Spandau Ballet

Changing their band name as often as they changed the genre of music they played, Spandau Ballet began as a punk rock band calling themselves The Cut. Shortly after they changed their name to The Makers, and again In 1978 they changed their sound to a more power pop renaming themselves Gentry. Changing their sound once again to a more polished, synth heavy pop with an emphasis on the romantic the band changed their name for a last time to Spandau Ballet after (as the story goes) seeing the name "Spandau Ballet" written on a lavatory wall in a bar in Berlin…

With the new romantic movement they'd helped spearhead on the way out, futurist icons Spandau Ballet began thinking seriously about the future on their second album. The seeds of the group's transition to a slick, MOR soul outfit can be heard in hits like "Chant No. 1," the best song Spandau Ballet had come up with…

By 1983, with the new romantic movement they'd sprung from a rapidly fading memory, the members of Spandau Ballet showed they had no intention of traveling the same path. Always ambitious, the British quintet really got down to business: Gone were the kilts, frilly shirts, and makeup – as well as the sometimes chilly electronics of their first two albums…

Parade was Spandau Ballet's follow-up to their most successful LP, 1983's True. "Only When You Leave" reached number three on the U.K. charts. The three other singles that were released do successively worse: "I'll Fly for You" (number nine), "Highly Strung" (number 15), and "Round and Round" (number 19)…

An excellent round-up of the 15 hit singles that, between late 1980 and fall 1984, saw Spandau Ballet transcend every prediction ever levelled at their music, and establish themselves among the most versatile British bands of their era. From the utterly convincing white boy Funk of the early "To Cut A Long Story Short", "The Freeze", "Musclebound" and "Chant No 1", through the bodyswerve to ballad-ville that ushered in the age of "True" and "Gold", and onto the near-anthemic guitar pop of "Only When You Leave" and "Highly Strung", The Singles Collection suffers only from its failure to tell the tale in strict chronological fashion.

As one of the leading New Romantic bands, Spandau Ballet racked up a number of British hits – as well as one Top Ten American hit, "True" – during the early '80s, becoming one of the most successful groups to emerge during the new wave. The only other new romantic band to enjoy greater commercial success was Duran Duran, yet Spandau Ballet was there first, scoring three Top Ten hit singles during 1981 with their synthesized dance-pop.

The 3CD set features all the hits, fan favourite album tracks as well as classic 12-inch 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. As one of the leading New Romantic bands, Spandau Ballet racked up a number of British hits – as well as one Top Ten American hit, "True" – during the early '80s, becoming one of the most successful groups to emerge from the new wave. The only other New Romantic band to enjoy greater commercial success was Duran Duran, yet Spandau Ballet was there first, scoring three Top Ten hit singles during 1981 with their synthesized dance-pop.