Gary Kemp

Gary Kemp is the lead guitarist of the legendary 80s band Spandau Ballet, and the author of all of their greatest hits, including True, Gold, Through The Barricades and To Cut a Long Story Short. He is also a successful movie star, in films as diverse as The Bodyguard and The Krays. In this brilliant and wide-ranging conversation with Gyles, Gary talks about his working class boyhood in Islington, north London, sharing an outside toilet with two other families. He talks about getting his first guitar and impressing his dad with his songwriting skills. He talks about the importance of mentors, and the key roles Bishop Trevor Huddleston and the drama teacher Anna Scher played in his life. He talks about the beginnings of Spandau Ballet, the Blitz club and still living at home well into his twenties. Gary talks about the court case between him and the rest of the band, and he talks about Live Aid and meeting David Bowie. And he talks about his unbreakable bond with his brother, Martin, and the deaths of their parents within four days of each other.

This is a really in-depth, sensitive and humane discussion which will impress you, inform you and inspire you.

Gary's book, 1967, is out now and tells the story of Brian Epstein's final address book - it is a fascinating cultural history of Britain in the sixties. It's available here.

Our heartfelt thanks to Gary for this brilliant chat.

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