You are my instigator
You are my aggravator
You are my space invader
Cautionary warning
I propose
You are my complicator
You are my instigator
You are my aggravator
Cautionary warning
I propose to you

I guess the boy took it one step over the line
Sold his soul to the dark unholy sign
Now, only time will tell
Will it take you down
Or will you pull through
It’s like a voice from the burning fires of hell
Selling sin
Now you’ve fallen for the spell
And only time will tell
Will it take you down
Or will you pull through
It’s calling out to you

You are my instigator
You are my aggravator
You are my space invader
Cautionary warning
I propose
You are my complicator
You are my instigator
You are my aggravator
Cautionary warning
I propose to you

You are my instigator
You are my aggravator
You are my space invader
Cautionary warning
I propose
You are my complicator
You are my instigator
You are my aggravator
Cautionary warning
I propose to you

So now you’re down
Have you lost yourself control
To the one you believed could save your soul
Now only time will tell
Will it take you down
Or will you pull through
Like a voice in the darkness of the night
Telling tales
You’ve become what you despise
And only time will tell
Will it take you down
Or will you pull through

You are my instigator
You are my aggravator
You are my space invader
Cautionary warning
I propose
You are my complicator
You are my instigator
You are my aggravator
Cautionary warning
I propose to you

Well i’m talking ’bout the isolation
Complication
Aggravation
Voices inside my head
Something that you said
Well, i don’t know
Something drove me to the act
But i just couldn’t recollect
If it was 10 or was it 20 blows
The voice said once again
But i don’t know
It’s a fundamental fact
That no one knows who’s where
Or what they are at
At any time of day
There’s no one left to say
So who’s to know
So who’s to know

… más grandes que la vida: Guilty of love (1983) de Whitesnake.

I believe my love for you
Is a love that will last forever,
An Im here to testify
Im a prisoner of your heart
Baby dont you believe
When I tell you I love you
That I really mean it,
Dont you walk away,
Dont you turn your back on me

Guilty of love,
Im guilty of love,
Im guilty,
In the first degree…

El anterior era el video original y la que sigue es una actuación del 1984 en un tv sueca, ya con John Sykes. Como seguro sabes, el disco que la incluía y de la que fue single, Slide it in , tuvo dos versiones: la original, con la formación guitarrera clásica con Bernie Marden y Mickey Moody, y la americana, ya con Sykes de guitar hero, que regrabó varias pistas de guitarra y solos. A lo que iba. La canción es una explosión de jovialidad, ritmo, desenfreno, con una melodía en la que cada nota es un subidón, un punteo para enloquecer. Uno de los singles más perfectos que jamás se han compuesto. Y la pregunta es: ¿por qué Whitesnake dejaron de interpretarla en la gira de 1987, justo cuando en ese nuevo repertorio enlazaría mejor que antes? He visto por ahí que en su última gira del 2008 si repescó la canción, pero yo jamás he podido escucharla en vivo, y te juro que perdería la cabeza si lo hiciese.

Ahí es el momento en que los Whitesnake hard blueseros clásicos se pasan a la MTV y David Coverdale se convierte en el guaperas numero 1 del rock para grabar, poco después ese genial 1987.Pero yo a David Coverdale se lo perdono todo, porque es uno de los mejores vocalistas que ha dado el mundo del rock, porque tiene un repertorio espectacular con sus Whitesnake y, también, momentos sublimes al frente de Deep Purple (Burn)… y porque recordaré para siempre la media hora en que estuve hablando con él por teléfono en una entrevista promocional. Es uno de los  momentos de mi vida. Un tío simpático, agradable, nada divo, con ganas de responder a todas las preguntas, con ánimo para bromear… tal vez porque presentaba un disco flojillo como Resless Heart. , que jamás me apetece escuchar. ¿Cómo voy a acercarme a una estantería de vinilos o CDs, tener al lado Ready n’Willing, Live in the Heart of the City, Slide it in, 1987 o Lovehunter… y escoger Restless Heart? En fin, Whitesnake forever.

“The Boys are Back in Town”. Mesmo que você não conheça a ótima banda irlandesa Thin Lizzy, é grande a chance de já ter ouvido esse rock, no rádio, em trilhas de filmes, como “Toy Story” (no caso da animação da Pixar/Disney, o clássico do Thin Lizzy foi usado em trailers). É boa também a chance de você ter ouvido sucessos do Thin Lizzy regravados por nomes como Metallica (“Whiskey in the Jar”, presente em “Garage Inc” que teve clip e tudo), Iron Maiden (“Massacre”, lado B do single “Can I Play With Madness”), Smashing Pumpkins (“Dancing with the Moonlight”, lado B do CD single “Disarm”). Como a banda de Phil Lynnot acabou em 1983 e poucos discos foram lançados no Brasil, infelizmente o Thin Lizzy não é conhecido como deveria por aqui. E como deveria: junto com o Judas Priest, os irlandeses ajudaram a consolidar o formato de duas guitarras-solo. E como Lynnot “lançou” grandes nomes da guitarra!

Gary Moore! Scott Gorham! Brian Robertson (também passou pelo Motörhead). E John Sykes, que arrasou no Rock in Rio I (1985) tocando com o Whitesnake de David Coverdale! Até pouco tempo atrás, Sykes participava de uma banda que toca na Europa ainda com o nome de Thin Lizzy. Mas tenho dúvidas sobre esse tipo de revival. Meio complicado pensar em Lizzy sem Lynnot e sua voz rouca – principal compositor e marca registrada da banda. Após o último show do Thin Lizzy, em 4 de setembro de 1983, no Monsters of Rock Festival de Nuremberg, Alemanha, Lynnot (filho de irlandesa com brasileiro!) gravou discos-solo, mas às voltas com vício em drogas, morreu em janeiro de 1986.

Então, amigo, se você gosta de rock e não conhece Thin Lizzy, d e m o r o u. Recomendo uma visita a este site. Como fica transparente pelo bom número de canções regravadas, grandes bandas assumem que o Thin Lizzy foi de grande influência – casos de Iron Maiden e Metallica (veja o clip da versão do Metallica para Whiskey in the Jar, que o Lizzy consagrou, mas na verdade é um canção tradicional irlandesa). Valeu?

What a great life this man had. He created an icon. Countless riffs have been made on his guitars…his life was amazing. I’m getting kinda choked up thinking about it all…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Paul

One of the most famous Les Paul users…

Other notable Les Paul users…

Thin Lizzy – Thunder and Lightning (2001, Wounded Bird Records)
Original Release: 1983, PolyGram/Vertigo Records

1. “Thunder and Lightning” … 4:54
2. “This Is the One” … 4:03
3. “The Sun Goes Down” … 6:18
4. “The Holy War” … 5:11
5. “Cold Sweat” … 3:06
6. “Someday She Is Going to Hit Back” … 4:05
7. “Baby Please Don’t Go” … 5:08
8. “Bad Habits” … 4:04
9. “Heart Attack” … 3:39

Band:
Phil Lynott – Lead Vocals, Bass
Scott Gorham – Guitar
John Sykes – Guitar
Brian Downey – Drums
Darren Wharton – Keyboards, Backing Vocals

Produced by: Thin Lizzy and Chris Tsangarides

I’ve slowly been acquiring Thin Lizzy albums and this one was near the top of my list because I kept reading that it was their heaviest and had an “80s sound” to it. I don’t think any of the critics meant “80s sound” as a compliment, but terms like that attract me to albums, not repel me. And just take a look at that cover! That’s metal, baby!

At this point, I’m not expert of Thin Lizzy, but from everything I’ve heard from them, this is by and far my favorite release. What a note to go out on! From beginning to end, this album does not let up. It still sounds like Thin Lizzy but from the opening track, you KNOW the band is packing a lot of punch and aggression on this release along with that “80s sound” and some great guitar playing, no doubt helped along by the band’s new guitarist John Sykes (Whitesnake, Blue Murder).

This release isn’t really pointed at as essential Thin Lizzy, but I don’t see why not. Listen to “The Holy War”, “Cold Sweat” and “Bad Habits” and tell me they don’t deserve to be ranked against any other Thin Lizzy song!

Highlights: I honestly cannot pick just a handful of songs. This may now be one of my favorite albums EVER. Infectious and hard rocking nonstop.

Classic Thin Lizzy:
www.thinlizzy.org
www.myspace.com/phillynott

Scott Gorham/John Sykes Thin Lizzy tribute band:
www.thinlizzyonline.com
www.myspace.com/thinlizzynow

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Victory in the G2 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga put the Smarty Jones colt Backtalk in the winner’s circle for the third time in three starts.

Following an eye-catching debut over five furlongs at Churchill Downs, Backtalk became his sire’s first graded stakes winner in the Bashford Manor (G3), also at Churchill.

The colt’s most recent success in this week’s Sanford has made him one of the contenders among the leaders of his generation, and when getting up in the final strides for his come from behind victory at Saratoga, Backtalk looked quite like his maternal grandsire Affirmed and appears ready to tackle longer distances.

That opportunity is likely to come in the G1 Hopeful Stakes. Paul Bulmahn races Backtalk in the name of his Gold Mark Farm LLC, and Gold Mark’s farm manager Todd Quast said, “The Hopeful is the next logical place, but the thing about him is that he shouldn’t be winning at five and six furlongs. He should love a mile and more.

“We know how good he is, and we’re letting him tell us when he wants to go on to the next one. Tom Amoss is a very good evaluator of the horse’s condition and readiness, and he is a crucial part of developing this colt and putting him in a position to show his best,” Quast said.

Backtalk is also the most promising racer for Gold Mark in its short history. Quast said, “We bought the property in 2002, rebuilt it, and the 2,200-acre farm is now state of the art. We have outstanding facilities for stabling and exercising. This is a passion for Mr. Bulmahn, whose business in Texas is oil and gas, and my desire to work with the best was developed from 11 years with Wayne Lukas. From 2002 through 2006 we were building houses, barns, and the synthetic track.”

Now Quast is building Gold Mark’s racing stable and future breeding operation. He said, “We buy 20 to 25 horses every year with the intention of doing what Backtalk is doing. We buy about one-third colts, two-thirds fillies, and I train them on the farm in Ocala, along with horses from other select owners.”

In addition to his success for Gold Mark, the chestnut colt is also the latest gold nugget for the racing and breeding operation of John Sykes, who purchased the dam of Smarty Jones and sold her through Brent Fernung’s Journeyman Bloodstock after the chestnut son of Elusive Quality had established his classic credentials with victories in the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

Retired to stud at Three Chimneys Farm after his only loss (in the Belmont Stakes to the highly ranked second-crop sire Birdstone), Smarty Jones drew enthusiastic support from some breeders, including Sykes.

In fact, his regard for the classic winner was such that he sent one of his best broodmares, the Affirmed stakes winner Apasionata Sonata, to the classic winner. Sykes had purchased the stakes-winning mare, once again through Fernung, for $325,000 at the Keeneland November sale just days after selling I’ll Get Along, the dam of Smarty Jones, for $5 million at Fasig-Tipton.

Fernung recalled the purchase and said, “Apasionata Sonata was a big, leggy mare who was maybe a little light in the hip. She had a big shoulder and forearm and had that longer, two-turn body. And she fit a criteria I was looking for, having a big enough body, enough length between withers to hip that gave her the space to carry a nice foal. She wasn’t as attractive as I’ll Get Along, but she had the same presence to her.”

“My pedigree considerations are a little different from some other people. That she was by Affirmed was a plus, and she was a stakes-winning mare, which was another big positive.”

“The foal she was carrying at the sale turned out to be [graded stakes winner] Bsharpsonata. For such a nice filly as she became, she was somewhat nondescript as a foal. She was kinda small and crooked early on but really improved when we put the tack on her, and she was all racehorse.”

Since the broodmare’s first foal was rather small, the mare was bred back to Giant’s Causeway, and Fernung recalled that Apasionata Sonata had a “giant moose of a colt, and I decided we needed to strike a balance here. Breeding her to Smarty Jones seemed to achieve that balance, and apparently worked pretty good.”

Backtalk was among the last crop of foals that Sykes bred at Cloverleaf Farm in Florida. In midsummer 2007, he acquired property in Kentucky that is now called Woodford Thoroughbreds and “sent that little guy [Backtalk] up to Kentucky when he was four or five months old,” Fernung recalled.

That was the last time Fernung saw Backtalk until “I saw him in the back walking ring at Keeneland when Todd Quast bought him [for $250,000], and he was by far the best-looking colt that mare had produced,” Fernung concluded.

Quast said, “Backtalk was a very good-looking individual. He was smart, and he carried himself well. Our plan is buy horses that look like athletes and have enough page that they could become stallions if they prove themselves at the racetrack. The year before we had tried to buy a filly by Smarty Jones named Be Smart, and I didn’t get her bought, but Wayne did and asked if I would break her, and seeing her physical type in this colt was a lot of the thought behind buying him.

“We had liked Be Smart a lot here on the farm,” Quast said, and she went on to race well at the track, winning a maiden special at Saratoga and then running second in the G1 Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland.

He continued, “A lot of sires have their better runners in a particular physical type. A bigger, scopier horse that had a little more size were the most obvious traits Be Smart and Backtalk both possessed. And the athleticism they showed at a walk was there too.

“In fact, this colt got loose at the sale, and I got to see him make some moves that were a little different before I caught him, but it showed that he had some finesse and natural grace, along with good size, balance, and a big engine.”

All those qualities are aids to the chestnut star from the second crop of Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones, and Backtalk’s will to win has put him in the winner’s circle every time.

John Sykes Company is serving as the Tower I roofing installer for the Revel Hotel & Casino, a 20-acre beachfront resort in Atlantic City. The resort will feature two 53-story, 1,900-room hotel towers and a five-story structural steel podium. 

Atlantic City

Quickly supressing all concerns and questions about what would happen to Project Playlist (now apparently just called “Playlist”) after CEO Owen Van Natta left to become CEO of MySpace, the startup music-streaming site today named MTV co-founder John Sykes as its new CEO.

Van Natta will also continue to serve as an advisor to Playlist. (Hmm, does that mean…

continue reading srom source by Hilary Lewis

Chairman Tower Featured on Right of Photograph

The exclusive Chairman Tower opened in Atlantic City in September 2008.  John Sykes Co., Inc. completed the roofing, sheet metal, and waterproofing for the job. 

The $255 million Chairman Tower features 782 guest rooms, including 74 suites – eight of which will be at the Penthouse level and offer full-scale luxury. These suites boast the same striking style, plush amenities and impeccable service for which Taj Mahal’s legendary Penthouse Suites are so revered. Together, Trump Taj Mahal’s room inventory in The Chairman Tower and Taj Tower will total 2,032 rooms and suites.

Erin Sykes, LEED AP

Erin Sykes has become the 5th generation to join John Sykes Roofing and Sheet Metal, a forerunner in Atlantic City construction since 1901. Erin recently earned her MBA Cum Laude from Pepperdine University and is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professional. Erin will help to pioneer the ‘green’ movement in Atlantic City through the launch of a sustainable building division to expand Sykes Company’s roofing, sheet metal, and ventilation services firm. The ‘Build Green, Save Green’ division will be built on the principals of the innovative LEED system that encourages the global adoption of green building and development practices through universally accepted tools and performance criteria. Enthusiasm for the movement is especially robust in New Jersey due to the opportunity to earn state and national tax credits for implementing sustainable development techniques. For more information about the LEED Green Building Rating System, please contact Erin Sykes at erin@johnsykescompany.com

Our founder, John Sykes came to Atlantic City from his birthplace in Philadelphia in the spring of 1875. He served his apprenticeship as a tin roofer and metal worker with Currie Plumbing & Roofing Company. In 1901, he opened his own business with three of his sons, John II, Frank, and Dan. During the 1920s most of the large residences in Lower Chelsea and the first Boardwalk hotels were built with our firm installing the quality slate, tile, and tin roofs. During the Great Depression, much of the new construction came to a halt and Sykes Company concentrated on maintenance and repair work. Through hard work and careful planning, our firm managed to break even or better throughout the Depression. This experience taught the value of giving careful attention to small repair jobs, no matter how busy we may be with large contracts. This generation first expressed the Sykes Company adage “you can always buy a large contract by bidding lower, but once you dissatisfy a residential customer, he never comes back.” This emphasis on superior service and respect will always be part of our mission.

John III led the operation until Pearl Harbor, when he was commissioned as Lieutenant in the Civil Engineering Corp. (SeaBees) of the Navy. While he was serving in the United States and in the Pacific, Frank II, Lester, and Dan rallied our firm to complete a number of defense projects, including the Naval Air Stations at Pomona and Rio Grande (now N.A.F.E.C. and Cape May County Airport). In addition, Sykes Company participated in the conversion of the Atlantic City hotels into training barracks for the Air Force.

In 1969, John IV joined the team of John III, Frank II, Lester, Ray (“Dink”), and Richard to help expand Sykes Company to include stainless steel work, heating and ventilation services, and dust collection. John Sykes IV had earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Villanova University, an MBA from the University of Virginia, and had worked for Turner Construction for four years when he joined the family business. Soon after, Charles Dobbins Jr., who had been a structural steel estimator, Dink’s sons Ray Jr. and James, Lester Jr., Ronnie Corvino (Lester Sr.’s son-in-law), and James McCabe (John III’s son-in-law) strengthened the Sykes team. Recently, John IV’s daughter Erin, a LEED AP, has joined the firm to launch the environmentally sustainable ‘Build Green, Save Green’ division.

Que Thin Lizzy fueron una de las grandes bandas de la historia no se puede poner en duda. Cosa es distinta es que al público medio no le digan gran cosa, más que nada por desconocimiento. Típico grupo del que no oiras hablar fuera de los ambientes rockeros, lo que hicieron los chicos de Phil Lynnot merece ser recordado más a menudo. Su sombra es alargada y quien los ha escuchado sucumbe a sus melodías y punteos.

Cowboy Song, Reading 1983 (último show en UK: se me ponen los pelos de punta y eso que no hay video, sólo fotos).

En 1986, Bon Jovi interpretaban en vivo una versión de Boys are back in town. Me flipó el tema y tardé poco en descubrir a su autor y hacerme con la versión original, el tema más clásico de Lizzy incluido en el majestuoso Jailbreak (1976).

Thin Lizzy

Bon Jovi

Con los años, he escuchado a muchísimos grupos hablar de Lynnot y versionar alguno de los temas de su banda, por la que recordemos han pasado hachas como Gary Moore, Scott Gorham o John Sykes. Miles de bandas veneran a Lizzy y entre los últimos rockstars, Danko Jones,  según descubro en el blog Hasta Aquí Hemos Llegado.

Motorhead, Rosalie (versión hecha con sentimiento)

Smashing Pumkins, Dancing in the moonlight (esta es malísima, pero resulta curiosa)

En activo siguen como Thin Lizzy varios ex miembros del grupo, algo discutible, pero que tiene su feeling. Luego, hay por supuesto miles de jóvenes bandas que suenan a ellos. Habrás oido hablar seguro de Glyder, “apadrinados” por la madre del difunto Phil Lynnot, pero no me acaban de convencer. Los que si me tienen pillado desde hace un par de meses son los canadienses Pride Tiger cuyos Fill me in o The Lucky Ones (¿el mejor tema que jamás compuso Phil Lynnot?) son devastadores.

Pride Tiger, The Lucky Ones

As far as being a fan of a band, especially an older band like Thin Lizzy, I am a relative newbie. In 1997 one of the consultants that I worked (now a good friend) with gave me his record collection which consisted of German pressings of UFO, MSG, Scorpions, Van Halen and Thin Lizzy to name the main ones. He told me to sell what I didn’t want and pay him for that and keep anything else that I wanted to keep for myself. Of course everything went except for the Thin Lizzy stuff.

Now, let’s back up another decade or so. I remember being at Daniel’s (Cathedral71) house and he had Renegade on cassette. He played Angel of Death from that album for me and I thought it was pretty cool but never gave them any attention until I acquired that record collection 10 years later. One of the LPs he had was a compilation called Lizzy Killers. Like most people who had ever owned a radio, I was familiar with The Boys are Back in Town and Jailbreak, both of which were on the LP, but I had never heard Whiskey in the Jar or Wild One or pretty much anything else by them. So I started playing the other LPs more and more.

I cam remember when Z-Rock had its local affiliate and they used to play Cold Sweat just about every day and I always thought it was a cool song, but it still didn’t make me want to learn more about them. After spinning those LPs of Kraig’s for a few months, I was hooked. Such a talented, versatile band.

Here’s how their discography breaks down for me:

Thin Lizzy – 1971
Lots of blues and jazz influences on this one. Definitely not one of my faves but the standout tracks are Honesty Is No Excuse and Look What the Wind Blew In. Lizzy was a 3 piece band in this era and Eric Bell’s playing just never did it for me.
4/10

Shades of a Blue Orphange – 1972
I like this album even less than the debut. It just seemed like a very uncomfortable record. I rarely listen to it. Call the Police is about the only song I can say that I love on this one.
3/10

Vagabonds of the Western World – 1973
This is the album that seemed to be a turning point for the band. They started to heavy up a bit. This also includes Whiskey in the Jar (later bastardized by Metallica). Lots of really good songs on here; Little Girl In Bloom, The Rocker, A Song for While I’m Away, Black Boys On the Corner. Thankfully for Lizzy, this was Eric Bell’s last album with them.
5/10

Night Life – 1974
Exit Bell, Enter Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham. I’ve always considered this album a bit sultry. It’s got it’s bluesy overtones with songs like Still In Love With You, Showdown and Night Life. It’s a soft album but probably in my top 3 of their catalogue.
9/10

Fighting – 1975
Now they are beginning to rock it out. I still find it odd that they chose a Bob Seger cover (Rosalie) to open an LP with but it proved successful for them over the years. Lots of great songs with stunning guitar work like Wild One, Fighting My Way Back and Suicide. They also keep it diverse with mellow songs like For Those Who Love To Live and Spirit Slips Away. Gorham and Robertson are a perfect fit.
7/10

Jailbreak – 1976
Yep. Two huge hits from this one: Boys Are Back In Town and Jailbreak. Those are two songs I could live without for sure. But there are some other fine gems on here like Emerald, Romeo and the Lonely Girl, Running Back, Cowboy Song and Warriors. Damn fine album that was really their only lasting effort in the States.
6.5/10

Johnny the Fox – 1976
This one was written while Lynott was recovering from hepatitis and is recorded a half step down from standard tuning. When writing it, he said the lower tuning helped him sing while he was laid up. Lots of great songs on here and this is one of my faves by them. Borderline (possibly my fave Lizzy song ever), Don’t Believe a Word, Old Flame, Fool’s Gold, Massacre and pretty much the whole album are worth putting ears to.
9/10

Bad Reputation – 1977
Another favorite of mine and loaded with great songs like the title track, That Woman’s Gonna Break Your Heart, Dear Lord and Dancing In the Moonlight.
10/10

Black Rose – 1979
Definitely not one of my favorites by them and I don’t really know why. Robertson left the band and Gary Moore filled in on this one. The only 4 songs I like are S&M, Got To Give It Up, With Love and Waiting for an Alibi. The rest just doesn’t do it for me.
5/10

Chinatown – 1980
Each album of Lizzy’s follows a good progression of getting heavier and it was well-known that Phil liked metal. Gary left the band and Snowy White came in. He never looked like he fit but he was a fine player. Lots of great songs on here including the title track (great dual guitar stuff), We Will Be Strong, Didn’t I, Sugar Blues and Hey You. Phil seemed to write a lot about his personal life and his drug use came up in his songs over and over. This was a rough time in the band as both Phil and Scott were hooked to the gills on smack.
8/10

Renegade – 1982
This is a hard rock classic. Angel of Death, Hollywood, Mexican Blood, Leave This Town, Renegade…I love this album except for the song Fats. I just never felt that it fit but it did show some fancy bass playing by Phil and it sounds like he’s playing a fretless on it. All that being said, I love it.
10/10

Thunder and Lightning – 1983
Exit Snowy White, enter John Sykes. Lizzy entered the metal era. The title track, Holy War, Cold Sweat. Damn! This album is perfect and I really wish they would have stayed together to do one more. Even though it’s not heavy, The Sun Goes Down is definitely a standout track and another one where you can hear Phil pour some of his heart out in the vocals.
10/10

Unfortunately, they didn’t do well stateside and even more unfortunate is that they are basically known here by one album and 2 to 3 songs. One this that is kind of nice is to see how many bands from that era and later cite Lizzy as an influence. Phil’s songwriting abilities are certainly highly regarded in the music business and it’s easy to see why.

Thanks Kraig.  Thanks Phil.

Blue Murder – Blue Murder (1989, Geffen Records)

Track Listing:
1. “Riot” … 6:21
2. “Sex Child” … 5:59
3. “Valley of the Kings” … 7:51
4. “Jelly Roll” … 4:44
5. “Blue Murder” … 4:55
6. “Out of Love” … 6:44
7. “Billy” … 4:11
8. “Ptolemy” … 6:29
9. “Black-Hearted Woman” … 4:47

Band:
John Sykes – Vocals, Guitar
Tony Franklin – Bass
Carmine Appice – Drums

Additional Musicians:
Nik Greene – Keyboards

Produced by: Bob Rock

I continue to eat my words as I take another look at some of these albums! I’d always heard a lot of praise for Blue Murder so I bought this CD a few years ago, I immediately loved “Sex Child” and “Jelly Roll”, but the rest didn’t leave much an impression on me.

How times have changed!

This is a great melodic hard rock album! Shredder John Sykes, journeyman drummer Carmine Appice and legendary producer Bob Rock knocked one out of the park here. Until Blue Murder, Sykes had most recently been a member of Whitesnake and played on their 1987 album, but ended up leaving/getting fired (I’ve read different accounts) and went out to form this band.

The album is more in line with your usual 80s melodic hard rock sound, but there are some touches of Whitesnake blues rock here as well, as evidenced by songs like “Valley of the Kings”, “Blue Murder” and “Black-Hearted Woman”. I’ve never checked out the follow up album, but I should.

Highlights: “Sex Child”, “Valley of the Kings”, “Jelly Roll”, “Out of Love”, “Ptolemy”, “Black-Hearted Woman”

www.johnsykes.com
www.myspace.com/johnsykesofficial

Hard Rock Save the Space

So I had my Palm Centro (yes, my phone) plugged into the audio jack in my car today on the way to work (that intro should be about listening to my Zune, but my Zune was a complete pile of merde. I had to return it twice within 6 months of purchase and even though it was under warranty and stopped working a third time, I was too pissed off to bother to do so – what a complete and total waste of my time.  Every time they sent me one back, after being without it for several weeks, I had to reload everything, and the Zune software is touchy and inefficient, much like all of Microsoft’s products. So, instead, I bought a 8 Gb microSD card and loaded a bunch of songs onto my phone) and I heard a song that I haven’t heard in a while.

It’s called Jelly Roll by Blue Murder (No! He’s not talking about my belly, I don’t even know the guy.  Kiss my ass!).  Now, I know that absolutely everyone has this song on his or her MP3 player of choice, and it really was played to death on the radio during it’s time, (all I remember was all my friends complaining about hearing it on every radio station for 6 months straight, one of my friends said she was going to go to the radio station and shove the Blue Murder cassette down the program director’s throat if she had to hear this song even one more time!) but has anyone REALLY listened to it lately? I mean, this is John Sykes at his best.

(She said) Come lay with me darling
(She said) Take my love from me
(She said) I’ll be yours forever
If you just believe in me
(She said) Any way you want me, boy,
my love I give to you
For I was born to love you,
take me any way you choose

Heartache
Coming my way
Angel
Feels like my dying day

I don’t need no doctor — I don’t need no priest
All I need is my baby girl
To bring it on home to me
I just need her loving each and every day
Only she can set me free and take these old blues away, yeah
Get outta my way

(She said) Trust in me my darling for together we are strong
(She said) You are all I live for, I would never do you wrong
She done foolin’ with my head
She take possession of my heart
Now I’m standing all alone here
‘N’ my world just fell apart

Heartache
Coming my way
Angel
Feels like my dying day
Like my dying day

I don’t need no doctor
I don’t need no priest
All I need is my baby girl
To bring it on home to me
I just need her loving each ‘n’ every day
Only she can set me free
‘N’ take my blues away
Scream to the heavens
My God make me strong
No one can hear me my love she has gone
What can I say
What can I do
Baby I tell you my love belongs to you

Love can break your heart
Only love can break your heart
I gave you all I had to give
No words could say how much I miss you

Love can break your heart
Only love can break your heart
I gave you all I had to give
No words could say how much I miss you

Love can break your heart
Only love can break your heart
I gave you all I had to give
No words could say how much I miss you

Love can break your heart
Only love can break your heart

Ah, the mournful lyrics, we’ve all been here John, we’ve all been here.  But John, where have you been? Let’s see.  A quick bit of googling shows me that 1) you have your own website, 2) you still have a lion’s mane of hair (although, that could be an old picture or a wig… or photoshop, or a stand in, the facial features aren’t really clear), 3)you were in Thin Lizzy, 4) you were in Thin Lizzy way after they were cool, 5) Thin Lizzy was an Irish band, who knew, 6) the wikipedia entry for Thin Lizzy currently uses the word ilk (I like that word, ilk.  Let me try to use it in a sentence. Hmmmm.  Merde, I got nothing), 6) John Sykes is currently on tour (holy crap! Who’s going to see those concerts?), 7) John Sykes was in Badlands, John Sykes was in Badlands before they were cool (which was only for a literal instant), 9) John Sykes was in Whitesnake for their absolute best album, which is Whitesnake for those who don’t know (I didn’t need to google this.  And I believe that John Sykes wrote or cowrote the biggest hits, but I could be wrong on this point and I’m too lazy to verify this potential fact), 10) John Sykes, or someone who works for him has a John Sykes myspace – which I find hilarious, but I’m still shocked that he’s still touring.  Does someone have to prop him up? Christ he’s old.

Next week, I’ll take a closer look at your favorite song and mine, another overplayed song from the 80s, Anytime by McAuley Schenker Group (honestly, this is my favorite song of all time).  See you then!