after the Black Sabbath firing.
Moore, known to be a taskmaster and a perfectionist in the studio, rarely offered praise lightly. Yet, Daisley recalled Moore singling out one player who impressed him greatly from Ozzy’s rotating lineup of virtuosos: Jake E. Lee.
“One thing I’d like to add about Jake E. Lee is that Gary rated Jake E. Lee very highly,” Daisley stated. “Saying, ‘I think he’s one of the best ones that Ozzy ever had.’ That was his attitude.”
This endorsement is particularly weighty. Moore’s incredible command of the electric guitar, combining blazing rock speed with profound blues feel, set an almost impossibly high bar. For him to single out Lee—who arrived after the equally legendary Randy Rhoads and preceded the raw power of Zakk Wylde—validates Lee’s significant artistic contribution to Ozzy’s catalogue on albums like Bark at the Moon and The Ultimate Sin.
A Difficult Comparison
Daisley, who has worked with a seemingly endless list of elite guitarists—including Ritchie Blackmore, Randy Rhoads, Tony Iommi, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Steve Vai—acknowledged the futility of comparing such diverse talents.
“They’re all good in their own way and they’re different,” he explained. “I think whatever the situation was at the time, they were the best in that situation. Ritchie Blackmore was the best guitarist in Rainbow and Randy Rhoads was the best guitarist in The Blizzard of Ozz, and Jake E. Lee was the best guitarist in the Ozzy Osbourne band…”
Ultimately, Daisley’s comments serve as a powerful tribute to both men. They highlight Moore’s exceptional talent and his discerning ear, while simultaneously confirming Jake E. Lee’s rightful place among the heavy metal elite—a place affirmed by one of the greatest guitarists to ever live.