Spandau Ballet’s frontman, 62, on being bad at maths, an autograph for Ringo Starr and smoking – the ‘stupidest thing I could do’
My parents had high expectations for us kids. Dad was a Fleet Street engineer; mum was a force in the local community. I hate referring to the class system – it’s limiting – but you’d call us working-class, I suppose. It was a very ordinary upbringing. They were the anything-is-possible postwar generation. It was instilled in us that we could be whatever we wished.
I wanted to be an orthopaedic surgeon, but my maths wasn’t up to scratch. Then at Pontins, aged 14, I discovered music. I got on stage and sang Lady Madonna a cappella, and forgot half the words, but I came off to congratulations. I decided it would be my future.
