‘Cheese’ keeps Spandau Ballet together

Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet

Martin Kemp says cheese is behind Spandau Ballet’s success.

The 53-year-old bassist has revealed having various types of the dairy product with them at all times on tour has become “the glue” that keeps the group – Martin, Tony Hadley, Steve Norman, John Keeble and Gary Kemp – together.

He said: “For the last 30 years our rider hasn’t changed. The most important thing is the cheese board – we’ve got everything: blue cheese, soft cheese, cheddar.

“If we don’t have that it’s a disaster. That’s the glue that keeps everything together.”

Martin added that while they also include champagne in their rider he rarely drinks as it leaves him feeling too tired to perform.

He explained: “It’s early starts. You can’t do the show on a hangover.”

The ‘True’ hitmaker – who is currently touring the UK with the group and is set to fly to Germany for the next leg – prefers to up his vitamin intake instead and always makes sure he hits the gym to keep fit.

He explained to the Daily Mirror newspaper: “We’ve got vitamin boosters and powder that they always leave out for us. I’m a bit of a gym lover. You’ve got to keep fit.”

The band previously split in 1990 over a royalty disagreement but reunited nearly 20 years later in 2009.