blue murder // john sykes

[university81]

the 1989 album Currently on heavy repeat in the car, john sykes is a killer player and vocalist

80s hair and clothes alert

or how's about this 2005 version of bad boys (audio sync goes off a bit unfortunately)

singing and ripping guitar , good stuff

 

[Deleted member 3860]

When the first Blue Murder disc came out I worked in a music store.
It was in the cut out bin in a matter of weeks.
I took one home.
I still own it and to this day could never figure out why that album was in the cut out bin.

R~

 

[jerrydyer]

My favorite tone right there.

 

[university81]

When the first Blue Murder disc came out I worked in a music store.
It was in the cut out bin in a matter of weeks.
I took one home.
I still own it and to this day could never figure out why that album was in the cut out bin.

R~

that's nuts, well it was kinda at the end of the whole hair metal thing i guess, a shame, i only discovered them last year after an intense hair metal and youtube talk session with some friends who are a lot more knowledgeable than me heh

the main/verse riff in this is headbanging goodness

 

[Superunknown]

 

[Gainfreak]

Sykes Owns

He is One of my favorite guitar players and he also had one of my favorite guitar tones as well .

That album is regarded as one of the best AOR albums of all time with fans of that genre. There was a major buzz about the record before and after it first came out but I don't think they got a decent push from the record company, which probably added to the breakup of the band. I was surprised to see the second album come out in 93 and I heard that they got ZERO push fro Geffen when that album came out which is baffling to me. I know that 80's metal was pretty much done around that time but they still could have pushed the album.Why bother having John record the album and then giving it no attention? WTF?

 

[bigangryguitar]

Sykes Owns

He is One of my favorite guitar players and he also had one of my favorite guitar tones as well .

That album is regarded as one of the best AOR albums of all time with fans of that genre. There was a major buzz about the record before and after it first came out but I don't think they got a decent push from the record company, which probably added to the breakup of the band. I was surprised to see the second album come out in 93 and I heard that they got ZERO push fro Geffen when that album came out which is baffling to me. I know that 80's metal was pretty much done around that time but they still could have pushed the album.Why bother having John record the album and then giving it no attention? WTF?

Totally agreed, I actually got the second one first and still love it. Both have killer tone and playing. John is the man.

 

[thiswaythatway]

The solos on this are classic Sykes, and i can't help but to play leads like this when i grab a Les Paul.

And you gotta love that 80's clean tone. Sounds like the same clean guitar you'd hear on any Miller Light or Budweiser commercial.

 

[bonedish]

+1

One of my favorite guitar players and bands! I will never really understand why David Coverdale got rid of him??? I've always wondered what Whitesnake would have been had Sykes stayed in the band.

No worries, though, BOTH Blue Murder albums way more than made up for this, IMHO! Ptolemy is def one of my favorites!

 

[Mailman1971]

I hear this song all the time on XM radio.....
didnt like it at first...but it grew on me!
Last half of the song is just killer....

 

[phil b]

Sykes Owns

He is One of my favorite guitar players and he also had one of my favorite guitar tones as well .

That album is regarded as one of the best AOR albums of all time with fans of that genre. There was a major buzz about the record before and after it first came out but I don't think they got a decent push from the record company, which probably added to the breakup of the band. I was surprised to see the second album come out in 93 and I heard that they got ZERO push fro Geffen when that album came out which is baffling to me. I know that 80's metal was pretty much done around that time but they still could have pushed the album.Why bother having John record the album and then giving it no attention? WTF?

Unfortunately that in the business is known as a write off and it happens quite alot with some really good bands.

 

[OUTLAW1969]

The solos on this are classic Sykes, and i can't help but to play leads like this when i grab a Les Paul.

One of my favorites, too. I cannot help but think that when Sykes picked Tony Franklin to play in Blue Murder, he made a great decision. I am not a big fan of most bass players, but Tony's fretless bass lines and techniques, certainly add to this album.

 

[boost]

Put some shoes on hippy!

 

[Drew]

Sykes Owns

He is One of my favorite guitar players and he also had one of my favorite guitar tones as well .

That album is regarded as one of the best AOR albums of all time with fans of that genre. There was a major buzz about the record before and after it first came out but I don't think they got a decent push from the record company, which probably added to the breakup of the band. I was surprised to see the second album come out in 93 and I heard that they got ZERO push fro Geffen when that album came out which is baffling to me. I know that 80's metal was pretty much done around that time but they still could have pushed the album.Why bother having John record the album and then giving it no attention? WTF?

The first album got very little push after an initial surge because the singer of another band on the same label heard it and demanded it not get any PR behind it or he would be taking his band and leaving the label as soon as possible. And the fact that singer's band had made the label a boat load of money carried some weight. Kind of ironic, huh? The second album came out to fulfill the contractual obligation.

 

[Gainfreak]

Sykes Owns

He is One of my favorite guitar players and he also had one of my favorite guitar tones as well .

That album is regarded as one of the best AOR albums of all time with fans of that genre. There was a major buzz about the record before and after it first came out but I don't think they got a decent push from the record company, which probably added to the breakup of the band. I was surprised to see the second album come out in 93 and I heard that they got ZERO push fro Geffen when that album came out which is baffling to me. I know that 80's metal was pretty much done around that time but they still could have pushed the album.Why bother having John record the album and then giving it no attention? WTF?

The first album got very little push after an initial surge because the singer of another band on the same label heard it and demanded it not get any PR behind it or he would be taking his band and leaving the label as soon as possible. And the fact that singer's band had made the label a boat load of money carried some weight. Kind of ironic, huh? The second album came out to fulfill the contractual obligation.

Thanks Drew.

Man what a D*ck thing to do. I hate hearing about that type of stuff.

I gotta say that I have a new found respect for John given the fact of how much BS the guy went through. (and Ive had a TON of respect for him already!)
That's just mind blowing to me that someone would do that. Total nonsense/BS.

 

[TTripp]

Sykes Owns

He is One of my favorite guitar players and he also had one of my favorite guitar tones as well .

That album is regarded as one of the best AOR albums of all time with fans of that genre. There was a major buzz about the record before and after it first came out but I don't think they got a decent push from the record company, which probably added to the breakup of the band. I was surprised to see the second album come out in 93 and I heard that they got ZERO push fro Geffen when that album came out which is baffling to me. I know that 80's metal was pretty much done around that time but they still could have pushed the album.Why bother having John record the album and then giving it no attention? WTF?

The first album got very little push after an initial surge because the singer of another band on the same label heard it and demanded it not get any PR behind it or he would be taking his band and leaving the label as soon as possible. And the fact that singer's band had made the label a boat load of money carried some weight. Kind of ironic, huh? The second album came out to fulfill the contractual obligation.

I've read a few interviews with Sykes where he describes the situation as just that. Coverdale was the big dog at Geffen at the time, and had them pull the plug on Blue Murder. Sykes was stuck, and by the time he could start making records for another label, it was just too late.

 

[Drew]

Sykes Owns

He is One of my favorite guitar players and he also had one of my favorite guitar tones as well .

That album is regarded as one of the best AOR albums of all time with fans of that genre. There was a major buzz about the record before and after it first came out but I don't think they got a decent push from the record company, which probably added to the breakup of the band. I was surprised to see the second album come out in 93 and I heard that they got ZERO push fro Geffen when that album came out which is baffling to me. I know that 80's metal was pretty much done around that time but they still could have pushed the album.Why bother having John record the album and then giving it no attention? WTF?

The first album got very little push after an initial surge because the singer of another band on the same label heard it and demanded it not get any PR behind it or he would be taking his band and leaving the label as soon as possible. And the fact that singer's band had made the label a boat load of money carried some weight. Kind of ironic, huh? The second album came out to fulfill the contractual obligation.

I've read a few interviews with Sykes where he describes the situation as just that. Coverdale was the big dog at Geffen at the time, and had them pull the plug on Blue Murder. Sykes was stuck, and by the time he could start making records for another label, it was just too late.

He kind of knew that was a possibility when he signed with Geffen but they offered him such a good deal and much more than any other label was offering that he figured he'd give it a shot.

 

[duesentrieb]

JS rules.

Hi Drew btw.

 

[OUTLAW1969]

Sykes Owns

He is One of my favorite guitar players and he also had one of my favorite guitar tones as well .

That album is regarded as one of the best AOR albums of all time with fans of that genre. There was a major buzz about the record before and after it first came out but I don't think they got a decent push from the record company, which probably added to the breakup of the band. I was surprised to see the second album come out in 93 and I heard that they got ZERO push fro Geffen when that album came out which is baffling to me. I know that 80's metal was pretty much done around that time but they still could have pushed the album.Why bother having John record the album and then giving it no attention? WTF?

The first album got very little push after an initial surge because the singer of another band on the same label heard it and demanded it not get any PR behind it or he would be taking his band and leaving the label as soon as possible. And the fact that singer's band had made the label a boat load of money carried some weight. Kind of ironic, huh? The second album came out to fulfill the contractual obligation.

I've read a few interviews with Sykes where he describes the situation as just that. Coverdale was the big dog at Geffen at the time, and had them pull the plug on Blue Murder. Sykes was stuck, and by the time he could start making records for another label, it was just too late.

He kind of knew that was a possibility when he signed with Geffen but they offered him such a good deal and much more than any other label was offering that he figured he'd give it a shot.

A dick move on Coverdale AND Geffens part. Sykes made Geffen ALOT of money too, by bringing WS back to the forefront.

 

[Gainfreak]

Sykes Owns

He is One of my favorite guitar players and he also had one of my favorite guitar tones as well .

That album is regarded as one of the best AOR albums of all time with fans of that genre. There was a major buzz about the record before and after it first came out but I don't think they got a decent push from the record company, which probably added to the breakup of the band. I was surprised to see the second album come out in 93 and I heard that they got ZERO push fro Geffen when that album came out which is baffling to me. I know that 80's metal was pretty much done around that time but they still could have pushed the album.Why bother having John record the album and then giving it no attention? WTF?

The first album got very little push after an initial surge because the singer of another band on the same label heard it and demanded it not get any PR behind it or he would be taking his band and leaving the label as soon as possible. And the fact that singer's band had made the label a boat load of money carried some weight. Kind of ironic, huh? The second album came out to fulfill the contractual obligation.

I've read a few interviews with Sykes where he describes the situation as just that. Coverdale was the big dog at Geffen at the time, and had them pull the plug on Blue Murder. Sykes was stuck, and by the time he could start making records for another label, it was just too late.

He kind of knew that was a possibility when he signed with Geffen but they offered him such a good deal and much more than any other label was offering that he figured he'd give it a shot.

It's a shame really and I guess it was one of those toss up decisions that John had to make. He could have gambled and gone with another label, made less money up front and possibly more in the long run or he could sign a deal wih Geffen for more money and run the risk of having Coverdale screw with him. I think at the time it made total sense for him to take the Geffen deal because of the money. Im sure that he figured that if Coverdale did screw with him, he could finish out his contract and move on, but as luck would have it, the whole freaking music industry changed. The whole political/ business side of music sucks IMHO.

Hi OlaF!