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{{Short description|English
{{EngvarB|date=May 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
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'''Spandau Ballet''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|p|æ|n|d|aʊ|_|ˈ|b|æ|l|eɪ}} {{respell|SPAN|dow|_|BAL|ay}}) were an English [[pop music|pop]] band formed in Islington, London, in 1979. Inspired by the capital's [[post-punk]] underground dance scene, they emerged at the start of the 1980s as the house band for the [[Blitz Kids]], playing "European Dance Music" as "The Applause" for this new club culture's audience.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/live-music-reviews/11476894/Spandau-Ballet-O2-Arena-review-celebratory.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/live-music-reviews/11476894/Spandau-Ballet-O2-Arena-review-celebratory.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Spandau Ballet, O2 Arena, review: 'celebratory'|last=McCormick|first=Neil|journal=Daily Telegraph|date=18 March 2015|access-date=25 March 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/oct/04/spandau-ballet-new-romantics|title=Spandau Ballet, The Blitz Kids and the birth of the New Romantics|last=Johnson|first=David|date=3 October 2009|work=The Observer|access-date=25 March 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0029-7712}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Pop Stars In My Pantry|last=Simper|first=Paul|publisher=Unbound|year=2017|isbn=978-1-78352-388-7|location= London|pages=15}}</ref> They became one of the most successful groups of the [[New Romantic]] era of [[British pop music|British pop]]<ref>{{cite web|website=ministryofrock.co.uk|title=New Romantics|last=Nickson|first=Chris|author-link=Chris Nickson|url=https://www.ministryofrock.co.uk/NewRomantics.html|date=25 September 2012}}</ref> and were part of the [[Second British Invasion]] of the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Top 40]] in the 1980s, selling 25 million albums and having 23 hit singles worldwide.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/193332-spandau-ballet-finds-redemption-after-years-apart-2495532712.html|title=Spandau Ballet Finds Redemption and Reformation After Years Apart|date=5 June 2015|website=PopMatters|language=en|access-date=25 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandjazzmusic/5054105/Spandau-Ballet-interview.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandjazzmusic/5054105/Spandau-Ballet-interview.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Spandau Ballet interview|last=Singh|first=Anita|journal=Daily Telegraph|date=26 March 2009|access-date=25 March 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=https://mdtheatreguide.com/2015/05/concert-review-spandau-ballet-at-930-club-in-washington-d-c/|title=Concert Review: Spandau Ballet at 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.|last=Menefee|first=Lynne|date=2 May 2015|website=Maryland Theatre Guide|language=en-US|access-date=26 March 2019}}</ref> The band have had eight UK top 10 albums, including three greatest hits compilations and an album of re-recorded material. Their musical influences ranged from [[punk rock]] and [[soul music]] to the American crooners [[Frank Sinatra]] and [[Tony Bennett]].<ref>{{cite news | url= https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/soul-boys-of-the-western-world-review-harmony-restored-as-spandau-ballet-remember-roots-9763424.html | title= Spandau Ballet's Soul Boys Of The Western World, film review: Band remember roots |work=The Independent|first=Geoffrey|last=Macnab|date=30 September 2014|access-date=28 October 2018}}</ref>
The band's classic lineup featured [[Gary Kemp]] on guitar, synthesiser and backing vocals
In 1990, the band played their last live show before a 19-year absence. In 1999, Hadley, Norman and Keeble launched an unsuccessful case in the High Court against Gary Kemp and his Reformation Publishing Company for a share of the band's songwriting royalties.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/332115.stm|title=Spandau court bid fails|work=BBC News|date=30 April 1999|access-date=25 March 2019}}</ref> Spandau Ballet reformed in 2009 for The Reformation Tour, a sell-out "greatest hits" world tour. In 2014, their archive-only feature-length documentary biopic, ''Soul Boys of the Western World'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smoothradio.com/news/spandau-ballet-add-second-o2-arena-date/|title=Spandau Ballet Add Second O2 Arena Date|website=Smooth|language=en|access-date=25 March 2019}}</ref> was world-premiered at [[South by Southwest|SXSW]] Film Festival in Austin, Texas. It was officially screened at the Rome, Ghent (Belgium) and NYC Doc film festivals and received its European premiere at the [[Royal Albert Hall]], London.
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Gary Kemp and Steve Norman first decided to form a band, both playing guitar, in October 1976 after witnessing [[Sex Pistols|the Sex Pistols]] perform that summer at Islington's Screen on the Green.<ref>{{Cite book|title=I Know This Much From Soho to Spandau|last=Kemp|first=Gary|publisher=Fourth Estate|year=2009|isbn=978-0-00-732330-2|location=London|page=71}}</ref> Close friends and school mates at [[Dame Alice Owen's School|Dame Alice Owen's]] in Islington, they were joined by John Keeble on drums, Michael Ellison on bass and Tony Hadley on vocals when the school relocated to [[Potters Bar]]. They rehearsed at lunchtimes in the school's music room, playing sped-up versions of [[the Rolling Stones]]' "Silver Train",<ref>{{Cite book|title=New Romantics Who Never Were The Untold Story of Spandau Ballet|last=Barrat|first=David|publisher=Orsam Books|year=2018|isbn=978-0-9570917-2-6|pages=10}}</ref> [[the Beatles]]' "[[I Wanna Be Your Man]]" and [[the Animals]]' "We've Gotta Get Out of This Place". They also played an original Gary Kemp composition, "I've Got Roots", which inspired their band name, Roots.<ref>{{Cite book|title=New Romantics Who Never Were The Untold Story of Spandau Ballet|last=Barrat|first=David|publisher=Orsam Books|year=2018|isbn=978-0-9570917-2-6|pages=11}}</ref> Their first gig was a fourth-form Christmas party December 1976 in the school dining room.<ref>{{Cite book|title=I Know This Much From Soho To Spandau|last=Kemp|first=Gary|publisher=Fourth Estate|year=2009|isbn=978-0-00-732330-2|pages=80–81}}</ref>
The band changed their name to
Inspired by London's new underground nightclub scene, which began in Autumn 1978 with a weekly Tuesday night hosted by [[Steve Strange]] and DJ [[Rusty Egan]] at [[Gargoyle Club|Billy's]] in Soho,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/feb/13/steve-strange-a-beautiful-maverick-who-understood-the-power-of-myth|title=Steve Strange: a beautiful maverick who understood the power of myth|last=Kemp|first=Gary|date=13 February 2015|work=The Guardian|access-date=25 March 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> the band switched musical direction to embrace the new electronic music. Friend and writer [[Robert Elms]] suggested they change their name to [[Spandau]] Ballet, a phrase which he told them he had seen written on a wall on a weekend trip to Berlin: “[[Rudolf Hess]], all alone, dancing the Spandau Ballet”.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Way We Wore A Life In Threads|last=Elms|first=Robert|publisher=Picador|year=2005|isbn=0-330-42032-1|pages=196–197}}</ref> Their first performance was an invitation-only showcase on the morning of Saturday 17 November 1979, at Halligan's Band Centre rehearsal studio, 103 Holloway Road,<ref>{{Cite book|title=New Romantics Who Never Were The Untold Story of Spandau Ballet|last=Barrat|first=David|publisher=Orsam Books|year=2018|isbn=978-0-9570917-2-6|pages=97}}</ref> to test the reaction of the key influencers of the new scene. Having passed that 'audition', the band's first gig as Spandau Ballet was at the [[Blitz (nightclub)|Blitz]]'s Christmas party on 5 December 1979.<ref>{{Cite book|title=New Romantics Who Never Were The Untold Story of Spandau Ballet|last=Barrat|first=David|publisher=Orsam Books|year=2018|isbn=978-0-9570917-2-6|pages=99}}</ref>
===''Journeys to Glory''===
A series of exclusive 'secret' gigs in 1980 at unique non-rock venues like the Scala cinema<ref>{{cite web| url=https://shapersofthe80s.com/revolution/1980-who-was-who-in-spandaus-break-out-year| title=1980, Who was who in Spandau's break-out year| publisher=Shapersofthe80s.com |date=5 June 2018| access-date=27 March 2019}}</ref> and the cruiser [[HMS Belfast (C35)|HMS ''Belfast'']], advertised only by word-of-mouth, created the hype for a major record companies bidding war.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uAj5D2s9uB8C&q=spandau+ballet+bidding+war+to+sign&pg=PT5 |title=Arctic Monkeys – Uncensored on the Record|publisher=Coda Books |isbn=9781781580158|access-date=6 November 2015}}</ref> After the band signed with [[Chrysalis Records]], they released "To Cut a Long Story Short", produced by [[Landscape (band)|Landscape]]’s [[Richard James Burgess]]. It became a top five hit on the UK charts in late 1980, as well as reaching the top 20 in Australia, Ireland and Spain. Their second single, "[[The Freeze (song)|The Freeze]]", was another top 20 hit in the UK, Ireland and Spain, followed by the double A-side "Musclebound/Glow" and the gold-certified debut album ''[[Journeys to Glory]]'' in early 1981.
The band played their first US showcase in May 1981 at New York's Underground Club, on 17th and Broadway, with a fashion show by Axiom, a co-operative of the London club scene's new clothes designers including [[Sade (singer)|Sade Adu]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shapersofthe80s.com/revolution/1981-first-blitz-invasion-of-the-us/|title=1981, First Blitz invasion of the US|date=22 January 2010|website=Shapersofthe80s.com|language=en|access-date=26 March 2019}}</ref> Spandau were the first UK pop band to perform live at the world-famous [[Privilege Ibiza|Ku Club]] in Ibiza.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seeibiza.com/news/spandau-ballet-back-in-ibiza-688162|title=Spandau Ballet Back in Ibiza|website=SeeIbiza.com|date=18 August 2015 |language=en|access-date=26 March 2019}}</ref>
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===''Parade'' and Live Aid period===
The follow-up album, ''[[Parade (Spandau Ballet album)|Parade]]'', was released in June 1984, and its singles were again big successes in the charts in Europe, Oceania and Canada. The album's opening song, "[[Only When You Leave]]", became the band's last American hit. The band's first top 10 single in Italy was "[[I'll Fly for You]]", a success they repeated later with the singles "[[Fight for Ourselves]]" and "[[Through the Barricades (song)|Through the Barricades]]." At the end of 1984, the band performed on the [[Band Aid (band)|Band Aid]] charity single alongside chart rivals [[Duran Duran]], [[Culture Club]] and [[Wham!]], and in 1985 performed at [[Wembley Stadium (1924)|Wembley Stadium]] as part of [[Live Aid]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/band-aid-30-years-on-4606099 |title=Band Aid 30 years on: Where are the original stars three decades after the 1984 song was released?|author=Watts, Halina|date=11 November 2014|newspaper=Daily Mirror|access-date=6 November 2015}}</ref> to a global audience estimated at 1.9 billion. The "Spandau Ballet World Parade 84–85" was the group's biggest tour to date, spanning Europe, America, the Far East and, for the first time, Australia and New Zealand. Their UK tour ended with six record-breaking nights at Wembley Arena. During the second show at LA's Universal Amphitheatre, Steve Norman tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee and the rest of the tour was cancelled.<ref>{{Cite book|title=I Know This Much From Soho To Spandau|last=Kemp|first=Gary|publisher=Fourth Estate|year=2009|isbn=978-0-00-732330-2|pages=224–225}}</ref> This also resulted in the cancellation of a proposed summer tour of Spain and Italy and a planned six-week tour of the United States supporting [[The Power Station (band)|the Power Station.]]<ref>{{Cite book|title=New Romantics Who Never Were The Untold Story of Spandau Ballet|last=Barrat|first=David|publisher=Orsam Books|year=2018|isbn=978-0-9570917-2-6|pages=215}}</ref>
During this same year, Spandau Ballet achieved platinum status with the compilation ''[[The Singles Collection (Spandau Ballet album)|The Singles Collection]]'', which kept the focus on the band between studio albums and celebrated its five years of success.
===''Through the Barricades''===
After a bitter court case with Chrysalis, Spandau Ballet signed to [[CBS Records International|CBS Records]] for £1.5 million in 1986 and released their fifth studio album, ''Through the Barricades''. With producer [[Gary Langan]], the band moved away from their pop and soul influences to create a stadium rock sound. A dispute between [[Our Price Records]] and Sony over trading arrangements resulted in the Our Price chain and its chart return shops refusing to stock any CBS singles, which affected the record sales of their first single release, "[[Fight for Ourselves]]".<ref>{{Cite book|title=New Romantics Who Never Were The Untold Story of Spandau Ballet|last=Barrat|first=David|publisher=Orsam Books|year=2018|isbn=978-0-9570917-2-6|pages=217}}</ref> Though it peaked at 15 in the UK, it was a top 10 hit in Italy and the Netherlands. The title track, a personal favourite of Kemp and Hadley and inspired by the killing of a friend, Thomas "Kidso" Reilly in [[Belfast]] by [[Private (rank)|Private]] Ian Thain,<ref>{{Cite book|title=I Know This Much From Soho To Spandau|last=Kemp|first=Gary|publisher=Fourth Estate|year=2009|isbn=978-0-00-732330-2|pages=235–237}}</ref> reached the top 10 in the UK and in Europe, as did the album.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/through-the-barricades-mw0000191791|title=Spandau Ballet: Through the Barricades|author=Leroy, Dan|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=6 November 2015}}</ref>
This was followed in 1986/87 by the band's largest European concert tour to date, "Through the Barricades – Across the Borders", with six record-breaking nights at the [[Rotterdam Ahoy|Ahoy]] Stadium in Rotterdam, another six nights at London's Wembley Arena, 80,000 at [[Casa de Campo]] in Madrid and 50,000 at an open-air concert in Treviso.<ref>{{Cite book|title=I Know This Much From Soho To Spandau|last=Kemp|first=Gary|publisher=Fourth Estate|year=2009|isbn=978-0-00-732330-2|pages=250–251}}</ref> Hadley and Gary Kemp performed "Through the Barricades" for the Prince's Trust at Wembley Arena with the 'house band' of [[Eric Clapton]], [[Midge Ure]] and [[Phil Collins]], and "[[With a Little Help from My Friends]]" with [[George Harrison]] and [[Ringo Starr]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=I Know This Much From Soho To Spandau|last=Kemp|first=Gary|publisher=Fourth Estate|year=2009|isbn=978-0-00-732330-2|pages=254}}</ref> In 1988, the band played for the King of Spain in front of the Royal Palace in Barcelona, on the same bill as [[Freddie Mercury]] and [[Montserrat Caballé]], to launch the campaign for the [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Olympics]].
===''Heart Like a Sky''===
After a hiatus from recording, the band released their next album, ''Heart Like a Sky'', initially titled ''Home'', in September 1989. For the first time, new working methods were employed, as Gary Kemp demoed his new songs programming the drums, keyboards and bass on a porta-studio with Toby Chapman, Spandau's session keyboard player, rather than rehearsing with the band.<ref>{{Cite book|title=I Know This Much From Soho To Spandau|last=Kemp|first=Gary|publisher=Fourth Estate|year=2009|isbn=978-0-00-732330-2|pages=256–257}}</ref> The album and its singles were not successful in the UK<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/18710/spandau-ballet/|title = Spandau Ballet | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company|website = [[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]]}}</ref> and the album was not released in the United States. Nevertheless, the band continued to have success in Germany, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands, where the singles "[[Raw (song)|Raw]]" and "[[Be Free with Your Love]]" entered the top 40.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Spandau+Ballet&titel=Raw&cat=s|title=Spandau Ballet – Raw|author=Steffen Hung|publisher=dutchcharts.nl|access-date=20 October 2011}}</ref> The album included "Motivator", the first song written by Steve Norman for the band since The Makers.
===1990–1999: Break-up and solo projects===
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In 2014, all five played live again with an anthology world tour to promote a critically acclaimed feature-length archive-only documentary of the band's story and the pop cultural history of the Eighties, ''Soul Boys of the Western World.''<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3636326| title=Soul Boys of the Western World| publisher=iMDB | date=2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smoothradio.com/news/spandau-ballet-add-second-o2-arena-date/|title=Spandau Ballet Add Second O2 Arena Date|website=Smooth|language=en|access-date=26 March 2019}}</ref> It world premiered at South By Southwest with Spandau also playing as part of the music festival,<ref name="auto3"/> their first public appearance in North America since 1985. The band played five numbers for the film's European premiere at the Royal Albert Hall. There were gala screenings in Sydney, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Auckland and Hamburg. The film had a UK cinema release. It was directed by George Hencken, produced by Steve Dagger and Scott Milaney with archive producer Kate Griffiths and included never-before-seen footage of the band playing and being interviewed at NYC's Underground club in March 1981.
It was confirmed on 31 July 2014, that Spandau Ballet were working on new material in the studio with [[Trevor Horn]].
The band embarked on another world tour in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1717915/watch-spandau-ballet-make-their-first-u-s-tv-appearance-in-almost-30-years-on-kimmel/video/|title=Watch Spandau Ballet Make Their First U.S. TV Appearance in Almost 30 Years on Kimmel|work=Stereogum|date=11 November 2014}}</ref> In January 2015, they appeared on ''[[Today (U.S. TV program)|The Today Show]]'', performing "True".<ref>{{cite news |title=Spandau Ballet performs hit song 'True' |url=http://www.today.com/popculture/spandau-ballet-performs-hit-song-true-1D80436333 |access-date=28 April 2015 |work=Today |date=20 January 2015}}</ref> They also appeared on ''The Talk'' on 27 July 2015 to perform "True".
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Within five months cracks were appearing in Spandau's new line-up. In March 2019, Wild joined a new band called Mercutio, saying: "I can't wait around for Spandau! Unfortunately Gary [Kemp] has commitments, so we're waiting him to finish until we crack on."<ref>{{cite web| url=https://shapersofthe80s.com/2019/03/13/2019-%e2%9e%a4-spandau-vocalist-ross-rocks-fans-by-announcing-his-own-new-band-mercutio| title=Spandau vocalist Ross rocks fans by announcing his own new band Mercutio| work=Shapersofthe80s| date=13 March 2019| access-date=9 June 2019}}</ref> One month later Gary Kemp, touring the US with Nick Mason's band Saucerful of Secrets, said in an interview: "There are no plans for Spandau going into 2020." He said he struggled to imagine Spandau Ballet without Tony Hadley, adding: "I still think that's the ultimate goal".<ref>{{cite news| url=https://parklifedc.com/2019/04/15/interview-gary-kemp-of-nick-masons-saucerful-of-secrets-dar-constitution-hall-4-22-19| work=ParkLifeDC| date=15 April 2019| first=Mickey| last=McCarter| title=Gary Kemp talks about Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets and Spandau Ballet|access-date=9 June 2019}}</ref> Then on 23 May 2019, Wild tweeted at 6:15am: "I have formally quit the band @SpandauBallet to pursue my own music with my band Mercutio."<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1131549159922782209|user=RossWilliamWild|title=I have formally quit the band @SpandauBallet... |date=23 May 2019|access-date=9 June 2019}}</ref> By 10:30am Martin Kemp was on ITV's ''This Morning'' confirming that Spandau would not be touring "until Tony [Hadley] comes back".<ref>{{cite web| url=https://shapersofthe80s.com/2019/05/25/2019-%e2%9e%a4-another-spandau-bombshell-kemp-brothers-drive-out-ross-their-perfect-new-singer| title=Another Spandau bombshell – Kemp Brothers drive out Ross their 'perfect' new singer| publisher=Shapersofthe80s| date=25 May 2019| access-date=5 December 2020}}</ref>
The next day Spandau thanked Wild via Twitter for "his brilliant performances with them last year and wish him every success with his band, Mercutio".<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1131899226919755776 |user=SpandauBallet|title=Spandau Ballet would like to thank Ross William Wild...|date=24 May 2019|access-date=9 June 2019}}</ref> Within the next few days Wild explained further: "I'd put my whole life on hold and was sick of waiting around for them to make up their minds. I told the boys I was quitting and then never heard back from them." The band's sax player Steve Norman also said: "I was neither involved in nor informed of any discussions or decision-making regarding the future of my band, least of all Ross's position in it."<ref>{{cite web| url=https://shapersofthe80s.com/2019/05/25/2019-%e2%9e%a4-another-spandau-bombshell-kemp-brothers-drive-out-ross-their-perfect-new-singer| title=Another Spandau bombshell – Kemp Brothers drive out Ross their 'perfect' new singer| publisher=Shapersofthe80s| date=25 May 2019| access-date=9 June 2019}}</ref> Wild was subsequently arrested in March 2021 and charged (under his real name, Ross Davidson) with a series of sex offences dating back to 2013. He was convicted in 2024 of voyeurism, raping a woman and sexually assaulting two others.<ref name=gecsoyler>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jul/25/sadistic-and-manipulative-ex-spandau-ballet-singer-guilty-of|work=[[The Guardian]]|title=‘Sadistic and manipulative’ ex-Spandau Ballet singer guilty of rape|first=Sammy|last=Gecsoyler|date=25 July 2024|access-date=26 July 2024}}</ref>
==In popular culture==
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==Members==
* [[John Keeble]] – drums, percussion, backing vocals <small>(1979–1990, 2009–2019)</small>
* [[Gary Kemp]] –
* [[Martin Kemp]] – bass guitar, guitar, backing vocals <small>(1979–1990, 2009–2019)</small>
* [[Steve Norman]] – saxophones, wind synthesizer, guitar, percussion, keyboards, backing vocals <small>(1979–1990, 2009–2019)</small>
* [[Tony Hadley]] – lead vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, percussion <small>(1979–1990, 2009–2017)</small>
* Ross William Wild – lead vocals <small>(
==Discography==
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