Spandau Ballet

Over the course of just a couple of years, Spandau Ballet went from underground heroes spearheading the cutting-edge New Romantic movement to mainstream pop stars. The band was formed in London in 1979 by songwriter Gary Kemp (guitars, keyboards), his bassist brother Martin, Tony Hadley (vocals, keyboards), Steve Norman (sax, guitar, percussion), and drummer John Keeble, evolving out of punk band The Makers. By 1980 they worked up a sleek, danceable sound blending electronics, Eurodisco, and a pronounced Bowie/Roxy Music influence and became prime movers in London's fashion-forward New Romantic club scene. They released their first single, "To Cut a Long Story Short," that same year, reaching No. 5 on the British charts. Soon New Romantics like Spandau, Duran Duran, and Visage were all the rage in England. Spandau Ballet's debut album, Journeys to Glory, was released and 1981 and also hit No. 5. Their second LP, 1982's Diamond, showcased a funkier, less electronic sound, and featured the No. 3 hit "Chant No. 1." Spandau's third album, 1982's True, brought another stylistic shift, towards a polished, soulful pop sound. The record would be the most successful of their career, giving them three Top 10 U.K. singles, but the biggest, "True," became a worldwide smash. Spandau Ballet became bona fide pop stars, and their next two albums, Parade (1984) and Through the Barricades (1986) brought them continued fame and U.K. hits, though their star began to fade by decade's end, and the band split up in 1990. Hadley pursued a solo career, while the Kemp brothers began a sideline in acting, starting with 1990's gangster biopic "The Krays." Spandau Ballet reunited in 2009, touring and releasing the album Once More, featuring re-recordings of their classic tunes. Hadley departed the band in 2017, and the following year it was announced that Scottish actor/singer Ross William Wild would take the frontman's place.