WHEN you have Tygers of Pan Tang, Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake on your CV, you have earned the right to be referred to as a ‘legend’.
That is definitely the term being used to describe John Sykes who sadly passed away after a long battle with cancer. He was 65
A statement on his social media today (Jan 21) read: “It is with great sorrow we share that John Sykes has passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer. 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.
“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.
“While the impact of his loss is profound and the mood somber, we hope the light of his memory will extinguish the shadow of his absence.”
He famously played on Whitesnake’s Slide It In album (1984) and the multi-platinum self titled record from 1987, which saw the band gain a firm foothold in America. However, things soured when lead singer David Coverdale fired Sykes and the rest of the band, leading the six-stringer to claim that he never wanted to speak to the frontman again.
However, Coverdale expressed his condolences on social media by saying: “Just heard the shocking news of John’s passing...My sincere condolences to his family, friends & fans...”
Guns N Roses axeman, Slash, also paid tribute on Instagram with a simple message of “R.I.P”, underlining the influence Sykes had on a generation of guitar players.
Sykes was born on 29 July 1959 in Reading, Berkshire.
He is survived by his ex-wife, Jennifer Brooks Sykes, and three children – James, John Jr and Sean.
