Out today, on Spencer’s birthday, Beast Records and Spooky Records present ALL THE WAY WITH SPJ Vol.1, a unique international tribute to New Zealand-born, Australian rock'n'roll cult hero and underground icon Spencer P Jones.
Spencer P Jones, who died August 21 2018 at the age of 61, was a noted guitarist and singer-songwriter, known for his work with the Beasts of Bourbon and the Johnnys (and wider associations with artists including Rowland S. Howard and the Drones) as well as his ‘solo’ work with a succession of backing bands.
He was also something of a gun for hire who worked with a number of international acts including, most famously, the Gun Club. Although he chose the underground as his primary base of operations, he occasionally worked with some of Australia’s biggest names, Paul Kelly and Renee Geyer included. Those are Spencer’s guitar licks you’ve heard countless times on ‘How To Make Gravy’.
Read our feature interview with Spencer here, from a long time ago.
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Years in the making – indeed Spencer was able to work on a number of tracks early on in the piece – ALL THE WAY WITH SPJ Vol.1 is a fitting tribute to this internationally celebrated artist.
There are some significant internationals included, included old friends the Violent Femmes, old Gun Club bandmate Kid Congo (also of Cramps and Bad Seeeds fame) and great American singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo, but the cast is primarily Australian and includes friends and fans like Adalita, Chris Bailey of the Saints, Jim Moginie of Midnight Oil, the Drones, Claire Birchall, Hoss and more.
The release of ALL THE WAY WITH SPJ Vol.1 comes ahead of the soon-to-be-announced publication of a Spender P Jones biography by Melbourne author Patrick Emery. ALL THE WAY WITH SPJ Vol.1 is released today as a limited edition vinyl double LP, and as a download via Bandcamp.
All proceeds from the Bandcamp download go to Support Act (Australia’s only charity delivering crisis relief services to artists, crew and music workers as a result of ill health, injury, a mental health problem, or some other crisis that impacts on their ability to work in music) as was Spencer’s wish.
Bandcamp Link (All proceeds to Support Act). Spooky Website Link (for Double LP).
