Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of The Ultimate Sin!
To all my fellow Ozzy fans…
This electrified album was released on February 22, 1986.
This is an image of the cover art for the album The Ultimate Sin by the artist Ozzy Osbourne. Copyright Sony Music Entertainment (UK) Ltd.
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (1948 - 2025)
The Ultimate Sin was the fourth studio album by the late Ozzy Osbourne. It is the second and last of Ozzy’s albums to feature lead guitarist Jake E. Lee, the first to feature the late drummer Randy Castillo, and the only album to feature bassist Phil Soussan, who co-wrote the album's hit single “Shot in the Dark”. Upon returning from the Betty Ford Center in 1985 where he had undergone treatment for substance abuse, Ozzy was presented with a substantial quantity of music written by Jake E. Lee. Much of this music would form the basis of the album. At the time of its release, The Ultimate Sin was Ozzy’s highest-charting studio album, as Heavy Metal was enjoying a surge in popularity during the mid-1980s. The RIAA awarded the album Platinum status on May 14, 1986. On April 1, 1986, a live concert was filmed at Kemper Arena in Kansas City and was later released as the home video The Ultimate Ozzy.
Source: Wikipedia.org
Jake E. Lee is one of my all-time favorite lead guitarists. His talent and prowess are on display throughout The Ultimate Sin. Specifically, Jake’s fretwork on “Never” and “Killer of Giants” are exceptional. The album’s title track highlights how alternate guitar tunings, especially detuning, can create a heavier sound.
Paying homage… Me, my guitar, and my iPhone.
Love that sound! Tune your low E string down to C# and the other strings down a half step…
Fun fact: Dana Strum, bassist and co-founder of Slaughter, introduced the legendary guitarist Randy Rhoads to Ozzy Osbourne and later brought Jake E. Lee to Ozzy's solo band following Rhoads' death (and the departure of interim guitarist Brad Gillis).
The power of music…
“The Ultimate Sin” also fueled my strength conditioning after high school. To this day, when I hear the song’s high-powered intro, I instantly recall staring up at a barbell stacked with 45 lb. plates, as I readied my grip for the bench press. New research from the University of Padova shows that music can enhance performance by improving focus, reducing fatigue, and increasing work capacity.
Image by Ben Brunner from Unsplash
“The study's authors propose that music works through the ‘bottleneck hypothesis’. The idea that our nervous system can only process a limited number of sensory inputs simultaneously. When athletes listen to engaging music, it helps block out unpleasant sensations like physical distress and fatigue, allowing them to push harder and longer.”
- Skutnik, Ben, Sports Illustrated. “Music Makes You Stronger: New Research Reveals the Power of Your Personal Playlist”. July 16, 2025
Fun fact: Portions of the video for “The Ultimate Sin” were filmed at various locations throughout my hometown.
“In the rest of the video, the Kansas City Convention Center can be seen as Osbourne rides away from the hotel in a white limo [from 2m 2s to 2m 18s]. The scenes are interlaced with footage of him singing the song at Kemper Arena.”
- Gutierrez, Lisa, The Kansas City Star. “Ozzy Osbourne fan recalls when heavy metal icon filmed music video in Kansas City”. July 24, 2025
Photo of Kansas City Convention Center from Broadway Blvd. CROPPED
Photo Credit: User:Charvex, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Last July, I was super stoked to see Jake take the stage at the “Back to the Beginning” concert. Lzzy Hale joined him for a fiery performance of “The Ultimate Sin”.
Photo Credit: Anthony Woodard
Disclaimer: The above camera-captured livestream concert images (photos) used under fair use. Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act, allowance is made for 'fair use' for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research. All rights to the original content belong to their respective owners.