His most well known playing is on the 1987 Whitesnake self titled album, also known simply as 1987. For the Whitesnake record John Sykes used two Mesa Boogie Coliseum heads and his favorite Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar.
Sykes fell victim to Whitesnake's revolving door; he was fired near the end of the 1987 recording sessions, but managed to record all his parts, save for the solo on "Here I Go Again" which was added later by Adrian Vandenberg.
This was Whitesnake's most successful recording, selling over 20 million copies worldwide. Songs like "Still of the Night", "Is This Love", "Give Me All Your Love", and particularly "Here I Go Again" were all hits, with the album reaching #2 on the Billboard Top 200.
Hoping to capitalize upon the success of 1987, Geffen Records signed Sykes to form a new band. After auditioning several vocalists (including Tony Martin and Ray Gillen), Sykes was encouraged to handle vocal duties himself. With fretless bassist Tony Franklin and drummer Carmine Appice, Blue Murder was formed.
Their self titled debut did moderately well, with "Valley of the Kings" receiving substantial airplay on MTV's Headbanger's Ball, the follow-up Nothing But Trouble received no promotion from Geffen and died quickly. A live recording, Screaming Blue Murder, was to be the band's final release.
Sykes has since recorded several solo albums, including Loveland, 20th Century, and Nuclear Cowboy. His latest album is a new live recording titled Bad Boy Live, which covers a large swath of his career, from the Thin Lizzy days through his most recent solo efforts.
In 1999, John Sykes' solo song "Cautionary Warning" was used in the anime series Black Heaven. The footage accompanying the song was rotoscoped from one of Sykes' concerts, which was a very striking statement for use in previews. Sykes' involvement in the series was the key feature of Pioneer USA's marketing.
In 2006, he got his own signature Gibson Les Paul Custom which was modeled after his favorite guitar, and has used it when touring with Thin Lizzy all around the UK and Ireland.
After over a decade fronting the reformed Thin Lizzy, John announced his departure from the band in June 2009.
Solo albums
As Sykes - Out of My Tree (1995)
As John Sykes - Loveland (1997)
As Sykes - 20th Century (1997)
As Sykes - Nuclear Cowboy (2000)
As John Sykes - Bad Boy Live! (2004)
As John Sykes - Sy-Ops (2021)
Still of the Night
John Sykes Lyrics
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I feel the wolf howl, honey
Sniffing around your door
In the still of the night
I feel my heart beating heavy
Telling me I gotta have more
Yeah
I see the full moon rise
Telling me what's in store
My heart start aching
My body start a shaking
And I can't take no more, no, no, no
Uh baby
Now I just wanna get close to you
An taste your love so sweet
And I just wanna make love to you
Feel your body heat
In the still of the night
In the still of the night baby
Oh yeah
In the heat of the day
I hang my head down low
And hide my face from the sun
Through the shadow of light
Until the evening time
I'm waiting for the night to come
Uh baby
In the still of the night
In the cool moonlight
I feel my heart is aching
In the still of the night
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
In the still of the night
I hear the wolf howl, honey
Sniffing around your door
In the still of the night
I feel my heart beating heavy
Telling me I gotta have more
Uh baby
Now I just wanna get close to you
An taste your love so sweet
And I just wanna make love to you
Feel your body heat yeah
In the still of the night
Still of the night
Still of the night
Still of the night
The lyrics to John Sykes's song "Still of the Night" suggest an urgent desire for physical intimacy. The first lines describe the singer hearing a wolf howl and feeling the desire to be with someone, possibly the object of the wolf's attention, and the second verse suggests that this desire intensifies as night falls. The chorus declares the singer's desperation for the attentions of a lover in the still of the night. The third verse describes the singer's reluctance to show himself during the heat of the day and suggests that he is waiting for the cover of darkness to pursue his desires again.
The lyrics of the song suggest that the singer is overwhelmed by his need to be with a lover, and that this need is powerful and almost animalistic. By evoking the image of a wolf howling, the song suggests that the singer is being driven by a primal instinct that cannot be ignored. The emphasis on the "still of the night" suggests that this is a time when the singer can be his true self, free from the constraints of society and its expectations. Ultimately, the song is a celebration of desire and passion, and its lyrics suggest that these are forces that are too strong to be denied.
Line by Line Meaning
In the still of the night
In the quietness of the night
I feel the wolf howl, honey
I sense danger lurking nearby
Sniffing around your door
Seeking an opportunity to attack or prey on someone
I feel my heart beating heavy
My heart is pounding with desire
Telling me I gotta have more
I yearn for more of your love
In the shadow of night
In the darkness of the night
I see the full moon rise
I am aware of the passage of time
Telling me what's in store
Revealing the possibilities of the night
My heart start aching
I am overwhelmed with intense emotions
My body start a shaking
My body is wracked with desire
And I can't take no more, no, no, no
I am unable to resist my impulses
Now I just wanna get close to you
I desire intimacy with you
An taste your love so sweet
I crave the sweetness of your affection
And I just wanna make love to you
I long to express my passion physically with you
Feel your body heat
Experience the intensity of our connection
In the heat of the day
During the intense part of the day
I hang my head down low
I am ashamed or depressed
And hide my face from the sun
Seek shade or shelter from the harshness of the world
Through the shadow of light
Despite the fleeting moments of hope
Until the evening time
Awaiting the return of the night
In the cool moonlight
In the soft, gentle light of the moon
I feel my heart is aching
My heart is overwhelmed with longing
Still of the night
The tranquility of the night
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Coverdale, John Sykes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Logan Gabriel
John Sykes is without a doubt one of the greatest guitarists and songwriters of the 20th century...WHY ARE WE NOT TALKING ABOUT HIM MORE!!!!???
Tangerine Rose
He got phucked over big time, then he picked up the pieces and started over just for grunge to take over the music scene. Then the music industry, business side, changed and not for tbe better for musicians. Its difficult to keep getting back up after being beaten down...especially as you age .. more to life than that . He'll be 64 this July.. let him retire and live the rest of his life on his terms....I get it.
Sir Chromium Downs
Because he's not out doing anything. I wish he would, the guy is a fantastic player.
Guitar Junkie
Because he has a small body of work. That was his choice. He's one of my favorites, but I gotta be honest.
Tangerine Rose
@Guitar Junkie quality over quantity...just saying
nicconley
John Sykes was the most talented member of Whitesnake. Even Stevie Vai said learning his solos was more than challenging.
gsxerwhite
Damn that’s a compliment from someone who had to learn all Zappa’s stuff note for note at age 21 😅
Irena Wegielski
Excellent
Leonardo Xavier da Silva
Vai is a gentleman.
Space Jockey
Sykes’ solos aren’t good because they’re “challenging,” they’re good because they’re good. And there are many “challenging” solos in the world of shred guitar that are utterly forgettable. Then you have a solo like Cinderella’s “Nobody’s Fool” that is slow and rather simple, yet a great solo.