Spandau Ballet

Spandau Ballet are a British pop group from Islington, United Kingdom, active from 1979 to 1990. They form around Tony Hadley on vocals, Gary Kemp on guitar and background vocals, Martin Kemp on bass, Steve Norman on saxophone, and John Keeble on drums. The group is associated with blue-eyed soul, dance-pop, new romantic, new wave, pop and pop rock, and they are one of the best-known British acts linked to the new romantic movement in the early 1980s.

Formation and early identity

The band begins in London in 1976, but it does not settle into a stable line-up or take the Spandau name until 1978. The name is said to come from graffiti seen in a bathroom during the group’s early period. Their sound is shaped by a mix of avant-garde synth pop and slick funk, alongside art rock and glam rock influences. They look to David Bowie and Roxy Music for inspiration in their early years.

Music and breakthrough

Gary Kemp writes or co-writes most of the group’s songs and lyrics. One of their early key tracks is “Chant No 1 (I Don’t Need This Pressure On),” also known as “Chant # 1,” which reaches number 2 in the UK and includes horn parts from Beggar & Co. The collaboration proves significant on record. Other early songs include “To Cut a Long Story Short” and “Freeze,” also known as “The Freeze.”

Albums and chart success

Their first two albums, Journeys to Glory and Diamond, both appear in the UK top 20 and later receive gold certification from the RIAA. After four UK hits and a run of less successful releases, the group’s chart momentum slows, but “Instinction” restores their commercial position and becomes the first of eleven consecutive singles to reach the Top 20.

The title track of their third album, True, becomes one of their best-known songs and reaches the UK Top 5. The track later gains a second life through samples in “Set Adrift on Memory Bliss” by PM Dawn and “N Dey Say” by Nelly.

Style and later career

Spandau Ballet move from the new romantic scene into a more mainstream pop style while remaining closely associated with 1980s British pop. They also develop a noted, semi-friendly rivalry with fellow new wave group Duran Duran. After splitting in 1990, Hadley, Keeble and Norman later bring a court case against Gary Kemp over royalties, and the group announce a reformation in March 2009.