Like many, I first became awestruck by John Sykes via Whitesnake.  The year was 1987, and Much had just started playing Whitesnake stuff in heavy rotation.  While I heard Sykes on all the big 1987 hits, I saw Sykes in the music video for “Slow An’ Easy”.  The guy had it all!  Long flowing blonde curly locks, shirt open, a slide guitar (which I loved), a really cool studded guitar strap, and a way to play a riff.  To paraphrase a movie, I began watching his career with great interest.

I got some Whitesnake.  I got some Tygers of Pan Tang.  I bought the Blue Murder.  And then I discovered Thin Lizzy.  While it’s no secret that I’m not much of a Blue Murder fan (though I loved the idea on paper), I really dug John’s work with Thin Lizzy.

“Cold Sweat” was the name of the track, and I squealed in delight when John’s guitar squealed in the riff!  Even better was a song called “Bad Habits”.  This one merged the old-tyme style of Jailbreak with the production and guitar shred of 1982.

Though he hadn’t released any new music in a spell…we’re all going to miss John Sykes.

Rest in Peace.  F cancer.