5 KILLER RIFFS - Whitesnake 1987

[@LeonTodd]

100k views - thanks so much everyone! If you'd like to hear more, why not check out my band Ragdoll? - kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zpu8moiwftuWotE

[@TelesPlayMetal]

It’s a great video. Your tone is amazing.

[@huseynguitar4676]

You have beautiful hair, friend

[@canaldoadelton6614]

Love ain't no strange!!???

[@rafacorrea01]

Very, very nice! Persevere all you guys! And you are a great guitar player and know how to tone a guitar, amazing haha

[@Cgreen-ky7vi]

They had balls when they created ,stuff it was not all push button crap ! Like it is today!😢

[@wyattblackwood3927]

A lot of people make fun of 80s metal because of the hairstyles and fashion but the 80s did produce some of the most technically proficient guitar players rock music has ever seen.

[@rodolfomisao123]

80s and Earlies 90s Hard Rock >>>> 90s grunge and Alt Rock

[@rodolfomisao123]

90s Guitarists: Bill Leverty, Pete Lesperance, Steve Brown.

[@Rrouthmusic]

Everything about the 80’s was awesome.. I unfortunately was born a little too late to enjoy it lol.

[@SurviveTheDay]

Let’s remember how powerful the 80’s was. Even US politicians had senate hearings over rock lyrics. Man those lyrics and sus chords powered that whole genre of music.

[@rangerdoc1029]

​ Who? LOL.

[@marcos_c_m]

Sykes is like the personification of what the perfect badass rock player is . Great melodic taste . Perfect balance between feeling and agreesive chops . Instinct to write timeless songs . Along Randy Rhoads And king Edward make the great trinity of 80s . For me the most underrated of the greatests of all times

[@LeonTodd]

Precisely!

[@chadhudson2046]

John Sykes was the most underrated guitarist of the 80's. He's definitely my #2 favorite guitarist right behind Eddie.

[@TheodorusRex]

Agreed

[@jakemf1]

Chad Hudson just a killer player

[@flashy5150]

I totally agree. Listen to his Thin Lizzy stuff.

[@shack8110]

Whitesnake > Led Zeppelin Yeah I said it! (in some ways, IMO, but not as prolific) :-)

[@Gazzpunk]

Sykes is an amazing guitarist with tone and riffs to die for. His stint with Thin Lizzy on the Thunder & Lightning album is brilliant. Some of his earlier stuff with Tygers of Pan Tang also worth checking out.

[@mhmoretti]

Sykes is the complete package. Killer player, singer, and can be a front man. Writes insane riffs. He is the truth.

[@codacreator6162]

Sykes is way more tasteful and restrained with his pinch harmonics than Wylde is.

[@theonlyredspecial]

coda creator I agree. I’m surprised more people don’t agree.

[@bradfordknights7554]

totally agree, plus he had a wide, sick, controlled vibrato that for me is second to none.

[@Nopeandnope3861]

bradford knights I know....and without fail hits them on the low E...up and down the neck...

[@denizhanozyurek]

I agree but Zakk's early style is more tasteful than his later stuff with BLS in my opinion. Sykes and Wylde are my top 2 guitarist!

[@joetroutt7425]

Now I want to listen to the whole Whitesnake album again after thirty years of not hearing it. Excellent job.

[@KCJAM1]

In a year of AMAZING albums I believe the Eponymous Whitesnake album was the best of the year. One of the last of the true great albums with hardly a poorly written (none of the songs were bad, imo!) song in the entire collection. It definitely required a full listening of every song unlike the incredibly abysmal shite cobbled together today just to be able to claim the album status.

[@madden7732]

@@KCJAM1 musically and guitar wise, the albums id kust as great as it gets. Lyrically, i think its pretty shit, Coverdale's lyrics are not really the strongest point in the band haha but great singer thats for sure!

[@heathday7360]

John Sykes was such a badass. That album would have never been without him imo. Great video!!

[@NeroTheIncredible]

John Sykes, those riffs, those harmonies, it made me come back to guitar in 87 and Here I go again now ! I just need a les paul now ! Blue Murder is one of my favorites too !

[@Horrorfreak106]

Crying in the Rain is my favorite solo of all time. It's really beautiful and vicious!

[@megaduck7965]

“ Featuring Mr John Sykes on guitar while the rest of us look on meekly “

[@demokraatti]

These are the best riffs of all time. Sykes is such a monster player.

[@grantwright8071]

IMO, Whitesnake one of the very best heavy Rock bands ever.. They took a step backwards when Sykes was politicked out, but are now once again in good hands with Joel Hoekstra..

[@alexmajors565]

Thank you raiding John Sykes’s name. It breaks my heart that he’s not mentioned in magazines or most online pages. What he did and created as a musician is one of a kind. He’s directly from Mount Olympus. Eddie Trunk is one of the few people from that era who still talks to John. More people should praise the name of the British Lion, Sir John Sykes. Cheers!

[@ek3910]

So true

[@lucassosa4660]

George Lynch, John Sykes, jake e lee. the best from the 80's

[@richjohn2497]

You forgot Randy roads and eddie van halen for starters!

[@PAULVANOS5150]

warren demartini

[@Marcelo-1996]

Matthias Jabs from Scorpions I would add on the list

[@frikerjimenez]

My three favs too...

[@Imokyourok440]

Vito!!

[@Jovisjourneytribute]

MY LORD... your tone in this is absolutely amazing. jesus

[@jaialaiwarrior]

*BAD BOYS!!!* Awesome playing and interpretations! Sykes is one of the best ever, he took Coverdale to the next level and Dave never forgave him for it!!!

[@TinusTegenlicht]

I so wished they would get back together, but they break was permament. Imagine if Sykes was on Slip of thr Tongue?

[@stevendearden8030]

Absolutely superb content. I love Whitesnake and am old enough to remember when the 1987 album was first released. This video brought back so many memories and immediately made me pick up my LP and crank my JCM 800. You play these riffs with genuine enthusiasm and I loved the expression you made when picking those natural harmonics on Bad Boys. Well done Leon.

[@TestarossaRocks]

To be fair the whole album is killer.

[@julianortiz4151]

TestarossaRocks, absolutely! Still one of my favorites to this day and I’ve had it since its release. I was 13 years old when it was released and I moved on to heavier and darker Metal but I continued to love this album and I still play it often.

[@TestarossaRocks]

Julian Ortiz right on!

[@jonbigg7385]

That opening Still of the Night riff has always been one of my favorites. You've just inspired me to go learn some of the other riffs from that album.

[@TheGuitarMan8670]

So many great WS riffs. Love the wide and fat tone in those songs. Great stuff 🎸😎👍

[@jmar482]

Great demo. I loved Whitesnake. When this album came out I was 13-14 years old and was totally blown away by it. My friends and I spent a lot of time figuring out the riffs and solos. John Sykes is such an underrated guitarist.

[@Chris_Brah]

Straight for the heart is my favorite track, just as good now as when I heard it at age 16 back in 1987...

[@gojohngo106]

Great tune!

[@guruzini1971]

a fellow 71 model

[@madden7732]

Great song. Probably the cheesiest one (sounds like a very happy Japanese anime song lmao), but its a banger for sure!

[@JorgeCanela]

One of my favorite albums as well. You've got a massive amount of tone in you: both in your fingers and in the sound you get out of your equipment. Congrats!

[@TVoltG]

Sykes, golden Riff Master. Great as always Todd!🤘 and your ending words are spot on..

[@codacreator6162]

I've never seen anyone cover Sykes so effectively or accurately. Awesome playing, man!

[@LeonTodd]

Thanks man! I loved this album growing up so it was a lot of fun to get in to the details with it.

[@codacreator6162]

@@LeonTodd I keep coming back. 87 is my all time favorite album, hands down. I was 22 when it came out and RUINED everything I'd been listening to... Saw Whitesnake with Motley Crue headlining and argued with some random 12 year old who thought Mick Mars was the most gifted guitarist to grace planet Earth... The other thing that stood out to me about that show was that while I'd been a fan of both Vandenberg and Dio, I really, really wanted to see Sykes. Now, I wouldn't bother to spend the money. Coverdale has been touring with a cover band since '88...

[@greekfreak1980]

Whitesnake´s "1987" is propably one of the greatest heavy-rock albums of all time. It´s just a shame,all the bullshit that happened behind the scenes of the production of this record,which culminated with Coverdale firing Sykes and pretty much the entire band. P.S. Zakk Wylde actually mentions John Sykes often,when he´s asked about influences.

[@SteveFullerBikes]

Had that not happened, we might not have gotten that first Blue Murder album, and that would be a damn shame.

[@lionelkirbyshire7683]

In my opinion 80s guitar hasn't been beaten, I love it, so many great bands.

[@allentroxel9719]

John Sykes is one of my all time favorites. Great playing man. Cheers.

[@allan-shephard]

Great video. I always thought "Still of the Night" was more like Deep Purple's "Rat Bat Blue". I think I've still got 1987 on vinyl in the cupboard. 🤘😁🎸

[@gordontubbs]

True story, I mentioned the word "riff" one time and my wife was like "what's a riff?" -- I said, "okay, hold on" and then proceeded to play Still of the Night. Asked and answered!

[@LeonTodd]

The riff you play when you want to explain riffs! It is that good.

[@GearGasms]

Give Me All Your Love Tonight is SUCH a proto-John Sykes riff! Killer!

[@Bls-of1ld]

Atleast she didn't call it a rift like a lot of ppl on youtube lol

[@Nopeandnope3861]

I just learned (like you have) John is very versatile......who knew he could sing so well and play so great too?

[@dirface]

Complexity and emotion through simplicity. Take note every Kiezel guitarist ever.

[@NaRhala]

your tone and the whole youre gonna break my heart again riff is absolutely RIPPIN!! im totally hooked, great stuff dude!

[@LeonTodd]

Thanks so much for checking it out!

[@emmettgros8535]

John Sykes was brilliant, incredible player and writer

[@saynotobigotry]

Listen to his playing with ‘Blue Murder’. ✌🏽

[@BAND-MAID-USA]

WhiteSnake is such an amazing band. Coverdale was an absolutely insanely incredible singer. And he’s had some of the best guitarist ever aligned. Sykes, Vandenberg, Vai and Campbell? I mean come on now. 4 of the best in history. Freakn amazing songs that are just as good or even better decades later.

[@theonlyredspecial]

So many memories of this album when I was a teenager. Sykes was a monster. Loved some of his solo stuff too.

[@DevinRyanVitek]

I’m so glad to see some love for John Sykes! HUGE tone. Dan Gower gets that huge tone with his modded plexis. I want one but a Les Paul custom is calling my name

[@pdooley730]

People always kinda crap on John Sykes lead playing but he is the whole package, you ALWAYS know when John Sykes is playing and that is the true test of a Guitar Hero!

[@LeonTodd]

Do they? I've only always LOVED his stuff.

[@pdooley730]

Yea I’m in a couple Facebook groups for Thin Lizzy and Gary Moore and a lot of people don’t like Sykes. And maybe it’s really just him with Lizzy they don’t like.

[@beornthebear.8220]

I can always tell the sound of Sykes, even from my Tygers of Pantang albums.

[@EmbarrassedComposer]

Bad Boys is my favourite Whitesnake riff too! Just sick!

[@ScreamingStevenHoward]

Killer tone mate. One of all time favorite albums.

[@brandonproctor3639]

My god I love those riffs! That sounds so good man, great video as always mate!

[@markthomas5030]

A tutorial would be good on these few killer riffs , great video leon

[@chrismitlyng1411]

Love the content and it’s always refreshing to hear someone else’s take on another amazing guitarist and their tone. You’ve given so much to the art and your love for it shows! Screw the haters Leon. 50k subs can’t be wrong!

[@Husabuse]

Holy fcuk - aced it, best riff based record, bar none! The huge tone is a must as well, and you had that as well. Kudos.

[@Gazzpunk]

Super renditions, really enjoyed seeing and hearing your enthusiasm for Sykes and that Whitesnake album.

[@rbevans4581]

The commentary in between riffs is valuable. Keep it up.

[@ch3nz3n]

Sykes' prominent left hand slides (ala the glissando opening to Still of the Night) blew my fragile little mind back in '88. lol

[@keithkrick2255]

Man, all his noises blew my mind, i was just getting in to guitar and I had no idea how he was getting some of the sounds on that album (and to some some extent still don't :D) The guitar sound on this album is unbelievable.......and that vibrato.........and those harmonics........the palm muting.......the HUGE bends......ok, i'll stop now :D

[@zedddddful]

This album was the culmination of everything that was awesome about the 80's i still play it at least once a week.

[@LeonTodd]

Same!

[@joefrederick5494]

This is one of your best videos! Sykes is my favorite along with the boys from Queensryche. You should do a QR 5 favorite riffs.

[@LeonTodd]

QR is next!

[@DomTremendous]

Dude, you are bang on. Sykes is a master! And QR are metal architects!

[@joefrederick5494]

Awesome, I can’t wait to watch it.

[@BAND-MAID-USA]

I could NEVER choose 5 for QueensRyche. They have a KILLER riff in literally every song since the Prophecy. DeGarmo was 1 of my biggest guitar idols from 84 until Promised Land. I was literally at their 1st EVER show in Portland, Oregon. If you choose to do QR next you'd better choose wisely. You know EVER QR fan on Earth is going to put you under a microscope. Choosing 5 riffs from them would be impossible for me, and I know every riff they ever done, front & back. Looking forward to seeing what you choose. And don't choose ANY After DeGarmo left of course. That will piss all QR fans off lol.

[@alanst.4417]

Wow Leon, this is one kickass essence of some of the greatest Whitesnake riffs I love, too. Always a pleasure when you put them in your demos. Not enough guitar channels use them though, which is a shame imo.

[@paulknowles6433]

I was expecting children of the night. That riff is epic 🤘

[@0226lauren]

Doesn’t matter what people think, I can feel the vibe from your playing. Keep up the great content 🎼👍

[@kimmoparonen1737]

On 1987 there's also a killer clean guitar part on "Is this love" Demo that sometime! :)

[@pedropete52]

Awesome playing! I love it that you enjoy some killer 80's double stop riffs

[@acrossthefire1587]

FireHouse had some badass riffs too yes hair metal but the guitarist shreds those 80 grind chords. Next maybe? .\m/.

[@Metallian81]

Definitely! Bill Leverty is amazing and one of my favorites, right up there with Satriani, Criss Oliva, Matthias Jabs, and Zakk Wylde.

[@Meetlofe]

Awesome stuff! I was 16 or so when it came out and the cassette stayed in my car's tape deck for at least a year or 2. Very well played, dude! It took me back, for sure.

[@LukeCannotSkate]

Whitesnake seriously has 2 songs called 'Don't break my heart again' and 'You're gonna break my heart again' ffs David hahahaha

[@steelin666]

Yeah, and they're in the same key. Probably the later one originated as a jam of the earlier. David admitted that Children Of The Night was born with him and Sykes just messing around with Burn. And David really likes to revisit his earlier works to reinvent them in some way.

[@madden7732]

Yes I always get confused between those two 😅😂

[@robertdavis9801]

One of the best albums ever made. Listened to the whole album last weekend, and it never ceases to get my head banging 🤘 nice playing bro.

[@andyy7052]

You mentioned your love for Queensryche ,would love hear you break down some of their early albums, so much variety in those albums

[@MadDrummer100000]

Great video, man! Been waiting for a video like this for a very long time! Glad you’re the who made it! Awesome playing! Cheers!

[@brainynbrawny9562]

KILLER! and your playing and tone are spot-on! JOHN SYKES - the original ZAKK WYLDE!

[@tomjordanmusic35]

Awesome video as always dude! John Sykes has always been one of my all time favourite guitarists too! So glad you included "You're Gonna Break My Heart Again" - super under appreciated track!

[@wolverine3344]

Great playing Leon, i also loved John Sykes in a Blue Murder too. I’m a little bummed bc I was really hoping for more instruction on playing these killer riffs, but enjoyed it nonetheless. Your tone is spot on.

[@LeonTodd]

I'll do a video soon!

[@TelesPlayMetal]

The last minute of this video is why I have been subscribed for a long time...keep it up!

[@rangerdoc1029]

Makin' the 80s Great Again! Holy Hell! That tone! It's f-cking HUGE! Is that the Axe-FX?

[@LeonTodd]

Yes indeed. It's the MK IV model in there

[@danhensley1629]

Great vid! I'm a huge Sykes fan as well. Rock on!

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Love this!!!

[@13strigoi69]

Are you going to do a breakdown of the tones? That would be awesome. I've heard that one of the reasons Sykes was fired were the studio expenditures in trying to nail down his sound.

[@inerceptor]

I was so looking forward to you playing “You’re going to break my heart again” and you didn’t let me down. Thank you

[@mje6444]

Still of the night is legendary

[@ARyan-sr4nn]

I did some work with Whitesnake during “Slip of the Tongue” in Reno. Great guys and fond memories. Sold Adrian my Marshall amp and got myself a couple of VTM amps.

[@thejoeshow66]

I always thought that Sykes was underrated. To be honest, i didnt know him til this album came out, but man, his riffs were deadly!

[@donaldmoser212]

Great stuff! Can never go wrong playing any songs from any of the 1980s hair bands.

[@julianortiz4151]

“ZZ Top on cocaine and Aquanet.” 🤣🤣🤣🤘

[@guitarfool3881]

Another great video Leon ! It's all about having FUN anyway !!! Riot (Fire Down Under) old school.

[@wakjob961]

Blue Murder is amazing.

[@Metallian81]

Great video! Sykes is a favorite of mine and the ‘87 Whitesnake album is one of the greatest rock albums ever made. Not 1 bad song on the entire album.

[@mmilan67]

And please more from Gary Moore 🎸🎸🎸

[@LeonTodd]

Soon!

[@greekfreak1980]

* puts Emperor Palpatine voice on * *DEWWWWWW IT!!!*

[@timgove5337]

Gary Moore, Corridors of Power album, with its own Gonna Break My Heart Again Btw, I completely wrote this whole part (indie tune) on that C/D opening chord, the “whitesnake queensryche dokken whitelion pinkfloyd chord”... kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZ2aqZeJqbGpnZY

[@sonnymontigny7556]

Awesome band! Great album! Saw them live with Great White in "87" Killer concert! 🤟Actually , John Sykes left before the tour started on this album. Then it was Vivian Campbell, and Adrian Van denberg.

[@The73mp73]

I remember buying a Blue Murder album that was crazy good. Anyone have that?

[@Easy_Skanking]

That was an amazing album. Tony Franklin's fretless bass under Sykes guitar and driven by Appice's drums.... That was a hidden gem in the 80's.

[@The73mp73]

@@Easy_Skanking Definitely!

[@teacherluciano]

Love that the hair configuration serves as a visual aid to indicate talking or playing moments of the video. Like, "damn, his hair is loose, here comes the song!"

[@LeonTodd]

Hahaha exactly!

[@Jay-sy5yf]

M'Lord's rotund cat spotted at 4:42

[@klextacy]

Don't change a thing with how you do these videos, Leon. This was awesome!! John is one of my biggest influences. When this album came out, it changed everything for me as a guitarist. Keep up the awesome work. Cheers! -Christian

[@guillotinedeath]

John Sykes rules show us some tygers as well

[@alexandargabric]

One of the most accurate recreations of the Sykes sound I have heard so far! As always, awesome job mate!

[@mmilan67]

„Play authentic“😁😂😎

[@rangerdoc1029]

@Rumy 73 think he's pointing out the black tape over the headstock.

[@mmilan67]

Rumy 73 I do, believe me 🎶🎶🎶🎸🎸🎸

[@mottosierra1372]

4,000 guitar and goes out of tune with a couple of riffs..🎩

[@jamiepetrakovitz4238]

He was pointing out that his “authentic “ guitar was going out of tune!! Lol

[@jamiepetrakovitz4238]

“My guitar is going out of tune. Play “authentic”!! Sorry I want my guitars staying in tune, got rid of all my “authentic” junk for actual quality guitars, and they cost less money too!! LOL

[@darrendavidson3269]

Thanks Todd, Great stuff. Whitesnake 87 was my gateway into 80s Glam Metal. All those great riffs. I didn't realise at the time that they had such a back catalogue of music or that David Coverdale was in Deep Purple. What an era of music.

[@LeonTodd]

Mine too! Such a special album

[@empirelight5477]

You mention Zakk but so much of this reminded me of Jake E Lee.

[@LeonTodd]

The double picked stuff is very Jake

[@garylaverty6607]

@@LeonTodd soon as I heard the double picked bit, my old brain screamed bark at the moon. Hell, most of my stuff is recycled Zeppelin if Blackmore filled in for Ozzy. I'll let you ponder on that. Great video Leon.

[@jonfaerman7518]

All sykes sons sykes was the real epitome of 80 guitar and if he play today is still scary real deal dude

[@ralpherl5657]

This album is so good, the sound was so huge and Sykes is amazing. Crying In The Rain is one of my favorite songs of all time

[@jonrizzle87]

John Sykes!!! 🤘🤘

[@jasons.3921]

I have been digging in on a bunch of the 80's riffs lately and this is just I what I needed. Started getting into the way John plays and appreciating his contributions to rock not long ago, although, Whitesnake was big when I started playing. Kinda got absorbed with the heavier music that was being released and became more influenced by that. Dime was a big influence. Thanks for putting out some great quality and super relevant videos showcasing some truly legendary guitarists. I will definitely give your band some listening. Cheers!

[@LeonTodd]

John had a lot of influence across the board, an absolute rock god!

[@Gene2713]

Whats the axe preset Leon? Bad boys sounded mean.

[@andre.1984]

"You're gonna break my heart again" is really a forgotten gem. It's absolutely awesome riffage all the way.

[@jerryguthrie]

Me: notices tape over Gibson logo, Thinks Leon must be pissed at Gibson for some reason...keeps watching video for possible explanation...*11 minutes into video* still no explanation. I then pause video and read comments hoping to find answer then see question about backwards 3-way switch...wtf?... scroll back to video to confirm. indeed it is. I then proceed channel page to scan the titles of last few videos made seeking explanation. none found. alas, I unpause video. *30 secs later * Leon: "I know some of you are dying to know..." Me: You Dirty Bastard!

[@1tdillon]

Same here. I thought it was because he picked up a Chibson and didn't want to pass it off as a real Gibson...hence the upside down 3-way switch.

[@shinjial]

Pretty cool choices, made me want to pay their music a visit. Also, awesome tone! So thick and defined, and on the neck pickup!

[@alexander_noren]

their "Slip of the Tongue" is the best hard rock album of all times :) "Whitesnake 87" is very good too!

[@j1shot2]

Slip of the Tongue was the beginning of the end

[@alexander_noren]

@@j1shot2 unfortunately :(

[@waynefaircloth4329]

Simply.....AwEsOmE ! ! ! Love hearing your John Sykes thoughts and videos. His style along with Gary Moore during his aggressive days, shaped me as a guitarist. John's riff writing along with Ty Tabor and Jerry Cantrell brought it all together :-) :-)

[@markcatron8996]

Judgement day is another excellent Whitesnake tune, The days of Steve Vai

[@Metallian81]

Mark Catron Probably my second favorite Whitesnake album. Sailing Ships is my jam though!

[@carlosrocha9550]

Good idea! Excelent vídeo! This Whitesnake’s album is a class of rock guitar!

[@oisinmcphillips2090]

Still of the Night blew my mind when my Bruce Springsteen and AC/DC only listening 14 year old self heard it. That whole second half of that song still gives me chills

[@LeonTodd]

That would have been a revelation!

[@Axess-sv8nq]

I was impressed by John Sykes's work in Whitesnake. Then, he created Blue Murder after leaving Whitesnake. I picked up the album on a whim. And I was stunned into pure AWE! If you never heard the first Blue Murder album, I HIGHLY recommend it!

[@LeonTodd]

@@Axess-sv8nq that first Blue Murder album is perfection.

[@Axess-sv8nq]

@Leon Todd - Absolutely! Just incredible! Valley Of The Kings and Riot are my favorite songs on the album - but, they're all incredible!

[@mhoff7722]

@@LeonTodd Yep one of my all time faves! That was the first time I heard fretless bass in a heavy rock context. My bass player immediately knocked the frets out of his P bass lol.

[@dunkie5150]

Love this… great riffs, awesome tone! Guest appearance by your Dyson too! 😉👍🏻🤘🏻