Spandau Ballet

                                     

A Last Dance for Romance in America

                                                                

Spandau Ballet  Photo: Dave Hogan

The year was 1976 and frilly-frop shirts, big belts, big hair and big egos found its way into a London subculture environment.  A cult without a name had formed a social uprising and a name would be needed to feed these vain, narcissistic creatures at the Blitz Night Club. That name would be called The New Romantics movement.  Unlike Heavy Metal groups such as Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden, which wanted to strike fear into the hearts of their audience. Heavy Metal music had implementing spooky music and creating evil mascots. Furthermore, The New Romantic music was more about flamboyant clothing, cosmetics and gender bending the rules in British cities such as Manchester, Liverpool and London.

In the United States during the Jimmy Carter days, the first ongoing music scene was assigned the Punk label shortly after the Hippy movement in the mid-1960’s.  In London Punk Rock was more geared toward anti-establishment views and a rebellious culture. When the synthpop dance craze hit California in the early 1980s, musical performers such as Boy George, Wham and Duran Duran were jockeying for position to win the hearts and minds of teenage consumers, only to sell records like candy in this bubblegum world of music. Spandau Ballet was yet another group that topped the record charts with their upbeat tempos and stylish dance lyrics. But before all the fame and misfortune, they were a house band called Roots at the Blitz Night Club located in North London, England. To Spandau, it was more about becoming popular and filthy rich with gross displays of disposable income. Music would be their golden ticket and every Tuesday night these “Soul Boys” would rock the house.  Boy George would work the coat room and Spandau Ballet would practice their craft with a vibrant new club scene for the elite New Romantics cult following. “I was in love with charisma, explained bassist Martin Kemp. It wasn't until much later when I watched Jail House Rock and at that point I wanted to be like Elvis, Marlon Brando and Bruce Lee. I could care less about the music and was in this for the ride,” he adds to say. In 2010, a world-famous band member from England was ready to pump the breaks and slow Spandau’s  lofty journey down. When the phone rang one night during Spandau Ballet’s television performance on the Johanth Ross show, Iron Maiden’s drummer, Nikko McBrain was on the other end wishing to speak with John Keeble. The first thing McBrain mentioned to Mr. Keeble was not at all about the sound, but in fact how fabulous they [Spandau Ballet] looked sitting on the sofa in their expensive suits. “You look like a band,” said McBrian swinging his big drum sticks. Keeble (Spandau's Drummer) responded back with an irate tone is his voice and replied to McBrain, “That body language means everything. Forget the songs, forget the music, this is all about being cohesive and being a band again. We’re Spandau Ballet – who the fuck are you?”  However, on the phone with The Evil Genius, was Martin Kemp calling from his LA Office to Chicago, He was a complete gentleman and spoke in a very pleasant tone. Mr. Kemp answered each question with concern and kindness in his British dialect as we chatted about Frank Sinatra, Humble Pie and the early days of bass playing, when this instrument control a solid riff as a lead performer. 

With Spandau, the music was not only timely. A canny mix of contemporary funk and heavy bottom dance grooves had become groundbreaking. Members Tony Hadley, (Lead vocals) Gary Kemp, (Lead guitar) Steve Norman (Percussion & Sax) and drummer, John Keeble contributed to the band’s success spearheading a new pop culture around the world. Most Spandau Ballet fans can become lost in a daydream drift back in time hoping a lover will never fade away, enjoying the good life, if only for a moment. Perhaps a high school prom, their wedding day or that romantic night with a fresh start of hope on New Year’s Eve.  Embracing their Soul Mate as one with songs such as “True,” “I’ll Fly for You” and “Gold,”  a hopeless romantic can  glide effortlessly, lost in twilight with only love in their eyes.  In addition to satiating Spandau Ballet and their cult’s appetite, the Music Video War had begun.  Duran Duran finished up their video shoot featuring Rio, using ice cream smiles and a wicked bass line performed by John Taylor.  Spandau Ballet had raised the bar, shooting their video titled: “Highly Strung”  in Hong Kong and Australia, costing over $450,000.  These two music videos were among the first to use 35 mm film and shot by professional directors from Hollywood, California during 1984.  “Those where crazy times,” said Kemp. "Today, you can shoot an hour long documentary with the money we used to shoot just a five minute video,” he added to say.  However, Martin Kemp was not just another pretty-boy filming music videos.

Martin Kemp

A new approach in motion pictures and television, Martin Kemp is no stranger to the Silver Screen.  Appearing in The Krays as a Heavy Weight Gangster, Who Wants to be a Millionaire Celebrity Series and Discovery Channel’s very own cable television show titled: Chop Shop. Kemp has maintained to stay in the spotlight for 30 years.  However, Mr. Kemp’s long run of success has not always been a pleasure cruise of beautiful girls, boat loads of money and champagne dreams. During 1995 while living in Los Angeles, California Martin Kemp had a good run working as an actor. Shortly after, while working on Television series in Canada Martin Kemp’s career sat as idled as painted ship for nearly half a decade.  “I was working on a show called the Outer Limits, explained Kemp. I remember them putting on this ball cap because I was playing a scientist that invented this pill that could give you everlasting life. That’s when they discovered a big lump on the back of my skull,” said Kemp.  That lump was a brain tumor that nearly took Mr. Kemp’s life and soon after, his movie career sunk like a lead balloon.  

Despite Spandau Ballet’s war on music royalties, battling brain Cancer and countless hardships- each member endured during their struggle with success.  A long time had slowly passed and Spandau Ballet had vanished into a murky fog bank of uncertainty, never to be seen again. During our phone interview, the group is now back on track with one last dance for their loving fans.  Preparing to shoot another music video, Martin Kemp had these inspiring words to share. “Positive mental attitude is important and for years I carried around this saying with me and that is, you must believe to achieve," Mr. Kemp stated. What he is trying to say is, that you need to believe in yourself and in other people to reach the goals that you wish to accomplish.