Tony Hadley

Tony Hadley is an English pop singer from Hampstead, United Kingdom, born in 1960. He is best known as the lead vocalist of Spandau Ballet, the 1980s band with which he builds his reputation in new wave and pop. Spandau Ballet disbands in 1989 after its final studio album, Heart Like a Sky, which does not match the earlier success of albums such as True and Parade. Hadley later rejoins his former bandmates when Spandau Ballet reforms in 2009.

Solo work

After Spandau Ballet splits, Hadley continues as a solo artist. He signs to EMI and records his first solo album, The State of Play, in 1992. After leaving EMI, he forms his own label, SlipStream Records, and issues the single “Build Me Up”, taken from the film When Saturday Comes. He also releases the live album Obsession in 1995, recorded in one night at Ronnie Scott’s in Birmingham and later re-released as Obsession Live.

His self-titled solo album Tony Hadley appears in 1997 on a joint deal with PolyGram TV. It includes cover versions, songs chosen to suit his voice, and original material such as “She”, which he writes for his daughter Toni. In 2000, he releases his first solo greatest-hits collection, Debut, made up of early solo tracks and live recordings from Germany broadcast on German television. In 2003, Debut is reissued and a second compilation, True Ballads, is also released.

In 2006, Hadley releases the jazz-swing album Passing Strangers and tours in a “by request” format, followed by a big band tour later that year.

Collaborations and performance work

Hadley works with a range of dance acts and DJs, including Tin Tin Out, Eddie Lock, Marc et Claude, Regi Penxten of Milk Inc., and the Disco Bros. He also performs alongside Alice Cooper, Paul Young, Jon Anderson and Brian May. His permanent live band line-up includes John Keeble on drums, Phil Taylor on keyboards, Phil Williams on bass guitar, Richie Barrett on guitar, and Angie Grant on backing vocals. His early solo band includes John Keeble, Toby Chapman on keyboards, Jerry Stevenson on guitar and Kevin Miller on bass guitar.

He performs in the West End production of Chicago in 2007, playing Billy Flynn at the Cambridge Theatre. He also appears as a radio presenter on Virgin Radio, taking over the Friday and Saturday night Virgin Party Classics shows. His television work includes winning the ITV reality series Reborn in the USA in 2003. He appears on the Italian Sanremo Festival in 2008, duetting with Paolo Meneguzzi on “Grande”, and performs on the Croatian national Eurovision selection Dora the same month. He also appears in the UK film Shoot The DJ, playing Eddie Richards, and takes part in Pinoy Dream Academy season 2 in the Philippines.

Personal and family details

Born Anthony Patrick Hadley, he is the father of four children: Thomas, Toni and Mackenzie from his marriage to Leonie, and Zara, born in 2006, with Alison Evers. He separates from Leonie in 2003 after twenty years of marriage. He states that he is 6'4" and weighs 17½ stone.

Style and recognition

Hadley’s work spans pop, new wave, blue-eyed soul, funk, jazz and pop rock. In the 2000s, he also gains renewed attention through an ironic appreciation of Spandau Ballet, with John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats writing about admiration for his vocal ability.