As previously reported, guitarist/singer/songwriter John Sykes has completed work on a new album.
Now, Sykes’official website is reporting that they have released a sample selection of John’s latest music. Listen to samples here.
Sykes’ last release was 2004’s Bad Boy Live!
22 Responses
HO*Y SH*T! Those samples sound F’N AWESOME! Usually I don’t like it when an original song gets a “remake” by anybody, but Sykes’ take on Bob Marley’s “Jamming” sounds really cool! 😉 When is the album being released, anybody know?
This is awesome news. Absolutely criminal that this is the first new music in over a decade. Sykes made Whitesnake the monster it became. Coverdale would still be schlepping around if it weren’t for the songs Sykes help write and played on. Such a stylish and original guitarist and song writer.
I completely agree with you. His style of heavy blues rock has always been a favorite of mine. No one else is doing it as well as he does. His playing and singing still sound amazing. I’m not sure he’s human 😉
Very much looking forward to getting some new music from him.
Sorry Michael- but Coverdale and Whitesnake were huge before Sykes came aboard for the “Slide It In” tour. The record was already completed before he signed on and was remixed with Sykes’ playing added in. Whitesnake, while virtually unknown in the States at this time, were headlining Donnington and festivals in Europe. They made around 5 or 6 records before Sykes joined including their best record “Ready and Willing” and the band included Jon Lord and Ian Paice. Later Cozy Powell would fill the drum slot. I love what Sykes brought to the band. He broke them thru in the States, his work on Lizzy’s “Thunder and Lightning ” record is insane, but to say Coverdale was schleeping about until Sykes came onboard is idiotic at best. No offense. Cheers!
I’m going to completely disagree. There’s only one album that most people want to hear, the Whitesnake’s self tilted album with Sykes playing on it. They were relatively unknown worldwide prior to that, and after Sykes left Coverdale couldn’t put together a line up or write songs that even came close to the popularity and sound that Sykes brought to the band. As a teenager in the 80’s, I had never heard of Whitesnake before their self titled album. He’s spent decades trying to recreate that sound.
Without that album with Still of the Night on it, Coverdale would still indeed be schlepping around. Without Sykes, most people would not have heard much of Whitesnake.
It isn’t idiotic, look at album sales. The success of Whitesnake pulled up the sales of Slide it in. It’s what people wanted, and continue to want to hear. They went from a smaller regional hard blues band to a global phenomenon. To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of Coverdale. His band is a revolving door of musicians, and I find it less and less interesting every year that goes by. He fired the whole band that recorded the album, then hired Vandenberg and Campbell to play all the parts live. Then Vandeberg and Vai. Vai won’t even talk about his time in Whitesnake.
The only evidence you need is your ears. Listen to the first Blue Murder album to hear what Whitesnake could have been.
Hey Michael- We will forever be in disagreement, but I do agree the Whitesnake”1987″ album or self titled is a monster. I was a huge ‘Snake fan since the first album as Purple are my fave band. When I first heard this record I knew it would be huge. yes- Sykes took them from a hard blues band into a turbo charged metallic monster. The record with Vai is not good at all. I blame it on hairspray and blow!
respectfully,
Steve!
Hell yeah! It’s time for some new John Sykes music! The guy is a MONSTER guitar player/singer/songwriter! He’s been a HUGE guitar influence on me. His guitar tone and phrasing is incredible and, of course, his jaw-dropping shredding is inspiring to say the least.
I didn’t care for the reggae but still very good. Sykes hasn’t lost that voice one bit and has always retained his signature sound. It’s bad that he isn’t heard more but good because he doesn’t constantly just throw music out there for the sake of putting an album. Whitesnake hasn’t recorded anything worthwhile since Vandenberg left and while Vai is good he just recorded what Sykes and Adrian wrote.
Sykes kinda fell off my musical radar till I purchased Whitesnake’s “Back to the Bone: Live 84′” disc a few weeks ago. My jaw just dropped at his playing on that disc. Reminded me of how great a guitarist he is. Good to see he’s back with new stuff.
Tony,
If you do not have the first Blue Murder CD, I implore you to get it. The second one (Nothing But Trouble)is also great, but that first one is in a class unto itself.
Cheers,
Dana from ET.com 🙂
Yes, that first Blue Murder album is an absolute killer! The other one to get that Sykes is amazing on is Thin Lizzy’s last studio album “Thunder and Lightning”. Pretty sure this was the album/tour he was on (Lizzy’s “farewell” tour w/ Phil Lynott) just before joining Whitesnake. Sykes was so great in Thin Lizzy, and that’s saying a lot when you consider all the killer guitarists who have been in that band.
You are preaching to the choir Mike,
Love him!
D 🙂