This is unashamedly in the third person singular. In my defence it wasn't written by me but seems to hold as many truths as any good biog should.
As well as being an actor Gary Kemp is one of pop music's most successful songwriters. He achieved success in the 1980's as guitarist and songwriter for the group Spandau Ballet. He was responsible for writing the words and music of all of Spandau Ballet's 23 hit singles, including classics like 'True' (over 3million registered radio plays in the USA), 'Gold', 'Through The Barricades', 'Only When You Leave' , 'To Cut A Long Story Short', and many more. During their ten year existence they spent a combined total of 415 weeks in the charts, That is one week short of 8 years. Kemp's songs for Spandau Ballet were hits throughout the world, generating over 30 million sales of records, tapes, and CDs. Recently these songs have achieved new commercial success with the release of a best of Spandau Ballet collection, 'Gold', which achieved Platinum status, as well as other CD and DVD releases, which Kemp has supervised the production of (see official Spandau Ballet site for latest information on the band's releases). His songs are currently in high demand with TV shows and movies worldwide (including Spin City, The Simpsons) and have appeared in Hollywood blockbusters such as The Wedding Singer, Charlie's Angels, 50 First Dates, and Sky High, while also featuring on their soundtracks.
Kemp grew up in the Sixties and Seventies in Islington, London, attending the local Grammar school, Dame Alice Owen's, as well as the Anna Scher Children's Theatre. He started work as a young actor in TV and film in 1968 and continued through his teens, stopping eventually to concentrate on music. In 1971 he starred in the movie Hide & Seek, (recently released on DVD) with Roy Dotrice. Produced by the Children's Film Foundation, it received a Royal Premier in the 20th anniversary year of the CFF and an eleven year old Gary was interviewed for British TV's Film '71.
After a series of teenage bands, he formed Spandau Ballet in the late Seventies. Initially fronting the post Punk cult of the New Romantics, they had their first hit record in 1980 with 'To Cut A Long Story Short', and over the next ten years went on to sell millions of records world wide, with Kemp as songwriter and guitarist. Since then, many Spandau Ballet songs have been interpreted by other international artists, including Backstreet Boys, P.M. Dawn, Black Eyed Peas, Nelly, and Paul Anka.
In 1990, he returned to acting once more along with his brother, Martin, playing the infamous London gangster of the Sixties, Ronnie Kray, in Peter Medak's hit film, The Krays (screenplay by Philip Ridley). On the success of this Kemp went to the U.S. and took on the role of 'Sy Spector' in The Bodyguard, starring Kevin Costner, 'Oliver' in the Quentin Tarantino production, Killing Zoe, and Jake Woodward in The Larry Sanders Show for HBO. Other movie and TV roles include leads in Paper Marriage, Magic Hunter, Take Out The Beast, and Accentuate The Positive.
In 1995 he produced a solo album for Sony Records called 'Little Bruises', and toured Britain and Ireland with his own band. Since then he has continued to act on television, stage and film. Credits include: 'Serge' in the West End production of Yasmina Reza's Art; 'Jesus' in the movie Dog Eat Dog for Tiger Aspect; the lead in Murder In Mind for the BBC; guest-star in the ITV series, Murder Inverstigation Team, and Casualty (Christmas Special), and supporting roles in the films Poppies and American Daylight. He works as a songwriter and producer for other pop artists; worked behind the camera as Musical Director in Brian Gibson's film, Still Crazy; wrote the score, along with Ed Shearmur, for the film Crossmaheart, and has written a musical about W.B. Yeats and Maud Gonne called A Terrible Beauty with Guy Pratt, Shane Connaughton (Oscar Nomination for the script of My Left Foot ) and John Caird (Les Miserables). Along with Guy Pratt, Kemp also wrote the music and additional lyrics for Snoo Wilson's musical, Bedbug, based on the Mayakovsky original, which performed at the National Theatre in 2004.
In the same year, he acted alongside Paul Freeman in the revival of Snoo Wilson's, Pignight, at the Mernier Theatre, London, playing the role of 'Smiffy', and in 2005 he played FBI agent, 'Paul Cranmer', in James Phillips' critically acclaimed new play for the Hampstead Theatre, The Rubenstein Kiss, which starred Samantha Bond and Will Keen, and for which Gary received a Best Supporting Actor Nomination in the Theatregoers' Choice Awards. He has recently finished a second film for Barry Bliss, a series of five monologues set in Margate and also starring Paul McGann, called A Voice From Afar. He is currently songwriting for other artists and being a father for two boys.
