Spandau Ballet have been honoured with a PRS for Music Heritage Award at the site of their debut gig.
The eighties band's Heritage Award plaque was unveiled earlier today at the site of the former Blitz Club on London’s Great Queen Street.
The group performed their first live show at the Blitz Club on London’s Great Queen Street, on 5 December 1979.
The club was well known as the home of ‘the Blitz kids’, a group of young Londoners including Stephen Jones, John Galliano and Sade.
Gary Kemp said: ‘We are honoured to have received this award from PRS for Music. The Blitz was an incredible melting pot of music, fashion and creativity. It’s not just Spandau Ballet that owe our career to that place at that moment in time. Musical icons such as Chris Blackwell and David Bowie all came to the Blitz to check out what was going on, the place was that important.’
Guy Fletcher OBE, PRS chair said: ‘It is an honour to present Spandau Ballet with the PRS for Music heritage award today, at what was truly their birthplace. The Blitz Club was the beating heart of the New Romantics movement that propelled some of British music’s most successful artists to stardom.
'Spandau Ballet are currently riding a fresh wave with the release of their new album and film, and it’s very fitting that we should bring it all back to where it began today - what a story.'
Shortly after the gig, the band signed a deal with Chrysalis and enjoyed immediate success, with their debut single To Cut a Long Story Short reaching the top 5 in 1980.
The PRS for Music Heritage Award was established in 2009 to recognise important live music venues where artists launched their careers. Previous recipients include Elton John, Orbital, Soul II Soul, Faithless and Queen.
Photo credit - David Parry Photography
The eighties band's Heritage Award plaque was unveiled earlier today at the site of the former Blitz Club on London’s Great Queen Street.
The group performed their first live show at the Blitz Club on London’s Great Queen Street, on 5 December 1979.
The club was well known as the home of ‘the Blitz kids’, a group of young Londoners including Stephen Jones, John Galliano and Sade.
Gary Kemp said: ‘We are honoured to have received this award from PRS for Music. The Blitz was an incredible melting pot of music, fashion and creativity. It’s not just Spandau Ballet that owe our career to that place at that moment in time. Musical icons such as Chris Blackwell and David Bowie all came to the Blitz to check out what was going on, the place was that important.’
Guy Fletcher OBE, PRS chair said: ‘It is an honour to present Spandau Ballet with the PRS for Music heritage award today, at what was truly their birthplace. The Blitz Club was the beating heart of the New Romantics movement that propelled some of British music’s most successful artists to stardom.
'Spandau Ballet are currently riding a fresh wave with the release of their new album and film, and it’s very fitting that we should bring it all back to where it began today - what a story.'
Shortly after the gig, the band signed a deal with Chrysalis and enjoyed immediate success, with their debut single To Cut a Long Story Short reaching the top 5 in 1980.
The PRS for Music Heritage Award was established in 2009 to recognise important live music venues where artists launched their careers. Previous recipients include Elton John, Orbital, Soul II Soul, Faithless and Queen.
Photo credit - David Parry Photography
