Nuno Bettencourt recently explained the thoughtful motivation behind his decision to leave the stage during Jake E. Lee’s performance at Black Sabbath’s farewell concert. Speaking with Guitar World, the Extreme guitarist reflected on the importance of allowing Lee to fully own his moment during the “Back to the Beginning” tribute.
When asked whether he made a conscious effort to ensure Lee had space to shine during the show, Bettencourt detailed how the idea was discussed among the musicians involved.
“At one point, Tom Morello said, ‘Jake said, ‘I know Nuno has a lot on his plate, but could he maybe take the Ultimate Sin solo?” We all know that, as legendary as Jake is, he’s struggling a little bit, as we all do as we get older and don’t know what’s going to happen to our hands and bodies,” Bettencourt said.
Bettencourt then recalled how quickly he shut down the suggestion in order to support his longtime peer. “But I told Tom, ‘Give me his phone number right now.’ I texted Jake and told him, ‘You are f*cking Jake E. Lee. There’s no way in hell I’m taking that solo. You’re going to play that solo. And not only that, I’ll double it with you, and we’ll do it together. Whatever happens, it’s going to be f*cking incredible,’ and that’s what we did,” he continued.
He also revealed a spontaneous decision he made during another song later in the set. “And I was supposed to play on Shot in the Dark. I didn’t tell anybody I was doing it – but I just walked off the stage. I wanted Jake to have his moment without another guitar player stealing his thunder. We all came from one-guitar bands. We didn’t want rhythm guitarists. I wanted Jake to have his one moment up there by himself, so I just left. And Jake nailed it,” he concluded.
The moment unfolded during what many viewed as a historic night for heavy metal. The tribute concert served as a farewell celebration honoring Black Sabbath’s enduring legacy.
According to Guitar World, the July 5 “Back to the Beginning” event brought together multiple guitar icons to perform classic material from Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. Bettencourt was originally slated to play on Lee’s signature Ozzy-era track “Bark at the Moon,” which Lee was unable to perform due to ongoing health issues that have affected his playing. Instead, Bettencourt and Lee joined forces on “The Ultimate Sin,” a performance that became one of the night’s standout moments.
Sound Fury Magazine reported that the rendition featured Lzzy Hale on vocals, with Bettencourt and Lee sharing guitar duties, alongside Dave Ellefson on bass and Mike Bordin on drums—forming a one-night supergroup for the classic Ozzy track.
Lee’s connection to the material carries particular weight. He served as Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist during a defining stretch of the 1980s, contributing to landmark releases such as Bark at the Moon in 1984 and The Ultimate Sin in 1986, according to IMDb. That history made his return to these songs especially meaningful for longtime fans.
More than just a performance, the tribute underscored the respect and camaraderie among veteran musicians. Bettencourt’s decision to step aside during “Shot in the Dark” exemplified a level of professional courtesy rarely seen, allowing a fellow guitar legend to reclaim the spotlight during what many viewed as the closing chapter of an era in heavy metal history.
