Happy Birthday today (April 16) to drummer Lee Kerslake. He’s 70. Kerslake is best known well for his work with Ozzy Osbourne in the early 80’s and as a longtime drummer for the band Uriah Heep.

Lee Kerslake played on the Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman albums. Kerslake left Ozzy’s band in 1981 and along with bassist Bob Daisley, was not credited in the liner notes for Diary of a Madman. Credited instead were drummer Tommy Aldridge and bassist Rudy Sarzo. A lawsuit was filed by Kerslake and Daisley in 1998 over royalties. As a result of the lawsuit, Kerslake and Daisley’s performances were removed from the 2002 reissues of Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman by the Ozzy camp. Their performances were replaced by newly recorded tracks from bassist Robert Trujillo and drummer Mike Bordin. The lawsuit was dismissed by the United States District Court in 2003. The original drum and bass tracks were restored when the albums were reissued again in 2011. Lee Kerslake is semi-retired since 2007 due to ongoing health problems.

Happy 70th today to this rockin drummer! You can't deny the amazing work Lee Kerslake helped create over the years with Ozzy and Uriah Heep..

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