Tony Hadley has dismissed the idea of reuniting with Spandau Ballet, saying he hasn’t spoken to most of his former bandmates in nearly a decade and doesn’t believe getting back together would work.
The former frontman, now 65, left the band in 2017 citing “circumstances beyond my control”. While Gary Kemp recently hinted at the possibility of another tour, Hadley was caught off guard by the suggestion.
“Really? That’s news to me,” he told Classic Pop. “I don’t think it would work. I haven’t seen Gary, Martin or John in eight years. Steve’s the only one I’m vaguely in contact with.”
Spandau Ballet’s last tour was overshadowed by illness, after drummer John Keeble had to step back due to health issues. “We had some good laughs on the last tour,” Hadley recalled, “then unfortunately John fell ill and it wasn’t the same without him. That was difficult.”
Despite the disconnect, Hadley holds no hard feelings.
“I wish Gary, Martin and John well, but I’m happy doing what I’m doing. I love the freedom I have now, the fact I can go from a bit of swing to a bit of rock. You can’t do that within the confines of a band.”
Why “Gold” Still Shines
Spandau Ballet’s 1983 hit Gold remains a staple of Hadley’s solo setlist, though he admits he occasionally zones out while performing it.
“You can’t fail with Gold. There are times I get distracted singing it. I’ll suddenly come to and think, ‘God, what’s the second verse?’ I get round it by going, ‘Right, you lot can sing it…’”
One decision still puzzles him: why the band left Gold out of their Live Aid performance.
“My one issue with Gold is, why didn’t we play it at Live Aid? I think it’s because we didn’t think we could reproduce the orchestral touches at Wembley. Whatever, it didn’t make any sense to me why we didn’t do it.”
Four Decades On: Hadley’s Voice and Legacy
With over 40 years in the industry, Hadley says his distinctive voice has been central to his identity as an artist.
“I’ve always had a big voice and it’s always sounded like me. That gives me an identity, whether you like my voice or not.”
He’s never been interested in technical perfection.
“Loads of singers can do more vocal twiddles than me and are technically better, but that’s not what I’m interested in.”
Hadley continues to tour and record as a solo artist, mixing genres and embracing the independence that comes without a band.
