News | Entertainment
13 Jan 2026 2:36
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."

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     12 Jan: Hilary Duff and Mandy Moore reportedly feel "blindsided" by Ashley Tisdale's controversial essay
     12 Jan: Sophie Turner has admitted the Game of Thrones theme song has given her "PTSD"
     12 Jan: Alan Cumming accidentally injured Pedro Pascal during the making of Avengers: Doomsday
     12 Jan: Mark Hamill's biggest regret is missing the chance to work with Harrison Ford in the Star Wars sequel trilogy
     12 Jan: Sarah Michelle Gellar "sometimes" struggles with feeling confident in herself
     12 Jan: LaKeith Stanfield has been appointed an ambassador for Dior
     12 Jan: Ethan Slater "tries not to tell stories" about his son
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    All Black halfback-in-waiting Dylan Pledger will miss 12 months of rugby after rupturing an ACL during pre-season training with the Highlanders More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    US-based manufacturing firm's presented Auckland tech firm Rakon a 356 million dollar takeover bid More...



     Today's News

    Politics:
    Iran claims mass protests 'under total control' as death toll climbs to 544 22:07

    Christchurch:
    Three people are seriously injured and another has moderate injuries after two vehicles collided on Canterbury's Rakaia Highway, just before six this evening 21:57

    Entertainment:
    Hilary Duff and Mandy Moore reportedly feel "blindsided" by Ashley Tisdale's controversial essay 21:53

    Entertainment:
    Sophie Turner has admitted the Game of Thrones theme song has given her "PTSD" 21:23

    Law and Order:
    Christchurch Police are seeking a man believed to be linked to a Sydenham arson before Christmas 21:17

    Entertainment:
    Alan Cumming accidentally injured Pedro Pascal during the making of Avengers: Doomsday 20:53

    Entertainment:
    Mark Hamill's biggest regret is missing the chance to work with Harrison Ford in the Star Wars sequel trilogy 20:23

    Entertainment:
    Sarah Michelle Gellar "sometimes" struggles with feeling confident in herself 19:53

    Politics:
    Why are people protesting in Iran? Mass anti-government demonstrations continue 19:37

    Entertainment:
    LaKeith Stanfield has been appointed an ambassador for Dior 19:23


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd