40 Fun Facts About Spandau Ballet

Which instrument does Steve Norman play in the famous solo on Spandau Ballet's ballad True?

Saxophone was a new interest for Steve Norman, who had started out in the band on guitar. Gary Kemp wrote True around it, changing key so the solo would stand apart from the track.

Spandau Ballet's Gold was written as a homage to composer John Barry's themes for which film series?

James Bond scores by John Barry were the model, and Shirley Bassey's Goldfinger theme inspired the title. Gary Kemp admitted he had set out to write a movie theme.

Spandau Ballet bassist Martin Kemp won awards as villain Steve Owen in which British soap opera?

EastEnders gave Martin Kemp a second career from 1998: he was voted Most Popular Actor at the 2000 National Television Awards, then left in 2002 for a deal with ITV drama.

Gary and Martin Kemp of Spandau Ballet played real-life gangster twins in which British film?

The Krays cast Gary as Ronald and Martin as Reginald, although the Kemps are brothers rather than twins. Both had learned to act as children at the Anna Scher drama club.

Which Molly Ringwald teen film plays Spandau Ballet's True during its school dance scene?

Sixteen Candles uses True as Samantha watches her crush Jake dance with his girlfriend. John Hughes's film reached cinemas a year after the song had topped the UK chart.

Which musician recruited Spandau Ballet for the original Band Aid single after a chance meeting with Gary Kemp?

Bob Geldof signed up Spandau Ballet after bumping into Gary Kemp in London. Tony Hadley was then the first singer to record a solo part for the single.

Writer Robert Elms said he saw the phrase Spandau Ballet written on a wall in which Cold War city?

Berlin was where Elms said he spotted the graffiti, on a weekend trip to the western half of the city. It referred to Rudolf Hess, by then the lone inmate of Spandau Prison.

Which hip-hop act sampled Spandau Ballet's True for the US number one Set Adrift on Memory Bliss?

P.M. Dawn, the brothers Jarrett and Attrell Cordes, built the track around True and topped the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1991. Tony Hadley appears toward the end of its video.

At which London venue did Spandau Ballet play Live Aid in 1985 to a huge global TV audience?

Wembley Stadium staged the London half of Live Aid, seen by an estimated 1.9 billion people in 150 nations. Spandau Ballet's previous UK tour had ended with six nights at the arena next door.

Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet made his Hollywood debut as Sy Spector in which Whitney Houston film?

The Bodyguard was Whitney Houston's first feature film as an actress as well as Gary Kemp's first Hollywood movie. He played the publicist to her character, two years after Spandau Ballet's final show.

Spandau Ballet were stars of which British pop movement born in London's underground club scene?

New Romantic bands sold image as much as sound: Spandau Ballet made their Top of the Pops debut in Scottish military regalia, a few tartan items included.

The lyrics of Spandau Ballet's True name-check which American soul singer, a favourite of Gary Kemp?

Marvin Gaye gets the mention as a reference to Gary Kemp and Steve Norman, who shared a love of his records. Kemp called it a defiant nod to London's soul boy culture.

Spandau Ballet toured Australia in 2010 alongside which other British band of the 1980s?

Tears for Fears joined the Australian leg of the Reformation Tour, Spandau Ballet's first run of concerts in 19 years. Tickets for its London O2 shows had sold out within 20 minutes.

Spandau Ballet's Through the Barricades was inspired by the killing of a crew member in which city?

Belfast was home to Thomas Reilly, who had sold the band's merchandise on tour and was shot in 1983. Gary Kemp wrote the song after seeing the peace-line barricades on a visit to his grave.

Spandau Ballet's Gary Kemp joined Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets to play which band's early music?

Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason invited Kemp, a longtime fan, to contribute guitar and vocals. Kemp was on a US tour with the group when he said Spandau Ballet had no plans going into 2020.

Spandau Ballet singer Tony Hadley had a stage residency as Billy Flynn in which hit musical?

Chicago gave Tony Hadley a spell in musical theatre during the years the band was apart. In 2003 he also won an ITV reality series by singing Through the Barricades in the final.

Spandau Ballet's True expressed Gary Kemp's feelings for Clare Grogan, the lead singer of which band?

Altered Images had Clare Grogan, who also starred in Gregory's Girl, out front. Kemp already had a girlfriend, so he told her how he felt through phrases only she would understand.

Spandau Ballet recorded most of the album True at Compass Point Studios in which island country?

The Bahamas appealed because of the soul records made at Compass Point, and Gary Kemp felt the tropical setting would shape the music. Only Lifeline was recorded in London, before the trip.

Which American city was the backdrop for Spandau Ballet's I'll Fly for You video?

New Orleans supplied the Mardi Gras parade during which Tony Hadley's on-screen lover escapes police custody. The BBC objected to a scene of Martin Kemp and a local model in the mud.

The revenge-themed video for Spandau Ballet's Only When You Leave salutes the films of which director?

Alfred Hitchcock had died four years earlier, and director Simon Milne staged surreal vignettes borrowing from films such as Strangers on a Train. Tony Hadley called the song a lover's revenge.

Through the Barricades reached number one in which European country, a first there for Spandau Ballet?

Italy sent the ballad to the top of its chart, something Britain never did: it peaked at number six at home, where it was the band's final top ten hit.

Which funk single gave Spandau Ballet a UK number three with a brass section from Beggar and Co?

Chant No. 1 saluted Le Beat Route, the Soho club where its video was shot. Sales were so strong that the band expected a first number one and celebrated early at their label's offices.

Which Buggles founder remixed Instinction and returned Spandau Ballet to the UK top ten in 1982?

Trevor Horn turned the album track into a number ten single after two releases had flopped. He left soon afterwards: he wanted to replace the band's drummer, and Gary Kemp refused.

Spandau Ballet's founders formed their first band after seeing which punk group play a London cinema?

Sex Pistols played the Screen on the Green in the summer of 1976, and Gary Kemp and Steve Norman started a school band that October. It was first called Roots, after one of Kemp's songs.

Spandau Ballet formed in which part of north London, where the Kemp brothers grew up?

Islington is where the Kemps were raised and where Gary met Steve Norman at Dame Alice Owen's School. The school later moved out to Potters Bar, where the band rehearsed at lunchtimes.

Spandau Ballet's first gig under that name was the 1979 Christmas party of which London club?

The Blitz was the Tuesday-night haunt of the scene's trendsetters, and the band shaped its image around the club. An invitation-only showcase weeks earlier had served as their audition.

Three Spandau Ballet members lost a 1999 High Court case against Gary Kemp, seeking a share of what?

Songwriting royalties went to Gary Kemp as the band's writer, and he denied ever agreeing to share them. The losing trio later sold him their stake in the band's company to cover legal debts.

Which actress, later married to Gary Kemp, played a gold-painted nymph in Spandau Ballet's Gold video?

Sadie Frost was in one of her earliest roles, and the shoot ran so late that Tony Hadley fell asleep before their final scene. She and Kemp did not meet again until a 1986 video shoot.

Which veteran singer gave Spandau Ballet's True a swing arrangement on his album Rock Swings?

Paul Anka's big-band take was singled out by critics as one of the better tracks on Rock Swings. Tony Hadley found it a bit strange, though he has sung True with a swing orchestra himself.

Spandau Ballet filmed the Highly Strung video in which crowded Asian city to evoke claustrophobia?

Hong Kong was chosen for its sheer density, and Billboard believed no major pop act had made a big-budget video there before. The band also wanted to film in mainland China but applied too late.

Which record label signed Spandau Ballet in October 1980 after a bidding war among the majors?

Chrysalis gave the band control over how their music was presented, so friends from the club scene handled design and styling. The partnership ended in court after the label issued a hits compilation without their approval.

Two Black Eyed Peas members covered Spandau Ballet's True for which Adam Sandler film comedy?

50 First Dates used a version by will.i.am and Fergie in 2004. Three years later Gary Kemp earned another writing credit when the R&B singer Lloyd sampled True on his US top ten hit You.

Gary Kemp borrowed phrases for Spandau Ballet's True from which novel, a gift from Clare Grogan?

Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov, was a birthday present from her after they had discussed the author. Kemp picked out phrases from it that he hoped nobody else would understand.

Gary Kemp says which singer agreed to front Spandau Ballet after Tony Hadley left, then backed out?

Seal had agreed to a tour, Kemp said, but pulled out while the band waited for him to fly in for rehearsals. They held auditions instead and hired a singer from West End musicals.

Which film star played fictional Spandau Ballet bassist Izzy LaFontaine in an episode of Modern Family?

Edward Norton turned up as an anniversary surprise for Phil, hired by Claire because she believed True was their song. Phil, it turned out, was no fan of the band.

Spandau Ballet recorded Parade at Musicland Studios, used by Queen and Led Zeppelin, in which city?

Munich was picked because the band wanted an urban setting after making their previous album in the tropics. Tony Hadley's vocals were recorded separately, across town at Union Studios.

Which English region doubled as the Russian steppe in Spandau Ballet's snowbound Muscle Bound video?

Lake District snow nearly sank the shoot at Kirkstone Pass: several feet had just fallen, filming overran its single scheduled day and the cost more than doubled the £15,000 budget.

Which KC and the Sunshine Band hit kept Spandau Ballet's Gold off the top of the UK chart?

Give It Up held the top spot while Gold stalled at number two. Tony Hadley blamed a missed Top of the Pops slot: the band were promoting in Norway and the show declined to run the video.

Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet won which 2003 ITV reality show presented by Davina McCall?

Reborn in the USA sent ten British pop acts to tour where they were supposedly unknown. Hadley beat Michelle Gayle in the final and won a recording contract.

Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet received which honour in 2012 for his Outstanding Song Collection?

Ivor Novello Award judges honoured the work of the band's sole hit writer: Kemp wrote the singles himself, and one of them had by then been played four million times on US radio.