Spandau Ballet

起初他們并不叫Spandau Ballet，他們甚至不是一個樂團，而是一群被稱做Angel Boys、少不更事的年輕人，他們來自伊斯陵頓，對蘇活區(qū)和Covent Garden 的新潮音樂深深著迷。這群年輕音樂人的核心Gary、Martin Kemp兄弟，加上主唱Tony Hadley、鼓手John Keeble及Steve Morman, 并由來自北倫敦的Steve Dagger充當這個樂團的經紀人。融合了他們對美國黑人舞曲的熱愛、David Bowie和Roxy Music 有個性、活力十足的音樂，以及當時歐洲正流行的迪斯可電子音樂，Spandau Ballet 成功地將這些音樂的精華結合在一起。79年他們首次在倫敦找一個廢棄的倉庫舉辦一場演唱會兼派對，從這狂野的一晚開始，Spandau Ballet成了倫敦正在茁壯的舞廳和時尚界重要樂團，也使他們成為新浪漫主義的先驅。他們走在時代尖端的演唱會，從不做任何宣傳，人們藉由口耳相傳得知演唱會消息。演唱會場地包括廢棄的裝飾藝術風格電影院、巴洛克教堂，以及停泊在泰晤士河上的貝爾法斯特HMS戰(zhàn)艦。在簽下唱片合約之前時，他們已是有許多引人入勝的流行歌曲的樂團。然而盡管締造如To Cut A Long Story Short和Musclebound等紅遍半邊天的暢銷單曲，他們仍然堅持自己屬于舞廳文化的一部分。雖說在占據(jù)幾年樂壇頂尖樂團的地位后，他們的企圖心已不若從前。但是Spandau Ballet已完成同儕渴望達到的成就，成為世上最有名的樂團之一，也帶動新一代的倫敦年輕人正在創(chuàng)造屬于他們自己的舞廳音樂的活力。
 
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
 
As one of the leading New Romantic bands, Spandau Ballet racked up a number of British hits — as well as one Top Ten American hit, True — during the early 80s, becoming one of the most successful groups to emerge during new wave. The only other new romantic band to enjoy greater commercial success was Duran Duran, yet Spandau Ballet was there first, scoring three Top Ten hit singles during 1981 with their synthesized dance-pop. By 1983, the London-based quintet had shed its Roxy Music-inspired robotic art-disco and picked up on Bryan Ferrys latter-day crooner persona, revamping themselves as a slick, stylish white soul act. It was in this incarnation that Spandau Ballet experienced its greatest success, as True reached number one in Britain and number four in America. However, their time in the spotlight was shortlived. Though they had a few more hits in Britain, none of them were particularly big, and in America they disappeared at the end of 1984. By the end of the decade, the group had split, with their core members, brothers Gary and Martin Kemp, launching acting careers with the 1990 film, The Krays.
 
The Kemps — who played guitar and bass, respectively — founded Spandau Ballet in 1979 with Tony Hadley (vocals), Steve Norman (rhythm guitar, saxophone, percussion), and John Keeble (drums). The group hired their schoolfriend Steve Dagger as manager. Spandau Ballet began playing nightclubs in London that had responded to punk by embracing exaggeratedly fashionable clothes and makeup. Soon, the band was one of the most popular attraction on this scene, which subsequently dubbed by the British press as New Romantic. Chris Blackwell, the head of Island Records, saw the group at a London party and offered them a contract on the spot. They rejected his offer, choosing to set up their own label, Reformation. Early in 1980, the group licensed Reformation to Chrysalis, giving their label the distribution power of a major label.
 
To Cut a Long Story Short, Spandau Ballets first single, shot to number five in Britain upon its fall 1980 release. It was quickly followed by the number 17 hit The Freeze in early 1981, and Musclebound, which reached number ten in the spring. The singles made their way over to America, where they received play in dance clubs. By the spring, their debut album, Journey to Glory, had been released. In the summer, they released a new, non-LP single, Chant No. 1 (I Dont Need This Pressure On), which boasted a funkier beat and soulful flourishes. The group continued to pursue this direction on their subsequent singles, including the gold-selling Top Ten UK hits Instinction and Lifeline, as well as their 1982 album Diamond, but it didnt reach its fruition until the 1983 album True.
 
True was a full-fledged white-soul album, much like the sophisticated pop of late-70s Roxy Music albums. The title ballad reached number one in Britain during the spring and a few months later, the single and album became a hit in America, peaking at number four and 19 respectively. Spandau Ballet managed to hit the Top Ten once more in the UK with Gold, which peaked at number two; in the US, it reached 29. Communication, a third American single from True, fizzled in the spring of 1984. Its failure was the beginning of the bands commercial downfall. Only When You Leave, the first single from 1984s Parade, was a number three hit in the UK, yet it only reached 34 in the US; furthermore, it was their last American hit ever. Parade was a success in Britain, yet it wasnt as big as its predecessor. In 1985, Spandau Ballet sued Chrysalis, claiming that the label wasnt providing enough promotional support for the band, especially in the US, and thereby harming its career. The suit was settled in 1986, and the group jumped ship for CBS/Columbia (Epic in the US), where they released Through the Barricades that same year. The title track was a Top Ten hit, but its follow-up, How Many Lies?, became the groups last Top 40 hit ever. Following the release of Heart like a Sky in 1989, the group quietly disbanded the following year.
 
Gary and Martin Kemp played the notorious British mobsters the Krays in a 1990 film of the same title. Gary Kemp pursued acting as his vocation during the 90s, appearing in The Bodyguard with Whitney Houston, HBOs The Larry Sanders Show, and Embrace of the Vampire with Alyssa Milano. Tony Hadley released a solo album, State of Play, in 1993.