A Chris Spedding lymphoma fundraiser is now live, seeking £50,000 to support the guitarist as he undergoes an intensive, nine-month course of chemotherapy following a diagnosis of large B-cell high-grade, non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Spedding, 82, started chemotherapy on 20 August, according to Guitar Player. The campaign, organised by Eden Cole, was set up to cover essential living and medical expenses for Spedding and his wife Jody during a period when his ability to work and tour has been paused.
Six decades on stages and in studios
Guitar Player also notes that Spedding has more than 60 years of making records and playing stages around the world, a career that reads like a who’s who of rock, pop and avant-garde music. He has played alongside Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry, Elton John, John Cale, Jack Bruce, Tom Waits, Paul McCartney, Roger Daltrey, Joan Armatrading, Donovan, Cass Elliott, Art Garfunkel, John Lodge, Frankie Miller, Harry Nilsson, The Vibrators, Jeff Wayne and the Pretenders, among others.
Beyond the session work, Spedding produced the first demo tapes for both the Sex Pistols and The Cramps, giving him a pivotal, if sometimes overlooked, role in the early shape of British punk and American garage rock. He is also known for turning down the chance to tour with the Rolling Stones in 1975, having already committed to live work with Roy Harper.
The Chris Spedding lymphoma fundraiser: what Cole is asking
‘In recent months, Chris was diagnosed with large B-cell high-grade, non-Hodgkin lymphoma,’ campaign organiser Eden Cole writes. ‘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.’
Cole’s appeal is direct about what the community owes Spedding. ‘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 for him during this challenging time.’
The campaign is targeting £50,000 in total. That figure is intended to bridge the gap while the nine-month chemotherapy course runs its course and Spedding is unable to take on the touring and session commitments that have sustained a career stretching back more than six decades.
A session legend whose influence runs deep
It is worth sitting with the breadth of that CV for a moment. Spedding’s fingerprints are on records across rock, folk, art-rock and the rawest end of punk, and he navigated those worlds without ever becoming property of any single one. The Sex Pistols demos he produced sit in the same discography footnotes as his live work with McCartney and Tom Waits. The Cramps connection alone would be enough for most guitarists to trade on for a lifetime.
Turning down the Rolling Stones in 1975 to honour a prior commitment to Harper speaks to the kind of reputation Cole is drawing on now. People remember how Spedding operated, and the fundraiser is banking on that goodwill being real and wide.
The Chris Spedding lymphoma fundraiser is live now, with the £50,000 target and the full campaign message available online. Chemotherapy began on 20 August, and the nine-month course will determine the immediate shape of what comes next for Spedding and his wife Jody.
