The Canadian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Alexander ‘Skip’ Spence was a key member of the psychedelic 60s San Francisco Bay Area scene.
He played drums on Jefferson Airplane’s debut album. He co-founded Moby Grape, a phenomenally talented band who, for various unfortunate reasons, never fulfilled their potential. In 1969 he released a solo album, Oar, which sold nothing at the time, but which is now regarded as a cult classic and a progenitor of DIY lo-fi outsider art.
After that, Spence spent the rest of his life – he died in 1999 – struggling with severe mental health issues exacerbated by drug and alcohol addiction. He was homeless for most of the ’80s and early ’90s.
Cam Cobb’s sensitive biography strives to understand this troubled man while carefully refuting some of the ‘crazy’ tall-tale myths people like Spence tend to attract. It’s an affecting portrait of a generous, affable, gifted free spirit who fell through the cracks.
A tragic saga, yes, but in the end, we’re left in no doubt that ‘Skippy’ – an affectionate nickname used by most of the candid friends and family interviewees – was beloved.
Paul Whitelaw is a book, TV and music critic
