Met the guy a few years back when he was performing with Andy Fraser. Very unassuming, almost shy, but such a gentleman and a phenomenal guitarist. Listen to 'You Don't Own Me' off of his 'Click Clack' album, superb.
Is footage of CS (and/or Battered Ornaments) at Hyde Park out there? Spedding seems like the greatest of the great "unknowns" when it comes to electric guitar. I'd no IDEA who he was in the early Eighties when my friend invited me to go see him live at a theater that held maybe 2000 and I was struck that the show was very nearly sold-out. Then he fired up his instrument and I immediately knew why. He was PHENOMENAL. I never got hold of any of his LP's - but I NEVER forgot about him. I think he reminds me a little of the guitarist from Savoy Brown, who'd I'd likewise never paid any attention to, until another (different) friend a few years back recommended we go see. I swear there couldn't have been 500 in attendance at a small club (little blues-type venue in the KC metro area called Knuckleheads which took the place of the "other" [relatively famous blues venue I can't recall the name] that's long-since shuttered-up). Anyhow the Savoy-guy is aging now but he DID pull out all the stops on (approximately/exactly ONE) blues piece that really affected me. Can't recall the name of "that song" and sadly I didn't go right home and try and look it up. All I knew, was on that particular number, on that particular night, I'd seen/heard something that sorta/kinda rivaled the best British blues ever played including Eric Clapton (who I only saw ONCE but it was promoting the "No Alibis" LP so was the PERFECT time to see him. "No Alibis" is in fact (in my mind) the single-most-under-appreciated Brit-blues number in the last 30 years. Except maybe the duet with Robert Cray that closes the *Cradle* record a few years later, and the "Three O'Clock Blues* recording with BB King more recently, which is likewise the best electric blues I think I've heard in a decade or two. I always tended to prefer Duane Allman - except for maybe the 461 album - but that's highly atavistic vis a vis Duane anyway. In fact it's as beautiful paean (in my mind) to Duane as anybody ever created. I'm NOT a big fan of Derek Trucks (and all that) as it seems derivative but he DOES provide some breakthrough moments yet still I doubt I'd pay money to see him live. Or purchase any of the albums. And the other "Duane/Dickey replacement" - the fat guy can't remember his name - rubs me the same way ANY "nostalgia act" always does. But I know the youngsters and die-hard hippie wannabees kill for that shit but when the (one) "Brother" died the "Allman Bros." died with him and the remnants (no matter HOW talented Betts which he was) including Gregg was just a farce. Same as when Lowell George kicked it - I almost LIVED for Little Feat (Jimmy Page's favorite act) but no Lowell no-more-me-give-a-flying-frog's-fat-ass. And please don't lecture me about Peter Green because I've listened VERY closely his two great blues numbers, both of them, and Michael Bloomfield probably had a half-dozen that were at-least-as-good - if not better. Oddly enough, it's Duane's "cover(s)" in particular "Soul Serenade" only played once-or-twice before he died (at 24 and three years YOUNGER than Hendrix) and studio efforts that generally melt-my-mind and murder-my-soul. His SLIDE "sound" in all of recorded (electric) music is the most distinctive/signature/melodic/inimitable of ANY sound coming from an electric guitar, and if Hendrix's "most beautiful effort" is "Watchtower" (studio) which it probably is and/or "Red House" (live) his most convincing blues which again is beyond argument (in my mind) then again Duane is FAR more impressive (for a 24-yr-old). Even more convincing, even more soulful, even more enchanting, mesmerizing, innovative, just-flat-out beautiful - and "Watchtower" certainly IS INCREDIBLY beautiful. But Duane has/had the "soul factor" past them all, although with John Bonham behind, and JPJ with, Page arguably covered more blues-rock territory (with greater panache) than anybody. In the studio. And honestly, for the first year-and-a-half w/ Zep, maybe even live (on a small few CERTAIN nights). I've been struck that ONCE IN A WHILE (live and very early on) Jimmy Page actually sounded "strangely similar" to Duane, as did Mick Taylor for several months out-of-the-gate. Meaning they "all" were achieving unbelievably stellar heights (live) around '70/71 that have probably never again been scaled (live). But a good deal of Duane's greatest work was in the studio backing other artists, and NOT live. And I don't think he needed the gimmicky shit that Hendrix leaned upon so hard at times. But Page (BECAUSE OF? Jones/Bonham) actually GAVE US more (as much and maybe lots more than Stones) into 72/73 from the studio than anybody by then. When he said "I gave everything I had to Led Zeppelin" he meant "in studio" and he was being bloody honest. It's interesting how Exile On Main Street and Physical Graffiti contained NUMEROUS reprisals of earlier compositions - and both might have marked career highpoints if quantity/quality are accounted for and the little bit of dross is left behind. I like this type music as much as anything, and have "explored it" with savage dedication (because I love it) but if anybody knows what "I've been missing" the PLEASE advise: I'd LOVE to find "new" stuff. The gospel-blues tune "Devotion" by the Faces, e.g. is EXTRAORDINARY (exquisite/transcendent/earth-shattering) by any measure whatsoever - but nobody ever hardly even mentions it. I'm a HUGE fan of Ry Cooder's '92 rendition (live) of "Jesus On The Mainline" w/ the Staples Singers .... of course I've got the "original" on Paradise & Lunch which contains the landmark "Tattler" ... and the Tres Hombres album contains some of greatest gospel-blues ever played/recorded in "Have You Heard" and "Hot, Blue, and Righteous" .... "Brides of Jesus" by Little Feat I normally cue up for "Feat newcomers" and ALWAYS win immediate converts --- Solomon Burke and Little Milton are examples of blues singers "most folks" (younger) are BLOWN AWAY by. Of course Ray Charles (Atlantic sides) kills everybody who only knows "Georgia" and "What'd I Say" ... bla bla bla Aretha's first six Atlantic albums has changed MANY MANY women's (musical appreciation) lives ... bla bla King Curtis IS ABSOLUTELY the "king" of Soul and R&B sax ... &tc &tc &tc Sam Cooke greatest American singer ever lived - Van Morrison changes lives as well and of course Dylan and Jackson Browne and Warren Zevon &tc &tc &tc &tc PS She's My Friend I'll go listen to now (for first time) and the maybe some Dave Mason ...
If I was starting a band an adventurous band this is the guy to call. There's no one quite like him. He's so nondescript that it works overall very versatile as well. Guitar Jamboree he'll show you! Works great with singers just amazing Ask Bryan Ferry
I will lay money that it was Mr Croker at Harvest who was sufficiently creative along with Blackhill to get those 2 LP's to fulfil the contract, Many other execs would not make that leap of imagination.
Motor biking..... dang motor biking..... dang motor biking ......dang motor cycling dang.Movin on the Queens highway looking like a streak of lightening.... dang.When you gotta go you gotta go motor bike riding...... dang.
