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Tony Hadley can't wait to tour with Boy George in 2024: "He's a stunning man"

14 June 2024, 14:17

Tony Hadley talks to Smooth Radio. Picture: Smooth/Global

By Tom Eames

Tony Hadley had one of the most iconic voices of the '80s, and more than 40 years since he started he's still going strong.

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Not only has he just finished a swing tour - with a new album on the way - but later this year he will join Boy George and Heaven 17 on a tour.

Boy George and Culture Club recently announced the 10-date tour, which will feature performances of the band’s first two studio albums in full.

Tony will also perform tracks from Spandau Ballet's classic albums True and Parade among others.

The former Spandau frontman caught up with Smooth Radio's Paul Phear to talk about the tour, while also reflecting on his incredible career so far.

Watch the interview in full above or on Global Player here

Remembering how he and Boy George met back in the Blitz club days of the late-70s, Tony said: "He was the hat check boy or the coat check boy.

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"Billy's was the first club, and then the Blitz Club. It was a wine bar. It was a wine bar during the day. Then I think it was Steve [Strange] and Rusty [Egan] went along and said, 'Look, what do you do at night?' They said, 'We don't do anything'. They said, 'Well, look, we can take it over. We can bring however many people in and we'll control it.'

"And so literally, everybody who was everybody in London was there in this club. And it was great fun. I mean, some people have you think that we were all sitting around discussing Nietzsche and Jean-Paul Sartre. No. It was a lot of fun.

"George was there. I mean, he was always a striking, stunning. He's a stunning-looking man to this day. I mean, he really has got stature. He has got star quality. He looks amazing, actually. He's had his troubles, as we all have, but he's come out of it. He looks a million dollars."

He added: "I'd be dressed up with my ballet slippers and everything else, and [my mates] would be looking pretty conventional. And then it was up to Steve Strange, whether he allowed you in the club or not.

Tony Hadley can't wait to tour with Boy George in 2024: "He's a stunning man"

"So he once turned away Mick Jagger! And I said to him, 'What have you done? You've turned away Mick Jagger'. 'Well, he just didn't look quite right'. I said, 'I don't care, it was Mick Jagger! I wanted to meet Mick Jagger!

"But it was a good scene. It was a great scene. We were in a band and you wanted to stand out. And that's what being in a band is all about. You want to stand out from the rest of the crowd. I think it was a great movement around the UK, musically."