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| MVC Interview 2 |
| On writing 'True' In the US, it's had over three million plays. In America, it's a big song. It's had so many plays because it gets played on black radio and white radio, which is something even The Beatles couldn't get. It's an honour, I suppose, that it ended up doing so well. Even nowadays, it was on the 'Charlie's Angels' film, and is always popping up everywhere. I just remember being 22, sitting on my bed at my mum and dad's house, where I still lived at that time, in Islington. I guess I was an Al Green fan, and I'd come out of writing rather stark electronic dance things and doing the funk of 'Chant No.1', and I really thought that we couldn't be a funk band any more. That we couldn't just do London clubs. And if we were really going to do what I'd said in that documentary and sell records, we had to get out of town. I wanted to make a sound that was much more universal than the sound we'd made on the first album. I was always into soul music, and I wanted to make a blue-eyed soul album. We went to Nassau, to Compass Point Studios, where Grace Jones was, and Sly & Robbie worked. Robert Palmer did those nice blue-eyed soul albums there. It was owned by Island Records. I went equipped with all these pop songs and it was a nice relief for me, because I didn't have to write hip dance music or try and stay culty. I thought "maybe I'll write a bunch of songs about love, or unrequited love and passion". And use my influences from Marvin Gaye and Al Green, but mixed with stuff that is me - a white background. That's how I ended up writing 'True'. On Acting There was this amazing woman who had this amazing club in Islington, just across the road from where we [Gary and his brother Martin] lived and we just went across there by chance when we were very young. It was all improvisation and we didn't really know we were acting, but at the same time, we were doing stand-up therapy, because we were doing scenes about being bullied or scenes about being late home or having a hard time with your parents. We were exorcising it all and we suddenly found ourselves doing TV and film. I did a film when I was 11 for the Children's Film Foundation, and those films were always with great actors and 35mm. This one had a Royal Premier at Shaftesbury Avenue, because it was the 21st Anniversary of the Children's Film Foundation. I remember being interviewed on 'Film '71' and I remember being asked, "do you want to be an actor when you grow up?" and I said, "no, I want to be a journalist"! But I left the acting club when I was 16 because I wanted to be a musician and be in a band and be a pop star. On the band's split We [Gary and his brother Martin] did the film [1990's 'The Krays'] and it was incredible to be cast in those iconic roles. I think it was a great script and a great movie from Peter Medac. But I think we wanted to take a break after that. We didn't really split, and there was no sort of agreement we'd have a hiatus. I know my brother fancied a break and I fancied a break. For 10 years, I'd been writing for this band and when the '80s ended, there was a sense that something new would happen. We thought, "let's move on a little bit. Take a break". And I went to Hollywood and did 'The Bodyguard' [1992] and a couple of other things. And Martin started making other movies and gradually we [Spandau] kind of never got back together. There was always one of us that didn't want to make the album at any time. And then Blur and Oasis happened and it felt like, "we shouldn't be making a record now". Apart from the fact that we ended up having a rather public fight over stuff, which is a bit sad. I don't think there's ever been a time when all five of us have wanted to make that album again. That's why, in a way, even though we did have that public fight, it's nice for me to be able to compile these records. That still keep the name alive, that are proof that this was a big event. I'm still in love with the band and the music we made - I don't sit around and listen to it, but I want people to have the right memories of the group. And not just the absolute pop side of the band. The band had roots that were really interesting. On appearing in the stage show 'Art' It was great. I really enjoyed it - I loved it. It was the same kind of buzz as going out with the band. Actors were shocked that I was going to do it, and said, "you know, it's really scary". I did enjoy it and I worked with great actors and it's a brilliant play. I loved the West End and going to work there every day and being part of that theatre history. People forget what that area was all about. It was all about the theatre and to play a part in that was really nice. On his brother Martin He's just finished a 90-minute drama for ITV, coming out in September. He's just about to start a series that he's doing for ITV, which will be on in the New Year. He was talking to me about a film with Harvey Keitel the other day! He's a very talented actor, a really well liked man and a decent human being and I think people admire him. They admire him for what he's been through and for the fact that there aren't many bass players in rock music who end up with another career. And, of course, he's a writer as well and had a top-10 book [his autobiography 'True']. On the present and the future I'm doing some writing for other people, doing some production. I like being back in pop music and would like to do more work with young bands. I'm doing different bits of making music, and doing music has always been more of a buzz for me than acting. I do hanker after getting back on stage [with the band], though. I don't see any point in getting back on stage with a bunch of people that I hardly know and playing small clubs. The only way to ever do it is for all five of us [Spandau Ballet] to agree and to go out and play that music. I'm not trying to make it happen, but I hope it does one day because it would be a shame if it didn't because there are only five people that could ever be Spandau Ballet and be those original five. We're the only people who could ever play that music. I think I'd really like to be able to give it another try at some stage. I think I'll have to see what the other half say. Emma Badger @ www.mvc.co.uk |
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