Blue Murder and Badlands are 2 bands that should have had massive careers. The 2 most under appreciated bands from that era in my opinion

John Sykes is such a criminally underrated player

That first Blue Murder album is insane. So damn good. I still listen to it often. Not a bad song on it. John is just so good at what he does.

John Sykes f..cking guitar tone was huge and thick!

I’m sure that a lot of young guitarist don’t get it.. but John Sykes was and is a force to be reckoned with a top guitar player no matter what genre you come from and he gets no recognition and I don’t know why he dropped off the map.. maybe that white neck record gave him enough money to where he doesn’t need to work.. I hope that is the case.. but I would sure like to hear him play again, and I know that there are millions of other people just like me. They would love to hear him be the guitar player or singer in a trio or a four piece. He’s one of the best to ever do it I don’t see why he’s not out there doing it whatever he does I’m going to buy it

John Sykes - Bad Boy Live. Freaking great album. Sykes at his best. Well worth a listen.

All i know is John and tony and carmine was part of the best first album ever

Listen to Thin Lizzy’s Thunder and Lightning album. Some great playing from Sykes on that also!!

Coverdale Sykes was such a great blend of the two most talented people. Such a shame they couldn't make it work past 87.

The first Blue Murder album is a masterpiece

Saw Blue Murder open for Bon Jovi- slippery when wet tour -didn’t know they where the opener- told the girl who bought the ticket- I’m going to the front to watch John Sykes- are you going with me!!Was so good -

The Blue Murder album was a vastly better “sequel” to the Whitesnake album than the actual follow up which was “Slip of the Tongue.”

I still love the first Blue Murder album. Such great songs and amazing riffs. Imagine if we could get a new Blue Murder album like that.

There was a moment when MTV had to choose between a new Blue Murder video or AIC Man in the Box to premiere.

The first Blue Murder I walked into a record store and they were playing the album through store speakers, I was digging through the cd’s and couldn’t find anything I wanted and nothing sounded as good as what I was hearing playing through the store speakers, I asked “who is that playing?” The guy told me “Blue Murder.” I walked out of that store with the cd and Blue Murder got a new fan, I caught them in concerts few months later in Houston at Cardis.

I love his work in the firm as well. Strong playing style that you don't see any more. Thanks Tony

Tony is a Favorite !!

That's an understatement! Because I remember when they came out, and you could tell they were gonna be untouchable! They definitely should have been huge.

Keep on keeping on full in Bloom guy!!! Your the best interviewer!!!!!!💜🌹you let the artist do the talking and you also have a great voice to do this

I'm s bass player 30+ years, Tony Franklin is a fretless bass legend and he's spot on, 'nothing but trouble' is a brilliant album, John Sykes is the most under rated guitarist/singer/song writer of that era! Better than Vivian Campbell and Adrian Vandenberg combined!!

Incredible band...

Love these interviews 🤘🏻

The first album was categorically brilliant

i think Coverdale was jealous

I'd have to disagree with Tony's statement that Blue Murder should have been the biggest band in the world with the release of the first album. That is an incredible album but the music (and bad timing) was more of a problem than anything. I've been a studio/session musician, mostly rock and metal, for over 30 years and one thing is undeniable about music. The music has to be marketable to the masses. Even Metallica was nothing outside the metal scene until they started putting out radio-friendly songs and "toning it down" to some extent. The problems with the Blue Murder album were two-fold. First, it was far too experimental for most "average" listeners. There were all kinds of songs inspired by middle eastern modes and scales patterns, there were (very) long songs about Egypt and war and so on, there were very few songs about partying and fun and love and everything the mass public likes in popular music. It wasn't even consistent. You have "Valley of the Kings" followed by "Jelly Roll" and later on "Ptolemy"? It sounded like leftovers from two, or even three, different albums that had been stuck together. I love the album but it must have been a nightmare for producers and the PR people at the label. Second problem? It was released in April of 1989. Hair metal, thrash metal, hell almost every kind of hard rock and heavy metal was about to go comatose. Within months everyone seemed to be listening to Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains and so on. Hell, Blue Murder was released just two years before Pearl Jam's "Ten"! An album that basically defined the entire decade. The band, and album, just never really had a chance. Of course this is just my two pennies and... what the f*ck do I know? Stay safe everyone.

I have this album its still awesome

I just recently got the remastered version of Blue Murder's debut album a few months ago and it sounds better than ever. A label called Rock Candy released it a few years ago and released many other albums that were long overdue for remastering. In my opinion the debut Blue Murder album is more of a Whitesnake album than Whitesnake's Slip Of The Tongue album is. I will never understand why David Coverdale ever fired John Sykes. That 1987 Whitesnake album is still one of my favorite albums of all time. In my opinion John Sykes songwriting and guitar playing are the most important ingredients as to why that album is so Phenomenal. Over thirty years later John Sykes and David Coverdale are still on bad terms. It would have been awesome if they could have done one more album together and one more tour.

John did a lot for both Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy and I don't believe he's "underrated" at all, he's just had some tough breaks so it's understandable about his depression and apparently John lives to speak his truth so good on him.

What happened to John is pretty close to having a winning lottery ticket for 1 million bucks and then losing it or running it through the washing machine. It would eatcha alive. Doesn't help being Irish. We are brooders. As far as Blue Murder, John and the band were 2 years too late. The hair metal thing was winding down. The same happened the Danger Danger. They too were the pinnacle of that 80's era rock metal but just missed the train. My buddy and I had a rock band and in 1990 he went out to L.A. with 5 grand for a few weeks to scope out the scene with a demo tape. The people he spoke with said, its over. One guy said, I could be a dirtbag and take ya money, and many will, the best thing you could do is get back on the plane and go home. It's really over. My buddy got back and said, that was the most depressing thing I ever experienced. It reminded me of going to a wake/funeral. Ha

I'm a huge Sykes fan, have always been and will always be - There's no doubt my style got a lot from Sykes approach - Even though I'm a synth guy I also did my guitars when making tracks :)

Strong Band,

If you ask me, I think Out Of Love should've been the single for the album. It had everything to be a commercial success (there were lots of succesful ballads on 89 so Out Of Love would've also been an anthem from my perspective. They would have sold way more than they did. And of course doing a promotional video for it. Even tho I love Jelly Roll, it doesnt sound like something that would play on the radio 24/7. If I had to add just one more single along VOTK and Out Of Love, it would probably be Billy. There you had three succesful songs imo. Maybe Billy would have been the least popular but would surely make the band sold more records.

John is a cousin of a drummer I knew from Reading Berkshire Uk

No. It came out in 1989. It was " TOO CLOSE TO THE GRUNGE LIFTOFF, no matter how good it was. I liked this Album a lot. I saw the show at Summers On The Beach. It should have been performed at Hollywood Sportotorium. 15 thousand seater and not a 1,500 capacity venue. Great music. The White Snake thing would have changed John's life trajectory. He's in no soup kitchen line. Lol

I think it's a difficult thing to accept. They needed a dedicated vocalist and lyricist. John was fine. Certainly nothing wrong with his voice. Great range and pitch. I think since Hendrix guitarists have said, "Well, Hendrix did it." But Hendrix was a poet. In Ptolemy and Valley I detect a bit of Dio influence. To me Dio and Coverdale are completely different. So it's a little confusing to have Jelly Roll playing against Valley. They definitely had enough MTV exposure. It was the same as Whitesnake. Nevertheless it's some great music. It's not like it disappeared completely. Two really great albums. Some excellent playing on there. Pure Sykes with an amazing rhythm section. Check out the bass playing on Riot. Fretless. Sounds like Jaco in a hard rock band or something. Actually it sounds like Tony Franklin haha.

thought Adrien Vandenberg was always Whitesnakes guitarist, did not know John Sykes was the masterful guitar player of their 1986 album and writer of some the big hits of that album, completely agree on Malmsteem being a prodigy but not a good song writer, Sykes is better than other under rated guitarists

Coverdale hires Sykes clones these days.

Many sensations with blue murder in first that name...

Jellyroll should have been released first. It's much more accessible than Valley Of The Kings. Regardless, within a couple years they'd have fallen out of favor even if they had been successful. Sykes, for seeming a bit cocky in his earlier days seems to have lost all confidence in himself. I know there's still an audience out there for him, myself included. Hell, if he'd put out something and market it himself I would buy a copy.

👏

I think Blue Murder was a day late and a dollar short. Maybe if they started earlier like 85 they may have been a lot bigger than they ended up.

Someone tell me why Sykes never became hugely succesful after Whitesnake. Because everybody thinks Sykes was an immensely talented guitarist and song writer. I really do not understand

Yeah I've seen that...

I agree the Too Late Demo is Really Good with Ray Gillen on Vox . Damn wish we had more . Really different for both of their styles. Cozy added a different feel to the mix. Badlands needed a solid producer like what Trevor Rabin did with John Anderson, Trevor would get the absolute very best out of Andersons melodies by pinning him down to take the very best ideas and getting them arranged onto tape. Always Felt Ray was a solid producer away from having that hit album just so much raw talent .

MTV played Jelly Roll quite a bit. I remember seeing it quite often...

They were a good band, but I never saw anything about them that stood out anymore than a lot of the other 80’s bands. Many great bands during this time, but unfortunately a lot never got too far.

John's BM material was not nearly as good as his work with Whitesnake and Lizzy. There's always a lot of chat about Jellyroll and Valley of the Kings but they're nowhere near the class of Still of the Night, Thunder and Lightning, Cold Sweat, etc.

Valley of the kings is a clever reworking of Still of the night. There are similarities in the chord sequences and song structure and When I noticed that, I knew Sykes wrote that music.

MTV is the worst thing to ever happen to music.

Let us see what grunge brought to the world?No talent and how to use bad drugs and not be able to take a shower.What a fucking joke.I was in my early 20's.Had seen the best bands and guitarist People had a chance to stop it instead.They brought into it.I and many other's didn't.

I would have thought the logical single to put forth would have been Black-Hearted Woman because it was so similar to Whitesnake and that would have been the hook for fans. Even if that was not their choice but just strategically to sort of stick with the Whitesnake theme.

Ray Gillen would have made it huge. But Sykes sings great.

This was interesting and informative, but with some wistfulness I have to say that those times are long gone and as much as I like to visit the past, I have to move on. Can you say old rock and roller?

Bigger than "Appetite för destruction" .?

Anyone that watched MTV heard jelly. It just had the wrong vibe for then. Franklin should be lucky he played with The Firm. Just killer songs

kids couldnt relate to it ....

2020. Sykes is still not releasing anything. Nothing. Nada.

Nirvana sucks and they ruined rock music. Even to this day bands are afraid to be polished

I like Yngwie's songwriting better than his playing. I think this dude must not have heard the first 5 or so Yngwie albums.

I'm sorry but he say that MTV wouldn't touch Jelly Roll? I got sick of that song 'cause it was over-played on MTV.

I get depressed because I'm not rich

I think the style of the band was bad. The clothes were awful. Blue Murder looked like Kajagoogoo. That's what turned me off. I hated Nirvana and the Seatle scene, but ya'll looked uncool.

I remember a froend saw him walking down London's Oxford street dressed in the cliched tighter leather trouses and teased hair with a massive bodyguard. I mean, no offence, but the majority of people would have no idea who he is, he's hardly a household name. My mate thought it was hilarious.

It's Nirvana, they are responsible. Bands which got F'ed, are bands like White Sister, Signal, Fortune,Strangeways... they are who got screwed.

Neither Blue Murder nor Badlands had any real hits. It was disappointing. John Sykes and Jake E Lee were two of my favorite guitarists. The musicianship was there. The songs were not. Both lead singles for both bands were disappointing. Valley of the Kings was a boring track to be a lead single. If anything, Riot should have been the first single, followed by Jelly Roll.

Blue who?

John Sykes, Mr. Two Face. "Don't do anything else until my head is straight", says the guy who tried to take over Whitesnake because he didn't want to wait for Coverdale to heal from an actual health issue.

I think Blue Murder are very cheesy. And John Sykes is a great guitarist, and was responsible for all the great melodic solos of Whitesnake. Blue Murder took him back to just shredding...with just noise...John has the ability to do achingly good solos and i wish he would return to what he does best! 🙂

Sykes appearently got tricked out of white Snake he wrote the awesome songs on 1987 he's own band blue murders first album is pure Gold! And should have kicked the white Snake album down the charts! By a mile! But thanks to politics in the music business it went away ugly affair!

Its a total disgrace! By the record company and management! Blue Murder! Should have been huge! Wouldnt wonder if that coverdale had something to do with that, politics in music!

I think that they weren't successful because they were too cheesy. Whitesnake 87 had Still of the Night and Gimme All Your Love Tonight plus 2 old Whitesnake tracks. The rest is filler. Keith Olsen, John Kalodner and Tawny Kitaen sold the rest.