Spiteri was born in Glasgow to father Eddie, a violin-playing merchant seaman of Maltese/Italian descent and mother Vilma, a singer of German/Irish roots. When she was young the family moved from the Glaswegian suburbs to nearby Balloch, Dumbartonshire, close to the banks of Loch Lomond. At school her nickname was ‘Spit the Dog’, after the gobbing mutt on the TV show Tiswas.
Musical career
Spiteri's musical influences range from The Clash (the main reason she plays a black Fender Telecaster) to Blondie to Marvin Gaye and Prince. She is also a dedicated Diana Ross fan.
She co-founded the band Texas while still a hairdresser in Glasgow at the Irvine Rusk saloon.
Several actors have appeared in Texas videos: "In Demand" featured Alan Rickman dancing the tango with Spiteri, "I'll See It Through" featured French actor Jean Reno and "Getaway" had James Purefoy courting Spiteri. The video for "Summer Son" was banned from daytime MTV (Europe), as well as the BBC's Top of the Pops, because of Spiteri's scenes in a bed in a bedroom overlooking a beach, despite being fully clothed[citation needed].
Spiteri supported German Tanz-Metall band Rammstein by supplying guest vocals in their ballad "Stirb Nicht Vor Mir//Don't Die Before I Do" on their album Rosenrot (2005). She also sang backing vocals on the Gun albums Taking On The World and Gallus from 1989 and 1992. She is the cousin of Gun singer Mark Rankin.
Spiteri started the successful Near Back management company in Scotland.
Film
Spiteri landed the part of a detective opposite Edward Furlong in the thriller Three Blind Mice, but backed out due to pregnancy. She was also cast in Moulin Rouge! starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, but she told Jonathan Ross on his show on 4 November 2005 that she declined because she did not want to move to Australia for a year.
Lesbian fan base
Spiteri has a large lesbian fanbase, though her own sexual orientation is heterosexual.
When Texas released their debut single ‘I don’t want a lover’ in 1986, Sharleen was adamant she didn’t want a girly image and insisted on ‘Big E’ Levi jeans and a leather jacket. She launched a loyal lesbian following as a result. She wrote and performed the title track to the 1990s sitcom, "Ellen", and once appeared alongside Ellen DeGeneres in the opening credits.
Personal life
Spiteri had a long term relationship with the editor of "Arena" magazine Ashley Heath. The couple have a daughter, Misty Kyd (named after the phrase from the Clint Eastwood film, "Play Misty for Me."), born on 10 September 2002. The birth prompted her close friend Thierry Henry to dedicate a goal to her daughter by revealing the slogan "For the new born Kyd" beneath his shirt later that day. The couple separated in the second half of 2004.
