Nuclear Cowboy

Album Review

Best known as the guitarist for Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake (and to a lesser degree, Blue Murder), John Sykes has also managed to issue sporadic solo albums throughout the years. The early 21st century saw Sykes keep a pretty tight schedule (as he was steadily on the road with a reconstructed version of Thin Lizzy), and somehow still find the time to issue 2003's Nuclear Cowboy. Sykes will forever be linked to '80s metal (after all, it was his nimble fingers doing the fretwork on Whitesnake's "Still of the Night"), but he manages to embrace a modern hard rock production on this 2003 release. However, longtime fans need not worry — Nuclear Cowboy is unmistakably John Sykes, as evidenced by such tracks as the six-string showcase "We Will," the Def Leppard-esque title track, and the melodic metal of "I Wish It Would Rain" (which brings to mind Bon Jovi at times). The album also sees Sykes reunite with his one-time bandmate in Blue Murder, drummer Carmine Appice, as well as his bandmate in the 21st century Thin Lizzy, bassist Marco Mendoza. Undoubtedly one of the more underrated guitar shredders of the '80s, Sykes shows that his talents are still definitely intact throughout Nuclear Cowboy.