Spike Edney

Spike Edney

Philip 'Spike' Edney (born 11 December 1951 in Portsmouth) is an English musician who, since the early 1970s, has performed with a number of bands, most notably with Queen, where his participation started in 1984. In the earlier phase of his career, during the mid-1970s, he recorded and toured with The Tymes and Ben E. King, playing keyboards, bass, guitar and trombone. Subsequently, in the late 1970s, he was musical director for Edwin Starr and, during the early 1980s, worked with Duran Duran, the Boomtown Rats, Dexys Midnight Runners, Bucks Fizz, Haircut One Hundred and The Rolling Stones. He also appeared with Peter Green on his comeback tour.

Edney's collaboration with Queen included mostly keyboards (his main instrument), plus rhythm guitar and backing vocals. Accompanying the band on its tours since 1984, he was also part of Roger Taylor's side project The Cross as well as Brian May's band when they toured in 1993 and 1998.

He can be seen playing piano and later guitar (during the track "Hammer To Fall"), dressed in a pink top, onstage with Queen on their Live At Wembley DVD.

In 1994, he formed SAS (Spike's All Stars), a band with constantly fluctuating personnel, including musicians from Queen, Whitesnake, Free, Roxy Music, Toto, Spandau Ballet and solo artists including Fish, Roy Wood, Leo Sayer, Kiki Dee and Paul Young. Others that have appeared with the band include Suggs, Lionel Richie, Bob Geldof and Toyah Willcox.[1]

After the death of Freddie Mercury, (who was also Queen's primary or main pianist), Edney took over Mercury's role on piano during Queen + Paul Rodgers 2005, 2006 and 2008 tours, playing all piano parts on a Korg Triton keyboard, in addition to all other keyboard parts.[2] During the 2005–06 tour, he was often referred to as "The Wizard" by Roger Taylor. He has also been the keyboardist for the London production of We Will Rock You since it opened in 2002.[3]

Edney also toured on the Queen + Adam Lambert initial shows in 2012, and the full tour in 2014/15.

Edney is also the musical director of the official Queen tribute band the Queen Extravaganza.

Selected discography

Albums

Videos:

References

  1. ↑ Website of SAS
  2. ↑ "Spike Edney brings his band to the Bisley Pavilion in Brookwood, Woking, on Friday, December 7" (Get Surrey, December 2007)
  3. ↑ Goguen, Paul. "Daltrey’s $7,500 Rent-a-Rocker Camp Sells Power Jams to Boomers" (Bloomberg News, 2 February 2011)

External links

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