Gary Kemp wasn’t sure if he was “worthy” of a solo album.
The Spandau Ballet star – who released ‘Little Bruises’ in 1995 – is finally dropping follow-up ‘Insolo’ after 26 years, and he admitted he’d lost confidence in his writing.
Commenting on the long wait, he told the Daily Star newspaper’s Wired column: “Some of it was me being a bit shy I suppose, thinking am I worthy?
“Should I be just thinking about getting Spandau Ballet back together? And when I write a song, who do I write the lyrics for?”
However, working with Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason on Saucerful of Secrets gave him motivation to write for himself, and accepting “Spandau were never gonna get back together again”.
He added: “Nick allowed me to express myself as a guitar place and more as a singer, being embraced by that Pink Floyd fraternity has been really confidence-boosting even at my age.
“But I also think there was finally a certain acceptance that Spandau were never gonna get back together agian, and reaching a sort of age milestone, that made me want to start writing for a guy of my age, how does he sum up his life?”
As well as Gary, now 61, writing about his own life, the track ‘Waiting For The Band’ also reflects on the journey of being a music fan and watching a live show.
He said: “It starts slow as I remember being a kid and dressing up and going to concerts at the Hammersmith Odeon, then it kicks up a tempo and that’s where the hero comes in stage.
“Whether it’s watching The Rolling Stones or [David] Bowie, that feeling of euphoria that you get when you’re like close to your hero, adn you’re a disciple of theirs.”