Phil Spalding

Philip Trevor Spalding (19 November 1957 – 5 February 2023) 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.

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 (Now & Then, 1995) From the Banks of the River Irwell (Blue Print, 2002)

With Melanie C Reason (Virgin Records, 2003)

With Roger Chapman Hybrid and Lowdown (Polydor, 1990)

With Ray Charles Strong Love Affair (Warner Bros. Records, 1996)

With Joe Cocker Across from Midnight (EMI, 1997)

With Randy Crawford Play Mode (WEA Records, 2000)

With Stephen Dale Petit Guitararama (333, 2008)

With Marcella Detroit Jewel (London, 1994)

With Julia Downes Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (Mercury, 1983)

With Terence Trent D'Arby Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby (Columbia, 1987)

With Delta Goodrem Mistaken Identity (Daylight, 2004)

With GTR GTR (Arista, 1986)

With Geri Halliwell Passion (Virgin Records, 2005)

With Mick Jagger Goddess in the Doorway (Virgin Records, 2001)

With Elton John Duets (Rocket, 1993)

With Beverley Knight Affirmation (Parlophone Records, 2004)

With Nick Lachey SoulO (Universal, 2003)

With Kylie Minogue Light Years (EMI, 2000)

With Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Universal (Virgin, 1996)

With Michel Polnareff Kāma-Sūtra (Epic Records, 1990)

With Seal Seal (ZTT, 1994)

With Skin Fleshwounds (EMI, 2003)

With Freddie Starr A New Twist (Village Recorders, 1984)

With Matthew Sweet Inside (Columbia, 1986)

With Talk Talk It's My Life (EMI, 1984)

With Roger Taylor Happiness? (Parlophone Records, 1994)

With Judie Tzuke Under the Angels (Big Moon, 1996)

With Robbie Williams Sing When You're Winning (Chrysalis Records, 2000) Escapology (Chrysalis Records, 2002)