News | Entertainment
15 Oct 2025 6:48
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
     15 Oct: Bill Nighy doesn't trust anyone who wears shoes without socks and believes knees are a "private business"
     15 Oct: Matthew Rhys is "terrified" about playing Richard Burton on stage in a new one-man play
     14 Oct: Abducted by Hamas, Noa never lost hope she would see her 'soulmate' again
     14 Oct: Busy Philipps and Joshua Jackson were "giving the people what they want" when they passionately kissed during the Dawson's Creek reunion
     14 Oct: Jacob Elordi longs to become a father one day because having kids will make him "the happiest person in the world"
     14 Oct: George R.R. Martin has "always had trouble" with deadlines
     14 Oct: Two men have been charged with the murder of Ian Watkins
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    No qualms from former All Blacks halfback Ant Strachan over the trio of scrum-halves selected in the New Zealand development XV squad More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    First home buyers could be the winners - after consultation on a Reserve Bank proposal More...



     Today's News

    Entertainment:
    Bill Nighy doesn't trust anyone who wears shoes without socks and believes knees are a "private business" 6:41

    Entertainment:
    Matthew Rhys is "terrified" about playing Richard Burton on stage in a new one-man play 6:11

    Law and Order:
    A man's due to appear in Tauranga District Court today, charged with the murder of a six-month-old baby earlier this year, in the Manawatu-Whanganui region's Foxton Beach 5:37

    Rugby League:
    Warriors teammates Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will go head-to-head at fullback in Sunday's Pacific Championship match between the Kiwis and Samoa in Auckland 5:37

    Accident and Emergency:
    State Highway 1 south of Ward in Marlborough has re-opened, after a person died in a crash just before 3 yesterday afternoon 5:27

    Motoring:
    Several key central North Island highways remain closed after severe weather 5:17

    Law and Order:
    Palestinian prisoners reunite with loved ones in Gaza and West Bank, many alleging mistreatment 4:37

    Entertainment:
    Abducted by Hamas, Noa never lost hope she would see her 'soulmate' again 21:47

    Entertainment:
    Busy Philipps and Joshua Jackson were "giving the people what they want" when they passionately kissed during the Dawson's Creek reunion 21:41

    Entertainment:
    Jacob Elordi longs to become a father one day because having kids will make him "the happiest person in the world" 21:11


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd