Phil Spalding

Philip Trevor Spalding was an English bass player. He was best known as a session musician and player of Fender Precision Bass guitars. He played and appeared with performing artists such as Mike Oldfield, Mick Jagger, Seal, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Elton John, Heaven 17 and Randy Crawford.

Career

At an early age he was a successful child model and appeared in a television advertisement for Smiths Crisps. Spalding was a computer operator for a high street bank, before joining rock artist Bernie Tormé in 1976. Later he joined Original Mirrors before beginning a collaboration with Toyah in December 1980. Whilst with The Toyah band he recorded and co-wrote songs for studio albums and toured with the band until his departure in 1983.
Later he was a member of GTR and Mike Oldfield's band. He later appeared on albums by Michel Polnareff, Suggs, Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue. Spalding also recorded bass tracks on The Lion King studio soundtrack album.
In February 2012, he joined the Simon Townshend band for the Secret Weapon UK tour in support of the album Looking Out, Looking In. Spalding played bass with The Who for their promotional acoustic concerts at Pryzm in Kingston, London on 12 February 2020.

Illness and awareness campaigns

Affected by hepatitis C he appeared on BBC Oxford on 28 July 2008 to promote a vaccine trial for the disease. Spalding started a patient support group called Hep C Positive in Swindon and worked with the charity Liver4Life to raise awareness of Hepatitis C.

Death

Spalding died on 5 February 2023 at the age of 65.

Discography

With Max Bacon

The Higher You Climb
From the Banks of the River Irwell

With Melanie C

Reason

With Roger Chapman

Hybrid and Lowdown

With Ray Charles

Strong Love Affair

With Joe Cocker

Across from Midnight

With Randy Crawford

Play Mode

With Stephen Dale Petit

Guitararama

With Marcella Detroit

Jewel

With Julia Downes

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

With Terence Trent D'Arby

Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby

With Delta Goodrem

Mistaken Identity

With GTR

GTR

With Geri Halliwell

Passion

With Mick Jagger

Goddess in the Doorway

With Elton John

Duets

With Beverley Knight

Affirmation

With Nick Lachey

SoulO

With Kylie Minogue

Light Years

With Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Universal

With Michel Polnareff

Kāma-Sūtra

With Seal

Seal

With Skin

Fleshwounds

With Freddie Starr

A New Twist

With Matthew Sweet

Inside

With Talk Talk

It's My Life

With Roger Taylor

Happiness?

With Judie Tzuke

Under the Angels

With Robbie Williams

Sing When You're Winning
''Escapology''