This morning, guitarist and lyricist John Spinks of pop-rock trio The Outfield passed away at age 60. Spinks had been fighting a long, hard battle with liver cancer. The band reported on their Official Facebook Page today that John’s passing was both “peaceful and painless”. 
John literally persevered until the very end, and left us with the promise of possible new music. Through the last few months of his life, John, along with bandmates Tony Lewis (bass) and Alan Jackman (drums) were writing new songs. As of now, Lewis and Jackman are not sure what will become of the new songs.
The Outfield exploded into the mainstream with their Columbia Records debut album, 1985’s Play Deep. The album reached #9 on the Billboard Top 200 and has since gone on to be certified triple-platinum. The record produced four hit singles, including their signature smash “Your Love”. Throughout their career, the band toured with acts like Journey, Starship, Night Ranger, and more. In 1996, they released their greatest hits album Big Innings: The Best of The Outfield. The band released their latest effort Replay in 2011. – by Matt Bishop