News | Entertainment
9 May 2025 20:11
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
     09 May: Andy Cohen thinks he's a good kisser
     09 May: Maren Morris finds co-parenting with Ryan Hurd easy
     09 May: Miley Cyrus found "a lot of [her] relationships burned down" when she lost her home in a fire
     09 May: Sean Penn feared he'd set his children up for "humiliation" when he cast them in 'Flag Day'
     09 May: Charlie Cox thought Jamie Dornan he was "too good looking" to make it in Hollywood
     09 May: Bethenny Frankel's daughter begged her to move to Florida
     09 May: Justin Bieber finds love "exhausting"
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Auckland FC have had All Blacks great Dan Carter in camp to help them prepare for the A-League finals More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Businessman and convicted sex offender James Wallace has failed in a bid to lift his release conditions More...



     Today's News

    Entertainment:
    Andy Cohen thinks he's a good kisser 19:59

    Entertainment:
    Maren Morris finds co-parenting with Ryan Hurd easy 19:29

    Entertainment:
    Miley Cyrus found "a lot of [her] relationships burned down" when she lost her home in a fire 18:59

    Environment:
    There's flooding on Auckland's North Shore, as wild weather smashes the upper North Island 18:57

    Law and Order:
    Police are investigating an unexplained death in Parakao, west of Whangarei 18:37

    Entertainment:
    Sean Penn feared he'd set his children up for "humiliation" when he cast them in 'Flag Day' 18:29

    Living & Travel:
    Where does Pope Leo XIV stand on key issues facing the Catholic Church? 18:17

    Business:
    Businessman and convicted sex offender James Wallace has failed in a bid to lift his release conditions 18:07

    Entertainment:
    Charlie Cox thought Jamie Dornan he was "too good looking" to make it in Hollywood 17:59

    International:
    Pope Leo XIV has already told us a lot about himself, and his agenda in 10 minutes 17:37


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd