COLD SWEAT by THIN LIZZY. Letter by Lauren O’Hagan.

Cardiff, United Kingdom; 21 January 2025

A Letter to John Sykes (29 July 1959 – 20 January 2025)

Dear John,

I know you must have met countless fans throughout your career. Cities blur into cities, days fade into nights, and I imagine you don’t remember one face from the next. But I want you to know that meeting you on 26 March 2006 was one of the highlights of my teenage years.

At the time, I was much too shy to say everything I wanted to, much too in awe of you and Scott to express myself fully, and now I regret all those words left unsaid. And I’ll never get the chance to say them, for you were so tragically taken from us yesterday. Yet, I will always remember your kindness and patience with a young girl like me, someone who wasn’t even born when Philo passed.

The news of your death came as such a shock; I never even knew you were ill. None of us did. I know things had gone quiet for you over the past decade, and my friends and I had always joked about when you would finally release your long-awaited new album. But now, we understand why.

You made such an impression on teenage me. The minute I heard Thunder and Lightning, I was blown away. And while it’s a Thin Lizzy album, I always think of it as yours because of the unique mark you put on it. You brought so much youthful energy and vitality to the band at a time when they needed it, and you developed a guitar sound that was truly your own.

I was fortunate enough to see you many times fronting the new Lizzy. And while it could never be the same without Phil, it was an incredible experience for me as a young fan to be in the same room as you and Scott. You were a powerful frontman, never forgetting the chance Phil gave you, and you always carried a deep respect and love for the man.

I’m still very much in shock and feel numb, but I know that, once the dust settles, this loss will hit especially hard. I met you; I have photos with you, signed tickets, a plectrum — all of it lives vividly in my memory. Growing up in the early 2000s, no one at school could understand the joy I felt from that night. They were all into people like Beyoncé or Britney. But it didn’t matter. Those precious memories were etched into my soul and helped me through some very tough times in the years that followed.

So, while I want nothing more than to wallow in my sadness and play The Sun Goes Down on repeat, I find myself cranking up Cold Sweat instead and remembering you, in full glory, bounding across the stage, your mop of curly blonde hair flying, leather-clad and tapping out that epic solo like the master of the Les Paul you were.

With deepest respect and gratitude.

Lauren

The sun is shinin’
But it’s rainin’ in my heart

Stereo Story 827

Official John Sykes bio

26 March, 2006