Spandau Ballet was one of the most successful British bands of the 1980s. They were renowned for their catchy synth-pop sound and stylish image, and for spawning a new genre of music called ‘New Romantic’. But when did Spandau Ballet split up? This article will explore their formation and subsequent split.
Spandau Ballet’s Formation
Formed in 1979, Spandau Ballet was a British New Wave band from Islington, London. The five members of the band were Gary Kemp, Steve Norman, John Keeble, Tony Hadley and Martin-Charles Kemp. The band’s name was taken from a German article about the ‘Spandau Prison’ in Berlin, which was made famous by the imprisonment of Nazi war criminal Rudolph Hess.
The band’s first album, Journeys to Glory, was released in 1981 and was a commercial success. The album featured the hit single “To Cut a Long Story Short” and helped to establish the band as one of the leading acts of the New Wave era.
The Band’s Split
Spandau Ballet continued to enjoy success throughout the 1980s, with their third album True becoming their biggest hit in 1983. The band’s fortunes began to decline in the late 1980s, however, and by 1989 the members had decided to go their separate ways.
The band’s split was initially amicable, with the members citing creative differences as the reason for their decision. Despite this, tensions between the band members eventually led to a legal dispute over royalties, which was eventually settled out of court.
Spandau Ballet split up in 1989 after a decade of success and helped to pave the way for the New Wave genre. While their split was initially amicable, tensions between the members eventually led to a legal dispute. Despite this, the band’s legacy still lives on to this day.