He has also been a member of eleven rock bands: the Battered Ornaments, Frank Ricotti Quartet, King Mob, Mike Batt and Friends, Necessaries, Nucleus, Ricky Norton, Sharks, Trigger, and the Wombles.

[2] AllMusic has described Spedding as "one of the UK's most versatile session guitarists, [he] has had a long career on two continents that saw him tackle nearly every style of rock and roll ...".

[2] As well as his celebrated work as a session musician, Spedding pursued a solo career, releasing his debut album Songs Without Words in 1970.

Whilst still with the Battered Ornaments, which without the departing Pete Brown left Spedding as their frontman, he joined the Frank Ricotti Quartet, and played guitar on the album Our Point of View, released in July 1969.

In 1972–76, he played in Mike Batt's novelty band The Wombles taking part in their UK tour in full costume wielding his trademark Gibson Flying V.[1] In 1975, Spedding had a Top 20 solo hit in the UK with "Motor Bikin'",[4] which he promoted with popular television appearances on Top of the Pops and Supersonic, dressed in leather motorcycling gear, with greased hair.

[9][10] When further hits failed to materialise, he subsequently became better known as a session guitarist, appearing and recording with Bryan Ferry, Roxy Music, Elton John, Brian Eno, Jack Bruce, Nick Mason, Art Garfunkel, Typically Tropical, Katie Melua and Ginger Baker, amongst others.

[11][2] The following year, Spedding featured extensively on the concept album Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, issued in 1978.

Spedding moved to New York City, joined the Necessaries as a guitarist and songwriter, collaborated with drummer/percussionist David Van Tieghem, and worked extensively with Robert Gordon.

[1] In 1982 he played on Nina Hagen's recording NunSexMonkRock, and over the next few years he continued his session work on such albums as Tom Waits' Rain Dogs, while periodically releasing solo material (Mean and Moody (1985), Enemy Within (1986) and Cafe Days (1990).

Spedding recalls Ringo Starr, engineer Geoff Emerick and producer George Martin working on the same sessions as well as McCartney and his wife, Linda.