Biographic - Sunday May 10, 2009 Comic Strip Licensing and Permissions

Transcript

Spandau Ballet formed in London in the late 1970s, when brothers Martin and Gary Kemp teamed up with Steve Norman, Tony Hadley and John Keeble. Spearheading the new romantic wave that also included the likes of Duran Duran and Adam and the Ants, the band were regulars on the British pop charts in the early 1980s. Within a short space of time, they matured into a more sophisticated and mellow pop outfit. The change in musical direction culminated in 1983's worldwide smash hit "True." The romantic ballad, composed by guitarist Gary Kemp, has been a staple of film and tv soundtracks ever since, and has been featured on "Cold Case" "Ugly Betty" "King of Queens" and "The Simpsons" to name just a few. It has also been featured in many movies, including a number of titles that starred either Drew Barrymore or Adam Sandler- and sometimes both- including "Charlie's Angels" "The Wedding Singer" "50 First Dates" and "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry." Despite an appearance at 1985's Live Aid, the band founder further U.S. chart success elusive, and was put on hiatus while the Kemp brothers starred as Britian's notorious gangster twins in the 1991 movie "The Krays." Gary Kemp's later acting credits included a role in "The Bodyguard" while Martin went on to star on the U.K. soap "Eastenders. A legal wrangle over songwriting royalties looked to have fractured the band for good, and the members wnet their various ways, with frontman Tony Hadley finding stage and tv success. But the passage of time has seen the wounds heal, and in March they staged a press conference to announce that a Spandau Ballet reunion world tour will kick off later this year.

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