John Spinks

Musician

Popular As John Spinks (musician)

Birthday November 28, 1953

Birth Sign Sagittarius

Birthplace East End of London, England

DEATH DATE 2014, Kent, England (61 years old)

Nationality United Kingdom

#33506 Most Popular

1953

John Frederick Spinks (28 November 1953 − 9 July 2014) was an English musician and songwriter.

He was best known as the guitarist and songwriter for The Outfield.

John Spinks was born in the East End of London in November 1953.

1970

Spinks, Tony Lewis, and Alan Jackman first played together in the 1970s band Sirius B. After rehearsing for six months, the group disbanded due to the advent of punk rock.

1980

In the 1980s, Spinks recorded several demos under the name Baseball Boys, a name chosen because it closely resembled a gang called The Baseball Furies from the film The Warriors.

"Just to be outrageous, I put what I felt was a stupid name on the demos," said Spinks, "and the people I took them to said, `Sounds great. Can we see the band?` And there wasn't really a band."

1984

Spinks joined together with Lewis and Jackman to perform as Baseball Boys, and then changed their name to The Outfield in 1984.

1985

Their debut album, Play Deep, became a multiplatinum-selling smash upon release in 1985.

1986

Spinks wrote the band's biggest hit, "Your Love", which reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1986.

1990

The Outfield went on hiatus in the 1990s but reconvened to record Replay in 2011.

2014

Spinks died on 9 July 2014, aged 60, after having liver cancer for years.

He was survived by his wife Jean Spinks and two children, Lee and Paul.

Spinks and the band wrote new material shortly before his death, but it is unclear whether it will be released.