Steve Norman, co-founder, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist of the world-famous Spandau Ballet has announced the he will celebrate the bands 40th anniversary of their ground-breaking debut album, ‘Journeys To Glory’ with a full UK tour in 2022.
“Little did I know when I formed a band with my school chums back in 1976, that we would not only reach that Holy Grail of signing a record deal but that the resulting record would play a major part in representing and inspiring a whole new generation.
“Our fellow ‘movers and shakers’ of the Blitz crowd in 1979/1980 had sparked a new youth movement that was now erupting out of clubland and rippling out across the globe – The New Romantics. And my band with ‘Journeys To Glory’ were right there at the front. Our scene was creative, vibrant and powerful. We felt invincible.
“The collective Blitz kids’ wave was unstoppable, and Spandau had all the established bands looking over their shoulders wondering what the hell was coming through, and if they should be moving out of the way. Right there, was when our hopes and visions of the future finally materialised. Back when the saxophone, my future signature instrument, was just a twinkle in my quiff covered eye.”
The charismatic performer, accompanied by his five-piece band ‘The Sleevz’ (that includes his son Jaco on bass), will perform the album in its entirety for the first time. ‘Journeys To Glory’ includes the band’s first hit single, ‘To Cut A Long Story Short’ and other singles, ‘Musclebound’ and ‘The Freeze’. The show will also feature later Spandau classics, including ‘True’, ‘Gold’ and ‘Only When You Leave’, and will showcase Steve’s prowess as a talented vocalist and guitar-player alongside his more well-known sax and percussion duties.
Steve Norman & The Sleevz will be at Edinburgh Liquid Rooms on 27 October
