News | Entertainment
18 Sep 2025 0:15
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Gary Kemp believes musicians who struggle with fame "shouldn't be in the business"

    The Spandau Ballet guitarist suggested the likes of Chappell Roan - who has repeatedly complained about the scrutiny she has faced and being "yelled at in public" by fans - should lead "anonymous" lives instead, though he acknowledged up-and-coming artists may not realise what life in the public eye is like until it is too late


    He told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "I mean, really, you shouldn't be in the business If you really feel like that, should you? Maybe you should just go out anonymous and never put a video out or a photograph out... but maybe they don't know until it's happened to them and then it becomes tricky."

    Gary believes his brother, former bandmate Martin Kemp, is "more of a celebrity" than he is.

    He said: "He's more of a celebrity than me. Years and years ago, fame was something that could get you a table at a restaurant or get you nearer to the front of the queue."

    And the 65-year-old songwriter is uncomfortable with the modern idea of stars being more open about their lives, particularly through social media.

    He said: "I loved Bowie when he was full of mystique. I didn't really like him when he went on 'TFI [Friday]' and told dad jokes."

    Gary - who has Finlay, 34, with ex-wife Sadie Frost, and Milo, 20, Kit, 16, and 12-year-old Rex with wife Lauren Barber - doesn't think Spandau Ballet received the credit they deserved at the height of their fame in the 1980s because of their largely female fanbase.

    He said: "If you're a good-looking band, you'll tend to have a lot of girls following you... and if that was the case in the 1980s, you weren't worthy. Blokey bands that had more men following them would be seen to be better musicians, for some reason - I have no idea why that is other than sexism, because you know us and Duran [Duran], who did have a lot of female followers, all played our instruments really well.

    "All wrote pretty good songs, were all great singers, but for some reason, we were discredited by that, especially by a lot of the male music writers from the time."

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     17 Sep: Paris Hilton has a room in her home dedicated to housing her collection of 10,000 sunglasses
     17 Sep: Meg Stalter shunned the formal dress code and wore jeans to the Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday (14.09.25)
     17 Sep: Neil Young made a dash to hospital after his show in California over the weekend due to an "unexpected health emergency in the family"
     17 Sep: Mark Ronson has recalled the bizarre night he spent in Michael Jackson's hotel room when he was 13
     17 Sep: Hacks is ending with season five
     17 Sep: Reba McEntire and Rex Linn are engaged
     17 Sep: Sofia Vergara had to miss the Emmy Awards on Sunday night (14.09.25) after being rushed to hospital
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    World champion high jumper Hamish Kerr has fired a warning to his rivals that he believes a strong offseason will take him to another level More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    A warning from a Government watchdog - for councils to manage their finances carefully More...



     Today's News

    Rugby:
    World champion high jumper Hamish Kerr has fired a warning to his rivals that he believes a strong offseason will take him to another level 21:57

    Entertainment:
    Paris Hilton has a room in her home dedicated to housing her collection of 10,000 sunglasses 21:31

    International:
    Hasan Piker opens up on Charlie Kirk's death, Donald Trump and Elon Musk's campaign against him 21:27

    Rugby:
    The Black Ferns are under no illusions of what lies ahead with Canada standing between them and a spot in the Rugby World Cup final 21:17

    Entertainment:
    Meg Stalter shunned the formal dress code and wore jeans to the Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday (14.09.25) 21:01

    Entertainment:
    Neil Young made a dash to hospital after his show in California over the weekend due to an "unexpected health emergency in the family" 20:31

    Entertainment:
    Mark Ronson has recalled the bizarre night he spent in Michael Jackson's hotel room when he was 13 20:01

    Entertainment:
    Hacks is ending with season five 19:31

    Environment:
    Firefighters are continuing to fight one large scrub fire in Canterbury, fuelled by strong winds and forestry slash 19:07

    International:
    What time does Gout Gout run at World Athletics Championships? How to watch Gout Gout's 200m heat 19:07


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd