Jess Cox has released a statement to BraveWords remembering his former bandmate John Sykes. Cox is a founding member and original vocalist of Tygers Of Pan Tang and was with the band from 1979-1981. He is featured on the 1980 album Wild Cat.
Sykes died at the age of 65 following a battle with cancer. He joined Tygers Of Pan Tang in 1980 and played on their 1981 albums Spellbound and Crazy Nights. He would go on to play with Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, and Blue Murder after his time with Tygers Of Pan Tang.
Cox recalls Sykes becoming his roommate after entering the band, their friendship, and says he was “a master guitar player.”
Full statement:
“I first met John Sykes in May 1980 sitting on our manager’s settee after travelling up from his home in Blackpool by coach to Whitley Bay [our home town] to join the band. Picked from a bunch of hopefuls who had send us demos and photos from our advert for a second guitarist after we finishing recording our debut album, Wild Cat, John was staring up at me as I walked in the room goggle-eyed, like a rabbit caught in the headlights.
“He’d taken a big first step in the music business, leaving his Mum’s house, girlfriend and hometown band, Streetfighter, to join this ‘big band’ signed to MCA Records so he was a bit overawed (hysterically so, looking back now and knowing what he went on to achieve). I was ‘volunteered’ to look after him as the rest of the band still lived with their parents, but I had my own flat. ‘He can come and live with you, Jess – you’ve got your own place,’ said the manager. ‘….er…yer… ok,’ I replied.
“A bit put out initially than I was to get stuck with the new kid. Little did I know we were to become best friends for the next two years, practically living out each other’s pockets. I’d even make his dinner at night…mostly jacket potatoes with a topping as we couldn’t afford much else. Having said that, it was convenient the local checkout girl at the supermarket had the hots for John and she would only connect with the barcodes on maybe five of the 25 items we had in our shopping cart each time we went food shopping.
“Yes we went shopping; dressed in our stage gear (of course). Though then stage gear and street clothes were pretty much one and the same. White baseball boots, blue jeans, tight t-shirt and leather jacket. Mind you what we looked like flitting around the isles, flicking our long hair about in our wake, I’m cringing visualizing it. Regarding the checkout girl too, I use the term loosely, she was rather a checkout old dear; or was in our eyes anyway.
“She was probably only 47 or something but to a couple of 20 year old’s, she was like your Mum. All beehive peroxide blonde hair and black 60’s eye makeup n’ tombstone teeth. Nothing was said during the checkout process – John would always give her a smile and a wink, she’d flutter and swoon, and we’d walk out with four bags of shopping for the price of one, so a win, win all round!
“Anyway, I have a hundred stories and could easily write a book about our friendship and times together (well…not all the stories anyway…some are defiantly unprintable) but suffice to say I am deeply saddened by the passing of my old friend. John kept in touch and we phoned each other or met up over the years.
“Speaking professionally though he went on to become, and deservedly so, a big rock star on the world stage. I mean the guy had it all, from the flowing blonde hair and chiseled jaw to the Adonis physique, not to mention of course the fact he was a master guitar player who could not only play with speed, but was technically brilliant and had a beautiful melodic touch too. I am sure there have been many a tear spilt over his passing.
“Having said that, I’ll finish on an up story because all my memories of my time with John are two young guys having fun while trying to live our best lives. I remember the Tygers played at the Reading Festival in the UK in the summer of 1980 and we decided to go out into the crowd to watch the Whitesnake set later that night. Two songs in John turns to me and says, ‘Come on Jess, I hate bands with fucking keyboards, let’s go to the bar.’ Funny old world. RIP brother.”
(Photos from Reading Festival 1980)
The post TYGERS OF PAN TANG Singer Jess Cox Remembers JOHN SYKES – “I Hate Bands With F*cking Keyboards , Let’s Go To The Bar” appeared first on BraveWords - Where Music Lives.
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Sykes died at the age of 65 following a battle with cancer. He joined Tygers Of Pan Tang in 1980 and played on their 1981 albums Spellbound and Crazy Nights. He would go on to play with Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, and Blue Murder after his time with Tygers Of Pan Tang.
Cox recalls Sykes becoming his roommate after entering the band, their friendship, and says he was “a master guitar player.”
Full statement:
“I first met John Sykes in May 1980 sitting on our manager’s settee after travelling up from his home in Blackpool by coach to Whitley Bay [our home town] to join the band. Picked from a bunch of hopefuls who had send us demos and photos from our advert for a second guitarist after we finishing recording our debut album, Wild Cat, John was staring up at me as I walked in the room goggle-eyed, like a rabbit caught in the headlights.
“He’d taken a big first step in the music business, leaving his Mum’s house, girlfriend and hometown band, Streetfighter, to join this ‘big band’ signed to MCA Records so he was a bit overawed (hysterically so, looking back now and knowing what he went on to achieve). I was ‘volunteered’ to look after him as the rest of the band still lived with their parents, but I had my own flat. ‘He can come and live with you, Jess – you’ve got your own place,’ said the manager. ‘….er…yer… ok,’ I replied.
“A bit put out initially than I was to get stuck with the new kid. Little did I know we were to become best friends for the next two years, practically living out each other’s pockets. I’d even make his dinner at night…mostly jacket potatoes with a topping as we couldn’t afford much else. Having said that, it was convenient the local checkout girl at the supermarket had the hots for John and she would only connect with the barcodes on maybe five of the 25 items we had in our shopping cart each time we went food shopping.
“Yes we went shopping; dressed in our stage gear (of course). Though then stage gear and street clothes were pretty much one and the same. White baseball boots, blue jeans, tight t-shirt and leather jacket. Mind you what we looked like flitting around the isles, flicking our long hair about in our wake, I’m cringing visualizing it. Regarding the checkout girl too, I use the term loosely, she was rather a checkout old dear; or was in our eyes anyway.
“She was probably only 47 or something but to a couple of 20 year old’s, she was like your Mum. All beehive peroxide blonde hair and black 60’s eye makeup n’ tombstone teeth. Nothing was said during the checkout process – John would always give her a smile and a wink, she’d flutter and swoon, and we’d walk out with four bags of shopping for the price of one, so a win, win all round!
“Anyway, I have a hundred stories and could easily write a book about our friendship and times together (well…not all the stories anyway…some are defiantly unprintable) but suffice to say I am deeply saddened by the passing of my old friend. John kept in touch and we phoned each other or met up over the years.
“Speaking professionally though he went on to become, and deservedly so, a big rock star on the world stage. I mean the guy had it all, from the flowing blonde hair and chiseled jaw to the Adonis physique, not to mention of course the fact he was a master guitar player who could not only play with speed, but was technically brilliant and had a beautiful melodic touch too. I am sure there have been many a tear spilt over his passing.
“Having said that, I’ll finish on an up story because all my memories of my time with John are two young guys having fun while trying to live our best lives. I remember the Tygers played at the Reading Festival in the UK in the summer of 1980 and we decided to go out into the crowd to watch the Whitesnake set later that night. Two songs in John turns to me and says, ‘Come on Jess, I hate bands with fucking keyboards, let’s go to the bar.’ Funny old world. RIP brother.”
(Photos from Reading Festival 1980)
The post TYGERS OF PAN TANG Singer Jess Cox Remembers JOHN SYKES – “I Hate Bands With F*cking Keyboards , Let’s Go To The Bar” appeared first on BraveWords - Where Music Lives.
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