In a revealing interview with Guitarist, Scott Gorham opened up about the internal tensions and high stakes surrounding John Sykes’ audition for legendary rock band Thin Lizzy. Back in 1983, Thin Lizzy was at a crossroads. With frontman Phil Lynott battling personal demons, the band was teetering on the brink. Enter John Sykes, the young, ambitious guitarist from Tygers Of Pan Tang, who was recommended by Lynott himself.
Gorham admitted he was less than thrilled with the idea of bringing in fresh blood. ‘I told Phil we had to stop this whole thing,’ Gorham shared, emphasizing the chaos from drug issues and on-stage blunders that were uncharacteristic for the band. ‘The mistakes we were now making on stage: that really hurt because we were a band that just did not make mistakes; then you hear a recording and you go, ‘What the hell was that?’’ Gorham suggested a hiatus to regroup, but Lynott was adamant about giving it one last push with a new album and tour.
Despite his reservations, Gorham couldn’t deny Sykes’ talent when he finally auditioned. ‘I really wanted to say, ‘See, there’s nobody out there, so we gotta walk away from this.’ But I couldn’t.’ Sykes brought an unexpected metal edge to the band, revitalizing their sound with his fiery, quick-playing style. This shift was evident in their album ‘Thunder and Lightning’, a polarizing record that fans either adored or despised.
Gorham highlighted ‘Cold Sweat’, a track co-written by Lynott and Sykes, as a standout from the era, noting its significance in Thin Lizzy’s catalog. While the band was not traditionally metal, Sykes’ influence introduced a new dynamism that pushed Gorham to elevate his own performance.
Ultimately, Sykes’ integration into Thin Lizzy was a turning point that showcased the band’s adaptability and willingness to evolve, even amidst internal struggles and external pressures. Gorham’s candid reflections offer a glimpse into the complex dynamics that shaped one of rock’s most enduring bands.