Mervyn Spence facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mervyn Spence
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| Birth name | Mervyn Spence |
| Also known as | O'Ryan Spam Merv Spence Bearded Dragon |
| Born | 1958 (age 66–67) Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland |
| Died | Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day |
| Genres | Hard rock, progressive rock, pop rock, blues rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musician, producer |
| Instruments | Vocals, bass, guitar |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Labels | Parachute music, Emjo Media |
| Associated acts | Trapeze, Wishbone Ash, Phenomena, Solo |
Mervyn "Spam" Spence, born in 1958, is a musician and producer from Northern Ireland. He is well-known for his work with the rock bands Wishbone Ash and Trapeze.
Contents
Musical Journey
Mervyn Spence moved from Ireland to Staffordshire, England, in the late 1970s. There, he started playing music with local bands like The Jury and Big Daisy.
Playing with Trapeze
While Mervyn was playing in local bands, a musician named Mel Galley noticed him. Mel asked Mervyn to join his band, Trapeze, as the bassist and singer. The spot was open because their previous singer, Peter Goalby, had left.
Mervyn toured with Trapeze for a short time. During this period, they recorded enough songs for an album. However, the album was never released because Mel Galley left the band to join Whitesnake. Some of the songs Mervyn recorded with Trapeze later became part of a project called Phenomena. Mervyn joined Phenomena later, singing and playing bass on their 1992 album, Innervision. He was known as "O'Ryan" on that album.
Joining Wishbone Ash
After Trapeze broke up, Mervyn Spence was asked to try out for the band Wishbone Ash. He was trying to get his own music heard by different companies at the time. Because of his strong singing voice and energy, Mervyn became a member of Wishbone Ash. He played on one of their albums, Raw to the Bone, which came out in 1985.
After Wishbone Ash
Mervyn Spence left Wishbone Ash in 1986 to focus on his family. Since then, he has released two solo albums under the name "O'Ryan," which is his mother's maiden name. These albums are Something Strong (1993) and Initiate (1995).
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Mervyn also taught about the music industry at Walsall College of Arts and Technology.
Music Albums
Here are some of the albums Mervyn Spence has been a part of:
Solo Albums
- Something Strong (1993; as "O'Ryan")
- Emer May (1995; as "O'Ryan")
- Initiate (1995; as "O'Ryan")
- Phenomena Recovered (2023; as "Merv Spence")
With Wishbone Ash
- Raw to the Bone (1985)
- 40th Anniversary Concert: Live In London (2010)
- Raw to the Bone (2018) (This is a remastered version with extra demo and live tracks)
With Face Face
- Childhood Dreams (1994)
- Bridge to Nowhere (2006)
With Purple Cross
- Eyes of the Mirror (2000)
With Phenomena
- Phenomena III - Inner Vision (1992, as "O'Ryan")
- The Complete Works (2006)
With Big Daisy
- Big Daisy (2012)
