Late 60s/early 70s jazz-rock legend Chris Spedding – who went on to simpler music and bigger success after that – has non-Hogkin lumphoma. His family have started a crowdfunder to cover his living expenses etc. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Chris on a couple of occasions and he is indeed – as his family say – a gentleman.
The link is in the comments. Here is the text from it:
For over six decades, Chris Spedding has been bringing magic to stages and studios across the world with his inimitable guitar work with Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry, Elton John, John Cale, Jack Bruce, Tom Waits, Paul McCartney, and Robert Gordon. Chris’ genius as a musician, session guitarist, and producer has touched generations of music lovers. But to our family, he’s just been Uncle Chris.
Now, at 82, Chris faces a tough new battle.
In recent months, Chris was diagnosed with large B-cell high-grade, non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He begins intensive chemotherapy on August 20th, initiating a challenging 9-month treatment process.
Because this fight will pause his ability to work and tour, Chris and his wife, Jody, need our support to help cover essential living expenses and additional medical expenses as they navigate this difficult period.
Anyone who knows Chris knows he is a kind, generous soul who would step up for anyone in need. For decades, he has given us unforgettable music. Now, it is our turn to rally around him to show our appreciation of him during this challenging time.
I daresay a few well-known musicians will give large sums (anonymously or privately), but as someone running two GoFundMe campaigns for a good cause currently, trust me, every little donation helps:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-chris-spedding-in-his-fight-against-lymphoma
Good one Colin. I’m in.
Me too. Every little helps pay for that meal you can shake hands with in the dark.
Well played!
@Colin-H I spotted it on Friday and donated immediately. Chris’s condition is one step away from my own; B Cell NHL is usually curable, my Mantle Cell is not. Chris has given me so much joy, over the years, not least as part of Bryan Ferry’s fantastic live band, on several memorable nights. I also saw him leading the War of the Worlds band in the brilliant London stage productions in 2016.
I wish him all the luck in the world and, as a fellow sufferer, here’s my mantra:
Do exactly what they tell you.
Take every drug they offer you.
Follow the process.🙏
🙏
I’m assuming he lives in the UK, or, at least, hope he does, so as to access the NHS. I’m guessing he never bought stamps for his pension, to explain this request, which is why he otherwise has to work and tour at 82.
I may have misconstrued this, but how much extra are his costs compared to, say, @niallb. and I’m sorry if that sounds snarky.
I hear you, Retro. Yes, Chris lives in Brighton as far as I’m aware. I’m aware of other examples of elderly UK musicians relying on external help when health issues intervene because they clearly don’t have pensions. There’s a part of me that does think, ‘Well, I’ve never had much money, I’ve had many years as a freelance worker (in the 90s and since the early 2010s), yet I’ve still managed to keep a pension going since I was about 25 – why didn’t you?’ But I think one just has to accept that there was a generation of musicians in the 60s and 70s who simply never thought in that way. I can’t explain why. So we are where we are, and one feels compassion nonetheless.
Thanks for that, Colin, likely confirming my guess. They were probably given advice to just enjoy their probably all too brief spotlight and to worry about pensions when they “grew up and got a proper job….”
Less of an issue as many musicians now need or have a day job as well, let alone the advice given at their music degree courses*, which includes the financial aspect of a career in music.
*I was at Folk East at the w/e and, instead of meeting whilst busking in Madrid, or at the bus stop, half of Sam Kelly and the Lost boys met at Uni in Sussex, studying Music.
I will contribute to this for all the good reasons above and for the odd coincidence that I recently had a dream about Chris Spedding. Yes, really. If you find other people’s dreams very boring, then best not to read on…
I was in the Top of the Pops studio and it was announced that the next act was … Misty in Roots! I was naturally very excited and was in the process of texting a friend to say that this was a step towards a more civilised country, when the band came on. However, I immediately recognised that they had a new, white, singer. And instead of kicking into a rousing rendition of ‘Mankind’ or ‘Sodom and Gommorah’, they instead played ‘Never carry more than you can eat’ which Afterworders will recognise as a track from Mr Spedding’s 1970 album, Backwood Progression. Went down well with the studio audience.