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Lee Kerslake / Former Ozzy and Uriah Heep drummer dead at 73

Ken Hensley has reported that former Uriah Heep and Ozzy drummer Lee Kerslake has lost his battle with cancer. 

Ken says :”It’s with the heaviest of hearts that I share with you that Lee Kerslake, my friend of 55 years and the best drummer I ever played with, lost his battle with cancer at 03:30 this morning.

“He died peacefully, praise The Lord, but he will be terribly missed.

“I know many of you were praying for him not to suffer and I thank you for that and, now that Lee is at peace, our thoughts and prayers should turn to his wife Sue who will need all the support she can get at this time.”

Kerslake first appeared with Uriah Heep on their 1972 album Demons and Wizards and went on to record nine studio albums, as well as David Byron’s and Ken Hensley’s solo albums.

In 1980 Lee joined Ozzy’s ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ with bassist Bob Daisley and guitarist Randy Rhoads and recorded their first two albums.

Hella Rock Festival

In 2019 Lee was inducted into the Hall Of Heavy Metal History at an award ceremony in California, where he was presented with his platinum discs for his contributions to the ‘Blizzard Of Ozz’ and ‘Diary Of A Madman’ albums.

At the ceremony, Hall Of Heavy Metal History President Pat Gesualdo read out the handwritten letter from Ozzy, below, which seemed to draw a line under the songwriting disputes around the turn of the century.

Lee was 73 and is survived by his wife Sue.

RIP Lee.

Sleeve Notes

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