Once More (Spandau Ballet album)
Encyclopedia
Once More is the seventh studio album
by British
band Spandau Ballet
. It was released by Mercury Records
on October 19, 2009
in UK and Ireland
. The album includes eleven re-recordings from their back catalogue and two newly written songs. The first single, the title track "Once More", one of the two brand new songs, was released as a promotional single on October 5, 2009 and as a digital download on the same day as the album was released. The music video for "Once More" was filmed. The album debuted at number 7 on the UK Album Chart on October 25, 2009.
and Steve Norman
, while "Love is All" is the first Spandau Ballet song written by Tony Hadley
. The album is produced by Danton Supple, who co-produced Coldplay
's X&Y
album.
Singer Tony Hadley said about the new recordings: "When we got back together and the tour dates went on sale, none of us could believe the fantastic reaction we got from fans and the press alike. When the opportunity came to get into a studio and play music together, we couldn't pass it up." Gary Kemp said about the title track that "the new song was a way for us to show that Spandau Ballet are back, not just to play the hits on tour but also to take on our contemporaries in the pop charts!"
The re-recordings of the eleven older songs are made in a semi-acoustic, unplugged-like style, which gives their songs a 21st-century flavour, according to sax player Steve Norman
, taking them to some "very dark, different place". According to Gary Kemp the sound of the album is not only the sound of Spandau Ballet reinvented for the 21st century, but also "how we would have made these songs the first time around if we had the maturity and know-how to achieve it".
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
band Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by, and an integral part of, the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles...
. It was released by Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
on October 19, 2009
2009 in music
The following is a list of notable events and releases in 2009 in music. Susan Boyle's album I Dreamed a Dream became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 8.3 million copies in five weeks; more than any other artist's in the whole year...
in UK and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The album includes eleven re-recordings from their back catalogue and two newly written songs. The first single, the title track "Once More", one of the two brand new songs, was released as a promotional single on October 5, 2009 and as a digital download on the same day as the album was released. The music video for "Once More" was filmed. The album debuted at number 7 on the UK Album Chart on October 25, 2009.
Background
Once More is the first new recording by Spandau Ballet since 1989. Eleven of the thirteen tracks are re-recordings of previously recorded songs by the group. The first and the last track on the album, "Once More" and "Love is All" are new songs written during the band's reunion. The title track is written by Gary KempGary Kemp
Gary Kemp is an English pop musician and actor who is the guitar player and chief songwriter for the 1980s Synthpop band Spandau Ballet. His brother, Martin Kemp, plays bass guitar in the band...
and Steve Norman
Steve Norman
Steve Norman is an English musician who plays saxophone, guitar, percussion, and other instruments, for Spandau Ballet.-Early career:Steve Norman was initially a guitarist in the group with Gary Kemp...
, while "Love is All" is the first Spandau Ballet song written by Tony Hadley
Tony Hadley
Tony Hadley is an English pop singer-songwriter, occasional stage actor and radio presenter who gained celebrity as the lead vocalist for the 1980s band Spandau Ballet.-Early life:...
. The album is produced by Danton Supple, who co-produced Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
's X&Y
X&Y
X&Y is the third studio album by English rock band Coldplay, released 6 June 2005 in the United Kingdom via the record label Parlophone. The album, which features influences of electronic music, was produced by the band and British record producer Danton Supple...
album.
Singer Tony Hadley said about the new recordings: "When we got back together and the tour dates went on sale, none of us could believe the fantastic reaction we got from fans and the press alike. When the opportunity came to get into a studio and play music together, we couldn't pass it up." Gary Kemp said about the title track that "the new song was a way for us to show that Spandau Ballet are back, not just to play the hits on tour but also to take on our contemporaries in the pop charts!"
The re-recordings of the eleven older songs are made in a semi-acoustic, unplugged-like style, which gives their songs a 21st-century flavour, according to sax player Steve Norman
Steve Norman
Steve Norman is an English musician who plays saxophone, guitar, percussion, and other instruments, for Spandau Ballet.-Early career:Steve Norman was initially a guitarist in the group with Gary Kemp...
, taking them to some "very dark, different place". According to Gary Kemp the sound of the album is not only the sound of Spandau Ballet reinvented for the 21st century, but also "how we would have made these songs the first time around if we had the maturity and know-how to achieve it".