Oh look at the strange boy, he finds it hard existing

Terrifyingly, Tony Hadley is 53 years old today.

Even more terrifyingly, Spandau Ballet's first hit To Cut A Long Story Short - from the era "BT" ("Before True", the song that ruined their cred), when they were one of the pioneer bands of the emerging New Romantic cult that gave the teenage moi such joy - was released thirty-three years ago...

Spandau Ballet - To Cut A Long Story Short

Soldier is turning
See him through white light
Running from strangers
See you in the valley

War upon war
Heat upon heat
To cut a long story short
I lost my mind

Sitting on a park bench
Years away from fighting
To cut a long story short
I lost my mind

Standing in the dark
Oh I was waiting for man to come
I am beautiful and clean
And so very very young

To be standing in the street
To be taken by someone

Questions questions
Give me no answers
That's all they ever give me
Questions questions

Oh look at the strange boy
He finds it hard existing
To cut a long story short
I lost my mind

Facts:

• This song was apparently Vince Clarke's inspiration to write Depeche Mode's Just Can't Get Enough
• Producer Richard James Burgess went on to produce a raft of hits for the likes of Adam Ant, King, New Edition, Melba Moore, Kim Wilde, Shock, Living in a Box, Five Star and Colonel Abrams - his work with whom is credited as an influence on early House music.
• The band's name was allegedly created by journalist and writer Robert Elms who saw it scrawled as graffiti on the wall of a nightclub loo during a visit to Berlin.
• Ascerbic critic Jon Savage described Spandau Ballet's Vivienne Westwood-inspired tartan outfits as "Culloden chic".

Of course, as a teenager, it was this poster (from Smash Hits) that adorned my wall...



Spandau Ballet website