Gary Kemp
Birthday: 16 October 1959, Islington, London, England, UK
Birth Name: Gary James Kemp
Height: 183 cm
Gary Kemp was born in Islington, London in October 1959. On his 10th birthday, he got his first guitar from his parents. In the 70s, he and his younger brother, Martin Kemp, went to learn drama at Ann ...Show More
[on "True"] I wanted to write a soul song. We'd come out of that electronic, Blitz, dance movement. Show more
[on "True"] I wanted to write a soul song. We'd come out of that electronic, Blitz, dance movement. I wanted to get back into writing songs that I loved, which was black American soul songs. I wanted to write an Al Green song. Marvin Gaye obviously was a hero and I wanted to mention him in the song. Hide
I can't get away from 'True'. It's been played 3 million times on American radio.
I can't get away from 'True'. It's been played 3 million times on American radio.
I like a band with sex and attitude. Coldplay and Travis do nothing for me.
I like a band with sex and attitude. Coldplay and Travis do nothing for me.
Live Aid (1985), coming straight after the Miners' Strike and certainly the sense that the governmen Show more
Live Aid (1985), coming straight after the Miners' Strike and certainly the sense that the government weren't really listening to the people at that point, I think it was a sense of democracy that people got from Live Aid (1985). That they could do something above and beyond what the government wanted to do, just with a postal order. Hide
Songwriting helps me sort out my personal problems. With acting, you're just a tool for someone's id Show more
Songwriting helps me sort out my personal problems. With acting, you're just a tool for someone's ideas. Hide
Spandau Ballet is a brand name. Part of me never wants to do it again. Part of me is fascinated of w Show more
Spandau Ballet is a brand name. Part of me never wants to do it again. Part of me is fascinated of what it would be like. Because we spent the most amazing time together. Hide
I think that Will Young is this generation's Des O'Connor or Max Bygraves. Where is the sex, drama a Show more
I think that Will Young is this generation's Des O'Connor or Max Bygraves. Where is the sex, drama and outrage in music anymore? Hide
Punk was sort of an angry stance against things that had happened just before, against the pop of gl Show more
Punk was sort of an angry stance against things that had happened just before, against the pop of glam rock, against progressive rock. Music had become very staid and it was about the playing and people obsessed. Eric Clapton was God and we needed an enema within the art form, and punk did do that. Hide
What we did have then is no Internet, a youth culture that had to find itself on the streets and one Show more
What we did have then is no Internet, a youth culture that had to find itself on the streets and one that was rather brave in the way it presented itself as well because we were sort of dressing up on a shoestring. I think we liked the theatre of youth culture and pop culture that we'd fallen in love with like Bowie [David Bowie] and people like that. Hide
Kevin Costner told me that "True" was his and his wife's song. I'm not sure if that's a good thing b Show more
Kevin Costner told me that "True" was his and his wife's song. I'm not sure if that's a good thing because they split up soon after. Hide
I remember Paul Weller saying to me, "Why aren't you writing a song about the miners?" I said, "Why Show more
I remember Paul Weller saying to me, "Why aren't you writing a song about the miners?" I said, "Why aren't you, Paul?" Hide
The thought of going on tour with people like Toyah Willcox is just appalling. I'm certainly not tem Show more
The thought of going on tour with people like Toyah Willcox is just appalling. I'm certainly not tempted. Hide
We owe a lot to Iggy [Iggy Pop]. When we first walked into those Billy's and Blitz clubs, that was b Show more
We owe a lot to Iggy [Iggy Pop]. When we first walked into those Billy's and Blitz clubs, that was basically called Bowie [David Bowie] night. And I think "Nightclubbing" was being played, that was one of the first tracks we heard in there. Everything from Bowie to Lou Reed to Iggy to Kraftwerk, that was the soundtrack that we were inspired by in 1979 when we formed Spandau Ballet. Hide
Gary Kemp's FILMOGRAPHY
as Actor (72)
