Spencer James
Encyclopedia
Spencer Frederick James is an English
singer and musician
. He has been the lead singer of veteran pop band The Searchers
since 1986. James was also a member of the one-hit wonder
band The First Class
that scored a #4 hit with the song "Beach Baby".
. He then moved on to form a band named Duke.
. The success of the song "Beach Baby" (#4 in the US) led to demand for live appearances. A group, including Spencer James, was assembled to perform a number of dates as The First Class (see Videography below), although James never recorded with The First Class.
consisting of Spencer James on lead vocals, Zak Starkey
on drums, Boz Burrell
(ex-Bad Company
) on bass, Micky Moody
(ex-Whitesnake
) on guitar and Mickey Simmonds
on keyboards. Nightfly toured in early 1985 but broke up soon after.
James went on to form the Spencer James Band which enjoyed considerable success around the pub circuit of West London. At one gig at Brentford
's Red Lion they shared the bill with The Searchers.
, announced that he was leaving the group. Founding member John McNally
recalled Spencer James from the Brentford gig and he was recruited as the new lead singer. His mastery of the synthesizer guitar also added authentic strings and keyboard sounds to The Searchers stage performances, emulating their original studio recordings.
For more than twenty years, James has completed extensive national and international tours with The Searchers. He has also contributed to the album Hungry Hearts and a number of live recordings of the band (see Discography).
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
singer and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. He has been the lead singer of veteran pop band The Searchers
The Searchers (band)
The Searchers are an English beat group, who emerged as part of the 1960s Merseybeat scene along with The Beatles, The Fourmost, The Merseybeats, The Swinging Blue Jeans, and Gerry & The Pacemakers....
since 1986. James was also a member of the one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
band The First Class
The First Class
The First Class was a British pop music studio-based group, put together by songwriter and record producer John Carter.-Career:The First Class was the studio creation of the British singer-songwriter John Carter and singers Tony Burrows and Chas Mills as an outlet for material Carter wrote with his...
that scored a #4 hit with the song "Beach Baby".
Career
James grew up in Hayes, Middlesex. Working for Marshall's Music Group, he developed an interest in guitars and began playing and singing in local bands. James improved his stage craft while deputising in the band White PlainsWhite Plains (band)
White Plains were a British pop music group, that existed from 1969 to 1976.-Career:White Plains evolved from the late 1960s pop/psychedelic band The Flower Pot Men, composed of Tony Burrows, Pete Nelson, and Robin Shaw together with Neil Landon . The band was primarily a studio project led by John...
. He then moved on to form a band named Duke.
The First Class
The First Class was initially a studio creation featuring the voice of Tony BurrowsTony Burrows
Anthony "Tony" Burrows is a British session singer. He has been credited with singing lead on hit singles for more groups than any other recording artist, both on the UK Singles Chart and the U.S...
. The success of the song "Beach Baby" (#4 in the US) led to demand for live appearances. A group, including Spencer James, was assembled to perform a number of dates as The First Class (see Videography below), although James never recorded with The First Class.
Nightfly
Formed in late 1984 (originally under the name Heyday), Nightfly was a supergroupSupergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
consisting of Spencer James on lead vocals, Zak Starkey
Zak Starkey
Zak Starkey is an English rock drummer. He is the son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and Starr's first wife Maureen Starkey Tigrett. He is also well known for his unofficial membership in the English rock band The Who, with whom he has performed and recorded since 1996. He is also the third...
on drums, Boz Burrell
Boz Burrell
Raymond "Boz" Burrell was an English musician. Originally a vocalist, Burrell is best known for his bass playing and work with the rock bands King Crimson and Bad Company.-Career:...
(ex-Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
) on bass, Micky Moody
Micky Moody
Michael Joseph "Micky" Moody is an English guitarist, and a former member of the rock bands Juicy Lucy and Whitesnake. He was also a founder-member of Snafu. Together with his former Whitesnake colleague Bernie Marsden he founded the Moody Marsden Band, and later, The Snakes...
(ex-Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
) on guitar and Mickey Simmonds
Mickey Simmonds
Mickey Simmonds is an English session keyboardist, arranger and composer. He is best known for his work with progressive rock acts, Mike Oldfield, Renaissance, Camel and Fish...
on keyboards. Nightfly toured in early 1985 but broke up soon after.
James went on to form the Spencer James Band which enjoyed considerable success around the pub circuit of West London. At one gig at Brentford
Brentford
Brentford is a suburban town in west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Brent, west-southwest of Charing Cross. Its former ceremonial county was Middlesex.-Toponymy:...
's Red Lion they shared the bill with The Searchers.
The Searchers
In December 1985 long-time lead singer of The Searchers, Mike PenderMike Pender
Mike Pender was an original founding member of Merseybeat group The Searchers. He is best known as the lead vocalist on many hit singles by The Searchers, including the song "Needles and Pins"...
, announced that he was leaving the group. Founding member John McNally
John McNally (musician)
John McNally is an English guitarist and vocalist. He was one of the original founders of The Searchers in 1957, and is still with the band over 50 years later.-External links:...
recalled Spencer James from the Brentford gig and he was recruited as the new lead singer. His mastery of the synthesizer guitar also added authentic strings and keyboard sounds to The Searchers stage performances, emulating their original studio recordings.
For more than twenty years, James has completed extensive national and international tours with The Searchers. He has also contributed to the album Hungry Hearts and a number of live recordings of the band (see Discography).
Solo recordings
Despite his hectic schedule with The Searchers, James has found time to record three solo albums in his home studio (SJO Music), many of the songs written himself. He also records and produces other acts.- Tides of Time
- Love Remains
- Breathe In, Breathe Out (2004)
As lead singer for The Searchers
- Hungry Hearts (1989)
- Searchers Live (1998)
- Searchers Live 2 (2000)
- Searchers Live 3 (2003)
- On Stage (2005)
- The Definitive Searchers Live in Concert (2008)
Videography
- "Beach Baby", The First Class, TV appearance
- "Needles and Pins", The Searchers, video clip, 1988
- "Needles and Pins", The Searchers, TV appearance, 1992
- "Mr Tambourine Man", The Searchers, live performance, 2007
- "Searchers Medley", The Searchers, live performance, 2007