Jan Cyrka

Jan Cyrka is a British guitar player. After a stint in Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction (under the name Flash Bastard), he released his critically acclaimed debut, "Beyond The Common Ground," in 1992. The track "Western Eyes" was used as the theme to the Radio 1 Rock Show. 1995's follow-up album, "Spirit," continued the melodic style but dialled-down some of the guitar pyrotechnics of ...Common Ground. 1997's "Prickly Pear" dialled down the hystrionics further still and included vocals from T'Pau singer Carol Decker.

Jan was also an endorsee of Trace Elliot and Hamer guitars. He has also written a long-running column for Guitarist magazine.

Jan's Discography :

Beyond The Common Ground (1992) :
Jan's debut album took the British guitar community by storm. And even though the album wasn't commercially available in the States, a minor buzz managed to make its way across the pond. Strong riffs, zany dynamics and clever arrangements made this album a rare gem for guitar enthusiasts.

Spirit (1995) :
The mood on Jan's follow-up CD is a little more restrained and mature. While rockers like "Breaking Point" were still the focus, songs like "Angel" and "The Migrant" exhibited Jan's ability to compose beautiful music beyond the realm of guitar wankery.

Prickly Pear (1997) :
Some shredders may have grumbled about the lack of guitar wizardry on Jan's third record, but Prickly Pear firmly established Jan as a composer who plays guitar rather than a mere guitar hero. Pop tunes featuring vocalist Carol Decker and jazzy songsmithing displayed Jan's versatility and growth.