Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes dead at 65
The former Thin Lizzy guitarist, John Sykes, has died at the age of 65, following a battle with cancer.
Influenced by the likes of Jimmy Page and Ritchie Blackmore, Sykes was known for his mastery of alternate picking, doubled‐note lines and pinch harmonics, and described himself as a “blues player that plays rock”.
He first broke through with the metal band Tygers of Pan Tang in the early 1980s before joining the legendary Irish rock band Thin Lizzy for their 12th and final album in 1983, Thunder and Lightning. He became a member of Whitesnake in 1987 and was featured on their best-selling self-titled album from that year. After leaving under acrimonious circumstances, due to issues with frontman David Coverdale, he formed his own group, Blue Murder, with Tony Franklin and Carmine Appice in 1987.
The outfit released two albums and a live record, and after that, Sykes went solo. Across the ’90s and early ’00s, he divided his time between fronting Thin Lizzy and his solo career. He left the Irish band in 2009 to focus on his solo work.
The news of Sykes’s death was announced on his social media channels.
“It is with great sorrow we share that John Sykes has passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer,” the statement reads. “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.”
It continued: “He certainly marched to the beat of his own drum and always pulled for the underdog. In his final days, he spoke of his sincere love and gratitude for his fans who stuck by him through all these years.”
Adding: “While the impact of his loss is profound and the mood sombre, we hope the light of his memory will extinguish the shadow of his absence.”
Sykes is survived by his three sons James, John Jr and Sean.
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