Tag Archives: Martin Kemp

1983 ➤ A True romance aboard Spandau’s triumphal Thames riverboat

Posted on April 29, 2013 | 1 Comment

Spandau over Bournemouth, 1 April 1983: Gary Kemp teases the screamers at the Good Friday show in the Pavilion Theatre. © Shapersofthe80s

❚ YES IT’S 30 YEARS SINCE Spandau Ballet scored their only No 1 chart hit single with True, coinciding with their epic “Spandau Over Britain Tour”. By May 3, True the album reached No 1, while the single remained at No 1 as well. The band’s official website is celebrating with a month of recollections from 1983 and asking UK fans to offer their own memories. Naturally Shapersofthe80s was there on the waterfront and has a few inside stories of its own.

The month-long tour ended in triumph at London’s Royal Festival Hall 30 years ago today, on Friday April 29, because True hit the top spot in the UK singles chart and the night before Spandau topped the bill on Top of the Pops – only two weeks after its release. After the London gig there followed a right old knees-up for friends and family aboard a Thames riverboat. As it cast off Shapersofthe80s was onboard and snapped a True romance as Steve “Spiny” Norman took to the dance floor with bass-player Martin Kemp, while Steve’s mum Sheila tried to muscle in. Here are our snaps, never seen before.

CLICK ANY PIC TO LAUNCH CAROUSEL:

Aboard Spandau’s True riverboat: Steve Norman and Martin Kemp take to the dancefloor, while Sheila Norman asks to join in

Steve and Martin are in heaven… See anybody else you know? Of course: future Spandau biographer Paul Simper in dog-tooth suit from Robot with added Wham!

Steve’s mum Sheila joins the chorus line, and backing singer Sam Brown joins Martin

At last, mother and son get to boogey together

The band’s third album True, produced by Tony Swain and Steve Jolley, had preceded the tour and was to yield several chart hits across the world, Gold among them. The tour moved on to Europe in the summer and to North America in the autumn, when Shapersofthe80s will have some wild eye-witness scenes to report – laters…

➢ May 1 update: all five members of Spandau Ballet have agreed to an individual ‘TRUE’ Twitter Q&A session with fans, according to the official Spandau website – Q&A sessions start at 8pm (BST) on the official Spandau Twitter account, not their personal accounts, as follows: Gary May 3, Martin May 6, John May 7, Steve May 9, Tony tbc.

➢ 30th anniversary interview with Gary Kemp
at UK Official Charts website

The Observer OMM Oct 4, 2009

HOW IT ALL BEGAN FOR
THE ANGEL BOYS

➢ Read the story of Spandau Ballet,
the Blitz Kids and the birth of the New Romantics
in my feature at The Observer

➢ Photographer Neil Matthews, another friend of Spandau from their earliest days, has been celebrating with an exhibition of his popstar photos titled My 80s Through the Lens, at The Great British Restaurant, 14 North Audley Street, London W1K 6WE. All images can be viewed online and are for sale in limited editions printed on smart archival paper. As well as Spandau, his subjects include Bananarama, Blue Rondo, Bauhaus, Haysi Fantayzee, Malcolm McLaren, The Jam, Nick Heyward, Bow Wow Wow and more.

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Posted in Clubbing, London, Pop music

Tagged 1983, Blitz Kids, Gary Kemp, George Michael, Interview, Martin Kemp, Neil Matthews, New Romantics, photography, Spandau Ballet, Steve Norman, Twitter, UK tour

2013 ➤ Double whammy from the Spandau boys

Posted on April 13, 2013 | 1 Comment

❚ BEING REVEALED currently on Facebook, two major Spandau Ballet announcements. First the biography of the band, a superior coffee-table photobook, Spandau the True Story, which records the entire career of the Angel Boys from Islingon, penned by their longtime shadow Paul “Scoop” Simper and published by the prestige celebrity publisher Genesis. It features unseen pictures taken not only by clubland mate Graham “Heroes” Smith, but also by Shapersofthe80s – the team who were there from the start of the New Romantic story.

➢ Spandau the True Story: sign up today at Genesis Publications, “the home of beautiful music books” … Register your interest
without financial commitment

A second announcement tonight heralds the movie Soul Boys of The Western World, a feature-length documentary containing much unseen vintage footage, produced by Grammy Award-winner Scott Millaney who was a founding member of the promo video company MGMM in the 80s just as the British music industry boomed. His company produced over 1,000 pop promos including Video Killed the Radio Star, Vienna, Dancing in the Street and Rio.

“Scoop” Simper, today an executive celebrity writer at The Sun who wrote the film’s treatment, said tonight: “There is wonderful footage of the Spandau mums and dads when they were all still with us. And never-before-seen footage from Los Angeles and Australia when the band were in their pop pomp. All the band have contributed voiceovers.”

Spandau manager Steve Dagger reveals that a case full of early film footage of the band has been discovered recently. This includes offcuts not used in a prominent TV item just before release of the band’s third single Musclebound in March 1981, and aired on the BBC teatime news magazine Nationwide. Just as the phrase New Romantics was coming into wider use by both media and an emerging generation of UK image bands, including Duran Duran, the BBC cameras capture what Dagger calls “priceless cavortings” within Soho’s heaving Beat Route club.

There’s also a whole film sequence in Jon “Mole” Baker’s shop off Carnaby Street, where Spandau members are seen trying on a variety of outfits by the Axiom collective of designers, which were to be shown in a New York runway show two months later, in what became the “First Blitz invasion” of the US, organised by both the band and the former Blitz Kid fashionistas. These Axiom collections received another runway show at Steve Strange’s Club for Heroes in London in the autumn of ’81, by which time the charts were ablaze with new slipstream bands and British street style began to explode.

❏ On tonight’s Jonathan Ross Show Gary and Martin Kemp (pictured below) were talking about their new TV series Gangs of Britain, due to air on the Crime & Investigation Network (Sky 553 and Virgin 237) on Sundays from April 21 at 9pm BST. It’s three years since Spandau Ballet played live together so the killer question is whether they might reunite for another tour? Gary told Ross: “I pretty much guarantee we’ll do it again next year.” Martin added: “I hope so. I’ve never laughed as much as that year [on the Reformation Tour]. Just to have that year of getting your best friends back together was so lovely. I would say it was the best year of my life.”

Jonathan Ross Show,Martin Kemp, Gary Kemp ,TV series, Gangs of Britain

Another Spandau tour? Martin and Gary Kemp give Jonathan Ross a cautious yes tonight. (Viewable on ITV Player for another month. Screengrab © ITV)

TWEET ALONG TO THE KRAYS

❏ Tomorrow night, if you’re viewing the 1990 British movie The Krays on ITV4 at 9pm BST, Martin and Gary Kemp will be tweeting along with the film. Viewers can take part by using the hashtag #KraysLive while watching the brothers recreating the villainy of the English gangsters Ronald and Reginald Kray who led organised crime in the East End of London during the 1950s and 1960s.
➢ Follow Martin @ Twitter
➢ Follow Gary @ Twitter

EXCLUSIVE PRINTS OF TRUE ARTWORK

❏ New on sale at the Spandau store is a limited edition 20 x 20-inch lithographic print embossed onto the highest quality 270gsm uncoated paper of the True album artwork by Spandau friend David Band, a Scottish artist who also designed sleeves for Altered Images and Aztec Camera and sadly died in Australia in 2011. Reproduced to celebrate Spandau’s 30th anniversary of their No 1 hit, each print is hand-signed (not reproduction signatures) by all members of Spandau Ballet, and hand-numbered by a professional scribe in a run of only 500 prints.

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Posted in Film, London, Pop music, TV, Youth culture

Tagged Axiom, David Band, Gangs of Britain, Gary Kemp, Jonathan Ross Show, lithograph, Martin Kemp, New Romantics, Paul Simper, Scott Millaney, Soul Boys of The Western World, Spandau Ballet, Steve Dagger, True

➤ No humble pie for Olympian god Martin Kemp as Big Brother boots him out

Posted on September 7, 2012 | Leave a comment

Coleen Nolan, Julian Clary, Martin Kemp, Celebrity Big Brother, TV show

Da-a-a-a-ayyy Twenny-Five: waiting to hear their fates tonight, Celebrity Big Brother’s final trio of Coleen Nolan, Julian Clary, Martin Kemp. (Screengrab © Channel 5)

❚ GAME PLAN OR NO GAME PLAN, actor and musician Martin Kemp was booted out of the Celebrity Big Brother house having survived to become one of the final three housemates, along with Coleen Nolan and comedian Julian Clary who won by a clear margin of the public’s votes. Speaking at last night’s farewell dinner for the six finalists, Martin confessed:

“ There was one moment that taught me everything about myself and that was when we were playing gods on Mt Olympus and we decided whether or not we were going to make it easy for the mortals [fellow Big Brother housemates], or whether to make it hell on earth, and we made it hell on earth. What I’m saying is that power really does go to your head. And we enjoyed every minute. ”

➢ To catch-up online click the video tab at CBB: view exclusive after-show interview with Martin on Sep 8 well bronzed from the BB garden… plus his best bits

“ What I see in the house is completely different to what you see as a viewer. You get to see much more than what I see… Was I going to mix it up in the house? I said I was in the pre-launch video, but I got in there and found what I was comfortable with was … to show people exactly who I am when I’m being a father to my two kids and husband to my wife. That’s what I really enjoyed about it. I found that instead of mixing it up, I was sorting stuff out. Being more of a mediator… ” / View more online

BACK TO REALITY

➢ Back on Twitter after CBB, Martin enjoys his freedom…
Sep 8: In bed at 4am — now on the way to the studio for press. All day… The rest is over… Yurggghhh.
Sep 8: Work over for the day… On my way home to get to know the fam’ again! Thanks to everyone for all your support…x
Sep 9: Life on the outside this beautiful shiny morning is fantastic — topped off with a lock on the loo door!!!
Sep 9: Right, back to the gym… headphones, guns and roses, protein shake and Nikes… Later guys…

CATCH UP AT SHAPERSOFTHE80S

➢ Martin Kemp teeters on brink of eviction from the BB house

➢ Da-a-a-a-yyy Wunn: Kemp promises to make trouble on CBB

films, Fall of The Essex Boys, Roman Kemp,

Feature film debut: Roman Kemp in character for The Fall of The Essex Boys

➢ Sep 7: First look at film debut of Martin Kemp’s son Roman— “Roman Kemp is breaking a sweat to make his name in film while his dad Martin is still locked away in the Big Brother house. These are the first pictures of the 19-year-old in the gritty new Brit flick The Fall of The Essex Boys”

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Posted in Film, London, Media, TV

Tagged Celebrity Big Brother, Coleen Nolan, Fall of The Essex Boys, Interview, Julian Clary, Martin Kemp, Roman Kemp, Video

➤ Big Brother mystery: whose hand is behind Lorenzo’s showstopping gold lamé outfit?

Posted on September 5, 2012 | Leave a comment

Celebrity Big Brother, Kallini Puppets, Julian Clary, ventriloquism, tuxedo, fashion

Celebrity Big Brother dummy: Julian parades “Lorenzo” in his gold lamé outfit. (Screengrab © Channel 5)

❚ FORGET THE EVICTIONS! The question every British man is asking tonight after the first public vote ousted Prince Lorenzo from the Celebrity Big Brother house is: Where can I buy one of those sensational Vegas-style gold lamé tuxedos? Oh yes. And matching must-have bow-tie. Check.

Halfway through a Big Brother task tonight we saw comedian Julian Clary operating a cheeky-chappie ventriloquist’s dummy which he had christened Lorenzo, after his princely housemate, and putting some very apposite words into his mouth: “I am a prince and I’m not gay, do you hear me?”

But as well as the viciously glossed black pedigree hair on the polyurethane “Lorenzo”, the real show-stealers were his immaculately tailored gold jacket and dazzling tie. It’s pretty obvious that Channel 5 phones must have been ringing with international jetsetters wanting to know which fashion-forward couturier could supply them with similar bespoke evening wear. Could the designer be Tom Ford, Dries Van Noten, Thom Browne, Hedi Slimane, Marc Jacobs, Raf Simons or Isaac Mizrahi? Our lips are sealed.

Kallini Puppets, ventriloquism, tuxedo, fashion

Examples from the Kallini range: each puppet comes with either ready-to-wear or a bespoke tailored outfit

The cheeky-chappie comes from an extensive range at Britain’s leading maker of traditional ventriloquist’s dummies which include Grumpy Old Man, Soldier, Scotsman, Schoolgirl, Scout as well as Marvin the Monkey, among other animals. All are hand made in the Tyne and Wear workshop of Kallini Puppets. The dummy heads are first sculpted in clay, moulded in silicone and cast in a strong but lightweight polyurethane resin. It’s no coincidence that the whole range of puppets which come in three sizes — 15-inch, 26-inch and 34-inch — are sold complete with “a costume of your choice” (except for Marvin, naturally). And an outfit bedizened to suit the personality of each dummy is a major selling point.

Could a clue to the gifted designer’s identity be found in the range of puppets themselves? Study the photographs below: one is the Kallini puppet marketed as “Traditional Style Schoolgirl Ventriloquist Dummy” (note the studiously knotted school tie). The other shows a well-known British fashion designer, whom we are unable to name. Yet the coincidence of looks and couture choices provides convincing evidence of a link between the pair.

Celebrity Big Brother, Kallini Puppets, ventriloquism, tuxedo, fashion

Dead ringers? Compare the standard 34-inch schoolgirl ventriloquist dummy at Kallini Puppets with a legendary fashion designer (right) photographed here by Sandro Martini

CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER CATCH-UP

❏ Da-a-a-a-yyy Twenny-Tooo update: Martin Kemp is saved from eviction and becomes one of six finalists for Friday’s Celebrity Big Brother showdown

➢ Catch up on Martin Kemp’s days in danger of being evicted — at Shapersofthe80s

➢ Big Brother turns Martin Kemp’s son Roman into a shooting star

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Posted in Fashion, Media

Tagged 2012, Celebrity Big Brother, fashion, Julian Clary, Kallini Puppets, Martin Kemp, tuxedo, ventriloquism

➤ Shock, horror! Martin Kemp teeters on the brink of eviction from Big Brother house

Posted on September 3, 2012 | Leave a comment

❚ DA-A-A-A-Y NINE-’EEN and alpha male of the Celebrity Big Brother house Martin Kemp is in shock after becoming one of the final three housemates to be nominated for departure on Wednesday. Two of them must go. The other two attracting most votes from their rivals are Prince Lorenzo (charged with “general dullness” by Julian Clary) and former soap star Julie Goodyear, who attracted five votes for being a game-player while the younger bruvs in da house have taken to calling her Nana (wince!). Fact is: being nominated means your peer group inside the house don’t like you!

REASONS MARTIN WAS NOMINATED 3 TIMES

❏ Comedian Julian Clary, 53: “My second nomination is Martin for asserting his authority over me in unnecessary ways. We were all asked to sit on the sofa yesterday and I was getting a glass of water before I sat down and he said “In your own time”, the subtext of which was “Hurry up, you’re keeping me waiting”. I didn’t think it was necessary. I don’t think he needs to reaffirm his superiority over us. I quite accept that he is the master and I don’t need putting in my place.” Ouch!

❏ Singer and television presenter Coleen Nolan, 47: “My second nomination is Martin. When I’m alone with him I don’t know what to talk about. He is so laid back that you get one-word answers, and so you think, OK, I’ll go outside then… I kind of want to shove a rocket up his ass, to be honest. I love the guy: but you just need a bit of oomph.” Durr.

❏ Olympic judo athlete Ashley McKenzie, 23: “My second nomination is Martin due to the fact he sometimes isolates himself from the group and being the last stages in Big Brother it gets quite tough and I think you need to stick to the group. It makes me feel a bit sad, it upsets me a bit.” Aaaah.

❏ Afterwards in the diary room, Martin, 50, wrinkled his brow and looked puzzled: “I just hope I haven’t offended anybody, and said something wrong or something that’s upset them. It makes you think and try and work it out: what did I do wrong to someone that they would nominate me?” So you mean there was no Mister Nasty game plan after all, Mart?

❏ Verdict of Bit on the Side’s presenter Jamie East: “His big thing was he said he had a game plan and was in it to win it. He’s probably decided now’s the time to raise his head above the parapet. The thing with Julie and Julian [complaining about them smoking] with the electronic cigarette was possibly the only thing he’s done to cause any friction and it’s caused him to be up for conviction. He’s always been a massive Big Brother fan, and he’ll know that people who keep their head down will go straight the way through to the final. That was his game plan.”

NOW, AS THEY SAY, YOU DECIDE

Before about 8.30pm Wednesday cast your vote to SAVE Martin by premium rate telephone call:

* Call 650 58 09 from a mobile
* Call 0901 616 1709 from a landline
* Calls cost no more than 36p from BT landlines or any mobile. Calls from other landlines may vary.

➢ How the Sun sees it — Sep 3

Celebrity Big Brother, Roman Kemp, Martin Kemp

ROMAN GUESTS ON THE AFTER-SHOW

❏ Da-a-a-a-y Twenny-Wunn: Martin’s 19-year-old son Roman guests on the discussion show after today’s main CBB episode. So what happened to the game plan Martin promised at the start? We were expecting him to turn into a scheming wheeler dealer.

Roman said: “A lot of people did, but I don’t think he would know how to cause controversy. Also, when you go into the house you so quickly forget that you’re in the game. That is the game. To keep reminding yourself that you’re in that situation the whole time is a task in itself.

“He’s just as nice at home. When your dad’s the nicest person, it’s difficult because you can’t get into an argument with him because you’ll feel bad for him! And you’ll feel guilty.”

CBB quiz: Martin Kemp’s son Roman, left, who scored as many points as Julie Goodyear’s husband Scott Brand, right. (Screengrab © Channel 5)

➢ Click the video tab at CBB online… Day 21, Julie’s husband vs Martin’s son: Name that quote — Big Brother grabbed Martin’s son Roman and Julie’s husband Scott from the Bit on the Side green room last night to see if they could guess the dearests’ quotes. There are some corkers in there, but who will get the most correct?

➢ Da-a-a-a-yyy Wunn: Kemp promises to make trouble on CBB

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Posted in London, Media, TV

Tagged Ashley McKenzie, Celebrity Big Brother, Channel 5, Coleen Nolan, Jamie East, Julian Clary, Julie Goodyear, Martin Kemp, Roman Kemp, Video