Volume 3
Statement
I'm sorry that I've been rather silent over the last few months, and didn't respond to your last set of questions. As you all probably know, I've been
through Hell with some of the members of my old band, and Hell is highly stressful. I have always been convinced of my right in this case and had the support of sixteen witnesses during the trial from all aspects of my career with the band: producers, musicians, the band's accountants, the band's lawyer, in-house Spandau employees, and of course Steve Dagger. They were
all convinced that my side of this messy story was the one they also knew. I also brought two musicologists to the court as witnesses as the others were claiming joint authorship in all of the songs! I had the absolute and continuing support from my brother Martin throughout, who was totally appalled by the whole thing and believed that I was in the right and would win. They, on the other hand, could only find an old Roadie, a friend of Tony's, to back them up as a witness. I was obviously still very nervous and glad to finally receive the judgement that comprehensively found me right in all aspects of this tragedy. To spend twenty two days in the highest court in Britain arguing and accusing is not a nice experience and one that I'm sure could have been avoided if only Tony had agreed to talk to us. We were offered a lot of money to take Spandau out on a tour just before the court
case started and I felt that this would be a way to get us back together and make everyone happy creatively and financially. We contacted John Keeble, who agreed to meet us the following day, but on that day we received a call from Tony's new manager saying that no discussions to do with Spandau could take place until after the trial! I was shocked to read afterwards an
interview from Tony saying that he didn't want to go to court and was hoping that someone from our side would touch him on the shoulder at the court door and ask him to go for a drink and talk about it. Throughout the lead up to the trial our advances and proposals to avoid it were ignored. He wanted his day in court it seemed. I believe that the real reasons for the trial were emotional and that lawyers on both sides do a good job at demonising people, so instead of a tour and a chance to make music, we end up with a trial and
the sound of lawyers cash tills.
After I won I didn't feel euphoric. It was like walking away from a car crash: you're glad to be alive but mortified and shocked by the wreckage
behind you. I fell into illness which I'd avoided with adrenaline up until the moment I could finally let go. I took to my bed with mysterious pains for a while, but all seems well with me now, I'm glad to say.( I'm sorry, but I couldn't face answering any of the questions posted at the time.) It has been a terrible affair for ourselves and our families and one that I'm sure was obviously going to destroy any hope of us making music again. There can be no other version of the band than the one that formed the original line-up and I feel devastated that the chance to walk onto a stage and perform those great hits in front of an excited (and hopefully large) audience has been blighted, possibly incurably.
The entire judgement is to be found somewhere on the internet for anyone who desires to read it.
On a positive note, my work since has been fantastic. I am finishing the production of a recording of nine songs from my musical with Guy Pratt and Shane Connaughton, and I'm beavering away in the studio most days, with various singers from the stage shows of London. I've also been doing some writing with Marti Pellow for his first solo album which I've really enjoyed. He's a wonderful vocal talent. Next week (20th Sept 99) I'm off to Budapest to produce a singer called Elöd Császár. He's already had the biggest hit in Hungary this year with a Hungarian version of my song "Wasted" (from the "Little Bruises" album). He's now putting two more songs of mine on his album, a new one called "You Do Something" and a version of "Through The Barricades" which I'm to produce. I'm also negotiating the rights to a play that I want to turn into a film and hopefully direct, but more on that another time.
So all in all, my working life is enjoyable and I'm looking forward to getting some of them available to hear and see soon. The Elöd record is available through Warner Brothers in Hungary, and is called "Késö". The album will be out at the end of the year.
Congratulations to my brother who's having a roaring success on television here in "Eastenders" His picture is on the front of everything and he's really well. I believe that next year he will have an autobiography being released which I can't wait to read!
Until the next time, lots of love, and I hope that you still enjoy listening to old Spandau records, as I still do.
Gary x
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