A seminal figure in early heavy metal who was a member of Thin Lizzy, White Snake, and Tygers of Pan Tang has died at 65 after a battle with cancer.

John Sykes, the British hard rock guitarist best known for his time in Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake, has passed away. Sykes’ social-media pages reported his passing yesterday, saying that Sykes died after a “hard fought battle with cancer.

British rock guitarist John Sykes, who played for acclaimed bands such as Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy has died aged 65. Sykes’ death was announced via his official Facebook page on Monday night, confirming that he had succumbed to cancer.