News | Entertainment
5 Nov 2025 12:49
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
     05 Nov: Julia Fox has insisted her Halloween costume paid tribute to the "extraordinary bravery" of Jackie Kennedy
     05 Nov: Teri Hatcher thinks it is "unfair" of famous women to "lie" about having cosmetic surgery
     05 Nov: Justin Baldoni has missed a deadline to appeal his lawsuits against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and the New York Times
     05 Nov: Sean 'Diddy' Combs has a job in his prison's laundry room
     05 Nov: Heidi Klum had wanted to be a "super-ugly" Medusa for "quite some time"
     05 Nov: Famke Janssen says she has never been approached by Marvel to reprise her role as Jean Grey
     05 Nov: Lily Collins has marked her daughter Tove's first Halloween in style by giving her two costumes
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    One All Black will play no further part on rugby's end-of-year grand slam tour More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    The Reserve Bank says the country certainly isn't out of the woods, but our banks remain well placed to weather what comes next More...



     Today's News

    International:
    Zohran Mamdani favourite to become New York mayor as polls open in US elections 12:47

    Entertainment:
    Julia Fox has insisted her Halloween costume paid tribute to the "extraordinary bravery" of Jackie Kennedy 12:37

    Soccer:
    Liverpool manager Arne Slot's keeping his feet on the ground after a morale-boosting victory 12:37

    Law and Order:
    Christchurch Police are looking for four young people - after two attempted robberies last night 12:27

    Entertainment:
    Teri Hatcher thinks it is "unfair" of famous women to "lie" about having cosmetic surgery 12:07

    Rugby:
    One All Black will play no further part on rugby's end-of-year grand slam tour 11:47

    Entertainment:
    Justin Baldoni has missed a deadline to appeal his lawsuits against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and the New York Times 11:37

    Politics:
    ASIO boss warns of ‘realistic possibility’ foreign government could attempt to kill a dissident in Australia 11:17

    International:
    David Beckham receives knighthood from King Charles at Windsor, with wife to be known as Lady Beckham 11:17

    Entertainment:
    Sean 'Diddy' Combs has a job in his prison's laundry room 11:07


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd