Spike | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Jonathan Francis Gray |
Also known as | Spike Gray |
Born | Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom | 4 February 1966
Origin | Haltwhistle, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom |
Genres | Hard rock, blues rock, glam metal, glam punk |
Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
Instrument(s) | Vocals, harmonica, guitar |
Years active | 1984–present |
Labels |
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Jonathan Francis Gray [1] (born 4 February 1966), known professionally as Spike, or Spike Gray, is an English singer-songwriter and founding member of the British rock band the Quireboys, for whom he performed as lead singer and released 12 studio albums. He is recognised for his raspy voice which led to comparisons with Rod Stewart.
As a solo performer, Spike has collaborated with Tyla of The Dogs D'Amour, and released five solo studio albums. In March 2022, fellow Quireboys members announced that Spike had been fired from the band, leading to an ongoing dispute about ownership of the Quireboys name.
Jonathan Gray was born in Newcastle upon Tyne and grew up in Northern England. At age 17, he moved down to London where, eventually, he would form the rock band the Quireboys with Guy Bailey in 1984. [2] After various tours and singles, Spike with the Quireboys released their debut album A Bit of What You Fancy (1990), which went to number two on the UK Albums Chart. The band gained significant success, but their second album Bitter Sweet & Twisted (1993) did not quite have the impact of the first.
After the Quireboys split up in 1993, he played in the United States, in Los Angeles, California, with a band called God's Hotel. He also sang lead vocals on a cover of Hank Williams's country classic "Hey Good Lookin'", with C.C. DeVille from the American glam-metal band Poison, for the soundtrack of the comedy film Son in Law (1993) that starred Pauly Shore.
Spike decided to record in other projects; the first was in 1994 with Darrell Bath of the English rock and roll band the Dogs D'Amour. The recording, Take Out Some Insurance, was an album of covers, featuring songs from old blues artists, and was released under the artist name Spike an' Darrell. [3]
Soon after, Spike moved back to Newcastle and, in 1996, he recorded with another member of the Dogs D'Amour – this time it was frontman Tyla, with whom he recorded the album Flagrantly Yours, under the artist name Spike and Tyla's Hot Knives.
In 1998, Spike recorded his first solo album Blue Eyed Soul.
The Quireboys reformed in 2001 with a new line-up and have released six new albums since that time.
Spike's second solo studio album, It's a Treat to Be Alive, was released in 2005, followed by So Called Friends in 2008.
Spike was involved in a fracas with German rock guitarist Michael Schenker in November 2000. This happened after a show at the Newcastle City Hall by the English heavy-metal and hard-rock band UFO. Schenker later admitted he caused the brawl, and refused to blame Spike. The Quireboys have since played on the same bill as the hard-rock band Michael Schenker Group.
In 2006, Spike released his second studio album It's a Treat to Be Alive through Demolition Records. It was described by the Belfast Telegraph as "more than decent collection", noting its "bluesy" influences. [4]
In 2007, Spike became part of Damage Control, a British supergroup formed by guitarist Robin George, UFO bassist Pete Way and Chris Slade, former drummer with the Australian hard-rock band AC/DC. The group released a self-titled album on Cargo Records which was generally well received.
Over the years, Spike has also provided vocals for a number of songs on various American rock tribute albums, specifically: the power ballad "Don't Cry" on Uncivil War, a tribute album to the hard-rock band Guns N' Roses; a cover of the rock band Styx's song "Lady" on the album A Tribute to Styx; rock musician Ted Nugent's "Need You Bad" on the album The World's Greatest Tribute to Ted Nugent; and the rock band Bon Jovi's ballad "Living in Sin" on the album Covered Dead or Alive. Spike also collaborated with the American electronica artist David Madden (also sometimes known as DJ Webern and Nonnon) on a version of the English heavy-metal band Judas Priest's song "Rock Forever" for An Industrial Tribute to Judas Priest.
Spike is known to have contributed backing vocals on the following recordings:
This discography documents the studio albums Spike has been a part of in various projects, throughout his musical career.
UFO are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the new wave of British heavy metal. The band's current lineup includes vocalist Phil Mogg, lead guitarist Vinnie Moore, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Neil Carter, bass guitarist Rob De Luca, and drummer Andy Parker. They have gone through several line-up changes, leaving Mogg as the only constant member, and had two breaks. The band also featured former Scorpions guitarist and Michael Schenker Group (MSG) founder Michael Schenker, who was a member of UFO from 1973 to 1978 and rejoined the band sporadically between 1993 and 2003, when Moore replaced him. In May 2018, Mogg announced that he would retire from UFO after one last tour as a member of the band in 2019; however, their farewell tour was set to conclude in 2022 before it was cancelled, due to Mogg's health issues.
Douglas "Doogie" White is a Scottish rock vocalist who currently sings for La Paz. He has also notably sung for Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Praying Mantis, Tank and Alcatrazz.
Graham Bonnet is an English rock singer. He has recorded and performed as a solo artist and as a member of several hard rock and heavy metal bands including Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, Alcatrazz, and Impellitteri. He is known for his powerful singing voice but is capable of also singing soft melodies. His singing has been noted as "very loud" by both his contemporaries and himself, and he claims to be a self-taught singer with "no discipline for lessons". Bonnet's visual style, considered uncharacteristic of hard rock musicians, has been described as being a cross between Don Johnson in Miami Vice and James Dean.
Luke Morley is the guitarist, chief songwriter and producer for the hard rock band Thunder from 1989 to present. Previous to that he was a member of 1980s group, Terraplane who subsequently became Thunder.
The Dogs D'Amour are an English bluesey hard rock band formed in London in 1983. Over the years the band has had various line-ups, the only constant being vocalist Tyla. Their music has been described as a mixture of the Rolling Stones, the Faces and glam punk.
Jeff Scott Soto is an American rock singer of Puerto Rican descent. He is best known for being the vocalist on Yngwie Malmsteen's first two albums, and the lead vocalist for Journey in 2006–07.
The Quireboys are an English rock band formed in 1984 in London, with strong ties to Newcastle. Originally known as The Queerboys, billed as The London Quireboys in the United States and Canada, settling at last with their current name.
James Cregan is an English rock guitarist and bassist, best known for his associations with Family, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, and Rod Stewart. Cregan is a former husband of the singer Linda Lewis and worked with her as a record producer. He has also worked with London Quireboys, Glass Tiger, Katie Melua and formed Farm Dogs with Bernie Taupin.
Robin McAuley is an Irish singer. He is best known as the vocalist for the rock band McAuley Schenker Group from 1986 to 1993, which saw the band release three studio albums: Perfect Timing, Save Yourself, M.S.G., the live album Unplugged Live, and the Japan-only EP Nightmare: The Acoustic M.S.G. He has made further appearances with Schenker in 2012, and also in 2016 with Michael Schenker Fest alongside original MSG singers Gary Barden and Graham Bonnet, and Doogie White of Michael Schenker's Temple of Rock.
A Bit of What You Fancy is the debut studio album by the English rock band the Quireboys. It was released by EMI on 29 January 1990, and produced by George Tutko and Jim Cregan.
Straight??!! is the fifth studio album by English rock band The Dogs D'Amour. Album was released in 1990 and entered the UK Albums Chart at #32.
Happy Ever After is rock band The Dogs D'Amour's seventh studio album, it was released in the year 2000 following the band's reformation. Prior to this, the Dogs had not released an album in seven years; it saw Tyla, Bam and Jo Dog reuniting. Also brought in on bass was Bam's wife, Share Ross, formerly Share Pedersen.
Mark Stanway is an English musician. He was the keyboard player for the hard rock band Magnum from 1980 until the end of 2016.
Burning Tree was an American hard rock, blues rock power trio from Los Angeles, California, United States. The band performed from the late 1980s to the early 1990s.
Tyla is an English rock musician, best known for his work with the Dogs D'Amour as well as an extensive solo catalogue. As well as performing vocals, guitars and other instruments, he also illustrates the album covers in his own recognisable style.
Halfpenny Dancer is an album by English rock band the Quireboys, released in 2009.
Simon Hanson is an English drummer, songwriter and producer. He was the former drummer of Death in Vegas and is the current drummer of British band Squeeze.
Dominique Davalos is American musician, rock singer and bass player formerly in the band Dominatrix, whose controversial music video single "The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight", released in 1984, was deemed too racy for its time. The song's video, directed by Beth B., featured a fur and stocking-clad Davalos. Commercial radio stations banned the single, and cable channel MTV refused to air the risque video. In 2012, the video was placed on display in the contemporary art wing of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Davalos has Finnish and Spanish heritage from her father's side.
St. Cecilia and the Gypsy Soul is the ninth studio album by English rock band The Quireboys. It was released by Off Yer Rocka Recordings on 30 March 2015 as part of a four-disc set, including a reissue of the band's album Halfpenny Dancer (2009) and two live discs.