Back then, people didn’t have smartphones and the world seemed different. Musician Paul Spencer contributed to the sound of the late 90s. A year ago, he made a cancer diagnosis public.
It is the summer of 1998. The world is celebrating football and “Carnaval de Paris” is playing on the radio. The British music project Dario G created the song as the unofficial anthem for the World Cup. Now musician Paul Spencer, who performed under the name, has died at the age of 53, as reported by the British news agency PA. Spencer had made public a cancer diagnosis a year ago.
“He was positive until the end, but this was a battle he could no longer fight,” says an entry on his Instagram page, which the BBC attributed to his family. He leaves behind a wonderful musical legacy and many happy memories for many people. “He will be greatly missed by everyone who loved him.”
Nostalgia of the nineties
Some songs can take you back in time in a matter of seconds. This is also the case with Spencer’s music, which recalls a time when people did not have smartphones and were celebrating the beginning of a new millennium. In London and other cities today you can see young people dressing as if they had fallen from the 90s into the present day.
Spencer created some great dance anthems with his music project Dario G, which was originally a trio. For example, the song “Sunchyme” which used elements of “Life In A Northern Town” by The Dream Academy. The song “Voices” from the soundtrack of the film “The Beach”. Or the song “Dream To Me” which referenced “Dreams” by The Cranberries.
Video from the hospital bed
A year ago, Spencer announced on Instagram that he had colon cancer. He repeatedly used the platform to inform people about how he was doing and what was bothering him. At the end of 2023, he posted a video from the hospital, talked about his chemotherapy and advised people to get checked in good time. Then, at the beginning of the year, the news came that the cancer had spread to the lungs as well as the liver.
The electronic duo Phats and Small wrote on Instagram under the news of his death that they were at a loss for words. Spencer was one of the good ones. The charity Macmillan Cancer said he was incredibly kindhearted and supported their organisation last year with proceeds from his single “Savour the Miracle of Life”. He will be missed by everyone who knew him.
What message a young DJ passes on
British DJ Sigala (“Easy Love”, “All By Myself”) praised Spencer as a true inspiration. “He brought joy to so many people and will live on forever through his music,” he wrote under the Instagram post about Spencer’s death. “Paul told me several times over the last year: ‘Get checked out.’ So I’m passing this message on to everyone who reads this because I’m sure he would have wanted that. Our health should be more of a priority!” Paul Spencer will be greatly missed.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
