News | Entertainment
11 Jan 2026 19:49
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
     11 Jan: Bonnie Blue is planning a "bonkers" £100,000 stunt to mark the first anniversary of her infamous world sex record
     11 Jan: Mia Goth used to steal all her clothes
     11 Jan: Brigitte Bardot endured a secret battle with cancer prior to her death, according to her husband Bernard d'Ormale
     11 Jan: Hilary Duff's husband had launched a scathing attack on "self-obsessed" Ashley Tisdale
     11 Jan: Julia Roberts has a "long-held dream" of returning to theatre 20 years after she made her debut on Broadway
     11 Jan: Justin Baldoni accused Blake Lively of "setting [him] up for a trap" during the making of It Ends With Us
     11 Jan: Leigh-Anne Pinnock's husband Andre Gray went to therapy to save their marriage after he "broke" her heart
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    New Zealand Giant Slalom skiing star Alice Robinson isn't switching focus despite surprise showings in a different discipline More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    If you think you're paying too much for a cup of coffee, there's good news and bad More...



     Today's News

    Entertainment:
    Bonnie Blue is planning a "bonkers" £100,000 stunt to mark the first anniversary of her infamous world sex record 19:23

    Cricket:
    Black Caps captain Michael Bracewell is trying to not look too far ahead as his side ramps up their T20 Cricket World Cup prep 18:57

    Entertainment:
    Mia Goth used to steal all her clothes 18:53

    Auckland:
    A car flipped on its roof in the Auckland suburb of Birkenhead this afternoon, in one of several accidents across the city 18:37

    Entertainment:
    Brigitte Bardot endured a secret battle with cancer prior to her death, according to her husband Bernard d'Ormale 18:23

    Environment:
    MetService has released stats showing weather extremes from the past 24 hours 18:07

    Entertainment:
    Hilary Duff's husband had launched a scathing attack on "self-obsessed" Ashley Tisdale 17:53

    Business:
    If you think you're paying too much for a cup of coffee, there's good news and bad 17:27

    Entertainment:
    Julia Roberts has a "long-held dream" of returning to theatre 20 years after she made her debut on Broadway 17:23

    Cricket:
    The Wellington Blaze have posted an imposing 165 for six batting first against the Northern Brave in the women's T20 Super Smash in the capita;l 16:57


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd