He also fronted the hard rock group Blue Murder and released several solo albums. Following a stint in the heavy metal band Tygers of Pan Tang in the early s, Sykes joined Irish hard rock group Thin Lizzy for their album Thunder and Lightning. He then joined Whitesnake with whom he recorded the multi-platinum -selling self-titled album. However, Sykes was fired from the band before the record's release under acrimonious circumstances, which led to him forming his own group Blue Murder.
After two albums and a live record, he embarked on a solo career. For the remainder of the s and early s, Sykes split his time between his solo career and a reformed Thin Lizzy, which he fronted until , when he left to focus on his solo career. Influenced by the likes of Jimmy Page , Ritchie Blackmore and Gary Moore , Sykes was known for his distinctive playing style, characterised by his wide fret-hand vibrato, use of pinch harmonics and sense of melody. Afterward, they moved back to Reading.
At age 14, Sykes took an interest in the guitar when his uncle showed him how to play some of Eric Clapton 's licks. Upon returning to Reading, Sykes entered a relationship and essentially gave up the guitar for a year and half.
After moving to Blackpool , Sykes resumed playing and was asked to join the band Streetfighter by his friend Mervyn Goldsworthy, who would later play bass in Diamond Head , Samson and FM. Sykes made his recording debut on the Streetfighter track "She's No Angel", which appeared on the New wave of British heavy metal compilation New Electric Warriors in By the following year, however, Sykes had grown frustrated with the band as he and vocalist Jon Deverill would often butt heads with the other members.
The two co-wrote and performed the single " Please Don't Leave Me ", which was released in He was officially confirmed as the band's new guitarist in September Sykes also accompanied Lynott on a European solo tour. Phil Lynott died on 4 January , aged While the band only performed songs from Thin Lizzy's back catalogue and did not compose any new material, they were still criticised for using the Thin Lizzy name without Lynott.
