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John Sykes (1960-2025) |
Veteran hard rock guitarist John Sykes, who famously performed with the likes of Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, and Tygers of Pan Tang, has died at age 65 after a long battle with cancer, reports Newsmax..
"He will be remembered by many as a man with exceptional musical talent, but for those who didn't know him personally, he was a thoughtful, kind, and charismatic man whose presence lit up the room," the statement read.
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Sykes |
After failing to land a spot in Ozzy Osbourne's band, Sykes was introduced to Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott through Tygers' producer, Chris Tsangarides. Thin Lizzy, at the time, was at the height of its popularity, and the second lead guitarist position was open — a role that ultimately went to Sykes.
However, his unique heavy metal style didn't resonate with many fans. By then, the band was already on a decline, mainly due to co-founder Phil Lynott's heroin addiction, which led to his death in 1986. Thin Lizzy broke up in 1983.
Though Sykes had planned to keep working with Lynott, he decided to join Whitesnake in early 1984. He contributed guitar to their "Slide It In" album and toured the world with them. However, after recording the band's self-titled album, David Coverdale fired the entire band and brought in musicians from Dio, Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot, and Vandenberg.
Sykes then formed Blue Murder with drummer Carmine Appice and bassist Tony Franklin, but the band lasted only two albums. He was later considered as a potential replacement for Def Leppard's late guitarist Steve Clark, but the role went to Vivian Campbell, who had replaced Sykes in Whitesnake. Sykes continued his solo career and also led a version of Thin Lizzy without Lynott for several years.
In 2009, Sykes auditioned for Guns N' Roses but was not chosen. He continued to work on solo projects up until his death.
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