Chris Spedding

One of Britain's most versatile session guitarists, Chris Spedding's long career has seen him tackle nearly every style of rock & roll to come down the pike, as well as sporadically attempting a solo career. Spedding started out in a beat group called the Vulcans, and from there supported cabaret acts on a cruise ship and several touring country bands. During the late '60s, Spedding backed both Alan Price and Paul Jones, and then joined the Battered Ornaments, a gig that began to establish his reputation in musical circles. Spedding was invited to play on Jack Bruce's 1969 effort, Songs for a Tailor, and subsequently released three solo albums spotlighting his instrumental prowess (1970's Japan-only Songs Without Words, 1971's Backward Progression, and 1972's The Only Lick I Know). Over the 1970s, Spedding appeared on a number of recordings by artists as diverse as Elton John, Nilsson, Memphis Slim, Brian Eno, John Cale, and Mickey Jupp. Ex-Free bassist Andy Fraser formed the Sharks with Spedding in 1973, but the group broke up a year and two albums later, before they could realize their potential. Spedding attempted several other gambits for success; he played with bubblegum group the Wombles in full costume, and in 1975, he recorded the single "Motor-Biking," complete with a matching, contrived leather-wearing bad-boy image, and the single made the U.K. Top 20. After a short stint in Roy Harper's backing band, Trigger, Spedding returned to solo recording. 1976's Chris Spedding and 1977's Hurt showcase his guitar playing in a variety of styles. 1976 also saw Spedding joining the Vibrators on their first single, "Pogo Dancing." His punk credentials were enhanced by demos he produced for the Sex Pistols and the Cramps; false rumors flew for years that he actually played the guitar parts on the former band's records. Spedding attempted unsuccessfully to capitalize on this new credibility with 1978's Guitar Graffiti; he then moved to New York and joined the Necessaries as a guitarist and songwriter. The chemistry wasn't right, though, and he returned to England and recorded a solo album of the Necessaries' material, I'm Not Like Everybody Else, in 1980. The live Friday the 13th was released a year later, showing off some extended solos on Spedding's late-'70s material. Over the '80s and '90s, Spedding continued his session work on such albums as Tom Waits' Rain Dogs, while periodically releasing solo material (1985's Mean and Moody, 1986's roots-rocking Enemy Within, and 1990s Cafe Days). Ten years later, Gesundheit was released.