The Outfield’s John Spinks loses battle with cancer

The Outfield rocker John Spinks has died aged 60 after a long battle with liver cancer. The guitarist and songwriter for the British pop rock band passed away on Wednesday (09Jul14) after living with the disease for years. The news of Spinks’ passing was announced via a post on the group’s official Facebook page, which reads: “John was a loving husband, inspirational father, doting grandfather and gifted songwriter. His musical career started from a very young age and he wanted more than anything for people to listen and enjoy his music. He passed away knowing he achieved his ambition.
“If it were possible, we know John would have liked to have thanked each and every fan of The Outfield personally. He admired and respected the emails from thousands of loyal followers who commented on his music and enquired about his health. This alone, gave him motivation to battle through the sometimes dark days.
“We would like to thank you for ‘Your Love’ and the continued support you have given John throughout his career. He loved making music and playing his guitar. He found pleasure knowing that his music made people happy and bought them fond memories. He worked hard with many days in pain to finish the Replay album. There were times when he could barely pick up his guitar, but he refused to give up knowing he would disappoint fans. The hardest day for John was when he put his guitar in its case announcing his hands could no longer play.
“During the last months of his life, John, (bandmates) Tony (Lewis) and Alan (Jackman) wrote new material. What the future holds for this is unclear at the time of this writing.”
The Outfield first earned major success with their 1985 debut album Play Deep, which included their smash hit Your Love. They continued to release records throughout the 1980s and by the 1990s, the trio took an extended hiatus, playing only a few intimate gigs.
In 2011, Spinks, Lewis and Jackman reunited for their final studio album, Replay.