Spike Edney - Spike's All Stars - The Ultimate All Star Band
Spike Edney
In addition to being legendary rock band Queen’s live touring 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 36 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”.
Following the death of Freddie Mercury, Spike 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-writing and arranging songs 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.
The 90s 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” concerts for aids research and support.
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 “46664’s” musical director and bandleader, Spike and his band have also had the opportunity to work with such legendary artists as Amy Winehouse, Beyoncé, Anastacia, Bono & The Edge, Annie Lennox, Stevie Wonder, Cyndi Lauper, Peter Gabriel, Josh Groban, Leona Lewis, Lil’ Kim, Queen Latifah, Jimmy Cliff, Jesse McCartney, Zucchero, Alicia Keys, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Simple Minds, The Soweto Gospel Choir and Johnny Clegg.
In 2005, 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 line-up featuring Paul Rodgers on vocals.
After bringing American idol finalist Adam Lambert to Queen’s attention in 2009 (see documentary “The show Must Go On - The Queen + Adam Lambert Story”), a collaboration commenced and Spike joined Queen + Adam Lambert for their 2012 Summer shows in Kiev, Moscow, Wroclaw and London’s Hammersmith Apollo. Spike has been fulfilling his keyboard duties since on several world tours, joining the Band for their 2015 "South American Tour", their 2017-2018 “News of The World” tour, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the iconic album and currently their 2019-2021 “The Rhapsody Tour”, which include their historic opening of the 2019 “Oscars” ceremony in Hollywood, the "Global Citizen Concert' in Central Park and "The Australian Firefight Benefit Concert" in Sydney, Australia in February 2020. Spike’s other work in his capacity as Musical Director for Queen includes the “Freddie Mercury Memorial Concert”.
In between other Queen and SAS Band commitments, Spike has also performed/worked on projects 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, Bill Wyman and Luciano Pavarotti, to name a few.
Other notable performances include the “Unesco Concert for Iraq”, the 2002 “Party at the Palace” concert for the Queen’s Jubilee at Buckingham Palace and Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday concert in Hyde Park, London plus his 91st birthday event at New York’s Radio City Music Hall featuring Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Queen Latifah, Cyndi Lauper etc
Spike is currently writing his autobiography and will resume “The Rhapsody Tour” with Queen + Adam Lambert in 2021.