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‘To Cut A Long Story Short’ 40th Anniversary Vinyl and Digital Release

Fri, October 30, 2020

SPANDAU BALLET - TO CUT A LONG STORY SHORT 40th ANNIVERSARY 12” SINGLE FIRST RELEASED FORTY YEARS AGO TOMORROW

CELEBRATING FORTY YEARS OF THE BAND THAT STARTED A MOVEMENT WHICH CHANGED THE WORLD

12” RELEASED 27th NOVEMBER 2020 - Click here to pre-order on 12” Vinyl - Available to stream now.

TWO TRACK DIGITAL SINGLE OUT NOW ON REFORMATION/PARLOPHONE

FEATURING ‘TO CUT A LONG STORY SHORT (VERSION)’ AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FORTY YEARS

Forty years ago this month Spandau Ballet signed their first recording contract on bassist Martin Kemp’s 18th birthday. As soon as they had finished, they headed straight to Jam Studios in Finsbury Park to cut their debut single ‘To Cut A Long Story Short’, which was released forty years ago tomorrow.

Within a month the single had been released and two weeks later the band were on Top Of The Pops. The song is now acknowledged as the very first New Romantic single, a sound and movement that changed the world.

27th November sees a reissue of the 12” single in it’s original die cut sleeve on 180g vinyl featuring the groundbreaking extended and dub mixes of the track by the visionary producer Richard James Burgess, the practice of which was unheard of at the time. The impact of the 12” was felt on the dance floors of the world, the track was an instant club hit ushering in a new sound for a new decade.

The two track digital single is out now featuring ’To Cut A Long Story (Version)’ which has not been available since the release of the 12” single forty years ago.

The band defined the 80s in the way that The Who defined the 60’s, Bowie defined the 70’s and Oasis defined the 90’s. ‘To Cut A Long Story Short’ is taken from ‘40 Years – The Greatest Hits’ celebrates both the band’s musical and cultural impact.

The 3CD set features all the hits, fan favourite album tracks as well as classic 12” versions, and a previously unheard version of the Simon & Garfunkel classic ‘The Boxer’ recorded in 1990 with legendary producer, arranger and film composer Michael Kamen.

TO CUT A LONG STORY SHORT 40th ANNIVERSARY

12” RELEASED 27th NOVEMBER 2020 - Click here to pre-order

TWO TRACK DIGITAL SINGLE OUT NOW ON REFORMATION/PARLOPHONE - Click here to stream now.

TO CUT A LONG STORY SHORT (MIX 1) (6.30)
TO CUT A LONG STORY SHORT (MIX 2) (3.56)

SPANDAU BALLET
Gary Kemp: Guitars, keyboards, synthesizer, cheng & backing vocals
John Keeble: Drums, drum programming & backing vocals
Martin Kemp: Bass & backing vocals
Steve Norman: Guitars, saxophones, tablas, tuned percussion, percussion & backing vocals
Tony Hadley: Lead vocals & synthesizer

Click here to pre-order the 12” vinyl now in the Official Spandau Ballet Store.