Bad Boy Meets sheet Liesel and the White Snake

Hard to believe that the British guitarist John Sykes now already scratching at the fifty Lenzen. His career lasted at least already a quarter of a century, and began at the British NWOBHM troupe Tygers of Pan Tang, with Sykes in the period 1981-1983 published three regular studio albums. Here the Flitzefinger made so far attracted attention when it was sufficient in 1983 to attract the interest of Phil Lynott, the head of the group Thin Lizzy. This was the problem, the second guitar position alongside Scott Gorham (21 Guns) no longer be able to occupy resistant to Brian Robertson. Successively were excreted after short guest appearances Gary Moore, Midge Ure (Ultravox) and Snowy White (PINK FLOYD).

Sykes was hired for the LP "Thunder & Lightning (1983)" and is also heard on the next disc "Live Life". He missed the troops a much harder impact, which manifested itself especially in the title track, as well as the rapid "Cold Sweat". Since the Zinnliesel then dissolved and Lynott died much too early, Sykes use his young fame, to hire around 1984 White with David Coverdale's snake. WHITESNAKE were at that time once again in a state of flux and DC tried to turn away from the strong style similar to Deep Purple, Blue-oriented hard rock towards more commercial sounds to crack the American market. Sykes dynamic game should a newly recorded especially for the American market version of the album "Slide It In" provide the necessary oomph.

A big bang, the two were there but then added to the follow-up album '1987', which is not only in the band's career is a milestone, but the Stonehenge of melodic hard rock. The spirits divorced at this million seller, but the hochmelodiösen and very catchy songs had only partly to do with the blue rock-oriented early works of the band. Coverdale was accused of Sale, the obvious pandering to the American mainstream. The fans wars no matter which disc had already been sold by 2005 more than 12 million times. Sykes famoser contribution to this masterpiece are riffs grade A, high-speed solos and an extremely fat sound. One example is the guitar duel in the middle of the song "Still Of The Night", which still ends each WHITESNAKE show, and the frantic game called in "Bad Boys". The ballad "Is This Love" climbed into the charts. The also represented at this live sampler song "Crying In The Rain" there was a re-recording of the song from the album "Saint & Sinners". The comparison of both songs illustrates best what turn Sykes gave the style of the band.

Coverdale and Sykes came but personally not clear, so that the cooperation was terminated again after the release of the album. Visual impression of the cooperation can be procured on the DVD Live In Japan 1988 '. In recent years there have been rumors of a renewed time collaboration, in fact you go but to date their separate ways.

For Sykes, the split should prove career setback. Although he and Tony Franklin and Carmine Appice, the game technically flawless troop BLUE MURDER, whose debut still gaining recognition in Kenner circles. Coinciding with the follow-up album Nothin But Trouble "it was well over now presented on the here discussed slice the opener We All Fall Down.", The style of 1987 is linked "with a lot of steam and multiple guitar tracks - ie the typical Sykes -Sound - comes up Sykes proved already on this album as a more than passable singer and did in recent years this role also in the THIN LIZZY-memory band more than good..

On this live recording some more songs will be presented from the solo work of guitar heroes. Sykes was accompanied here by his longtime sidekick Marco Mendoza (BLUE MURDER, WHITESNAKE) on bass, keyboardist Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER) and drum legend Tommy Aldridge (WHITESNAKE, GARY MOORE, MANIC EDEN). Who wants to get a picture of the colorful career of one of the most respected guitarists Heavy, can safely access here.

The sound quality is top notch and even WHITESNAKE- and THIN LIZZY fans, the album is of particular appeal because the respective band tracks that were ever written and recorded in itself is in the Twin Guitar situation are presented by the master alone , Since the recordings of four concerts a Japan tour in 2004 comes, unfortunately no real concert atmosphere is mediated. Somewhat annoying is certainly that Sykes in 1994 already "published Screaming Blue Murder, which is also is a live recording, which has to a large extent identical songs.

Comparable Bands: WHITESNAKE, Y & T, BLUE MURDER, THIN LIZZY