John Sykes

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John James Sykes (born 29 July 1959) is an English rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter who has performed with Streetfighter, Tygers of Pan Tang, John Sloman's Badlands, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, and Blue Murder.

On Whitesnake's 1987 self-titled album with David Coverdale, Sykes discussed composing duties for all songs.

Sykes is also a very popular solo artist.

Early life

In Reading, Berkshire, John James Sykes was born on July 29, 1959. He first became interested in guitar at the age of fourteen when his uncle taught him how to play some of Eric Clapton's licks. Sykes and his family were living in Ibiza, Spain, where his father and uncle owned a discothèque. Sykes used to playing blues songs on an old nylon string guitar for the next two years. The Sykes family returned to Reading after three years in Spain. John got married and essentially gave up the guitar for a year and a half. He didn't start playing again until he moved to Blackpool, where he was offered by his buddy Mervyn Goldsworthy, who would later play bass in Diamond Head, Samson, and FM.

Personal life

After four years of living together, Sykes married Jennifer Brooks-Sykes on April 10, 1989. They were not married until 1999. Sykes has three children; James, John Jr., and Sean.

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Career

Sykes began his professional career when he left Streetfighter to join Pan Tang's Tygers. Spellbound and Crazy Nights, Sykes' two albums, were both released in 1981. However, by the following year, Sykes had become dissatisfied with the group, as he and singer Jon Deverill would often butt heads with the other members. In his view, the group lacked both the style and commitment to succeed in large amounts. Sykes took over Tygers of Pan Tang two days before starting a French tour in early 1982. However, he appeared on two tracks on the band's fourth album The Cage, which was released after he had already left the band.

Sykes auditioned for Ozzy Osbourne's band and was briefly a member of John Sloman's Badlands after leaving Tygers of Pan Tang. Despite a few shows and Sloman's contract with EMI, the band disbanded after Sykes was accepted to join Thin Lizzy.

Sykes, who had left Tygers of Pan Tang, was still contractually bound to release a single to the band's MCA Records. Sykes was able to connect with Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott through Tygers of Pan Tang producer Chris Tsangarides. The two co-wrote and performed the single "Please Don't Leave Me" (which was released in 1982). Brian Downey and Darren Wharton, two other Thin Lizzy members, were also on the track. Sykes was invited to join Thin Lizzy after finishing the album. In September 1982, he was officially revealed as the band's new guitarist. Sykes appeared on the band's 1983 album Thunder and Lightning, for which he also co-wrote the single "Cold Sweat." Sykes' inclusion in the band boosted the band's sound toward something more akin to heavy metal. Thunder and Lightning's support tour had been billed as Thin Lizzy's farewell tour, but Sykes and Lynott were keen to continue exploring further. The band recorded Life on Tour, while Lynott accompanied Lynott on a European solo tour during the tour. Thin Lizzy appeared at the Reading Festival in August 1983 before disbanding after a performance at Nuremberg's Monsters of Rock festival on September 4th.

Phil Lynott died on January 4, 1986, at the age of 36. Sykes, along with former Thin Lizzy members Brian Downey, Scott Gorham, and Darren Wharton, created a new touring version of Thin Lizzy in 1994, which was unveiled as a tribute to Phil Lynott's life and work. Even though the band limited to performing songs from Thin Lizzy's back catalog and did not produce any new stuff, they were still chastised for using the Thin Lizzy name without Lynott being present. The group Unplugged On the night, 2000. Sykes continued to front Thin Lizzy through various line-up changes before deciding on his own departure in 2009. Without Sykes' presence, Scott Gorham will rename Thin Lizzy.

Sykes was keen to continue working with Phil Lynott in what would be Grand Slam after Thin Lizzy's break-up. However, he was soon asked to join English hard rock band Whitesnake, whom he had met while on tour with Thin Lizzy. Sykes agreed to join Whitesnake after negotiating a satisfactory deal and receiving Phil Lynott's approval. On February 17, 1984, he made his live debut with the company in Dublin. He was later hired to produce new guitar parts for the band's 1984 album Slide It In. Whitesnake began a lengthy world tour in 1985, culminating in two shows at the 1985 Rock in Rio festival. Slide It In was Whitesnake's first big success in the United States, with over half a million copies sold. Sykes was instrumental in Whitesnake's recent success, with a more vibrant look and sound than the band's previous guitar players.

Sykes was instrumental in the creation of Whitesnake's newest album, co-writing nine songs with vocalist David Coverdale. He began leading the band toward a more popular sound, which Coverdale characterized as "leaner, meaner, and more electrifying." In early 1985, the two began working together in the South of France before heading to Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver to begin recording. However, Coverdale's band sour at the time, with him eventually dismissing all other members of the group, including Sykes. Whitesnake's seventh album was finally released in April 1987, and it became the band's most commercially lucrative album to date, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 chart and selling over eight million copies in the United States.

Sykes' relationship with David Coverdale has been tense since leaving Whitesnake, with Sykes admitting he's still "very upset" over how Coverdale treated him. As Coverdale began assembling a new Whitesnake line-up in the early 2000s, there was a "reaching out" between the two groups. Sykes suggested Marco Mendoza and Tommy Aldridge for the band (both of whom will eventually join), but Sykes never heard from Coverdale again. In contrast, Mendoza claimed to have served as a mediator between the two groups. Coverdale confessed to having talked to Sykes about a potential reunion, but then decided that the two had been "their own bosses" for far too long. Sykes said of Coverdale, "I really have no interest in ever speaking with him again."

Following Whitesnake's ouster, Sykes formed Blue Murder, which featured bassist Tony Franklin and drummer Carmine Appice. Initially, drummer Cozy Powell and singer Ray Gillen were selected for the project. Powell eventually left to Black Sabbath, while Gillen was let go after Geffen Records' A&R executive John Kalodner urged Sykes to front the band themselves.

Blue Murder's self-titled debut album was released in April 1989 and debuted at number 69 on the Billboard 200 chart. The band then embarked on a tour of America and Japan. Although Blue Murder's debut album would sell an estimated 500,000 copies, according to Sykes, the duo's success fell short of expectations. Geffen Records did not properly market the company, according to Sykes, who wrote: "I believe they were attempting to bring me and David [Coverdale] together." They wanted me to get back to the 'winning formula.' However, the wounds were still healing. I stayed with the same brand until retirement. I might have been more effective with a different name in hindsight." Franklin and Appice left Blue Murder on the record of their sophomore effort, while Sykes assembled a new line-up. Sykes was being considered for the guitarist role in Def Leppard at the same time. Although no formal auditions were held, Sykes did jam with the group and sang backing vocals on their 1992 album Adrenalize. In the end, the band will add Vivian Campbell, who formerly of Dio (and Sykes' replacement in Whitesnake). Blue Murder, in the meanwhile, released their second album Nothin' But Trouble in 1993. It didn't do well, and Sykes later criticized Geffen Records, who claimed that the record "didn't do anything" to promote it. Screaming Blue Murder: A live album dedicated to Phil Lynott, which was after the band was stripped from their label and broke up in 1994, Blue Murder released Screaming Blue Murder: Dedicated to Phil Lynott.

Since the band's demise, there have been several attempts to reunite Blue Murder. Carmine Appice announced that the band had rehearsed together, but that Sykes wanted the band to tour under the moniker John Sykes & Blue Murder, something Appice was unable to do. Appice said in 2020 that he and Sykes had once more discussed the possibility of a Blue Murder reunion, but that no one came of the discussion.

Sykes signed with Mercury Records' Japanese branch and released his first solo album Out of My Tree in 1995 after parting ways with Geffen Records. In 1997, Sykes' second solo album Loveland came out. Mercury Records had initially requested a seven-track extended play of ballads, but Sykes later decided to turn the ballads into a proper album. He died in the 20th century, on the same year he began the twentieth century, a tribute album to Loveland that contained more content. Sykes' Nuclear Cowboy was first introduced in 2000 by Sykes. Sykes' solo albums became available in the United States for the first time after a failed attempt to land a European record with Z Records. Sykes released Bad Boy Live!, a live album containing songs from his time with Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, and Blue Murder, as well as his solo work in 2005. Sykes auditioned for Guns N' Roses in 2009, during a 2021 interview with guitarist Richard Fortus.

Sykes revealed he and drummer Mike Portnoy were forming a new band during a 2011 appearance on That Metal Show. Eddie Trunk, who was tentatively naming "Bad Apple," said in 2012 that the project, which was tentatively labelled "Bad Apple," was no longer moving forward. Billy Sheehan had been hired to the band as well, but the individual schedules of both sides of the band didn't match up. Sykes was "not on the same timetable" as the others, according to Trunk. Richie Kotzen was later replaced by Sykes, and the entire group was renamed The Winery Dogs.

Sykes revealed in 2013 that he was working on a new solo album. In a 2017 interview with Young Guitar Magazine, sampled from the album were released, and Sykes discussed the album. Sykes had signed a recording deal with Golden Robot Records with the intention of releasing his long-awaited album the same year. However, Sykes revealed in November that he had ended his friendship with Golden Robot Records in November 2019. Sykes released "Dawning of a Brand New Day," his first new song in over 20 years, on January 1st. In July, "Out Alive" was a sequel to "Out Alive."

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