The Last Post Ever

Hello everyone,

I'm very sorry to announce this, but this will be the last post I ever publish on to this blog. I really can't go into much detail about why, as that's my private business, but all I can say is that I have a lot on my mind right now, and need to take a step back in order to reevaluate my life.

I would like to thank all of you for your support over the three years this blog has been running, without you, it wouldn't have been possible, especially when the page on twitter was combined with another group of people to make it a Spandau/Ultravox joint fan group.

In retrospect, I have absolutely no regrets about making the page/blog in the first place. I really love a lot of bands and sharing my interest for many different causes with you guys has always meant a lot to be. I'll be taking a lot of happy memories with me, that's for sure.

Thank you and goodbye.

#TBT

This throwback Thursday...enjoy some photos of Spandau Ballet at Live Aid, as yesterday marked 31 years since the classic event. These were featured in yesterday's post, but I thought I'd show them again for old time's sake.

Through the Barricades...30 years on!

On this day in 1986 (July 14th), Spandau Ballet released their fifth studio album, entitled Through the Barricades, followed by a huge world tour to commence in 1986/87.

What is your favourite track from this classic album?

Live Aid 31st Anniversary

Live Aid happened 31 years ago (13th July 1985). Sadly I wasn't born in time to witness it, but for the people who did, certainly did remark it was one of the best evenings of their lives. A whole array of amazing acts, would definitely secure one of the biggest number of viewers ever known, both in the UK and across the pond.

Spandau Ballet certainly did steal the show! And when I got to watch it on YouTube for the first time, I was certainly bowled over by their performance...well to make a reference...it was GOLD!!

Did you tune in to see it all to the very end...or was there a certain band you just wanted to see? I know for me it was definitely Spandau Ballet and Ultravox!

Spandau Ballet split rumours debunked!!

Hello everybody!

It seems to me there is a lot of rumours going round that Tony Hadley et al are not getting back together,  many fans have shared screenshots of an apparent news article where Hadley states that they probably won't get back together as they are doing "other things".

As the owner of a well renowned Spandau fan page, here's my two cents on the whole situation

Well, don't believe everything that you read online. Even Gary Kemp himself has said that this is rubbish and stated that Steve Norman and John Keeble have wanted to be involved in more SB projects.

Spandau Ballet definitely surprised us in 2014 with the release of their greatest hits compilation "The Story", with the addition of three new tracks, a documentary film "Soul Boys of the Western World" and a tour titled after the former to commence the next year. Maybe we will be surprised again. Only time will tell...

Where have I been?

Hello everybody!

Sorry for the extremely long hiatus from this blog, I totally forgot about it! I only logged on to check another one I was currently working on, and there it was! I cannot believe it has been just under two years since my last post - in which I shared my happiness in going to see SB at the Sheffield Motorpoint Arena last year. I feel so guilty - I have 18 months of catching up to do!

As well as forgetting about it, I've been extremely busy too with regards to my GCSE exams and getting through the first year of an extremely tough course at college too. Certainly no time to be sitting around updating blogs! But now I'm on summer break, there will be plenty of time to do just that.

As some of you know, I run the site The Spandau Army on Twitter (see link at the end), and it has continued to grow over the four years that I have ran it. I now have the popular radio station Absolute Radio 80s following us, as well as SB's official page and two of the members following us. I've also now officially have had tweets from all of them now, the last one being Tony. Competitive pages have come and gone over this period of time, but I would like to thank my followers for being loyal and supportive throughout. There will always be a never-ending supply of trolls but they're easily handled. Sadly, however, after being hacked

Like I mentioned earlier, I went to see the band on their SBWW tour just scarce months after the film debuted in cinemas. I honestly cannot fault it, it was a brilliant night and just great to have seen a band that I hold dear to my heart live. They were absolutely outstanding. Being the rebel that I am, I did take some pictures and did upload one of the videos I took to YouTube, I'll post a link at the end.

Link to my Spandau Ballet fan site: http://twitter.com/SpandauArmy
Link to my video taken from the gig: https://youtu.be/vGlToYgUwg0

Soul Boys of the Western World review

As most of you know, the UK premiere for the all new Spandau Ballet documentary "Soul Boys of the Western World" premiered in cinemas all across the country last Tuesday, with a special live performance following that. When I was sitting watching the film with my friend, I was very surprised that there was only roughly 20 people dotted around the cinema, not many at all! I guess Yorkshire isn't home to, if any, Spandau fans. It took forever to come on, and when it did, first impressions did last! The opening part where each member discussed how they took interest to music, where they grew up in the Swingin' Sixties was really good. They were all quite cute as little boys, especially Steve Norman, where my friend was literally drooling! I liked where they all had a chance to speak, their own personal opinion about the band. The best bit, in my eye, was when they were discussing the making of the True album in the Bahamas. Definitely plenty of eye candy there, ladies! I noticed that their fan base had a higher proportion of women. Maybe because there's (at the time), five good looking men on stage, flaunting themselves in skin tight leather and luxury Anthony Price suits. Towards the middle of the film, when it flashes back to 1979 when Gary says "We don't want to lose each other" - who could possibly think he was foreshadowing the band's demise! This is the first time I've heard this - but Gary Kemp? A bully? I can't believe he picked on Tony Hadley like he did! But take it from personal experience, not everyone gets on with him. Enjoyed the bit about The Krays and Spandau living their separate lives in the 1990s, but when it got to the court case in 1999, from what I've read in "I Know This Much", it was a very stressful period in the band's history. Ten years later when they reformed, I breath a huge sigh of relief. I haven't even discovered Spandau Ballet yet (I was 10 in 2009) but a band as good as this by certain needs an excellent comeback and oh boy they sure did! What a fantastic film and a cracking good way to end it!

I was very disappointed that they only got the chance to answer only 3 questions, it would have been better if they could have answered more. 

I think the highlight of the whole night was the actual live performance at the end. TCALSS and Chant No.1 have been given a brand new, upbeat, 21st century punk sound - it was great!! It sounded just as good as the original eighties version! True and Only When You Leave were good as well!! I wish I was there in front of them!

Overall, it was a really good night and I highly recommend the film to new and old Spandau Ballet fans. 5/5!!! 

Megan