JOURNEYS TO GLORY

Biography (last updated 27/11/09)

Gary James Kemp (d.o.b 16/10/1959) is truly one of the most talented men of our time. Born in St Bart's hospital, North London, to Eileen and Frank, making him a true cockney. Gary and his younger brother Martin were bought up in humble surroundings on the middle floor of a 4 storey house at 138 Rotherfield Street in Islington.

Gary like most older brothers enjoyed teasing his younger brother and Martin tells in his biography how Gary would often terrify with stories of a hand that was hiding under his bed and was creeping up his blankets; this backfired though when Martin was taken into his mother's bed leaving Gary to face the monsters, that he had created, alone.

Gary’s father worked in a print shop and although the Kemps did not have much money, this did not stop Eileen and Frank doing their very best for their 2 sons. Both Gary and Martin attended the Anna Scher drama school, which was just across the road from where they lived, twice a week, on a Tuesday and a Thursday for the princely sum of ten pence.

The first "proper job" Gary had was in 1970 when he won a small part in the children’s TV programme "Jackanory" with his brother Martin. Both boys played Arsenal supporters (Gary still supports Arsenal), and Gary had one line “Yeah, we’re on our way home”, however Gary’s first big break came when he was offered the main part in a "Children’s Film Foundation" production called "Hide & Seek", which was given a Royal Premiere.

Despite his acting success Gary quickly realised that music was the direction which he wanted to go. His father bought him his first guitar when he was 11 for the sum of £5, and this led to Gary quickly learning two cords. Armed with this knowledge Gary started, what was to be his life’s work, writing songs. Which later resulted in such classics as ‘True’, Gold,‘Through the Barricades’. and 'Only When You Leave'

Gary’s first efforts were performed at his schools (Rotherfield Infants) prize giving. "Jesus rode through Nazareth" so impressed the Bishop of Stepney that he visited Gary's home and presented him with a tape recorder and requested that Gary send him any songs that he recorded.

Gary left school at 16 and quickly found employment with the Financial Times, around the same time he also discovered real ale, which contributed, one Christmas, to him having a severe back ache, it was at this time that it was discovered that Gary only has one kidney (Martin has 3).

Music gradually began to play a bigger part in Gary's life with the forming of his group “The Makers” which consisted of himself of the guitar, Tony Hadley as vocals, Steve Norman on guitar, John Keeble on drums and Richard Miller on bass guitar. The band changed its name twice in a relatively short space of time, firstly to "The Gentry" during which time Richard Miller, on the advice of Steve Dagger (their manager) was replaced by Gary’s brother Martin. It was left to Gary to teach Martin how to play the bass guitar, which he did in less than 3 weeks. In 1979, the name was changed again to Spandau Ballet which was the idea of Robert Elms.

During the 80’s Spandau Ballet enjoyed a string of massive hits including True which reached number 1, and was directly influenced by Gary's love of Marvin Gaye and Al Green. Gold, Through the Barricades, Only When You Leave, and Chant no 1, to name but a few. They released 6 albums.(see Spandau Ballet).

In 1988 Gary married the young actress Sadie Frost, sadly this marriage was not to last and they divorced in 1997.

1990 was a big year for Gary as not only did it see the birth of his son Finlay Munro (20/9/90), but the release of the film “The Krays”, with Gary and Martin playing the parts of the notorious gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray. As part of the research for this film both Gary and Martin visited Ronnie in Broadmoor. The Kemp brother’s roles as “The Krays” were to earn them both a nomination for best debut performance at the 1990 Fennecus Awards.

The early 90’s saw Gary, turn his back, a little, on music, and return to acting, and he stared in a number of films including “The Bodyguard“, “Magic Hunter” and “Paper Marriage”. By 1994, however Gary was missing his music and returned to the recording studios to produce what has been, to date, his only solo album “Little Bruises”. This was released in 1995 and to promote it Gary embarked on a tour of the UK, Ireland and Italy.

In 2001 Gary showed that he could turn his hand to almost anything by appearing in the West End in a play called "Art" along side Charlie Lawson and James Gaddas, both of Coronation Street fame. Gary, although now not, so much in the public eye, has remained busy. He appeared in the film 'Dog Eat Dog' and he still writes for other performers. He has tried his hand at writing the music for plays including “Bed Bug” (written by Snoo Wilson), which was performed during 2004 as part of the NT Shell Connections programme and cumalated in a performance at the National Theater in London which Gary attended.

Gary has also finished what may be considered to be his life’s challenge, that of writing a musical for the West End along side Guy Pratt (of Pink Floyd fame). This is to be called "Terrible Beauty" and is the story of the complex relationship between the Irish poet Yeats and the revolutionary Maud Gonne.

Gary's private life has also given him cause for celebration, his move to a very nice property in central London in February 2002, his marriage to the "very pretty" Lauren Barber on 30th August 2003, and the birth of baby Milo Wolf Kemp on 14th July 2004 (exactly the date predicted by Gary at Pignight).

Professionally Gary has recently filmed a part in a film called "American Daylight" which was premiered at the London Film Festival. In 2004 Gary finished putting together a DVD entitled ‘Spandau Ballet - Live at the NEC‘, qhich was reeleased in 2005and is currently collaborating on a book about Spandau Ballet.

In May 2004 Gary made his long awaited return to the stage in a play called "Pignight" (written by Snoo Wilson) at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London in which he captivatingly played a German POW and also a gangster. Indications were that we would not have to wait so long to see him in his next production as Gary returned to the stage in 2005 in the excellent play 'The Rubenstein Kiss' for which Gary received a nomination for Bwst Supporting acting for his portrayal of FBI agent Paul Cramner.

In 2006 Gary was once more behind the camera filming a multitude of roles for the Barry Bliss film 'Poppies'which was approriatly shown at the Imperial War Museums, in both Manchester, and London as part of the Rememberance Day commemorations. Another Barry Bliss film 'Other Peoples Lives, also featuring Gary is yet to be released. Finally Gary appeared in the Christmas Special of Casualty. Musically although disappointingly Gary has still not returned to the stage himself, he has kept busy musically, by writing and encouraging the next generation of musicians, including Karen Bishko, Ben Parker, Anne Leddra-Chapman and Laura Critchley, amongst others. Gary is also writing with Steve Norman and recently went to New York to write with Steve Lambert. 2008 was a very special year as it saw the first public musical peformance by Gary for 15 years at Bristol's Colston Hall and also bought both Kemp brothers together in a new British film 'The Rapture'(release date to be confirmed).

2009 has bought tears and heartbreak to Gary when his beloved parents died within a few days of each other, but joy at the birth of his 3rd son 'Kit', and when it was finally confirmed at a press conference aboard the HMS Belfast that Spandau Ballet were to reform. Gary has recently released his autobiography 'I know this much'  and he is currently busy promoting Spandau Ballet's new single, and album, both titled 'Once More' and the  'Reformation' tour which is to take place later this year and into 2010.