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The "New Romantics" Celebtated on BBC R2

28/05/2019

On Bank Holiday Monday, the “New Romantics” were under the spotlight, with their gender bending, peacockery and essential sense of style. BBC Radio Two, the UK's largest single radio network, which is aimed at listeners in their 30s to late forties in particular, asked Martin Kemp, lead singer with the darkly titled band Spandau Ballet, to narrate a documentary which aired on Monday afternoon. The show looked at how the New Romantics emerged out of the punk rock and disco eras, fusing the fashion anarchism of punk with the beats of punk and the new wave of German inspired electronic music in to a very British hybrid. The term “New Romantic” is from a line in a Duran Duran song, and by 1979, the movement was focussed on several London gay clubs including “Bang” where later leaders of the movement such as Boy George, would hone their look and craft. Bands like “A Flock of Seagulls”, “Visage” and “The Associates” brought to the chart campery, flamboyance but also a great look which included gender transgression, make up and the enthusiasm for vintage and ancient clothing which carries on to this day. Spandau Ballet's 1984 mega hit “True” was perhaps the end of the “New Romantic” era, as a new group of bands, collectively known as “Sophistipop”, would take over and dominate the charts between 1984 and 1988 when the rave scene took off. Nevertheless, “New Romanticism” still influences style and music, and a younger generation of bands are still interested in the look and feel of the time. Martin Kemp's programme for Radio Two is still available to tune into on the BBC Player, now known as “BBC Sounds”.

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