Spandau Ballet was a hugely successful British New Wave band that rose to fame in the 1980s. Formed in 1979 by Gary Kemp, Martin Kemp, John Keeble, Steve Norman and Tony Hadley, the group released a string of hit singles and albums that have become timeless classics of the era.
But what was the origin of their unique name?
The band’s name was inspired by a sign spotted by Gary Kemp outside an antique shop in Islington, North London. The sign read ‘Spandau Ballet’, and the image it conjured up resonated with the members of the group.
The phrase itself had been taken from the title of a German novel and autobiography published in 1929 entitled Spandauer Ballettschritt: Erlebtes und Dargestelltes (Spandau Ballet Steps: Experiences and Representations).
The novel was written by German author Hans Blumenthal and chronicled his experiences as a dancer with Max Reinhardt’s famous theatre troupe. In it he describes how Max Reinhardt had created a new form of dance called ‘Balletschritt’, which entailed dancers wearing masks while performing choreographed steps. This idea appealed to Gary Kemp and his fellow musicians, who liked the idea of creating music that was like a dance – hence their choice to name themselves ‘Spandau Ballet’.
The band went on to become one of the most popular acts of their time, selling millions of records worldwide with hits such as “True”, “Gold” and “Through the Barricades”. The group disbanded in 1990 but reunited for live shows between 2009-2016 before splitting again.
Conclusion:
So there you have it – Spandau Ballet were named after Hans Blumenthal’s 1929 novel Spandauer Ballettschritt: Erlebtes und Dargestelltes (Spandau Ballet Steps: Experiences and Representations). The idea behind this unique name resonated with Gary Kemp and his fellow musicians, who wanted to create music that was like a dance – something they achieved spectacularly over their career.