Hey Drama Goblins!
I’d like to start by thanking everyone who checked in on me after last week’s post. Both to see how I’m doing now and to let me know they wished they knew how bad off I was last summer.
I am so grateful for the concern, connection, and kind words. And, a little embarrassed. Because as I often say, “nothing is everything.” Feelings are complex. “How are you?” is an impossible question to answer.
Life continues to be fairly relentless. Much of it is of my own making. If it sounds fun, I’m in. I’m a “Say yes!” kinda gal. That’s a mix of extroversion, opportunity, learning the hard way that life is short, and the girl who never felt included’s fear that if she says no she won’t be asked again.
Learning to balance my joie de vivre, assure that little girl she is genuinely liked, loved, and wanted, and my need for “chronological space” (a phrase I blurted out once when I meant “time I need to do things right and with intention”) is an ongoing practice.
I’d been mulling over what story to tell this week. I wanted to do something fun and funny as a palate cleanser after last week, and then something someone said reminded me of the Spandau Ballet story. It didn’t hit me until after I wrote it that yesterday just happened to be the 9th anniversary of when these events happened. As I recently told someone, “I’m not spiritual, but I am superstitious.” Coincidences? Signs? I don’t know what they mean, but they mean something.
I hope the story makes you feel the way music made you feel when music really meant something to you.
I’m so glad you’re here,
-Lara
To cut a long story short…
Short story:
I got to meet my #1 teenage dreams Spandau Ballet and welcome them back to the US after 30 years.
Long story:
Music meant a lot to me as a teen. The 80s were a golden era of for so many flavors of Brit Pop: New Wave. New Romantic. Goth (which we called Death Rock) Two Tone. Post Punk. I bought tons of records. I went to lots of concerts. I hung out for hours at record stores to meet bands and have my albums signed.
As will not surprise anyone, I was very particular and a more than little snobby about it. I liked Duran Duran OK. I looked down my nose at Top 40 like Michael Jackson, Hall and Oats, or (god forbid) Journey. Hair Metal certainly wasn’t my jam.
My absolute faves were Spandau Ballet.
Most people know Spandau Ballet for the mega-hit True and when they think of them at all, think of them in natty suits. But the boys and I go further back than that.
They were Blitz Kids, frequenters of the Blitz Club that also spawned bands like Culture Club, Ultravox, and Sigue Sigue Sputnik. It was the epicenter of the New Romantic scene and seemed to young Lara like the coolest, most glamorous, and most exciting scene ever. The music. The fashion. I just couldn't get enough.
I had a few encounters with the band in the 80s. I saw them in concert at the now-gone Universal Amphitheater. I stood for hours in front of Tower Records on Sunset to get my albums signed, and my friends Jennifer, Regina, and I all ditched school to take a Greyhound bus to Orange County to meet them at a record store. I don’t know what made us think we could get away with it.
On the way back, we ended up in the downtown station instead of Hollywood where we had left from. It was like a scene out of Mad Max. Absolutely terrifying. We called Regina’s mom to have her come pick us up.
Then one day, the drummer, John Keeble, who was my absolute favorite, sauntered into Hobson’s Ice Cream on Melrose where I worked after school.
You cannot imagine my excitement. Duranies, imagine John Taylor walking into your homeroom. Mods, picture Paul Weller showing up at your Grandma’s for Thanksgiving. It was that unexpected and exciting.
I don’t remember much about what I said. I somehow let him know I knew who he was (understatement of the year) and asked for an autograph. He asked me where on the street he could buy Levi’s. I told him to go to the since-departed Ardvaark’s. I can’t recall if any ice cream was exchanged.
(Side note, I served a lot of celebs at that store. Liza Minelli. John Travolta. 3/4 of U2. Molly Ringwald. The guy who played Mr. Olson on Little House on the Prairie. Governor Jerry Brown. The lead singers of Flock of Seagulls and Midnight Oil. And yes, John Taylor. Twice. When people ask what it was like growing up in LA, it’s stuff like that)
Fast forward 30 years….
In Spring 2014 a documentary about Spandau Ballet called Soul Boys of the Western World premiered at Sundance, putting them back on the radar (Spandau Ballet are More Awesome Than You Know - BuzzFeed) and later that year, back on tour!
Around mid-October, I was driving home from work and listening to an old-school R&B station I was into at the time. They announced that they were giving away tickets to Spandau Ballet’s concert at the Warfield at 7:00pm!
When I got home, I burst through the door and announced to John and Max that I had a scheme and needed their help. As always, they were down for my shenanigans.
At 7:00 we all lined up on the couch with our cell phones to call in, and of course, it was Max who got through, and of course, he got through right away, because who else was calling into an R&B radio station at 7:00pm in 2014 to win Spandau Ballet tickets?
I heard him say, “Um…. yeah, the Spandau Ballet tickets. Am I excited? Well, my mom is, maybe you should talk to her.”
I grabbed the phone and yelled, “Yes! I am so excited! I have been waiting 30 years for this!” It was true, and I worked in radio. I knew what they needed for their promos.
Fast forward a couple of months and it’s the day of the concert. I dressed up in as much of an homage to my 80’s teen style as was appropriate for the office: white button-up shirt, vintage YSL shoulder-padded blazer, and a long string of pearls caught at the neck with a rhinestone brooch.
I’m sitting at my desk at my weekday job at Chronicle Books having lunch and doing a Facebook scroll when I see my colleague from KGO Radio, my weekend job posted:
And I responded:
And suddenly, my 14-year old self took over my body and propelled me the 5-6 blocks between Chronicle Books and KGO. I saw a black SUV out front and knew they must still be up there.
I came around the corner and the band’s founder, guitarist, and main songwriter Gary Kemp was there in the lobby. Just standing there! In the lobby of my radio station! Unreal.
I have no idea what I stammered out, but I know when I asked my coworker Lynne to take our picture she said with astonishment, “I have never seen you like this.”
I went around the corner and there in the green room were Gary’s brother and bassist Martin Kemp and my teenage dream! Drummer John Keeble!
I blathered to them about ditching school to meet them at the record store and the time John came into my ice cream shop. I will tell you, these guys know where their bread is buttered. I am not the first middle-aged woman to lose her shizz in their presence. They were very gracious and charming. They went out of their way to not make me feel like the idiot I was acting like.
Back in the hall, I ran into lead singer Tony Hadley and saxophone player Steve Norman. Five out of five!
Unforch I had to get back to work at Chronicle and didn’t get to stay for the mini set they played at the station. I remember buzzing with excitement back at the office. I showed my photos and told my story to a few co-workers who I thought might get it. They were indulgent and polite, but clearly thought I was nuts.
The show that night was fantastic! The fellas were in fine form, and I learned it was their first show in the US in 30 years. A historic event!
Hearing the songs that meant everything to me when music meant everything to me played live is… everything. It makes me feel like myself in a way that nothing else can.
I was a 44-year-old wife, mother, and professional with two jobs a long commute and longer do-do list and almost no time for myself. For those couple of hours, I was completely present. All the anxiety and responsibilities and worries that filled my brain 24/7 faded away. And they weren’t replaced by my 14-year-old worries and anxieties. Just the transcendental feeling when you are fully present with the music that matters to you from the time in your life when music really matters.
EPILOGUE: A few days ago Spotify very randomly suggested an album of standards by Martin Kemp and his wife of 36 years, Shirlie Holliman, who you may recognize as one of the backup singers from Wham!
I gave it a spin and it’s very… sincere. Martin’s voice is serviceable, and the production values are basic, but I could hear the love they have for each other, and I’m delighted they have beat the odds of a pop star marriage and stayed together for so long.
And, like with Pop Quiz, Duran Duran beat Spandau Ballet in beating the odds. Guitarist Andy Taylor has been married to his wife Tracy for 42 years.
Know someone who would get something out of that story? Please share.
Lara sez…
Listen!
80s Deep Cuts of the Week! Did you think it wasn’t going to be Spandau? This is one of those high-concept videos where there’s some drama in addition to the music.
Can’t resist a couple of bonus cuts :)
Weirdly, I can’t find an official video for this. I’m *sure* there was one. If you can find it, please lemme know!
“He rides the soul trail and he fights the law…”
Read!
The Lost Apothecary is an atmospheric page-turner and more than a little feminist.
Follow!
Therapy Jeff has all the answers when it comes to relationships. Follow if you’re thinking about dating or to see if your partner passes the Jeff tests.
Buy!
True Confession: I don’t care that much about the environment. I mean, I care. I recycle and compost and I want the planet to be healthy and around for a long time, but it’s not my primary issue. That said, I really didn’t like tossing spray bottles of all-purpose cleaner. So wasteful! Max turned me on to these sheets and they work really well!
Watch!
In addition to being musicians and songwriters, the Brothers Kemp are also actors. They started in the biz as kids, and have appeared in TV and movies regularly. They gave great performances as a pair of notorious real-life criminal brothers in the critically acclaimed The Krays.
Before I let you go…
Reader Amy left me a lovely comment and won a Drama Goblin Notebook
Be like Amy!
There are two ways to win!
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Fun story!!