Who remembers Blue Murder ... ?

[Y-my-R]

A bit off topic, but I thought it might still be interesting.

I just noticed that this Marshall cab for sale on the Los Angeles Craigslist has the Blue Murder logo on its road case, and the guy talks like he had it since the 80's. Price isn't terrible at $299 either. (No, it's not me selling this... just recognized the logo, googled Blue Murder to be sure, and ran across this thread).

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/ms ... 31259.html

I'm good with the cabs I have, so I'll pass. But maybe one of you Blue Murder fanboys wants to go for it

This is a public service announcement

 

[zz666]

Thin Lizzy's One Night Only also has one of my fave recorded Sykes Jose tone, plus his singing of the Lizzy tunes is amazing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af9MAtu ... D846A5DB8F

 

[Drew]

A bit off topic, but I thought it might still be interesting.

I just noticed that this Marshall cab for sale on the Los Angeles Craigslist has the Blue Murder logo on its road case, and the guy talks like he had it since the 80's. Price isn't terrible at $299 either. (No, it's not me selling this... just recognized the logo, googled Blue Murder to be sure, and ran across this thread).

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/ms ... 31259.html

I'm good with the cabs I have, so I'll pass. But maybe one of you Blue Murder fanboys wants to go for it

This is a public service announcement

Ha! It's my 4x12 cab. John gave me that Blue Murder road case 15 years ago and it is not for sale.

 

[Hung Huy Tran]

A bit off topic, but I thought it might still be interesting.

I just noticed that this Marshall cab for sale on the Los Angeles Craigslist has the Blue Murder logo on its road case, and the guy talks like he had it since the 80's. Price isn't terrible at $299 either. (No, it's not me selling this... just recognized the logo, googled Blue Murder to be sure, and ran across this thread).

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/ms ... 31259.html

I'm good with the cabs I have, so I'll pass. But maybe one of you Blue Murder fanboys wants to go for it

This is a public service announcement

Ha! It's my 4x12 cab. John gave me that Blue Murder road case 15 years ago and it is not for sale.

 

[shredhead7]

What Keith Olson said is absolute nonsense. You would have to be deaf to listen to 1987 and then listen to the first Blue Murder record and not realize who was ALMOST entirely responsible for the sound and writing and vibe of that 1987 album. Listen to the album before 1987. Listen to the album after 1987. Do the math. It is simple.

Also, Vandenbergs playing on the 1st three Vandenberg albums was more than good enough to record that Slip of the Tongue album with Whitesnake. I believe it would have been 100X better than what they did with Vai. I don't think Adrian knew how or wanted to get that huge tone like Sykes had so the album would have suffered in that regard.

Adrian on those first three albums is one of my all time favorite. Especially the second album!

I am not a fan of Vai though he is ridiculously good. He just doesn't do it for me at all.

Poor old Coverdale, can you imagine how he felt having a young guy who looked, played AND sang like Sykes in HIS band?

Coverdale did record a record after Slip with Adrian, which is pretty good, but closer to 'Burn' in style and playing. While I love Vai's playing, I think that his production skills weren't up to par with what had been done on 1987 and if they had a different engineer on the record, it could've been better. I thought the same thing with Skyscrapper, as Eat Em' and Smile sounds so much better.

 

[audiomichael]

Sykes modded Marshall on Bad Boy Live is one of the best tones I've ever heard. Jose A JCM 800. Listen to the opening chords on "Cold Sweat".....

AH! Hells yeah! I recorded that in Japan and mixed that at John's studio in LA.

Uhm.... no one else is going to respond to THIS?! Awesome!

Michael lugged the ProTools rig to Japan and recorded the shows and came back and worked on the mixes in John's studio. I think Michael also worked on mixing a solo John did for Hughes/Turner (or was it Derek Shirinian?)

Ah! That's right. It was for the Shirinian record.

 

[midnightlaundry]

What is JS up to now?

 

[midnightlaundry]

BTW, why did JS get his walking papers from Coverdale?

 

[jabps]

What Keith Olson said is absolute nonsense. You would have to be deaf to listen to 1987 and then listen to the first Blue Murder record and not realize who was ALMOST entirely responsible for the sound and writing and vibe of that 1987 album. Listen to the album before 1987. Listen to the album after 1987. Do the math. It is simple.

Also, Vandenbergs playing on the 1st three Vandenberg albums was more than good enough to record that Slip of the Tongue album with Whitesnake. I believe it would have been 100X better than what they did with Vai. I don't think Adrian knew how or wanted to get that huge tone like Sykes had so the album would have suffered in that regard.

Adrian on those first three albums is one of my all time favorite. Especially the second album!

I am not a fan of Vai though he is ridiculously good. He just doesn't do it for me at all.

Poor old Coverdale, can you imagine how he felt having a young guy who looked, played AND sang like Sykes in HIS band?

Coverdale did record a record after Slip with Adrian, which is pretty good, but closer to 'Burn' in style and playing. While I love Vai's playing, I think that his production skills weren't up to par with what had been done on 1987 and if they had a different engineer on the record, it could've been better. I thought the same thing with Skyscrapper, as Eat Em' and Smile sounds so much better.

Since this thread I've listened to Slip several times just to go back and get a feel for it again. It'd been awhile since I had listened to it. The songs IMO were top notch. While nothing was going to top '87, Slip certainly had some epic songs. Sarzo and Tommy were also dead on...couldn't have asked for a better rhythm section. Barring some cheesy lyrics on several songs...overall, unless Sykes had come back I don't think Coverdale could have asked for anything better from anyone. Vandenberg delivered in that regard.

The problem? Again, Vai. It's even more apparent now after going back and listening with fresh ears just how much he missed the mark on everything. I would advise anyone if they get the chance to hear Vai's voltage mix...horrible. That album needed Adrian on it...it also needed another guitarist in the style of Norum or even Vivian to compliment AV's more euro leanings. I know AV's recent recording output...from the last things he's done with DC to Manic Eden to even Moonkings which I love, he's tried hard to be a blues player...he's not and never will be. His fault for not accepting who he is as a player because his first three albums are essential IMO for guitarists. Dude can write though.

Again, even with Sykes it was doubtful Whitesnake's next album was going to measure up to '87. No doubt it would have been an incredible record but Slip, had Vai not been on it would have been an album to be reckoned with. Maybe even strong enough to keep Whitesnake relevant in the changing musical climate. We'll never know.

 

[jcmlespaul]

My calendar says 2016...feels like 2009 or 1989...did Barzini come back? Haven't seen a thread like this in years

 

[geetarmikey]

SOTT isn't too bad, Coverdale's never been an original lyricist, so that's not up for debate. Maybe a bit too much keys on that album (Sounds like Passion and Warfare sometimes), but I suppose Vai was a good fit considering the climate of rock at the time and he certainly brings it with his playing. Sykes just had that massive tone and was a great bridge between bluesy and more shreddy playing.

Love Judgement Day and Deeper the Love though, great tracks.

 

[Red_Label]

BTW, why did JS get his walking papers from Coverdale?

Been many years since I read John's account of the split, so I don't recall. But I've pretty much always ASSumed that it was because Coverdale's giant ego could co-exist with such a giant writer, musician, and "rock star" that John had become on 1987. Outside of Coverdale's voice and look, that album was all Sykes IMO. Coverdale has obviously played with some monster musicians since then... but I think that most have been considered/seen more has "hired guns". Whereas Sykes' footprint all over 1987 looks less like a footprint and more like his DNA (especially when you listen to the first Blue Murder album).

Anyways... just my worthless, biased opinion on the matter based on impressions made long ago.

 

[midnightlaundry]

I remember 87' here in Detroit. I was delivering pizza as a kid and they would play Still Of The Night every hour on rotation!

 

[Red_Label]

I remember 87' here in Detroit. I was delivering pizza as a kid and they would play Still Of The Night every hour on rotation!

Nice. Still LOVE Syke's solo on that. Such a great buildup and climax.

I was just heading-home from my first year away at college (classical guitar performance major) and picked-up that WS album, as well as U2's "Joshua Tree" album. I wore both of those albums out all summer, as I ran wild with friends.

 

[Jeff Hilligan]

we need Huff to confirm!

 

[Red_Label]

we need Huff to confirm!

I don't know anything about Huff personally (other than being aware of his greatness as a musician and producer). But I would be surprised if a guy of his stature would comment on that, even if it was true.

 

[Chubtone]

Why did Coverdale not want Sykes in Whitesnake? Do the math. No longer was the lead singer the only visual focal point. Look at this pic of Coverdale surrounded by dudes that weren't ever going to steal his chick.



Now look at this next pic. Uh oh. One of those backup musicians is not like the others.



I still remember my girlfriend (now my wife) in the late 80's seeing an old Whitesnake video for "Slide It In" and seeing Sykes around the 40 second mark and shrieking, "WHO IS THAT?!!!!!" I told her that was John Sykes and that he was a bad ass and was now in Blue Murder. She said, "He looks like he could be Rachel Hunter's twin brother". She never complained when we went to see Blue Murder or Sykes solo ever.

 

[Badronald]

Wow, really. Do we need to have this discussion again?
Coverdale was a star before Sykes and after. Unless your EVH no one cares about a guitar player at a concert or on the radio.

Musicians are funny.

 

[Chubtone]

Wow, really. Do we need to have this discussion again?
Coverdale was a star before Sykes and after. Unless your EVH no one cares about a guitar player at a concert or on the radio.

Musicians are funny.

Do we need to have any discussion that has ever been on this forum?

 

[Racerxrated]

Wow, really. Do we need to have this discussion again?
Coverdale was a star before Sykes and after. Unless your EVH no one cares about a guitar player at a concert or on the radio.

Musicians are funny.

Yup. No one cares. Except us guitar players.