Gary Kemp: Music as Healing – His Emotional Journey in London

Gary Kemp: Music as Healing – His Emotional Journey in London

Gary Kemp, the legendary guitarist and songwriter of Spandau Ballet, celebrates not only his musical career but also his personal journey through highs and lows with his third solo album “This Destination”. In an insightful conversation with “Krone”, the Londoner reveals that the album emerged from a phase of uncertainty that was intensified by the corona crisis. “The Corona period made me pretty scared, I was suddenly in my 60s and felt insecure,” admits Kemp. Music helped him deal with his fears and gain new perspectives. The song “Take The Wheel” in particular marks the start of his album, in which he addresses his inner chaos and finds solace in music.

Reflection on the past and successes

Kemp, known for hits like “True,” looks back on his reflections on impermanence and his childhood in his new work. “In many areas of “This Destination,” Kemp becomes more personal than he has since his “Divorce album,” explains the “Krone.” With 25 million album sales and unforgettable performances, including their memorable appearance at Live Aid in 1985, Spandau Ballet is part of British music history. The 40th anniversary of this legendary benefit concert, which Kemp also attended, brings additional attention to his career and the new album, which also includes a live acoustic version of "True" in the deluxe edition, as mentioned in an interview with Goldmine.

Reflecting on the time when Spandau Ballet was at the forefront of the New Romantic movement, Kemp describes the challenges of being a musician: “It was frustrating that the responsibility was on my shoulders, but everyone was sharing in the success,” he recalls, recalling how changes in the music business, such as the emergence of grunge, pushed the band into the background. Today, however, he is at a different point in his career, enjoying working with Pink Floyd's Nick Mason while pursuing his own creative path and with "This Destination" he has created a listenable album that reaches a new level in his personal development.