Former Tygers of Pan Tang, Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake guitarist John Sykes has died of cancer aged just 65
A tremendous player, song writer and singer
Recruited to Thin Lizzy by Lynott in 1982, he performed on the Thunder & Lightning album and toured with them until Lizzy folded in 83. His interpretation of 'Still In Love With You' stands alongside Gary Moore's and Brian Robertson's
David Coverdale then recruited him to replace Micky Moody in Whitesnake, recording new guitar parts for the US release of the Slide It In album and touring across Europe and USA
Sykes co wrote almost all of 'Snake's next '1987' album and his clearly identifiable guitar playing is right to the fore across most of the tracks.
Coverdale maintained his record of jettisoning band members on a whim, especially if they started to gain credit and accolades, he sacked all then current band members including Sykes, got Adrian Vandenburg to overdub some guitar on Here I Go Again and took another new lineup out on the road. That 1987 album proved to be Whitesnake's most successful, especially in USA.
Commercially, that was also the peak of John Sykes's career but his place in the rock guitar pantheon was established.
The final Lizzy lineup reformed in 1996, without the deceased Lynott, to tour playing Lizzy's hits and favourites with Sykes doing a tremendous job on lead vocals as well as guitar. Sykes, Gorham and Wharton played a number of tours with various rhythm sections until Sykes quit in 2009.
I only saw Sykes perform live in that reformed 'Lizzy' lineup. As a big fan of Lizzy and Lynott in particular I was sceptical about the Lynott-less lineup but reviews of their shows had been excellent and I was too young to have seen Lizzy before 1983. My fears were misplaced, that version of Lizzy was terrific, Sykes's performances in particular were remarkable.
His style and sensitivity are encapsulated in a version of Gary Moore's 'Still Got The Blues For You' which is included on "More Blues For Gary" a tribute album put together by Bob Daisley in 2018.
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