SPIKE EDNEY BIO
In addition to being legendary rock band Queen‘s musical director and keyboard player since 1984,
British multi-instrumentalist Spike Edney has toured, recorded and performed with the living and late
legends of our time.
His career began in the mid 70’s as keyboard player and musical director for Soul & Motown legends
Ben E King and Edwin Starr.
In the 80’s, after tours and studio work with Bob Geldof’s Boomtown Rats, Dexy’s Midnight Runners,
Thomas Dolby, Haircut 100 and Duran Duran, Spike commenced his 30 year career with Queen, joining
them for two world tours, (“The Works” and “Magic”), as well as classic performances at “Live Aid”,
“Rock in Rio”, “Live at Wembley” and “Knebworth”. Since then Spike has continued to perform and
record with both Brian May and Roger Taylor on their solo projects.
In 1987 Spike founded the band The Cross with Queen’s Roger Taylor, co-producing 3 albums “Shove
It”, “Mad Bad and Dangerous To Know” and “Blue Rock” and in 1992 Spike joined The Brian May Band
for the “Back to the Light” tour (the first of two world tours), followed by the “Another World” tour in
1997.
Spike resumed his familiar position on the Queen stage for their 2005/2006 “Return Of The Champions”
international tour and their 2008 “Cosmos Rocks” European and South American tours with a new lineup, featuring Paul Rodgers on vocals. Then in 2014/2015 he joined Queen again for the much heralded
Queen + Adam Lambert world tour. Spike’s other work in his capacity as Musical Director for Queen
includes the “Freddie Mercury Memorial Concert”.
The 90’s also saw the launch of Spike’s All-Star Band a.k.a. The SAS Band. Since their debut in 1994,
Spike and his band have made television appearances and performed at select private, corporate and
major public events around the world. Several of those internationally televised concerts (with Spike as
MD and his all-star band backing an array of stars) include the 2000 & 2001 Prince’s Trust “Party in the
Park” concerts and the 2003/2005/2008/2009 Nelson Mandela “46664” concert for aids.
The artists and musicians who have performed with The SAS Band to date are part of an ever growing
collection of some of the world’s greatest Rock and Pop performers and include such names as Roy
Wood, Chaka Khan, Roger Daltrey, Lionel Richie, Roger Taylor, Brian May, Paloma Faith, The Sugababes,
Gary Brooker, Jack Bruce, Paul Young, Marti Pellow, Paul Rodgers, Madeline Bell, Tony Hadley, Bob
Geldof, Lulu, Suggs, Midge Ure, Errol Brown, Graham Gouldman, Kiki Dee, Leo Sayer, Chris Thompson,
Toyah Willcox, Ronnie Spector and Fish, to name a few.
As Mandela’s “46664 Foundation” musical director and bandleader, Spike and his band have also had
the opportunity to work with such legendary artists as Amy Winehouse, Simple Minds, Beyoncé,
Anastacia, Bono & The Edge, Annie Lennox, Jimmy Cliff, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Cyndi Lauper,
Lil’ Kim, Queen Latifah, Jesse McCartney, Zucherro, Alicia Keys, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, The Soweto Gospel
Choir, Peter Gabriel, Josh Groban, Leona Lewis and Johnny Clegg.
In between other Queen and SAS Band commitments, Spike has also worked with Eric Clapton, The
Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, The Manic Street Preachers, Robert Plant, David Bowie, George Michael,
George Benson, Elton John, Jeff Beck, Peter Green, Lisa Stansfield, Def Leppard, Axl Rose, Joe Cocker,
Curtis Stigers, The Beautiful South, Paul Stanley, Slash, Joe Walsh, Jon Lord, Adam Lambert, Bill Wyman
and Luciano Pavarotti, to name a few.
Other notable performances include the “Unesco Concert for Iraq”, the “Party at the Palace” concert
for the Queen’s Jubilee at Buckingham Palace and Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday concert in Hyde
Park, London.
For more information please contact jenny@chuffmedia.com