Bring the Adventure Home | 1871 Club Print Membership Now Only $35 - Delivered Right to Your Door, Subscribe Today 2025The new Spandau Arms S2 semi-auto shotgun (Phot0/Matthew Every)Shotgun Review: Is the Dirt-Cheap Spandau Arms S2 Semi-Auto Up to the Job?For decades now the prices for affordable shotguns have been locked in a race to the bottom manufacturers have figured out how to make inexpensive guns work and pump-actions are usually pretty affordable Decent semi-auto shotguns are always more pricey But when I saw the new Spandau Arms S2 inertia-driven shotgun for less than $500 I wondered if we’ve finally hit rock bottom I was also curious about how good this gun actually is I took the S2 from New York’s northern border to Stuttgart shooting everything from pint-size teal to big Canadian honkers Here’s what you need to know about the gun and how it did Sights: Fiber-optic front and brass mid bead making it lighter than a gas gun and easier to keep clean The guns brought into the country from Turkey by SDS imports and set up to be versatile with a drilled-and-tapped receiver for optics and a Benelli/Mobil choke-tube thread pattern I picked up a Realtree camo version of the S2 in the early fall from my FFL long choke that I couldn’t quite identify but is probably a turkey choke The first thing I noticed was the gun’s competition-style loading gate to make reloading easier with gloves triangular safety behind the trigger guard and there is a small piece of sheet metal you can wedge between the furniture and receiver to give you a type of extended bolt release I decided not to use it because I felt the bigger button was enough to run the gun well (Spandau recommends a break-in period with full-power hunting loads.) I appreciated the heavy molded checkering on the forend and buttstock It looks a lot like a higher-priced shotgun thoughtful touches and premium features that make hunting with it easier it comes with everything you need to get into the field I took it out for the opener on Lake Champlain and immediately had trouble loading it and I couldn’t get more than one 3-inch magnum shell into it and before I had breakfast—so you could imagine my frustration One of my duck-hunting buddies had the idea to remove the magazine cap and try to load the gun I fit two shells and noticed the plug sticking a half-inch proud of the end of the magazine tube It looked like the plug had been made for 2¾-inch shells only then loaded it with two in the tube and one in the chamber the problem resolved itself and the S2 became as easy to load as any fancy semi-auto I’ve shot I chalk this up to the break-in period that Spandau suggests I didn’t pattern the gun or shoot lighter target loads but I used it to kill birds at practical distances If you really want to dial in the gun on the patterning board with a premium choke the S2 will accept any made for Benelli shotguns I experienced one failure-to-feed in single-digit temps on a goose hunt which was upsetting considering I was primed to double up on a second bird But at least I had an excuse for missing my shot By the time I got to Arkansas for a two-day hunt in the timber The mark of a good duck gun is its ability to perform in adverse conditions But another mark is the gun’s ability to perform on a big day of shooting I’ve seen high-dollar guns literally come apart in places like Mexico When you have ducks pouring into the decoys The ducks wanted to be exactly where we were two expensive shotguns of a design similar to the S2 malfunctioned more than once It was easy to operate and functioned flawlessly I shot a mixed-bag limit of greenheads and teal This isn’t the first time I’ve seen cheaper shotguns do expensive-gun things On that trip to Mexico I mentioned earlier I shot an unbelievable number of rounds through a Stoeger without issue gun makers know how to make cheap guns that work now even though those guns sometimes have a few acceptable blemishes What’s so crazy about the S2 is that the all-black version has a street price of less than $400 I’d be tempted to buy it instead of a pump-action if I was in the market for a cheap gun or a beginner model or a new hunter with a proven inertia action I had confidence in but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t deal with and in my opinion totally acceptable for the price Considering even expensive semi-auto shotguns can have issues when they’re fresh off of the assembly line Is the hydro-dipped or painted-black finish a bit dated when compared to top-of-the-line Cerakoted shotguns I don’t need a $400-$500 shotgun to have a fancy paint job or be impervious to rust Buy it as your go-to duck gun or a budget-friendly backup © 2024 Field & Stream All rights reserved The Spandau Premier Field is a great gun with strong features Turkish guns have become popular in the States over the last couple decades, primarily because they are affordable. But not all Turkish firearm factories provide products of equal quality. Some Turkish import guns are plain cheap. Others, like the Spandau Premier Field offer good quality at an attractive price point Boxlock over/under actions have been around for over a century and there’s no secret recipe on how to build these guns The variations from one gun to the next largely boil down to the quality of the machining and the component parts in the gun Some very cheap Turkish guns in the past have had serious fitment and mechanical issues with clean lines and quality craftsmanship that rivals some European guns The Premier Field over/under is rather austere but the austere looks are enhanced by even finishes on the metal and the guns ship in a hard plastic case with five choke tubes in a Mobil choke thread pattern These guns are currently being imported by SDS Imports The Spandau Premier Field is priced at $1,349 slightly above the Mossberg International Silver Reserve ($820) and Tristar ($655-$685) but less than the Italian-made Franchi Instinct L ($1,449) The monoblock is also jeweled on the Spandau The Spandau’s safety/barrel selector is designed similarly to the Browning Citori since the tang safety shifts to the left or right to select which barrel fires first and forward/backward for safe and fire and the Spandau is equipped with a mechanical trigger that is quite good The test gun’s trigger broke at an average of 5 1⁄2-pounds for 10 pulls on a Wheeler gauge This is the type of trigger you’d expect to find on a premium shotgun and it’s one reason why the Spandau is an excellent value The Turkish walnut stock isn’t as fancy as some Italian or Japanese guns The diamond checkering is far crisper than what you’ll find on less expensive Turkish guns and the recoil pad is thin but dense and does a good job managing recoil which is average for most full-sized over/unders The forearm features a takedown lever and comes with a Schnabel forend and the 28-gauge’s wrist is very trim The boxlock action is petite and scaled to gauge; the 28-gauge version’s action measures just over two inches deep With the balance point right at the hinge pin the Spandau feels lively between the hands and swings nicely The website mentions a fiber optic front sight but the test gun came with a simple bead front sight I think that the bead is a more traditional look for a field gun and since you’ll likely be wearing a coat or vest you need a gun that mounts quickly and won’t hang-up The Spandau Premier Field performed extremely well in field testing Both barrels shot to point-of-aim with Fiocchi and Winchester 28-gauge ammunition but the 50-50 pattern it offers is ideal for a field gun Shooters often refer to light field guns as “lively,” and while I’ve never cared for the term I believe that it’s probably fitting for the Spandau it’s well-balanced and comes smoothly to the shoulder The six-pound 28-gauge handled recoil well I shot outgoing and crossing standard and mini targets with the Spandau and found that even after fifty rounds It wasn’t built as a sporting gun (Spandau offers a version of the Premier designed for that purpose and it’s as good a value as the field version I tested) but the Premier Field is one of those shotguns that thrives in the field and on the range The action was tight when I began shooting but seemed to loosen when I was well into testing which is a relative rarity on Turkish shotguns under $1,500 I was particularly impressed with the mechanical trigger it’s better than many competing guns Some shooters focus almost exclusively on the fit and finish of a gun a gun that shoots to point-of-aim/point-of-impact and has a great trigger will always help account for more birds There’s a reason why serious competition shooters are so obsessed with good triggers for they know in a competition where a score of 96 won’t earn you a spot on the podium a good trigger might be the difference between medaling and going home empty-handed Clean triggers help you maintain a smooth swing and good follow through The stainless steel/blued finish looks good but this gun will show debris and fingerprints A bit of scroll engraving or a game scene goes a long way toward obscuring oil stains and fingerprints and the mirrored surface of the Spandau will be slightly mussed up after a long day in the field The forearm and buttstock geometry are excellent The forearm is thin enough to fit comfortably in the hand and offers excellent control over the muzzles With its hard case and five chokes (with included choke tube wrench) the $1,349 Premier Field is a fantastic bargain I don’t like the finish or wood quite as well as the Italian Franchi L The overall fit and finish is far better than I’ve seen on any sub-$1,000 Turkish over/under and there are no weird proportions or cheap tacky bits on this gun like you’ll see on entry-level stack-barrels The bluing is rich and holds up well to the elements although the gun I have did come with an excess amount of grease that will need to be wiped clean I do like that the gun comes with individual sleeves for the barrels/forearm and receiver/buttstock but it does everything well and functions beautifully It’s mechanically solid with no obvious corner cutting and even the interior metalwork is free of burrs and ugly machine marks that are so common on sub-$1,000 guns besides the proper proportions and great trigger is that there are no major compromises for owners It’s not overly heavy or oddly proportioned or balanced and the fit and finish and mechanics are good There are some that will always shake their head at Turkish shotguns I’d suggest you pick up a Spandau before you decide to write-off every gun from that country I think what you’ll find with the Spandau Premier Field is a no-nonsense working over/under with everything you need for years of hard hunting Subscribe Now Get everything Gun Dog has to offer. 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Sign In or Start your online account ShareSaveCommentBusinessHollywood & EntertainmentGary Kemp Goes Personal On His Latest Solo Record, Talks Spandau Ballet’s FutureByDavid Chiu Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights David Chiu is a freelance music writer based in New York.Follow AuthorJan 31 ITALY - JULY 18: Gary Kemp performs for superband Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets at Teatro .. (Photo by Sergione Infuso/Corbis via Getty Images) the latest solo album from former Spandau Ballet songwriter and guitarist Gary Kemp is quite personal—perhaps even more than his previous album For Kemp — who has divided his time between being a member of ex-Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets band and a successful podcast host — the last few years saw him dealing with internal issues “I think I was in a much more sensitive situation with my own issues of struggling in this world,” he says I felt a lot of anxiety when I began this record — doom-scrolling There seems to be everything living in our own house now as we look at our news constantly [it] just had me feeling like I needed to find some answers.” This Destination is a documentation of what Kemp felt and experienced during that period the best way to solve issues is by writing songs,” says Kemp who wrote many of Spandau’s hits such as “True,” “Gold” and “Only When You Leave.” “Certain songs that began this album began out of that period.” “Is there anybody out there who can take the wheel?” He says of that track: “I felt I wanted to pass the controls to someone else I sort of painted myself as a kind of Humphrey Bogart-type character in a pouring rain and the car's out of control slightly and trying to find who my nemesis is — which is probably someone inside me and looking for some consolation with the people I love.” It was born from a train journey he undertook to see his friend Pete Townshend for lunch one day “So I'm sitting on this underground train thinking as I watched people getting on and off the train —- different nationalities different ages — that this is just a borrowed town It's always in flux....And so “Borrowed Town” came out of that.” Cover of 'This Destination' by Gary Kemp “My dad was a printer [who] worked in a factory,” says Kemp “He took me to see his machines and how he worked one day He put on a tie every day to go to work in a factory But he also really struggled to find money and he felt like it wasn't the job for him And then she would come home and she would work “Then the lyrics move into me representing our generation rather than those guys after the Second World War who really had to pull it all together and saying Can I use the tools that they have passed on to me to make my things work out?’ That's what the song really is about.” He initially had writer’s block on the song until he got a creative boost courtesy of an encouraging phone call from musician Richard Hawley ‘Go over to the piano....Close your eyes...Put your hands out above the piano.’ So I do and you're going to write a brilliant song.’ An hour later the club fomented a scene that included rebellious and aspiring young musicians (among them future Culture Club singer Boy George) fashion designers and other creatives decked out in their sartorial splendor “That first verse is about the kids that used to hang together from rough estates and then from leafy suburbs — all these kinds of different spirits who came together and inspired me,” explains Kemp “And there were some characters in the midst of those that I've carried with me ever since that turned me onto reading certain things turned me onto the architecture of certain things—I mean there are moments of uplift on This Destination especially the heartfelt “Put Your Head Up,” a salve for those feeling disaffected Says Kemp: “You hear in the verse I'm sort of laying out my situation: ‘my feet are dragging my arms feel weight.’ But I'm trying to turn this around into a glass half full and remind myself ‘Put your head up.’ We all feel this pressure in life and we just have to remain positive and also be seen.” The album concludes with “I Know Where I’m Going,” a meditation on mortality whose lyrics take the listener on a figurative journey “It's also a kind of desire for bliss that drives us on as well that's how I saw myself at this point looking over a sea and preparing to get to the island or wanting to go to that island Although he is interested in performing the new songs in a live setting in the future Kemp is uncertain whether that will happen “I don't know what I'm capable of,” he says I'm so in the middle of promotion right now that I haven't thought about it I know there are some dates coming up with Saucerful of Secrets later in the year I'd like to get out and perform these But it might just have to be on a very acoustic sort of stage.” Whatever feeling of hesitation is understandable as Kemp has been keeping himself busy through touring as a guitarist/co-singer for Saucerful of Secrets and co-hosting the music interview podcast Rockonteurs with fellow musician Guy Pratt “We've had some great people on over the years,” Kemp says of the podcast “Some people [like David Crosby] have even gone now So it's become a record of a certain period in time.” who is also in the Saucerful of Secrets band We love the relationships between all the bands especially the music we grew up with in the '70s But I think it is down to me and Guy and our personalities together And the reason people like the show is that we're musicians So there's a sense of equanimity between us and the people that we've got on the show.” This Destination arrives on the 45th anniversary of Spandau Ballet’s formation the legendary British group has been inactive for about 10 years now; the deluxe edition of Kemp’s new album features his acoustic solo interpretations of Spandau Ballet’s “True” and “Through the Barricades.” He acknowledges that he’s chuffed and privileged that his former group’s legacy still shines bright “I suppose that is why I don't write off the idea of ever getting back together again,” he says If we can always make it up every now and again and just get out and play some of that music to an audience who believe it's their own as well and just want to hear it from the original guys — I do think that would be nice But you've got to get all your ducks in a row Since the recording and release of This Destination Kemp knows just what he needs to do the next time he experiences a personal or creative block “I feel like I became lighter as I started to finish the record,” he says songwriting is always waiting for me and is always my home Experience the thrill of turkey hunting as a group of hunters pursue the elusive North American Turkey Slam Live turkey activity updates from our experts in each region Coverage from the annual trade show in Las Vegas Rarely will you find something that is less expensive today than it was five or 10 years ago Although technology does have the potential to lower the cost of manufacturing and components better technology usually produces goods that come with more features or greater benefits and it comes in the form of the inertia-operated shotgun Semi-autos built on inertia operating systems have established themselves as workhorses among bird hunters because they can handle a wide range of loads and shoot them day in and day out with little maintenance but there is something to admire about one gun that can go from dusty 30-degree Maine shorelines without needing much attention other than a cursory cleaning (or not) whether the birds and conditions call for light loads or magnums and they do it more cleanly than their gas-operated counterparts No fussing with gas pistons or their rings Gas guns certainly still have a place in the fields and marshes but inertia guns continue to gain popularity Part of that is due to many more manufacturers producing shotguns with inertia-operated actions since Benelli no longer has a patent on the system—and some of these are priced well within most hunters’ budgets Spandau is a relatively new brand of hunting and sporting shotguns belonging to the Knoxville The S2 is Spandau’s first semi-automatic shotgun (the brand has a few over/unders Spandau currently offers four variations of the S2 all of which are 12-gauge guns with 3-inch chambers and synthetic stocks: black with a 24-inch barrel Realtree APX with a 24-inch barrel and Realtree MAX-7 with a 28-inch barrel and the only external components not covered in the Realtree patterns are the bolt These guns are equipped for the duck blind as well as the turkey woods and their weight of less than 7 pounds is easy enough to tote in pursuit of pheasants while not being so light that recoil becomes an issue with heavy loads Spandau did not neglect details that will be appreciated afield is a large triangular button that’s easy to press with wet fingers in the rain or gloved fingers in the cold Both the checkered charging handle on the bolt and the bolt release are enlarged to make operation fast and positive A curved relief cut at the front of the carrier helps with the smooth loading of shells into the magazine The rear sling-attachment point is molded into the synthetic buttstock while the front swivel stud rotates freely in the end of the magazine cap so a sling doesn’t become twisted Areas of molded checkering along the bottom of the fore-end and around the buttstock grip improve purchase Spandau includes a shim kit to alter the stock’s drop and cast The rubber recoil pad is contoured to fit the shoulder pocket and distribute recoil over a wider area for greater comfort Threaded for choke tubes having the Benelli/Mobil pattern the S2 comes with three of them: improved cylinder The receiver is drilled and tapped for optics I spent a couple days hunting teal and doves and shooting sporting clays with four S2 shotguns and my hunting partners and I didn’t experience a single failure of the guns to feed or fire a variety of shotshells I shot more clays with the 28-inch-barreled Max-7 version of the S2 including in temperatures that topped 100 degrees In about three cases of shells and over several months of testing The Spandau S2 offers multi-species hunters reliability across the seasons at a bargain price Sights: f\Fiber-optic front; receiver drilled and tapped for optics As Kevin undertakes another day of pursuing the elusive Rio Grande Turkey demonstrates effective patterning and preparation techniques for a successful turkey hunt Kevin Steele continues the thrilling North American Turkey Slam right in his backyard exploring his home state of California in search of the elusive Rio Grande species The North American Turkey Slam challenges hunters to harvest all four species of North American turkeys: the Rio Grande Kali Parmley kicks off the adventure by heading to Florida to pursue the elusive Osceola In this episode of “Crash Course,” host Shane Beilue takes a look at the buzz toad a versatile lure that pairs the topwater action of a buzzbait with the anti-fouling properties of a weedless frog Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp But you must have a vehicle to get everything from point A to point B And the Polaris Xpedition has ample cargo space to transport most anything you could possibly need all while providing a fully enclosed ride along the way Gone are the days where your side by side exposes you to the elements The fully enclosed Polaris Xpedition keeps you comfortable and dry regardless of what Mother Nature throws your way during your camping adventures Fishing an unfamiliar body of water can be equal parts exciting and overwhelming Our eagerness to dial in the bite is often weighed down by the magnitude of the task at hand In this episode of “Crash Course,” host Shane Beilue provides some tips that can make the process a bit more methodical Many bass fishermen agonize over the color of whatever lure they are using Game & Fish “Crash Course” host Shane Beliue contends that taking note of things like forage and water clarity are more important than having every color under the sun at your disposal Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) loads in 12 gauge 28 gauge and .410 bore have taken turkey hunting by storm but there are some misconceptions about what TSS is and what it can do in the turkey woods Join Adam Heggenstaller and John Taranto from Game & Fish as they sit down with Jason Lonsberry of Apex Ammunition and Michael Waddell of Bone Collector to discuss the advantages that TSS loads provide to turkey hunters address the cost of TSS turkey loads and recount the performance of TSS ammo during recent spring gobbler hunts Use the onX Hunt app's Compass Mode and Rangefinder Tool to boost your turkey hunting success this spring See All Other Magazines See All Special Interest Magazines Get the top Game & Fish stories delivered right to your inbox every week This website uses online tracking technologies, such as cookies and pixels, to serve advertising and improve our services. We also share information about your use of our site with our advertising and analytics partners. See our Privacy Policy All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content Get Digital Access Subscribe Now By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use Spandau Ballet’s Gary Kemp discusses his new solo album ‘This Destination,’ on Rhino/East West Records, after celebrating the 40th anniversary of the group’s Live Aid set, including “True.” GOLDMINE: Welcome to Goldmine and congratulations on your wonderful new album The deluxe edition includes a live acoustic version of “True” with your voice backdropped by guitar and piano one of the three songs you performed at Live Aid 40 years ago and one my wife Donna and I enjoy watching Steve Buscemi’s performance of at the end of the film The Wedding Singer GARY KEMP: When I wrote “True,” our band had become part of a youth culture movement in England that you guys in the U.S called new wave and we called new romantic We were one of the bands in the forefront of the new decade of the ‘80s all of us being young kids who were inspired by David Bowie and electronic music That electronic sound took us through our first two albums Then we became friends with the Scottish band Altered Images They were playing songs that I enjoyed by Marvin Gaye music that had been in my life in the ‘70s It hit me that I needed to start writing songs for Spandau Ballet that are song first and not about a rhythm or a groove I was having a simply platonic relationship with Clare Grogan from Altered Images but it was an inspiration for me to write the song “True.” She gave me the novel Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov and I took a couple of lines from there like “seaside arms.” “With a thrill in my head and a pill on my tongue” was also a reference to one of the lines in Lolita “Why do I find it hard to write the next line when I just want to tell you the truth.” I wrote the song with a bit of an Al Green feel to it We left London and went to Nassau and filled ourselves with Bahamian sunshine and put down that track and the other songs that made up the album including the single “Gold.” The song “True” became a global hit There was something in it that appealed to people’s ears and has been part of television shows and films but what kicked it off was John Hughes’ film Sixteen Candles in 1984 embraced as being part of American youth culture I believe it started in California with KROQ but also emotionally and historically.  Once we made “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” as Band Aid with Bob Geldof who was one of my closest friends at the time we saw the power of what British acts were worth in America and globally We decided to make it even bigger with a live show and Geldof is a genius at that He is a great believer in the energy of truth I remember being backstage with all my heroes and contemporaries “Come up on the side of the stage with me when we perform.” No bands were allowed on the side of the stage I stood on the side of the stage by John Entwistle and nearly had my head blown off by his bass no more than fifteen minutes with three songs ending with “True.” We foolishly did a new song which I’ll regret for the rest of my life versus doing “Gold” because it is such an anthem The guitar that I played on “True” was a black Fender Stratocaster and it got stolen not long after that I recovered it just two years ago in a shop in the North of England and I recognized all the things I had done with it I did a deal with the owner and got my “True” guitar back and that guitar which I played on Live Aid hangs behind me in my music room “It hit me that I needed to start writing songs for Spandau Ballet that are song first and not about a rhythm or a groove The song ‘True’ became a global hit but also emotionally and historically.” – Gary Kemp GM: You mentioned “Only When You Leave,” which charted after “True” and “Gold” in the U.S We had great success in Europe and the band made its mark in America GM: The flip side of “True” is “Gently,” a wonderful taste of progressive folk rock which has always been an inspiration for my music Available from Rhino/East West Records on gold vinyl GM: You discussed “Gold,” well It opens with “Borrowed Time.” The sax I walk the streets and people don’t recognize me from the Spandau Ballet hit video days you’re just borrowing it for a time GM: The steady title tune “This Destination” has Steely Dan smoothness with great harmonies Your guitar and Guy Pratt’s bass have a late ‘70s sound to it This style is one we now refer to as yacht rock in the U.S.  GK: “Put Your Head Up” on the new album also has a similar feel to it I was coming back from the theater the other night and I rang my fifteen-year-old to see if he was OK “I’m just listening to Steely Dan on vinyl Dad.” Then he dug out a Marvin Gaye album and listened to that I think a lot of those sounds influenced the music I made on my solo album What inspires me most is whatever questions I ask myself about life and how I am feeling I was suffering from a bit of anxiety about the world and myself and I approached my music room to find therapy Songs like “Put Your Head Up” is me telling myself that my glass is half full GM: Who is the dog in the “Put Your Head Up” video In addition to his work in the band Porcupine Tree Steven has had multiple Grammy nominations for doing surround sound Dolby Atmos mixes He did the Atmos mix on this album which you can hear on certain headphones or if you have a system that plays that format GM: “Take the Wheel” is beautiful GK: That was the first song that I wrote for the album about a couple GM: “Work” has wonderful storytelling I am reminded of my best friend John and I admiring our fathers’ work ethic the song is about my parents and how hard-working they were and me trying to live up to their examples The song was triggered by another artist named Richard Hawley and I mentioned to him about my songwriting struggle that day He sent me to my piano to write a brilliant song Sometimes you need a little bit of a push from your peers “Work” is what came from Richard challenging me GM: John Metcalfe’s orchestration is stellar on the beautiful finale “I Know Where I’m Going.” I found him through Peter Gabriel’s work John had an album called Tree that I like a lot with his beautiful arrangements He also did the arrangements for “Take the Wheel” and “Work.” “I Know Where I’m Going” is about me I have been in Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets band and Guy and I have a podcast series called Rockonteurs for the past six years with so many guests Thank you for featuring This Destination in your Goldmine series and celebrating the Live Aid anniversary with me garykemp.com (including Rockonteurs podcast links) Goldmine: Live Aid artists and song lists thesaucerfulofsecrets.com Goldmine 2025: Steven Wilson Porcupine Tree 5 songs goldminemag.com/columns/fabulous-flip-sides Related items in our Goldmine store (see below):  Click here for the Goldmine store there are two Collector’s Edition bundles: one for Soul Asylum and one that celebrates the 50th anniversary of Judas Priest’s 'Rocka Rolla' album This article is provided by Spandau Arms as part of a Sponsored Content program Ducks Unlimited editorial staff played no role in creating this content Remember when a hunter was measured by how well he shot When memories were measured in curly tails The hunting and shooting sports should not be limited to those with large bank accounts and massive expanses of private hunting land Welcome to Spandau Arms Spandau Arms was built on the belief that hunting is an American tradition that should be available to all and affordable for all The challenge for Spandau and parent company SDS Imports was how to deliver on this belief without sacrificing quality They accomplished this by combining American engineering and design and produced by craftsmen from one of the oldest firearms regions in the world Premium sporting arms that are equally comfortable at home in the duck marshes of Louisiana or on the podium of the Olympics The Spandau line currently consists of two primary lines – the over/under shotgun and the S2 semi-automatic – built around the Inertia operating system From hand finished premier over under shotguns with hand crafted checkered stocks and engraved receivers to the reliable and easy to operate Spandau S2 Semiauto the entire Spandau line of firearms delivers superior performance that is sensibly priced which is everything a shotgun meant for long hunts needs to be Built around the Inertia operating system for unmatched performance it can cycle a variety of loads without changing parts or adjusting the operating system while maintaining a lightweight form factor The vent rib style barrel features the Benelli/Mobil pattern choke tube system for consistent patterns that can be tuned to any shot type load and a fiber optic front sight for fast target acquisition The controls are oversized for easy manipulation and the enhanced loading gate is shaped for easy one-handed multi-shell reloads The 12 Gauge S2 features a 3” chamber and is available in 4 models S2 12/24 Black – a 24” black finish a 24” model with Realtree APX camo finish – ideal for turkey hunting and the 28” model with Realtree MAX-7 camo perfect for the avid waterfowler Spandau S2 series shotguns are designed to be compatible with most aftermarket parts and accessories for other Benelli® M2 Shotguns With an MSRP of $399.99 for Black and $499.99 for camo the S2 line delivers on Spandau’s promise to provide superior performance that is sensibly priced For the discerning upland and clays shooter the Spandau Premier Field offers superb balance and accuracy in a beautiful over/under shotgun that is meticulously hand crafted the Premier Field features mechanical triggers It is available in either 26” or 28” and includes a fiber optic front bead for quick target acquisition The Premier Field has an MSRP of $1,349.99 If you are looking for an over/under with an adjustable comb The Spandau Premier Target which is available in 28” and 30” and an MSRP of $2,199.99 or the Target with an MSRP of $949.99.  It is evident after shooting these firearms that Spandau has truly delivered on their goal of superior performance – sensibly priced The entire line shoots well and offer great fit and form and attention to detail The S2 line gives you the ability to hunt hard without breaking the bank or just spoil your favorite hunting partner Check out our job listings and start working for Team DU Spandau Ballet was one of the biggest acts to come out of the New Romantic movement during the early eighties They came to the fore during the Second British Invasion, when young stylish bands such as themselves broke America thanks to MTV With the help of their accompanying music videos, hit singles in 'Gold' and 'True' became era-defining songs After selling an impressive 25 million records worldwide yet reformed for a decade in 2009 until 2019 Martin Kemp has cast doubt on whether or not the band will ever get back together again the bassist admitted that touring with Spandau Ballet again would make him "physically sick" Martin Kemp breaks down Spandau Ballet's best music videos | Video Rewind and celebrate their 45th anniversary this year so naturally questions about a celebratory reunion are on the tips of fan's tongues Having previously hinted at the door being open for yet another tour Kemp has slammed that door shut in a new podcast interview on Celebrity Catch Up: Life After That Thing I Did ‌"As much as people would like to see it get back together I don’t think it ever will," Kemp revealed "The five of us had the most beautiful experience that you could ever get I was flying around Europe in Lear jets and partying like you could not imagine ‌"Being a rock star is a great experience I think if somebody gave me a ticket to go around the world on tour now So I’m quite happy with what I do now." Obviously he's referring to his age and the toils of touring but it may suggest that the band's relationships aren't necessarily where they should be if they were to tour again After the full reunion in 2009, Tony Hadley departed once again in 2017 to pursue his own music with Kemp previously revealing he himself could only be convinced if Hadley rejoined too Kemp reflected on Spandau Ballet's heyday saying it was a "beautiful memory" though he doesn't recognise himself when he looks back "It’s kind of like I’m looking at somebody else or I hear it on the radio - it doesn’t sound like me it doesn’t look like me anymore," he admitted "It’s a young boy that had an incredible experience and I find it removed from being me And I think that’s the best place for it in some ways." He opened up about the band's initial split in 1990 saying it was about "girls and money" like most bands "We were exactly the same as everybody else I’m really pleased that we didn’t fall out over personal relationships and girls and our wives "The fact that we fell out over money And business is a part of what we did." Tony Hadley can't wait to tour with Boy George in 2024: "He's a stunning man" See more More from Spandau Ballet Music See more Latest Music News George Michael who was in band between 2017 and 2019 as Ross Wild also guilty of sexual assault against two women A “sadistic and manipulative” former Spandau Ballet singer has been found guilty of rape and sexual assault. Ross Davidson, 36, was convicted of assaults against three women at Wood Green crown court on Thursday. The former singer, who fronted the band between 2017 and 2019 under the stage name Ross Wild, expressed no emotion when the verdict was read out. The court was told that Davidson wanted intercourse up to six times a night and forced himself on women who refused him. The singer had denied a series of sex offences dating between 2013 and 2023, telling the court: “I have never raped, sexually assaulted or coerced any woman in my life.” He was found guilty of raping one woman and of sexually assaulting two others. Jurors acquitted him of one count of sexual assault against the woman he raped. Davidson was also convicted of voyeurism. He was cleared of a charge of controlling and coercive behaviour relating to one of the victims. The guilty verdicts were reached with a majority of either 10-2 or 11-1 after 11 hours and 57 minutes. The court heard that Davidson had a secret desire to have sex with women while they slept and “got a kick” out of filming the abuse. He told the court he was interested in “dress up, sleep play, and I’m open to other [kinks]”. “What sleep play is for me is a little sex game where somebody is pretending to be asleep and trying not to react while someone stimulates them sexually,” he said. “It never lasts more than a couple of minutes before both sides can’t help but take part in it. It’s like a cheeky game.” The prosecutor, Richard Hearnden, described Ross at an earlier hearing as a “bit of a sex symbol” with a “darker side”. Hearnden said: “He is very good looking and physically fit. He sings, plays the guitar, and is said to be charming and charismatic. His darker side is not the first thing that many women and girls notice about him. “But the women in this case can all attest to that sinister part of his personality. He has raped and sexually assaulted a number of young women over the last decade.” Davidson was arrested at his home on 30 March 2021. He was interviewed by police, to whom he insisted “everything was consensual between him and the women concerned and played up that he was unconventional in his sexual tastes”. Davidson will be remanded in custody until his sentencing on 6 September. Predicted lineups are available for the match a few days in advance while the actual lineup will be available about an hour ahead of the match Patrick Schönfeld has created the most big chances for Beton Berlin (7) Have scored 18 goals in their last 5 matches Haven't kept a clean sheet in 8 matches Lukas Betz is ranked 3 in big chances created in the competition (8) Who won between Beton Berlin and Eintracht Spandau on Mon 28 Apr 2025 19:30:00 GMT?Beton Berlin won 5–2 over Eintracht Spandau on Mon 28 Apr 2025 19:30:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 24 goals in their last 5 matches Beton Berlin is playing home against Eintracht Spandau on Mon Enter your email below to be the first to hear about new releases Yes, I want to receive marketing messages with the latest news, events and releases from Dig!. I understand that these emails are based on my information, interests, website activities and device data that is handled in accordance with the Privacy Policy. 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I understand that I can opt-out at any time by emailing privacypolicy@wmg.com The creative force behind New Romantic icons Spandau Ballet Gary Kemp endures today as one of the elder statesmen of pop music but it also maintains radio playlist residency to this day we celebrate the man and some of his many achievements While flashier rivals largely came and went across pop’s most dynamic decade, only Spandau Ballet (and arch-rivals Duran Duran) managed to maintain true career momentum during an era when musical trends came and went almost as fast as the seasons the album that emerged from recording sessions in the Bahamas was a huge international hit and saw its title track top the charts in the UK and make the Top 5 in the US As the 80s music scene evolved again after the pivotal Live Aid concert of 1985 Spandau Ballet’s sound became more muscular and the group maintained a formidable live reputation in Europe After 1989’s Heart Like A Sky the band took a break featuring reworkings of old tracks alongside two new songs The 2014 documentary Soul Boys Of The Western World also did much to remind fans and critics alike just how significant Spandau Ballet’s achievements had been In an era long before the advent of internet-driven hype, the influence of the New Romantics shouldn’t be overstated. The London scene that grew out of a handful of clubs, such as Billy’s and The Blitz, had a significant effect on magazine publishers, the record labels always on the lookout for the next big thing, and artists such as David Bowie and Roxy Music who needed to stay one step ahead of their mainstream audiences Publications such as The Face – and its junior contemporary Smash Hits – appreciated the colour and energy of the movement that took its influence from Europe and North America blending progressive rock with the emotive energy of soul and disco music “We were convinced we were at the beginning of not only the most exciting decade of our lives but also an era that would belong to all of us here [on the scene],” Kemp wrote in his 2009 autobiography “We accepted the baton and ran for the future.” The British national press – and the serious music papers such as Sounds and NME – were fascinated by the movement that sounded and looked great when Spandau Ballet emerged after a brief but fierce record-label bidding war the group was swiftly dubbed the scene’s house band (it had played its first proper gig with its classic line-up in Blitz after a quick name change from The Gentry) Without the best New Romantic bands and those iconic hits – not just Spandau Ballet’s but those from acts such as Visage and Duran Duran – it’s doubtful the medium of the pop video would have caught alight the way it did would MTV and the second British Invasion of the US pop charts have happened The dominance of club culture of the late 80s also has its genesis in the hedonism of the New Romantics fresh acts would return to the sounds pioneered back then La Roux’s Bulletproof is perhaps an obvious example but you can hear the New Romantics’ influence in other acts such as Troye Sivan Gary Kemp’s ability to ride the wave of a scene such as this and then shape his writing in new directions is testament to his talent but the colour and energy of that special time has infused everything he has done since Its lyrics were used to title his autobiography and it’s arguably the song he will always be most remembered for but what are Gary Kemp’s own thoughts on True the track that was inspired by a romantic infatuation that never really took off “True was really a song about me and my idea of love,” he told The Guardian years later “I remember thinking that we no longer wanted to be a cult band but it’s impossible to keep that going when you’ve been on Top Of The Pops six times We were leaving the London club scene and starting to sell records around the world… When we listened to the playback in the studio True wasn’t the first single lifted from its namesake album (Lifeline and Communication preceded it) but radio DJ demand saw it issued in April 1983 and it was a UK No.1 for four weeks from the end of that month and the track was sampled on the 1991 US chart-topper Set Adrift On Memory Bliss Dozens of covers have added to its legacy over the years which has surpassed more than four million plays on US radio alone Coming off the back of a band as successful as Spandau Ballet isn’t easy – even when you are its driving force Kemp spent a few years focusing on his acting career before issuing his first solo record Little Bruises is a reflective record that finds Kemp looking to his own Celtic heritage for inspiration A mix of uptempo and slower material gifted the album four singles – An Inexperienced Man Standing In Love (The Still Point) and My Lady Soul – of which My Lady Soul was a clear highlight Former Bow Wow Wow member Leigh Gorman produced the ten-track album Fans would have to wait 26 years before Kemp’s next solo project which had a 70s-inspired mood – almost prog-rock in places – and showcased Kemp’s strong guitar playing (it’s easy to forget that Brother Martin joined on bass for one track and the whole is a more reflective companion to Little Bruises with highlights including the songs Ahead Of The Game “I can see ghosts of myself,” Kemp revealed in promotional material for the album and it’s clear that INSOLO is an attempt to make sense of his considerable legacy Almost as soon as Spandau Ballet’s Heart Like A Sky hit the record racks The pair had been picked to play Reggie and Ronnie Kray and this British production was a big hit after its debut in April 1990 who had been part of Anna Scher’s Children’s Theatre and appeared in a small number of films in the first half of the 70s I seemed to lose who I was when not Ronnie suffering feelings of insecurity that often left me dark and depressed,” he recalled His next movie role was in the 1992 Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston vehicle which became one of the biggest box-office successes of the decade but it wasn’t until the new millennium that Kemp took to the West End stage with parts in musicals and a Harold Pinter season Between the Spandau Ballet reunion and 2021’s INSOLO, Kemp made the surprise decision to join another group. A longtime fan of Pink Floyd, he teamed up with drummer Nick Mason’s band playing guitar and singing vocals on a series of dates that crossed Europe and North America in 2018 and 2019 Plans for more shows were scuppered by the COVID-19 pandemic Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets Live At The Roundhouse the promo video for Madonna’s Vogue single proved that the “Queen Of Pop” was all about making high art What’s Love Got To Do With It defined Tina Turner’s career Stay up-to-date with the latest music news Yes, I want to receive marketing messages with the latest news, events and releases from Dig!. I understand that these messages are based on my information, interests, website activities and device data that is handled in accordance with the Privacy Policy. I understand that I can opt-out at any time by emailing privacypolicy@wmg.com Sean caught up with Tony ahead of his return to Australia where he will play just four shows; Adelaide We discussed his love for Australia as well as delved into the creation of his favourite song of all time as well as talking about his memories of Live Aid plus much more Eric Johnson’s “Desert Rose” Released As Third Single From “G3 Reunion Live” Album LIVE REVIEW: Good Things Fest SS – THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM Queensland groove metal four-piece AWAKEN THE HATE are proud to announce their first full national tour DEATH WAR  FIRE  blazing across Australia this May. Following the success of their debut single Monster in the Mirror and the epic B-side Fight or Die, the […] The legendary Grammy and ARIA winning icon of the acoustic guitar, Tommy Emmanuel CGP, will return to Australia for a massive capital city headline tour in May 2025. Taking in the countries most beautiful and […] Funk royalty and pioneers of the 90’s Acid Jazz scene, The Brand New Heavies, host their Australian shows this week. Their unique mix of jazz, funk and soul will light up audiences as they celebrate the 30th anniversary of their iconic album, ‘Brother […] 26 June 2024, 16:54 | Updated: 27 June 2024, 13:38 Tony Hadley had one of the most distinctive voices of the 1980s. As lead singer of Spandau Ballet, Tony Hadley ruled the charts around the world with hits like 'True', 'Through the Barricades', and the brilliantly-titled (if you ask us) 'Gold'. However, Tony revealed to Gold that he wasn't actually that impressed with perhaps their biggest ever hit 'True', and didn't think it would do that well. "I didn't think it was a single," he told Gold's David Andrews. "No. I mean, that was our first proper ballad, really. And I have to say, I didn't think it was a hit. "I thought it was a lovely song. But it was Simon Bates at the time who said, 'I've got the new Spandau Ballet album, True, this is the title song. If this is not a number one song, then, you know, there's no justice or whatever'. "And he played it twice and I thought, well, if Simon said it's a number one, then I'll go with that every day of the week." Tony also opened up about Spandau's triumphant performance at Live Aid in 1985, revealing that he's never watched it back and wishes they did it differently. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gold Radio (@goldradiouk) "I've never watched it back," he said And I think the reason was because it had lots of sort of orchestral 'da da da' We didn't think we could replicate that computerization and sequences were in their infancy at the time And what we should have done is just played it as a rock band Tony will be going out on tour this December with fellow synthpop legends Culture Club and Heaven 17. Full ticket details can be found here Paul McCartney Hall Of Fame Rod Stewart Song Lists The Beatles Release – British Songwriter Gary Kemp is set to return with his third solo album “This Destination,” out on Jan Kemp has released the single “Put Your Head Up.” songwriter and co-founder of Spandau Ballet has been touring worldwide with Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets since 2018 alongside bandmate and fellow host of the renowned podcast Rockonteurs who studied at Anna Sher’s Children’s Theatre has acted on-screen and stage in a number of TV Film and Theatre productions – including a starring role in 1990’s British crime thriller The Krays alongside his Brother and Spandau Ballet bandmate Martin Kemp Kemp appeared in the Hollywood blockbuster “The Bodyguard,” starring Whitney Houston and in 2015 he performed in Jamie Lloyd’s West End productions of Harold Pinter’s “The Homecoming,” “Party Time” and “Celebration.” Kemp’s new body of work follows on from 2021’s “INSOLO.” “This Destination” is his most personal to date through which as a songwriter he can channel his thoughts with storytelling and character work The album is simultaneously semi-autobiographical and an exercise in empathetic scene-setting “This Destination” puts on show the culmination of a lifetime dedicated to songcraft The album features intricate and deliberate arrangements including strings by the renowned John Metcalfe (formerly of The Durutti Column and more recently string arranger to the likes of Peter Gabriel which creates an immersive sound by placing audio elements into a three-dimensional space The effect is a stunning recreation of how we hear sound in the real world “This Destination” features keys and backing vocals by longtime collaborator Toby Chapman who co-produced the album alongside Kemp at London’s Reformation and RAK studios Guy Pratt – who handled rhythm section duties for Pink Floyd circa 1987 onward – was called upon to play bass on some of the songs Pratt’s previous work includes performances and cuts for Madonna The album’s closer features throat-singing by the Mercury Prize-nominated Sam Lee the 11-track offering marks a journey in discovery for Kemp hit an unexpected wall of anxiety and a lapse in self-belief “This Destination” is the soundtrack to the artist navigating his way back to familiar surroundings The symmetry in the writing process came in the form of the very last song penned for the album “It’s about my relationship with music,” Kemp said the process of making music is my resolution Listen to ‘Put Your Head Up’ here: Vincent Drops ‘El Mero Cero’ off Spanish Interpretation of ‘All Born Screaming’ George Harrison’s ‘Living in the Material World’ Gets 50th Anniversary Release Gary Kemp reveals which fellow musician helped him out of a spell of writer's block Gary Kemp is best known as the lead guitarist and main songwriter in Spandau Ballet, but when the band haven't been together Following his 1995 debut Little Bruises and 2021's Insolo Kemp has now announced his third studio album This Destination The album is released on January 31, 2025, via East West Records and is available for pre-order now It is trailed by the single 'Put Your Head Up' "The song is essentially a conversation I was having with myself trying to encourage positivity in the face of life's usual buffeting headwinds," Kemp said of the track Gary Kemp - Put Your Head Up (Official Video) Kemp also revealed he suffered from writer's block during the making of the album which was alleviated with the help of another high-profile musician "It was Richard Hawley," he said "We chatted for a while and I told him I’d been going round in circles trying to write something that day and you're going to write a f**king brilliant song." Kemp added of the album's title track: "It's about my relationship with music The album features input from a number of collaborators with string arranged by ex-Durutti Column man John Metcalfe bass from Pink Floyd collaborator Guy Pratt with Kemp at Reformation and RAK studios in London Haven't kept a clean sheet in 6 matches Lukas Betz is ranked 3 in big chances created in the competition (6) Have scored 13 goals in their last 5 matches Luca Beermann has created the most big chances for Golden XI (3) Who won between Eintracht Spandau and Golden XI on Mon 14 Apr 2025 15:35:00 GMT?Eintracht Spandau won 4–3 over Golden XI on Mon 14 Apr 2025 15:35:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 19 goals in their last 5 matches Eintracht Spandau is playing home against Golden XI on Mon The Spandau Ballet singer starred with the ‘I Will Always Love You’ singer in 1992’s The Bodyguard Gary Kemp has opened up about his experience of working alongside Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard The ‘Gold’ singer played Whitney’s character Rachel’s shady publicist Sy Spector in the iconic 1992 film, which also starred Kevin Costner The Bodyguard tells the story of former secret service agent Frank Farmer (Costner) who is assigned to protect acting and singing superstar Rachel Marron (Houston) after she is sent death threats by a stalker The Bodyguard special 30th anniversary trailer Although at first reluctant to take the job Frank grows fond of Rachel and the pair fall in love as the danger surrounding them is revealed to be more real than originally accepted Speaking with NME ahead of the release of his latest solo album Gary opened up about his experience of starring alongside Whitney after he was asked about how much he remembered about the film shoot “It was lovely getting to know Whitney when she was at her healthiest,” the 65-year-old reminisced “She was a nice person and hung out with the crew She didn’t play the star game or scurry off to her Winnebago.” Gary revealed he did have one regret about the film “My only regret is that they didn’t put [Spandau Ballet’s 1983 hit] ‘True’ on the soundtrack he told me that [‘True’] was he and his wife’s favourite tune.” Smooth's Untold Stories: Kevin Costner's beautiful relationship with "one true love" Whitney Houston revealed In his NME interview, Gary also opened up about the potential of a Spandau Ballet reunion sometime in the future “I can’t say there won’t be,” he shared, but warned: “Tony [Hadley] and I aren’t in conversation right now and we’ve had our issues over the years.” he also emotionally reflected: “Do I think there will be a Spandau reunion because some of my children have never seen us and I’d like to do it for them and to come together at least another time as the original members to play that music for those fans would be a great thing to do Gary's album The Destination will be released on January 31 I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Spandau Ballet star Gary Kemp has released an AI-generated music video for his new single I Know Where I’m Going sees a man journey across land and sea in a “hyper-real” animation as the 65-year-old sings: “I know where I’m going which has been self-produced alongside Kemp’s collaborator Toby Chapman will feature on his upcoming studio album This Destination The song, which Kemp described as “the most personal on the record”, features a string arrangement by the renowned John Metcalfe, formerly of The Durutti Column, who has also provided arrangements for Blur and U2 It also features throat singing by Mercury Prize-nominee Sam Lee The album will be released along with a special mix created by Porcupine Tree singer Steven Wilson using spatial audio mixing which creates an immersive sound by placing audio elements into a three-dimensional space As songwriter and guitarist for Spandau Ballet, Kemp has worked on 10 UK top 10 singles and eight UK top 10 albums, with the band best known for songs such as Gold and UK number one True. Win HappyPremiumSearch Rayogreatest hitsentertainmentmusicEverything you need to know about 'Gold' hitmakers Spandau BalletThey gave us hits like 'True' and many more.. Spandau Ballet were one of the most popular bands to have emerged from the New Romantic era helping to define the 80s with a succession of smash hit singles like 'True' 'Through the Barricades' and their debut single The band formed back in 1979 with the classic line-up of brothers Gary and Martin Kemp Although the group was hugely popular in the 80s with a resurgence in 2009 Spandau Ballet has been inactive since 2019 we look at who the band Spandau Ballet are (and were) the hits they've had and what they're up to now.. Here's everything you need to know about Spandau Ballet Spandau Ballet formed in North London in 1979 after being inspired by the likes of David Bowie Their line-up was made up of brothers Gary and Martin Kemp on guitar and bass respectively saxophonist Steve Norman and drummer John Keeble Having become integral figures at the Blitz club in London the band moved away from its punk roots to provide the New Romantics with up-to-date music Spandau Ballet licensed their releases to Chrysalis Martin and Gary are brothers who worked alongside each other for many years as part of Spandau Ballet Martin spoke about what it was like to work with his brother and explained: "Gary and I were like the pressure cooker "Our arguments would sometimes turn into fights we knew that our love went beyond the fight and we would get it out of our systems whereas the other guys couldn't because it would probably mean an end to the band." Having worked through several band names including Roots and The Cut the group finally settled on Spandau Ballet in 1979 The band was christened by music journalist Robert Elms who saw the words scrawled on a wall in Berlin There are several stories about what the band's name means and although the group has never confirmed what it means for them it's thought to be linked to a phrase used during World War I or II Guitarist Gary Kemp was the band’s principle songwriter although this was to prove contentious further down the line Steve Norman and John Keeble who claimed that they had an agreement in place that guaranteed them a share of the songwriting royalties his hit-making prowess was recognised with an Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection It’s fair to say that they didn’t hang about when it came to setting the charts on fire ‘To Cut A Long Story Short’ was reportedly released 10 days after it was recorded and shot into the Top 5 in 1980 This was swiftly followed by ‘The Freeze’ and ‘Musclebound’ peaked at Number 5 and went Gold in the UK 1 (I Don’t Need This Pressure On)’ and ‘Instinction’ Spandau Ballet left the more electronic influences of their debut album behind for an altogether funkier sound The third single from the album of the same name It hit Number 1 in the US when hip-hop group PM Dawn sampled the track for their 1991 hit Plus the fact that it's become one of their most enduring hits One was getting pop stars out of bed before midday and the second was assembling them at SARM West Studios in Notting Hill to record the fundraising single Spandau Ballet also played Live Aid at Wembley Stadium on 13th July 1985 Spandau Ballet hit the UK Top 10 for the last time with the ballad Inspired by the trouble in Northern Ireland Martin commented that this song is his favourite the band ever made saying: "My favourite song was always ‘Through the Barricades' I thought it was the best song Gary ever wrote It started off as a song about The Troubles but it turned into everyone’s song and then we turned it into our song when we got back together after 15 years following a disagreement over songwriting royalties Steve and John continued to tour as a trio for a while after the split before pursuing other projects all five members reunited in 2009 and announced a world tour They continued to perform together for several years and all seemed well with the group until Tony Hadley left in 2017 The band continued with Ross William Wild replacing Tony as the lead singer but this new line-up lasted less than a year In 1990, Gary and Martin took the lead roles in gangster flick The Krays. After this, Martin went on to act in EastEnders, and films Murder Between Friends and Sugar Town, while Gary took on a part in Whitney Houston’s The Bodyguard Spandau Ballet reunited in 2009 and embarked on a successful world tour Their tickets for their O2 Arena gig flew out the door so quickly that another two dates were added Director Julien Temple also made the documentary Soul Boys Of The Western World about them which premiered at the Royal Albert Hall in 2014 That year they also released a new album called: 'Once More' but Tony Hadley announced on Twitter in 2017 that he was leaving because of ‘circumstances beyond (his) control.' Spandau Ballet's members have said that the group is "on hold" until Tony Hadley returns as Martin Kemp said on This Morning: "It was great fun but what I started to realise was what people really wanted is the five of us together is to put it into a box and let it sit there until that happens "If one day the five of us can talk and get back together then it’ll be wonderful," adding that they wouldn't work together again "until Tony comes back – until the five of us come back." one minute we’re the best of friends and the next minute we fall out I would love it to happen because it’s part of me and I would love it to happen and would to it tomorrow But it means all five of us saying yes at the same time." all five original members have pursued separate careers As well as being a talented musician, Martin Kemp tried his hand at acting, appearing in EastEnders as Steve Owen from 1998-2002. He has also featured on a number of films and other TV shows including The Masked Singer, Celebrity Gogglebox and Celebrity Big Brother The musician released an autobiography in 2000 as well as a book called Ticket To The World: My 80s Story which looks back at his life during the 80s Martin is also a presenter on Greatest Hits Radio, where he hosts The Mix Tape with Martin Kemp on Friday evenings Gary has since pursued a solo music career 'Little Bruises' in 1995 and 'INSOLO' in 2021 he has also toured with the group Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets Tony pursued many solo projects before and after he left the band for good in 2017 and throughout his career he has released six solo studio albums as well as six live albums In 2002, he took part in the reality TV series Reborn in the USA where he competed against other artists to win a recording contract with Universal Music. After winning, he released the album 'True Ballads'. His TV appearances also include I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2015 He was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours in 2019 for his charitable services to Shooting Star Chase Children's Hospice Care Tony completed a 40-date tour of the UK to celebrate 40 years in the music industry which was originally scheduled for 2020 percussion and other instruments for Spandau Ballet and he has also collaborated with a number of other musicians since the group disbanded He co-founded band Cloudfish and continues to tour with a variety of musicians Steve has shows scheduled across the UK in February 2023 with The Sleevz who he has been performing with since 2021 John Keeble drummed in the Tony Hadley solo band and toured with him throughout 2006 He also has his own group called I Play Rock You can hear Spandau Ballet's music on Greatest Hits Radio Martin Kemp: From Spandau Ballet to star of the screen Martin Kemp reveals the music that made him 🎶 Listen to Greatest Hits Radio on the free Rayo app, online or on your DAB digital radio. You can also listen on your smart speaker by saying “Play Greatest Hits Radio”. Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited Company number: 1394141Registered office: Media House Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing Company number: LP003328; Registered office: The Lantern London NW1 2PL All registered in England and Wales VAT no 918 5617 01H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No: 845898) The musician and actor also believed he "was going to die" after a serious health scare in the 1990s Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp has said he believes he may have just “10 years” left to live after a series of health scares The former bassist for the New Romantic band opened up about his thoughts on his life and health on an episode of his son Roman’s podcast where he spoke candidly about his fight with brain tumours as a younger man said in response to a question asking how long he believes he will live: “I’ll be really honest with you known for playing Steve Owen in EastEnders from 1998 to 2002 and Reggie Kray in The Krays in 1990 had surgery in 1995 to remove two benign brain tumours “When I went through all of that brain tumour scare I spent two years of my life thinking I was going to die,” he continued every experience that I’ve had has been a bonus.” Expanding on his memories of such a serious health scare he added: “It’s really strange that when I was 34 and stuff and I went through that brain tumour stuff I was practically resigned to the fact that I was going to die because I had lived the most incredible experiences.” “By the time I was 34 and I thought I was going to die Kemp had been a child actor alongside his brother Gary appearing in shows such as Dixon Of Dock Green and Jackanory before he and Gary became founding members of Spandau Ballet in 1979 The group – also including singer Tony Hadley saxophonist Steve Norman and drummer John Keeble – recorded six studio albums together They also appeared on the 1984 Band Aid single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’, which it has been announced will be receiving a ‘2024 Ultimate Mix’ later this month Kemp married Shirlie Holliman in 1988, who was a former backing singer for Wham! and once half of pop duo Pepsi & Shirlie. In recent years, he has appeared alongside his son Roman on television shows including Martin & Roman’s Sunday Best and Celebrity Gogglebox. The world’s defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking what’s new and what’s next since 1952. Who won between Eintracht Spandau and Calcio Berlin on Mon 17 Mar 2025 21:30:00 GMT?Eintracht Spandau won 5–3 over Calcio Berlin on Mon 17 Mar 2025 21:30:00 GMT.About the matchEintracht Spandau is playing home against Calcio Berlin on Mon Tony Hadley had one of the most iconic voices of the '80s and more than 40 years since he started he's still going strong Not only has he just finished a swing tour - with a new album on the way - but later this year he will join Boy George and Heaven 17 on a tour Boy George and Culture Club recently announced the 10-date tour which will feature performances of the band’s first two studio albums in full Tony will also perform tracks from Spandau Ballet's classic albums True and Parade among others The former Spandau frontman caught up with Smooth Radio's Paul Phear to talk about the tour, while also reflecting on his incredible career so far. Remembering how he and Boy George met back in the Blitz club days of the late-70s, Tony said: "He was the hat check boy or the coat check boy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Smooth Radio (@smoothradio) Then I think it was Steve [Strange] and Rusty [Egan] went along and said We can bring however many people in and we'll control it.' everybody who was everybody in London was there in this club some people have you think that we were all sitting around discussing Nietzsche and Jean-Paul Sartre He's a stunning-looking man to this day He added: "I'd be dressed up with my ballet slippers and everything else and [my mates] would be looking pretty conventional "So he once turned away Mick Jagger! And I said to him, 'What have you done? You've turned away Mick Jagger' he just didn't look quite right' We were in a band and you wanted to stand out And that's what being in a band is all about You want to stand out from the rest of the crowd I think it was a great movement around the UK Marco Cirillo is ranked 2 in big chances created in the competition (5) Have scored 11 goals in their last 3 matches Lukas Betz has created the most big chances for Eintracht Spandau (3) Who won between Kaefigtiger and Eintracht Spandau on Mon 24 Mar 2025 19:30:00 GMT?Kaefigtiger won 4–3 over Eintracht Spandau on Mon 24 Mar 2025 19:30:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 12 goals in their last 3 matches Kaefigtiger is playing home against Eintracht Spandau on Mon Genesis and Pink Floyd were the guitarist’s early purchases – making more sense of his presence in Saucerful Of Secrets than it may have seemed It came as a surprise to many when Nick Mason named Gary Kemp among the line-up of Saucerful Of Secrets – but as he told Prog in 2021 Genesis and others long before Spandau Ballet made his name in the 80s And what Prog and the rest of the audience witnessed was an utter joy as the five Hawaiian-shirted members interpreted early Floyd material with gusto and delight Kemp particularly gleeful to let rip with a complementary guitar solo or holler lyrics from the prog psalter of his teenage soul Following three more nights at Putney’s Half Moon word quickly spread of Kemp’s merit and he was formally allowed into Prog Club But he’d been a card-carrying member since the age of 12 when as a working-class north London boy he started to get in with a middle-class art crowd “The first time I heard prog it was at this guy Miles Landesman’s house,” Kemp reveals “I’d met him at the Anna Scher drama club in Islington [bohemian editor and writer] Jay Landesman and they lived in this mad house that had books on shelves and a Che Guevara poster on a wall It was the first time I’d seen a wok I was slightly horrified because their chairs and sofa didn’t match “We went into Miles’ basement with [budding actors] Peter-Hugo Daly and Phil Daniels who I was in a band with,” he continues “Miles and Peter played us Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun I’d brought along my electric guitar so we tried to work it out and we jammed it all day.” “You know,” Kemp smiles, “it’s kind of sweet that nearly 50 years later I’m onstage at the Beacon Theatre in New York with Nick, and Roger Waters comes on and we do Set The Controls… I’ve obviously been practising it for a long time!” Kemp’s world was very different to Landesman’s Renting one floor of a council flat with an outdoor loo but they did have a radiogram and two records one by Frank Sinatra and one by dance band personality Billy Cotton Kemp’s father dismantled the ’gram one day and the turntable element ended up in the bedroom Kemp shared with his younger brother “We both bought records,” says Kemp “but I brought prog into the house.” “Pop music was made by working-class kids and I liked it,” he says “but then I went to grammar school and met posh kids They’d walk around with album sleeves under their arms I think that’s what prog did at that point; it gave the middle-class kids who grew up with books on their shelves and with classical music playing an ‘in’ into popular music.” “I lay on the floor and listened to it again and again soulfulness… this was me going to church it went on the turntable so I could listen uninterrupted.” One of the songs I contributed was called Lothlórien… you can’t get more prog than turning The Lord Of The Rings into music Kemp’s location meant easy access to pop culture – gigs long-sleeve T-shirts with stars on it – and you could browse vinyl at the same time.” “I used to go to folk clubs with [future Spandau member] Steve Norman and the grammar school had our own Morris dancing group This led me to permanently borrow a book from the school library on English ballads from the 17th century I played one about a highwayman to Steve in return for him teaching [Yes’] Clap to me “I’d gotten hold of a solid body Epiphone guitar,” he continues “and got obsessed with Steve Howe and learning to play Clap Then I joined a rock group to learn how to get it!” It was a band of mellow-rocking 30-year-old double-denim guys “but I was obviously a bit more proggy because one of the songs I contributed was called Lothlórien which is the place where the elves live in The Lord Of The Rings You can’t get more prog than turning The Lord Of The Rings into music.” Inevitably, punk broke and he got swept up in the zeitgeist after seeing the Sex Pistols play at the Screen On Islington Green I took most of my record collection to Cheapo Cheapo in Soho It seems that not a lot of prog went into Spandau then… Syd was a key figure for me – and for any elfin urban London frontman that saw themselves as effete “You haven’t listened to the B-side of [second Spandau album] Diamond then!” he exclaims We did field recordings of rowing boats and roundabouts in a playground and there’s a track about a pharaoh… but then I met [Altered Images singer] Claire Grogan moved to Scotland and my head was turned by Al Green and Marvin Gaye.” if you listen to some of Kemp’s later catalogue – try Shadowman from 1995 debut solo album Little Bruises – progginess lurks and when he met fellow “sociable being” Nick Mason in the 90s through their mutual friend Guy Pratt “I think Nick just wanted people that he could have a nice dinner with afterwards!” “See Emily Play had been in my life for years via David Bowie’s Pinups,” he expands on the thrill of being asked to join Mason’s group “Syd was a key figure for me in the 70s – and for any elfin urban London frontman that saw themselves as effete in any way I felt very comfortable that I could channel these people who that had been so significant in my musical education.” “There are 70s references on the whole album and I’m pushing the guitar and psychedelia to the fore,” Kemp says “Playing with Saucerful has allowed me to embrace the guitar playing I’ve always loved and Insolo joins the dots between the 12-year-old me then Primus share new single Little Lord Fentanyl, their first new music for three years “Most singles are about love in one way or another… and this one is beautiful”: Geoff Tate explains how Silent Lucidity became Queensrÿche’s biggest hit (second time around) “Van Halen were a pale, washed up imitation of the band they once were”: Dave Lee Roth or Sammy Hagar? A forensic examination of who was Van Halen’s best singer Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Ross Wild stood trial accused of series of sex offences against multiple victims over a decade A “manipulative and sadistic” former Spandau Ballet singer is facing jail after raping a woman and launching sex attacks against two other victims Ross William Wild, whose real name is Ross Davidson, showed no emotion as he was convicted at London’s Wood Green Crown Court on Thursday, after he stood trial accused of a series of sex offences dating between 2013 and 2023. The court heard sex addict Davidson, 36, wanted intercourse up to six times a night, forced himself on women who refused him – and had a secret desire to film himself assaulting women while they slept. Davidson, who was born in Aberdeen, was previously known for starring in the West End musical We Will Rock You before becoming the lead singer of the pop group Spandau Ballet in 2018. Davidson, of Finchley, north London, was convicted by the jury of raping the first woman and of sexually assaulting the second and third woman after jurors reached majority verdicts following almost 12 hours of deliberations. He was also convicted of voyeurism, in relation to the fourth complainant. They had also cleared Davidson of a charge of controlling and coercive behaviour relating to the fourth complainant. Davidson denied all charges, telling the court: ”I have never raped, sexually assaulted or coerced any woman in my life.” The defendant was remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing hearing on September 6. Judge John Dodd warned Davidson: “You have been convicted of some very serious matters.” Richard Hearnden, prosecuting, earlier described Davidson as a “bit of a sex symbol” who had a “sinister” and “darker side”. During the six-week trial, the prosecutor said: “It is often supposed that men such as the defendant, blessed with good looks and star quality, can get any girl he wants without having to resort to committing sexual offences, without having to resort to forcing himself on women, without having to resort to rape. “Yet, the reality belies that supposition. In this case, many young women have come forward to tell the police that they have been victims of Mr Davidson's predatory behaviour. “It is because he expects to get sex on demand that he will resort to rape and sexual assault if he is not given what he thinks he deserves.” Davidon was “an utterly manipulative and sadistic individual”, said Mr Hearnden. Davidson secretly filmed himself raping the first woman after they had an argument at his flat on 1 October 2013, the court heard. Jurors were told a second woman was sexually assaulted by Davidson when he fondled her breasts. He also told her he had a “particular fantasy” to have sex with a woman while she was asleep. She was “disgusted and distressed” to find out he had filmed her too. The prosecutor said a third woman was attacked in Cannes at the film festival in May 2018 where he secretly “fondled her breasts while she was fast asleep”. The woman later identified herself from a screenshot taken from the video and was “devastated” at the discovery. Jurors were told a fourth woman said she was also filmed by Davidson as she gave him oral sex. Davidson was arrested at his home on 30 March 2021. Ross William Wild, whose real name is Ross Davidson, showed no emotion as he was convicted at London’s Wood Green Crown Court on Thursday Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker We are honoured to have received this award from PRS for Music The Blitz was an incredible melting pot of music It’s not just Spandau Ballet that owe our career to that place at that moment in time It is an honour to present Spandau Ballet with the PRS for Music heritage award today The Blitz Club was the beating heart of the New Romantics movement that propelled some of British music’s most successful artists to stardom Spandau Ballet are currently riding a fresh wave with the release of their new album and film and it’s very fitting that we should bring it all back to where it began today – what a story Play Duration: 3 minutes 2 seconds3m 2sBrought to you by Spandau Ballet lead singer, Tony Hadley acknowledges Australia for being an early adopter of the English cult band.  "Australia was one of the very few countries who were actually into Spandau right from the very beginning", Hadley said to Deb Tribe. "We didn't come to Australia until 1984...and it was one of the biggest tours we've ever done". Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet.(Tony Hadley press photo: supplied) Published: 25 Apr 2025Fri 25 Apr 2025 at 11:30pm Published: 18 Apr 2025Fri 18 Apr 2025 at 8:30pm Published: 11 Apr 2025Fri 11 Apr 2025 at 11:30pm Download the ABC listen app to text and call your favourite live radio Early bird presale starts Wednesday 9 October former lead singer from one the biggest bands of the 1980s has announced 3 headline shows in Adelaide Fans will hear all the Spandau Ballet hits – including True plus solo material from across Tony’s career when he performs with his band “Australia is one of my favourite places to perform I can’t wait to get back with The Fabulous TH band and perform in front of fans and friends once more” It has been over forty years since Tony Hadley first released music with his former band From his beginnings at the forefront of the New Romantic movement Tony earned himself the accolade of being one of pop’s greatest vocalists Spandau Ballet had numerous chart-topping singles and albums all over the world As a solo artist Tony has performed across the world both with his band In 2005 he was awarded a Gold Badge from the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters; whilst 2007 saw him win a new legion of fans when he appeared as Billy Flynn in Chicago on the West End stage became BBC Radio 2’s Album Of The Week and the 1st single Tonight Belongs To Us was Single Of The Week In early 2024 he returned to his love of swing music and released The Mood I’m In – featuring songs from his 2007 album Passing Strangers remastered them and added 5 additional tracks including a new song ‘Walk Of Shame’ In 2019 he was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours List for his services to charity Don’t miss your chance to hear some of the best songs from the 80s performed by one of the best singers of the time TICKETS AVAILABLE VIA https://www.destroyalllines.com/ ONLAP French Alt-Metal Act Releases Epic “Beyond Nevermind” Single THE HU Drop Killer Cover of Iron Maiden’s The Trooper Play Duration: 14 minutes 28 seconds14m Brought to you by Tony Hadley was the frontman for one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, Spandau Ballet. They had more than 20 hit singles worldwide and sold 25 million albums. Not to mention concerts in every corner of the earth. And it would be easy for a man who's done that to sit on his laurels. But he has kept on working. He went solo. He collaborated with DJs and electronic bands. He reinvented himself singing swing. He appeared in a major musical on the West End - which is seriously hard work. And he got an MBE for his services to charity. He's touring Australia next month, with a gig at the Odeon Theatre in Hobart on Thursday 30th January. And he came off-stage in the UK to have a chat with Joel Rheinberger, on ABC Tasmania Afternoons, about his extraordinary life and upcoming tour. Tony Hadley's solo career has included everything from electronic dance music to swing.(Supplied) Hobart, Launceston, Rock MusicTranscriptJoel RheinbergerTony Hadley was the frontman for one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, Spandau Ballet. He's touring Australia next month, so if you've never seen him in person before, this is your chance. Tony Hadley, hello, how are you? Tony HadleyYeah, I'm good, thank you, thank you very much. Nice to hear from you. Tony HadleyWell, we're in Nottingham. We're at the Nottingham Motorpoint Arena. So we've just done a concert with Heaven 17 and Culture Club, and it's been absolutely brilliant. So we're on tour around the UK, and yeah, we're going to Manchester tonight on a sleeper bus, and so far it's been a great tour. I mean, brilliant touring with Culture Club and Heaven 17. I mean, we all go back many, many, many, many years, yeah. Joel RheinbergerHow good are Culture Club live now? Tony HadleyBrilliant, actually. They've got a fantastic stage set, because we're special guests along with Heaven 17, and the stage set is amazing. George is singing well, and they're doing the various hits and album tracks and stuff, but it's really, it's very spectacular. It's a great set. Joel RheinbergerNow let's go back and look in on the young Tony Hadley. When did you realise that your voice was something out of the ordinary? Joel RheinbergerWhat was the moment that you realised that Spandau Ballet was going to be big? Joel RheinbergerSo did was Australia on your touring schedule quite early on? Tony HadleyWell, we would have liked to come a lot earlier. We did. We didn't get there till 84, I think it was, before we came to us. And, and now I come as a solo artist, I come a lot more regularly than Spanner did. And yeah, I mean, I love it over there. I mean, I always say to people, if it was six hours away, everyone would be living there. So it's a pretty cool place to live. Joel RheinbergerWhat was your craziest moment with the band? Joel RheinbergerWell, give us a couple then, Tony, a couple. Joel RheinbergerIt's interesting you should say that because I think Spandau Ballet was remarkably stable. There aren't really stories of you guys trashing hotels or being arrested or going to rehab. All those things, all those traps that people fall into when they become kind of famous musicians. What helped you keep your heads amongst all the success and excess around you? Joel RheinbergerDo you have kids yourself, Tony? Tony HadleyYeah, I've got five. Yeah, I've got five. My oldest, Tom, is coming up to 41. My daughter's 39. My youngest is 34. My 17-year-old daughter, Zara, and then Genevieve is 12. So yeah, I've got five kids. That's enough. Joel RheinbergerDid you manage to give them that same sensible upbringing that your parents gave you, considering, you know, who you are and what you've been through? Joel RheinbergerYou are listening to 936 ABC Radio Hobart on ABC Northern Tasmania. This is Afternoons with Joel Rhineberger. With us is Tony Hadley, who was the lead singer of Spandau Ballet, but now solo touring in Australia. Next month, he'll be at the Odeon Theatre in Hobart on Thursday the 30th. What was the moment when you realised that the band life was over for you, and it was time for you to stand on your own two feet? Joel RheinbergerDo you stay in contact with those guys? Tony HadleyNo. The only person I'm in vague contact with is Steve Norman, the sax player. But other than that, no, I haven't seen the rest of the guys in 10 years, and that's fine. I don't have a problem with that. Joel RheinbergerIt is a shame, but sometimes it's necessary, isn't it, to make that kind of break with people? Tony HadleyYeah, I mean, I do think it's sad. It didn't need to be like this. But maybe you should ask the other guys, wouldn't you? Joel RheinbergerI will. I'll track them all down. Tony HadleyYeah, you know, listen, what you see is what you get with me, and I think I'm a pretty decent fella. So unfortunately, it's just the way it happens, and that's it. Joel RheinbergerWhat made you make a transition to swing music? It was back to an old love for you by the sound of what you were saying earlier. Joel RheinbergerYou've had such a long and varied career with so many styles of music. How do you choose what to sing on a given tour? Joel RheinbergerHow do you feel about those hits as you're singing them to a live audience now? Joel RheinbergerSo you're doing a rock gig for us. Can you describe what a Tony Hadley rock gig is like these days? What can people expect in Hobart when you come here? Joel RheinbergerHow is your voice holding up? Joel RheinbergerFinally, Tony Hadley, what else are you going to do while you're in Tasmania? Do you have plans for bushwalking or doing anything fun like that? Tony HadleyUm, I'll go where anyone wants to take me. I'm up for any offers. Any offers you could offer. I'll take, because I mean, we always like to explore things anyway. We're not ones for sitting in our hotel rooms. So any offers from the people of Tasmania, yeah, just put your offers in an envelope and we'll call you when we're there. Joel RheinbergerWell, look, there's three different women in my office here who told me to send you their love. So I'm sure there'll be offers waiting for you when you come here, Tony Hadley. Joel RheinbergerTony, great to talk to you. Thank you so much. Have a fantastic day. Tony HadleyYeah, and happy Christmas to everybody. Thank you very much. Take care. Published: YesterdayMon 5 May 2025 at 3:30am Ross Davidson is accused of trying to rape a woman in 2019 News | Crime Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice Former Spandau Ballet singer Ross Davidson has been charged with sexually assaulting and attempting to rape a woman on a Thai island The 36-year-old singer allegedly groped and attempted to have sex with the woman without consent in December 2019 when they were in the popular holiday destination of Phuket Davidson is also accused of voyeurism by allegedly recording the woman “doing a private act” on the same date in Thailand He appeared at Wood Green crown court on Tuesday via videolink from HMP Pentonville to enter pleas to the charges Tui on track for earnings leap as holiday spending remains robust 'I was given sexual health exam at Al Fayed's request' Rape offence reported every hour in London as charities brand figures 'horrifying' 'I warned Queen Elizabeth that Al Fayed was a dirty old man who attacked women' Davidson, of Station Road in Finchley Central, pleaded not guilty to attempted rape and sexual assault, and no plea was entered for the charge of voyeurism. The singer, whose stage name is Ross Wild, joined 80s favourites Spandau Ballet in 2018 as the frontman, having previous performed on the West End alongside the band’s guitarist Martin Kemp. After performances in London and a short European tour, Davidson quit the band in May 2019. Judge John Dodd remanded Davidson in custody and set a provisional date for a two-week trial to start on June 2 next year. A further hearing in Davidson’s case is set to take place on October 24. Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day, Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Lady Victoria Starmer VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin Rihanna shows off baby bump at star-studded Met Gala 2025 as singer's third pregnancy with A$AP Rocky announced Rihanna debuts baby bump on star-studded Met Gala blue carpet Stacey Solomon 'regrets doing reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason Stacey Solomon 'regrets reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason Ross Davidson on trial accused of series of sex offences against five women and raping three over a decade A former Spandau Ballet singer told one of the multiple women he has been accused of raping that she “deserved it” Ross William Wild, whose real name is Ross Davidson, is standing trial at London’s Wood Green Crown Court accused of a series of sex offences against five women and raping three of them between 2013 and 2023. The 36-year-old’s trial, which began on Tuesday, heard he had a “darker” and “sinister” side, with a fantasy to have sex with women while they were asleep and an expectation to “get sex on demand”, allegedly wanting sex up to six times a night and forcing himself on women who refused his advances. Davidson – who was previously known for starring in the West End musical We Will Rock You before becoming the lead singer of the pop group Spandau Ballet – has now been claimed to have filmed himself fondling women while they slept and enjoyed role-playing rape scenarios. Davidson, who was born in Aberdeen, filmed himself allegedly raping one of the five women after they had an argument at his flat in Finchley, north London, on 1 October 2013. She told the court Davidson was aggressive, angry and pacing up and down the bedroom, calling her a “sl**” and a “wh***” before he raped her. Prosecutor Richard Hearnden asked her: “Did he touch you at all?” The alleged victim replied: “Yes, he proceeded to touch me, he invaded my personal space and then started to touch me.” The prosecutor asked: “He's touching you, what was going through your mind?” She replied: 'What is going on, this is when I was in tears, we were having an argument, this isn't a time to even be this close to someone let alone instigating something. “He suddenly became calm and was telling me that this is what I want, this is what I deserve.” She alleged Davidson then pushed her back onto the bed and raped her. “He was quite aggressive, quite strong,” jurors heard. “I said what are you doing, stop, get off me ... The whole time, I was crying.” Mr Hearnden asked the woman: “Why not report it straight away?” She replied: “I did not believe it happened, I did not want to believe it, it became normal, it became something I felt like I deserved.” The prosecutor asked her: “Did you and he ever talk about it?” The woman said: “He didn't speak to me about it, I brought it up years later and he said, 'No, I don't remember that.'” Davidson has denied all accusations and when he was interviewed by police maintained “everything was consensual between him and the women concerned and played up that he was unconventional in his sexual tastes”. Mr Hearnden previously told the court another woman told police she had been unaware Davidson had filmed himself groping her breasts. Jurors also heard he told one woman he is accused of raping that he liked the idea of having sex with a mannequin or doll. Another assault allegedly happened in Cannes, France, in May 2018 when the musician had visited there for the film festival. Davidson is accused of raping a fourth woman at his home and filming a sex act on her without her consent, with the court hearing that he allegedly treated her like a “sexual slave”. Mr Hearnden said: “The defendant, if these things are true, was an utterly manipulative and sadistic individual. “She was being used as some sort of sexual slave. He wanted to have sexual intercourse five or six times a night. When she said it was too much, he forced her to have sex with him.” A fifth woman went to stay at his home in 2015 having met the star three years earlier on the dating site Plenty of Fish, the court heard. Mr Hearnden said she woke in his bed to find him having sex with her while she was asleep. Davidson, of Finchley, north London, denies three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, one count of voyeurism, one count of intimidation and one of controlling behaviour. He replaced Tony Hadley as Spandau Ballet’s lead singer in 2018 after playing Elvis Presley in the hit West End musical Million Dollar Quartet about a decade ago, alongside the band’s bassist Martin Kemp. However, Davidson lasted less than a year after Gary Kemp said the band would not tour again unless the original – and much older – line-up reformed. Ross William Wild, whose real name is Ross Davidson, is standing trial at London’s Wood Green Crown Court accused of a series of sex offences against five women and raping three of them between 2013 and 2023 court hears","description":"Ross Davidson on trial accused of series of sex offences against five women and raping three over a decade EIGHTIES music fans could be in for a treat after two music legends sparked reunion rumours The pop stars were snapped while hanging out and it is now hoped their band are getting back together The musicians in question are Gary Kemp and John Keeble from Spandau Ballet have not recorded music together for seven years But taking to Instagram this week Gary caught the attention of fans after meeting up with bandmate John The pair were snapped with their arms around each other as Gary told his followers on Instagram: "Just spent the day with this fella!" Another added: "Lovely news!! What are you planning?" A third said: "That fellow is the 'glue' in Spandau Ballet. Go work together again and enjoy music together." And someone else chimed in: "Love this. We need a tour @garyjkemp @spandauballet." saxophonist Steve Norman and John on the drums They quickly became one of the most successful bands of the New Romantic era and even performed at the Live Aid charity concert in 1985 The group enjoyed a string of top 10 albums and singles the band played their final gig together and announced they were taking a break Their split lasted a staggering 19 years and Steve and John sued guitarist Gary for a share of the band's songwriting royalties The case went to the High Court and Gary - who wrote all of the songs - won saying the experience was "like walking away from a car crash - you're glad to be alive but mortified and shocked by the wreckage" The others had believed they had a "gentleman's agreement" to share the profits with Gary Tony said after the verdict was delivered: "Let this be a serious lesson to any up and coming artist or band No matter how good mates you are or whether you were at school together the band returned to court in an argument over the right to use the name Spandau Ballet the group announced they were reforming in 2009 Fans were thrilled and Spandau Ballet quickly sold out a tour netting each of them a reported £12million The group continued working together for another eight years but Tony shocked fans by announcing he was quitting He said: "Due to circumstances beyond my control it is with deep regret that I am required to state that I am no longer a member of the band Spandau Ballet and as such I will not be performing with this band in the near future.” the rest of the group said:  “Much to our frustration Tony had made it clear in September 2016 that he didn’t want to work with the band anymore "This has not changed and 2015 was the last time we were able to perform or work with him So we have now made the decision to move on as a band.” Spandau Ballet recruited a new lead singer and re-released their single Through The Barricades They also performed a string of European dates and a one-off show at the Hammersmith Apollo has never wavered from his decision to leave and is enjoying a successful solo career Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ South Africa (18 February 2025) – Samaritan’s Feet SA known for its dedication to providing footwear to those in need has launched its “Giving Hope to Learners” project a mission to instil hope and opportunity in young South African students The project was rolled out at Spandau Secondary School on Tuesday marking the beginning of a transformative initiative Led by Project Manager Jeanne-Marie Minnie Samaritan’s Feet distributed nearly a thousand pairs of new school shoes to eager learners Learners were also taught leadership skills and were excited about all the encouragement they received As part of the project, the organisation is establishing distribution hotspots in different parts of South Africa as part of Samaritan Feet’s efforts to put shoes on children’s feet while fostering connections in communities Samaritan’s Feet volunteers hold training sessions on leadership development and sustainability change development with key community members as part of the first phase of the project before moving on to one-on-one conversations with learners and distributing school shoes These outreaches also involve week-long interactive sessions where volunteers and relevant stakeholders of the public and private sector work with the children ensuring they are seen “Every pair of shoes that are given to the children has to happen through a one-on-one conversation “This fosters a moment for vulnerability and connection,” explains Jeanne-Marie Minnie Jeanne further shared in a Graaff-Reinet Advertiser video that she hopes that the shoes will leave a lasting impression of those connections we hope they would remember those kind strangers from across the country who came to listen to them and and inspire them,” says Jeanne The project’s ultimate goal is to inspire the community to empower young people and ensure no child is without essential footwear Through meaningful human connection and hope Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a4e68cf2c1fab5792102e40d66d58131" );document.getElementById("d2d9e305b5").setAttribute( "id" and website in this browser for the next time I comment Would you like to receive truly phenomenal inspirational and good thing stories right to your inbox Then subscribe to our weekly GoodThingsGuy newsletter today I accept GTG’s Privacy Policy GoodThingsGuy is the home of everything good and those are the things that really matter We believe that there is good news all around us and over 1 million readers a month agree with us GoodThingsGuy was officially launched on the 1 August 2015 in order to only promote good news inspirational stories and promote only positive multi-platform media company that distills unique content across multiple media platforms We consider individual and corporate contributions through the website or mail us directly here. Your GPS did not respond. Be sure you have your GPS enabled and try again. after all these years … a new wave for Spandau Ballet frontmanSpandau Ballet led the New Romantic era of pop but after the wave receded the British group disbanded leaving Tony Hadley a solo act … and loving it When I mention I will be interviewing former Spandau Ballet frontman Tony Hadley coupled with declarations of love for Spandau Ballet even though the British singer is not with the band anymore The good news is he’s on his way here to perform in the Timeless Summer Tour at Rochford Wines Hadley will be on the bill with Bonnie Tyler Boy George and Starship (featuring Mickey Thomas) Hadley will also be touring as a solo act while Down Under synonymous with the iconic ’80s British band Spandau Ballet As the face and voice of that band he gave us such iconic hits such as True then finally ended when Hadley decided to leave for good That pretty much ruled a line under Spandau Ballet “Things came to a head in 2017,” Hadley says when we chat chilly Liverpool while I’m struggling with the spring humidity in Brisbane life’s too short and I need to be happy,” he says “I didn’t need the stress and angst so I quit permanently Sometimes you just have to choose happiness.” He’s happy as a solo act with a tight backing band of “the most incredible musicians” He’s also pleased to be in such good company on the Timeless Summer Tour He and Boy George have been friends for decades Hadley is now 64 and has just been told he’s going to be a granddad “Time has a way of just running away,” Hadley says “My older sons came to Dublin to see me and we had a beer in the dressing room They are proud of me and that I have managed to survive this long When you start out you desperately hope to be around in the years to come 44 years later and still making music and having fun He has loved Australia since Spandau Ballet first toured “The last time were were there we went on a winery tour and got very drunk,” he says “I love Australia and I always look forward to the beautiful seafood restaurants The food is brilliant and the audiences are fantastic.” brooding romantic figure of the early days of Spandau Ballet He’s a kind of pop Sinatra with a wide range vocally and musically And he wants to assure everyone that he will be doing all his major Spandau Ballet hits “Artists over the years who haven’t done that People want to hear those hits because they got married to that song They have great memories associated with the music “We plays some of them in a slightly rockier fashion but remain true to the original I tend to stick to the original arrangement with True.” Hadley mentions he has recently done a swing album and we’ll hear some of that when he’s here “I grew up listening to Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald,” he says Nowadays he lives in Buckinghamshire with wife Alison and their two children (He has three children from a previous marriage.) I was told before my interview that he likes to chat and that makes an interviewer’s life so much easier Some stars favour pregnant pauses and clipped answers but Hadley enjoys yarning His distinctive North London accent is quite engaging Timeless Summer Tour promoter Glenn Meikle says he is excited to be bring Hadley and the others to Australia “All of the artists performing are iconic musicians who have paved the way for many,” Meikle says “Even though they were introduced to the world in the ’70s and ’80s Hearing Hadley singing True again will take us back and may still incite a little bit of swooning timelesssummertour.com; tonyhadley.com was found guilty of rape and sexual assaults A former singer in Spandau Ballet is facing years in prison for raping and sexually assaulting a series of women demanded sex up to six times a night and forced himself on the women if they refused He secretly filmed himself sexually assaulting women as they slept and videos of the attacks were recovered after his initial arrest in 2019 had starred in Queen-based West End musical We Will Rock You and performed in 2018 as the singer for 80s favourite Spandau Ballet alongside Martin Kemp and Steve Norman UK prosecution of Harvey Weinstein on indecent assault charges abandoned Frenchwoman 'raped by dozens of men over nearly a decade' gives evidence at trial French wife waives anonymity to accuse dozens of men of raping her while drugged Justice against those responsible for Grenfell fire ‘may be delayed until 2030’ Wood Green crown court heard police officers found seven videos on Davidson’s devices when he was arrested, and tracked down four victims who accused him of rape, sexual assault, voyeurism One of the women said Davidson had attacked her in 2013 after they spent the evening together raping her despite her pleas for him to stop He also recorded the ordeal on his mobile phone Davidson was dubbed “manipulative and sadistic” during the trial with prosecutors arguing he believe his fame and status entitled him to sex with women whenever he wanted was convicted by a jury on Thursday of rape two counts of sexual assault and voyeurism He has been remanded in custody until sentencing on September 6 "Our team have worked incredibly hard to evidence each incident support the victims and bring Davidson to justice” “Davidson is a prolific predatory offender with no regard or care for the impact he has had on the victims I am pleased with this result and hope it goes some way in providing closure to the victims.” VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day Hadley will be in the country performing as part of the Timeless Summer Tour Ex-Spandau Ballet crooner Tony Hadley returns to our shores year next as part of the Timeless Summer Tour The one-day music festival is headlined by Boy George and features a bill stacked with 80s talent Sadly the festival isn’t coming to Adelaide as Hadley has announced a solo show with his band at Hindley Street Music Hall on Tuesday Along with headlining his own concert in Adelaide Hadley has also scheduled shows in Hobart at Odeon Theatre on Thursday January 30 and Perth’s Astor Theatre on Saturday Pre-sale tickets are up for grabs now via this link. General on-sale begins this Friday, October 11 at 8:30am local time via Destroy All Lines The talented vocalist is pumped to be back in the country, saying: “Australia is one of my favourite places to perform. I can’t wait to get back with The Fabulous TH band and perform in front of fans and friends once more.”  READ MORE: Boy George Headlines Timeless Summer Tour Best known for his time fronting Spandau Ballet Hadley was at the forefront of the New Romantic movement that took over during the 80s His voice can be heard on some of Spandau Ballet’s biggest hits When the group went their separate ways in 1990 Hadley embarked on a fruitful solo career that has resulted in six studio albums (including a Christmas record) and several live albums Hadley found a new set of fans when he starred as Billy Flynn in Chicago on the West End stage in 2007 comprises swing versions of tracks from his 2007 album Passing Strangers and has been well-received by music fans Catch Tony Hadley at Hindley Street Music Hall on Tuesday, January 28. For full ticketing information, visit Destroy All Lines South Arcade’s upcoming tour marks their maiden Australian visit Discover your new favourite local artist every Monday on PBA-FM 89.7 The soulful crooner has cancelled all shows bar his appearance at Blues on Broadbeach The one time INXS member is headlining his first Australian tour this October The special edition box set includes B-sides The Minns Labor Government is the first to introduce the rule Australia wide All 15 tracks from Inhale / Exhale have been given the remix treatment Support comes from Dirty Dike’s longtime collaborator and DJ Sammy B-Side The punk rock quartet are celebrating the release of their fourth long player with a national tour The all-ages event also includes performances from J–Milla Catch the Tassie singer-songwriter performing three gigs in SA this June Stormzy and Nine Inch Nails are just some of the bands performing at this year’s festival The festival is back bigger and better with a lineup that also includes Doechii The Sunshine Coast folk duo is hitting the road in support of their upcoming sophomore album The remastered box set contains a total of 301 songs Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates about everything happening in Adelaide E: info@thenote.com.auP: (08) 8379 9522PO Box 21 Glen OsmondSouth Australia 5064 NewsExclusives GigsSinglesAlbumsNew ReleasesVideos Perfect PairOur Faves Lucky DipLook At This Photograph Gig GuideVenue Directory AboutTerms and Conditions Website by Edwards Design Eddie RowleySat 8 Feb 2025 at 18:00BACK in the 1980s Spandau Ballet were one of the hottest pop acts on the planet cash beyond their wildest dreams was rolling in — and they moved to Dublin in 1985 for tax reasons Def Leppard and Frankie Goes To Hollywood were also among the stars who could be spotted any night mingling with homegrown icons such as U2 in the city’s buzzing club scene at trendy venue The Pink Elephant Chatting on Zoom as he releases a new solo album Gary Kemp of Spandau looks back fondly on those heady days and nights in Dublin where the band lived on Stillorgan Road “I think about Dublin a lot,” Gary tells me “I had dinner the other night with Adam Clayton and we always talk about sort of ragged times that we had in ’85 "We used to see Adam a lot down in The Pink with Def Leppard and Frankie Goes To Hollywood…and then walking back home We often chat about it…they were sort of slightly unhealthy “I remember hanging out down in Windmill Lane Studios with (producer) Mutt Lange and Def Leppard singing backing vocals on one of their songs I’ve always loved Dublin… Dublin is very close to my heart.” The friendship he forged with Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott has stood the test of time and he was among the guests invited to a party in Ireland before Christmas when Elliott and his wife “They had a big party over on the west coast and I went and had a nice walk with my wife on the Burren we went to the Cliffs of Moher and I was reminded that when I lived in Dublin I took a drive with my parents and we stayed at some big castle over on the west coast and I went to the cliffs with them Back in the ’80s it was just a rugged track.” He also remembers taking a helicopter ride from Dublin to Slane Castle in 1985 to watch Bruce Springsteen’s epic concert at the Co Meath venue Eric Clapton and his friend Pete Townshend of The Who were also among the guests in the castle that day Kemp is also a friend of Bob Geldof and tells how he met the Irish rocker in London by chance the day after the 1984 BBC TV report highlighting the famine in Ethiopia He says: “I bumped into Bob in a shop on the King’s Road the day after he saw that news report and he said ‘Do you think we could make a record?’ And I said I’d be part of it but I didn’t think we could do it… and then of course the rest is history “I was given a gift by Bob who showed me that if you want change you should really get involved I remind myself of that a lot and I do work in different charities to try and make change happen.” says he’s still as passionate as ever about writing songs and making music “It’s the most health-giving thing that I do,” says Gary who these days is also guitarist in Pink Floyd drummer and co-founder Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets band They perform the early music of Pink Floyd we’ve done 32 countries together,” he says adding that it’s an opportunity for him to expand his own audience playing for the Pink Floyd community “That early Pink Floyd stuff I absolutely love and I love Nick and my relationship with him But writing songs is fundamentally the most important thing I do it answers questions that I have in my head and heart but you don’t feel good when you are putting it off It’s been like that since I was 11 after getting my first acoustic guitar and learning four chords and not being interested in playing anybody’s songs “I just started writing and for me it was an amazing feeling You’d go into a room with nothing and you’d come out with something and it’s a piece of your armour “It’s a privilege to be able to do it and then get other people to listen to it.” Kemp’s happy place is in his piano room writing his songs “But it’s not always happy when I go in,” he says “I felt like I wasn’t in a great place a couple of years ago when I started writing this album I felt like I’d got infected by the anxiety of the world [in Covid] and that was creating my own anxiety You reach a certain age and you start to worry more about your mortality or health or whatever you have “And this album was definitely the process… when you look at the songs on the album you can see me moving from one place to another in my well-being I listen to music because I don’t want to feel alone in the world there’s someone else out there in the world that feels like me.’ I think that’s why all artists do what they do.” You’ll never need to spend a fortune on therapy when you have your songwriting “My parents died within four days of each other 16 years ago and the week after I got back together with my band for the first time in years and I think that I avoided or I didn’t appreciate that I needed to grieve for them and so I did do a bit of therapy and it really helped.” not getting enough bread on the table and having a nervous breakdown of his own “And then my mum who worked very hard at home and at work to bring us up and put food on the table… and then how do I live up to that Can I take the tools that they gave me to make my own life worthy?” What did his parents think of Spandau Ballet so they didn’t have to worry about a third sibling being ignored “And they loved the dressing up that we did Dad had a massive heart attack in his 50s and we bought them a house on the coast in Poole ‘When I get down there I’m not going to tell anyone what both my sons do because they’ll hassle me otherwise.’ “The first day he went out to the supermarket he wore his Spandau Ballet tour jacket and everyone was asking… it’s all he ever wanted to talk about.” Please check your inbox to verify your details Now download the free app for all the latest Sunday World News, Crime, Irish Showbiz and Sport. 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