Tony Hadley - Biography - IMDb
Tony Hadley
Biography
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Jump to: Overview  (3) | Mini Bio  (1) | Spouse  (2) | Trade Mark  (2) | Trivia  (13) | Personal Quotes  (13)
Overview (3)
6' 4" (1.93 m)
Mini Bio (1)
Tony Hadley was born in Islington on 2nd June 1960. He went to school with his future bandmates Gary Kemp, John Keeble, Steve Norman, Richard Miller and Martin Kemp. In 1978 the Makers where formed. Hadley became the lead singer of that group. When Richard Miller left on bass he was replaced by Martin Kemp. Then in 1979 the Makers were renamed Spandau Ballet. Spandau Ballet achieved major success in the 1980's with hits such as To Cut A Long Story Short (1980), Chant No.1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On) (1981), True (1983), Only When You Leave (1984) and Through The Barricades (1986). The band were together until 1990, when each member pursued acting careers and other musical directions. In 1992 Tony Hadley signed a solo deal, but unfortunately would never live up to the success he had achieved with Spandau in the '80's. In 1999 Tony, John Keeble and Steve Norman lost a £1,000,000 royalty battle with Gary Kemp. For many years Tony did not speak to Gary, but by 2008 they had made up their differences, and then in 2009 Spandau Ballet finally reformed, and went on a world tour.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Richard Baker
Spouse (2)
Powerful, smooth and soulful voice
Trivia (13)
Was the lead singer and synthesizer player of Spandau Ballet.
Has 3 children with his ex-wife, Leonie Lawson: Sons, Thomas Hadley (born 1989) and MacKenzie Hadley (born 1992), and daughter, Toni Hadley (born 1996).
Hadley's band, Spandau Ballet, had one UK number one single, 'True', which topped the chart for four weeks in 1983.
He has performed with the SAS ( Spike Edney 's All Stars) Band.
He was a member of Band Aid (1984).
Winner of "Reborn in the USA", beating Michelle Gayle in the final in London, UK. [April 2003]
His favorite albums are "A Night at the Opera" by Queen , "Give 'Em Enough Rope" by The Clash , "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by Elton John , "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" by David Bowie , "Abandoned Luncheonette" by Daryl Hall and John Oates and "Songs for Swingin' Lovers!" by Frank Sinatra .
Has a daughter, Zara Katie Hadley (born December 21, 2006), with his wife, Alison Evers.
He considers "Through the Barricades" to be Spandau Ballet's best song.
DJ on the UK's Virgin Radio playing from 7pm to 10pm on a Friday night for the UK's Party Classics show.  [November 2007]
Competing in the TV talent contest "Reborn in the USA" [March 2003]
Nickname Tony 'foghorn' Hadley.
Is an active & devoted supporter of the conservative party.
Personal Quotes (13)
To be a pop star you've got to want it so badly that there will be nights where you'll just sob in bed over the disappointment.
I always loved Duran Duran. Especially after what's happened with Spandau Ballet since, I wish I had joined them in the first place.
For me, everything about being a singer was about rebellion. The idea was to shock the establishment - you didn't want your parents to like the same music as you. That would have been a nightmare!
I don't really care what people think any more. I do whatever I want to do now and I have the freedom to do it. I have been shafted again and again and I have learned the hard way with a lot of heartache and a lot of financial cost, too.
In the beginning, my grandad refused to sit on the same carriage as me on the train, and I quite liked that really. That was what it was all about. But even by 1983 it was all coming to an end. We wore nice clothes and people were hoping I would marry their daughters.
I was touring Australia with Spandau Ballet and heard that Queen were playing at a big open-air festival in New Zealand. I flew over and got invited to the sound check. It was very Spinal Tap - a crazy entourage and different colored Smarties all separated out in dishes. Freddie Mercury asked if I wanted a drink. We ended up polishing off a bottle of Stolichnaya at the bar. Then he said he had a bottle of port in his room. "Darling," he said as we finished the port, "you must come on stage tonight. Do you know Jailhouse Rock?" Neither of us could remember the words. At the concert I stood at the side of the stage watching Freddie, the consummate frontman. And Brian May , off on those guitar solos. They were my heroes from childhood. Then Freddie flounced across to me and hissed: "Hadley, you bastard, I'm pissed." Then we did Jailhouse Rock. We made up the words. It was brilliant. Ecstatic. One of those nights you never forget.
[on Spandau's hits] They've stood the test of time, which is good.
[on Spandau Ballet songs] They're quite grand. They're quite luvvie, really, aren't they?
I'm a frustrated drummer. I'm always trying to get on top of the drum kit but I'm not very good.
[on the 1980s] It was a very defining decade. If you look, the politics, the economics, the music, I mean, you know, really identifiable bands, and also Live Aid (1985), so that was a kind of focal point as well. But also, bands got loads of TV exposure, we were doing TV all the time and we were around for ten years. And even when we had a dip in records, unlike today where they'd drop you, that's it, sorry, you're unsigned, they would stick with you so you did have some kind of longevity as a musician. And also, some of the songs were really naff but a lot of them were really good.
Just because I'm a Tory supporter doesn't mean to say I agree with every single thing that they do.
[on his relationship with the reformed Spandau Ballet ] I feel it's a bit like Phil Collins and Genesis , where we'll come together and then do our thing for a while. Now, we'll write new album and then tour again in a couple of years.