Gary Kemp
| Gary Kemp | |
|---|---|
Kemp performing in October 2009
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gary James Kemp |
| Born |
16 October 1959 Smithfield, London, England, United Kingdom |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1979–present |
| Labels | |
| Associated acts | |
| Website |
Official website Original Site |
| Notable instruments | |
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Fender Telecaster |
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Gary James Kemp (born 16 October 1959) is a British pop musician and actor who is the guitar player and chief songwriter for the 1980s new wave band Spandau Ballet. His brother, Martin Kemp, plays bass guitar in the band. Gary Kemp also provided backing vocals on many of the tracks to lead singer Tony Hadley.
Kemp was born of parents Eileen and Frank Kemp in St Bartholomew's Hospital, Smithfield, London, and grew up in Islington, London, in a working class family. He attended Rotherfield Junior School and Dame Alice Owen's school in Islington. He was active in the Anna Scher Children's Theatre drama club, along with his brother, Martin. In 1968 he began appearing in TV and film, including a role in the 1972 film Hide & Seek, alongside Roy Dotrice.
Kemp eventually decided to concentrate on a career in music, and in the late 1970s, he formed a band called The Cut with school friends. The band became the Makers and the Gentry, and was eventually renamed Spandau Ballet.
After recording Spandau Ballet's final album, Heart Like a Sky, Kemp and his brother returned to acting. He earned criticism from his fellow band members, Tony Hadley, Steve Norman and John Keeble, but received good reviews for his performance as Ronnie Kray in The Krays (1990). The success of this film was the death-knell for Spandau Ballet.
In 1999, Hadley, Norman and Keeble attempted to sue Kemp for alleged unpaid royalties. They claimed that an agreement had existed between Kemp and the rest of the band, whereby Kemp, who was the main songwriter in the band, would pay his bandmates a share of the royalties earned. The claims were vigorously denied by Kemp, and Hadley, Norman and Keeble subsequently lost their court case. Although initially vowing to appeal the verdict, they later decided against this.
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Wikipedia