Chris Spedding

Chris Spedding
Spedding performing in Toronto, 18 May 1979
Spedding performing in Toronto, 18 May 1979
Background information
Birth namePeter Robinson
Born (1944-06-17) 17 June 1944 (age 80)
Staveley, Derbyshire, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
InstrumentGuitar
Years activeLate 1960s–present
Labels
Websitechrisspedding.com

Christopher John Spedding (born Peter Robinson, 17 June 1944)[1] is an English guitarist and record producer. In a career spanning more than 50 years, Spedding is best known for his studio session work. By the early 1970s, he had become one of the most sought-after session guitarists in England. Spedding has played on and produced many albums and singles. He has also been a member of eleven rock bands: the Battered Ornaments, Frank Ricotti Quartet, King Mob, Mike Batt and Friends, Necessaries, Nucleus, Ricky Norton, Sharks, Trigger, and the Wombles. In May 1976, Spedding also produced the first Sex Pistols recordings.[2]

AllMusic has described Spedding as "one of the UK's most versatile session guitarists, [he] has had a long career on two continents that saw him tackle nearly every style of rock and roll ...".[3]

Spedding, a long-time friend of Chrissie Hynde, was a regular concert feature artist with the Pretenders on their US tour in March/April 1980. He appeared regularly during the band's encores, playing the guitar solos on their version of the Kinks' song "Stop Your Sobbing".[2]

As well as his celebrated work as a session musician, Spedding pursued a solo career, releasing his debut album Songs Without Words in 1970. Since then, he has released fourteen studio albums, and two live albums. His only solo hit was 1975's "Motor Bikin'".[4]

  1. ^ "Biography by Steve Huey & Bruce Eder". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  2. ^ a b Bright, Kimberly J. (2006). Chris Spedding: Reluctant Guitar Hero. Smirking Mirror. p. 748.
  3. ^ Steve, Huey. "Chris Spedding Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  4. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 519. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.