OPETH‘s Mikael Åkerfeldt has paid tribute to legendary English guitarist John Sykes (TYGERS OF PAN TANG, THIN LIZZY, WHITESNAKE, BLUE MURDER, SYKES),who died earlier this week on the age of 65.
Sykes, who carried out with THIN LIZZY and WHITESNAKE within the Eighties, died following a battle with most cancers, a press release posted on his verified Fb web page stated on Monday (January 20).
Earlier as we speak (Tuesday, January 21),Mikael shared the next message through the OPETH social media: “Wow, I used to be utterly stunned and shocked to listen to in regards to the passing of the good John Sykes. Now, there is a guitar participant that is virtually body by body the picture that is conjured up if you consider a ‘heavy metallic/rock guitarist’.
“I used to be by no means an enormous fan of TYGERS OF PAN TANG, as a result of I by no means actually listened a lot to them. I’ve the ‘Wild Cat’ document and a few others, however once I consider John Sykes I consider ‘1987’ by WHITESNAKE in addition to BLUE MURDER. His nice challenge with Carmine Appice and Tony Franklin. The music of BLUE MURDER is typically utilized by OPETH after we really feel drained and are missing in power earlier than a present. We typically placed on the track ‘I am On Fireplace’ by BLUE MURDER, however with Kelly Keeling on vocals. That track is definitely sure to wake you up, it is so excessive! After which after all there’s that THIN LIZZY album he was on. ‘Thunder And Lightning’. Nice document!
“I noticed him reside solely as soon as. He was fronting a reunited model of THIN LIZZY that felt extra supposed as a tribute to Phil Lynott maybe? Both method, it was nice to listen to these basic tunes even when Phil clearly wasn’t there. I do know that [OPETH guitarist] Fredrik [Åkesson] is a large fan of Sykes, and even frolicked with him a few occasions. That is one other story, and one which’s finest instructed by Fredrik himself.
“John was an impressive guitarist for my part. And singer/songwriter too! He had a large vibrato that I suppose is an acquired style, however I’ve all the time beloved his nice really feel and emotional taking part in. I first heard about him when he appeared within the video for ‘Sluggish An’ Simple’ by WHITESNAKE. A brand new model of the track from the one I used to be used to, full with Sykes reimagined guitar overdubs. He made it sound a bit extra metallic (which I appreciated) however had the nice style to maintain the unique (and wonderful) guitar solo by Micky Moody. Proper?
“Anyhow, I digress considerably. On behalf of OPETH I need to lengthen our warmest condolences to John‘s household and pals. A fantastic loss certainly!”
John‘s best-known work was when he joined WHITESNAKE and co-wrote the band’s self-titled seventh studio album, launched in 1987. It produced a significant energy ballad hit, “Is This Love”, together with the No. 1 hit “Right here I Go Once more”. The album was a significant crossover hit, finally promoting over eight million copies within the U.S. alone.
Sykes co-wrote 9 of the tracks on “Whitesnake”, together with mega-hits “Nonetheless Of The Evening” and “Is This Love?”
Sykes discovered himself thrown out of WHITESNAKE, alongside bassist Neil Murray and drummer Aynsley Dunbar, even earlier than the album had been launched. WHITESNAKE singer and chief David Coverdale then assembled a wholly totally different, MTV-friendly group to tour the document.
Sykes introduced his departure from THIN LIZZY in July 2009, explaining that “I really feel it is time to get again to taking part in my very own music.”
BLUE MURDER was shaped by Sykes and launched two studio albums — 1989’s self-titled effort and the 1993 follow-up, “Nothin’ However Hassle” — earlier than calling it quits.
