Sheryl Crow and Bob Harris are among those leading tributes to music industry veteran Julian Spear, who passed away on December 9.
News of his death was confirmed by his wife Carol Royal, who stated Spear had suffered “a sudden massive brain haemorrhage” after jumping into a freezing pool “which he assumed was heated as per usual”.
Spear is survived by Royal, and two children. Royal confirmed that Spear’s funeral will be held after Christmas.
In his storied music career, Spear worked at Phonogram, as head of promotions, where he would join forces with Brian Shepherd, Roger Ames and Chris Briggs.
Among the projects Spear steered were releases by ABC, Soft Cell, Big Country, Dexys Midnight Runners, Tears For Fears, Dire Straits (including the three million-selling Brothers In Arms album), Cameo, Def Leppard, INXS, Bon Jovi, Elton John, and the Band Aid three-million-selling single Do They Know It’s Christmas?
Later, Spear became senior director of promotions at A&M, working closely with artists including Sheryl Crow, Sting, Soundgarden and Bryan Adams, Janet Jackson, Sounds Of Blackness, Extreme, Therapy?, The Bluetones, DJ Shadow, Del Amitri, Dina Carroll, Barry White and the AM:PM label featuring Ultra Naté & Mousse T, amongst many more.
I would not have the career that I have, had it not been for Julian's belief in me and my music
Sheryl Crow
When A&M was absorbed into Universal in 1998, Spear formed Red Shadow Ltd, where he continued to represent Sting, Sheryl Crow and Suzanne Vega, and also worked with Counting Crows and played an active part in the Want One and Want Two album projects for Rufus Wainwright.
His passion working with Music For Nations helped break Bowling For Soup and INME. He also worked with Mercury on Meatloaf's Couldn't Have Said It Better album, Sony's NYC Man – Best Of Lou Reed album, Michael McDonald's Soul Speak and Eddy Grant's Best Of – Road To Reparation albums, both for Universal Music TV.
Spear also enjoyed a partnership with Jon Turner – ‘TurnerSpear Ltd’. The company enjoyed successes with The Maccabees, Foy Vance, Joe Bonamassa, The Afghan Whigs, Robert Cray, Sheryl Crow, The Fratellis, Beth Hart, Cast, Counting Crows, Gary Clark Jr, Joe Jackson and more.
From the start of 2016, Spear went solo with his own company, Julian Spear PR where he worked with Sheryl Crow, Gary Clark Jr and Daughtry.
A host of people from across the music business have started to gather to pay tribute to Spear, you can read a selection of them below.
"My heart is broken. I cannot imagine not having my wonderful longtime friend Julian Spear continue to travel through this life with me. I have said this to him many times and I will always say it, but I would not have the career that I have, had it not been for his belief in me and my music. Julian was an outstanding human being. He cared deeply about the people he worked with and the importance of music as an art form. He also just loved music to the point where you could talk with him about any genre, any rock band, any music facts at all! He was one of my favorite people on the planet, and I will miss him deeply. My heart goes out to his family and all those who knew and loved him.”
Sheryl Crow
“I have the deepest respect for everything he stood for. He was a man of warmth and integrity and love. He was passionate about music and truly understood and supported musicians and really understood their creative process. Over the years of our friendship he introduced me to some of my favourite artists. This news has touched my heart. Words are not enough.”
Bob Harris
“My father Julian Spear was one in a million, and I simply cannot fathom how I will navigate this world without him at my side, helping me through and making me laugh. I would watch in awe when he spoke about music and told his incredible endless stories, his face lit up with the love and the passion for music for the artists and bands he loved. His encyclopaedic knowledge of music and its history was unbelievable, we’ve always told him so many times he should write a book and how I wish he had. I can only dream of having half of his integrity, passion, and love for life. He always had an unbelievably youthful energy, which never gave up, but beyond everything, he really was the world’s best dad. There was not a thing he wouldn’t have done for us and for our mum; there was always so, so much love. He said recently to us how much he has utterly adored having children. Life will never be the same without him, but we will all do our best to honour him and take him with us in all we do.”
Tally Spear
Music Week would like to extend its deepest sympathies to all of Spear’s family, friends and colleagues
