David Coverdale recording "Slide It In" to re-form Deep Purple. (Ian Paice had left Whitesnake in 1982.) In 1985, Sykes and Coverdale started working on new songs for the next album, but Coverdale soon contracted a serious sinus infection that made recording close to impossible for much of 1986 and which had doctors thinking he might never sing again. Coverdale eventually recovered, and recordings were continued. But before their upcoming album was fully recorded and released, Coverdale had dismissed Sykes from the band. The split with Sykes was, reportedly, not amicable. In many period interviews, Coverdale stated that the next album was
Gary James Cregan & Co and London blues-rock act Bad Influence. He has performed live on stage with The Ian Gillan Band, Graham Bonnet, Don Airey, Mick Ralphs, Paul Young and made a guest appearance playing drums for UK the prog rock band Breathing Space. In the studio, as well as his extensive back catalogue with Thunder and Magnum, Harry has contributed to work by Don Airey, Russ Ballard, Shadowman (featuring FM's vocalist Steve Overland, Heartland's Steve Morris and Thunder's Chris Childs), Kate Aumonier, Carl Sentance, Bucket & Co and Hellfire Corner. Harry is backed by Pearl, Paiste, Pro-Mark and Protection Racket.