Forty years ago this month, Spandau Ballet signed their first recording contract on bassist Martin Kemp’s 18th birthday. Straight after, they headed straight to Jam Studios in Finsbury Park to cut their debut single “To Cut A Long Story Short.”
Within a month, the single was released and just two weeks later the band were performing live on Top Of The Pops. The song is now acknowledged as the very first New Romantic single; it's impact was felt on dance floors around the world. The instant club hit ushered in a new sound for a the decade.
Spandau Ballet | “To Cut A Long Story Short”
27th November sees a reissue of the 12” single in it’s original die cut sleeve on 180g vinyl featuring the ground breaking extended and dub mixes of the track by the visionary producer Richard James Burgess, the practice of which was unheard of at the time. Pre-order "To Cut A Long Story Short" here.
Spandau Ballet defined the 80s in the way that The Who defined the 60’s, Bowie the 70’s and Oasis the 90’s. “To Cut A Long Story Short” is taken from 40 Years – The Greatest Hits which celebrates both the band’s musical and cultural impact.
The 2LP/3CD set features all the hits, fan favourite album tracks as well as classic 12” versions, and a previously unheard version of the Simon & Garfunkel classic, “The Boxer,” recorded in 1990 with legendary producer, arranger and film composer Michael Kamen. Available to pre-order, here.
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