September 25, 2025 • 6 mins
Tony Hadley joined Lisa and Russell to chat about his strong ties to Australia, from his first wild trip back in 1984, when fans had to be dodged under hotel blankets, to giving it his all on stage today. Thanks to streaming, he’s found a whole new audience, he'll be bringing all the hits to The Astor Theatre in March 2026.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Tony Hadley is on his way back to town.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
He's at the Estatheata March twenty and March twenty first
tickets not for March twenty because that sold out, but
to the other one through destroy alllines dot com.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
And he's with us now.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Good morning, Good morning, Tony.
Speaker 4 (00:14):
Good morning. Nice to speak to you. You guys.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Well, yes we're doing okay and you're back for another visit.
I get the feeling you like us, you do.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
No, we love it down.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
I mean my band, well, I get excited. Me and
my band get really excited every time we go. Yeah,
we're going back to Australia. We're also coming to New
Zealand as well and Your Lifetime. We were meant to
do a lot more and we didn't want to let
people down, so we had a few shows just on
our own because we were meant to be down with
the I Think Boy George and Culture Club and Bonnie
Tyler and there was a whole kind of series of
(00:46):
festivals going on for some reason, I don't know why
they didn't happen, but they didn't, but we felt that
we should come down and play to everybody. Anyway, we
only did a handful of shows, but it was fantastic
and it all went really, really well, so we thought,
let's go again. So we're coming back in March.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
I don't think it's your first time at the ASTA, though.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
You obviously have settled it and it's a beautiful old theater.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
It used to be a cinema.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
It's a gorgeous place. So you've made good friends with
the ASTA. Now the fabulous Tony Hadley band is accompanying you.
How do you work with them to maintain the sound
and energy of both your old hits and your knew
us swing style.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Yeah, I mean it's I mean we do. When we
come down to you guys, it's going to be the
pop I've got my pop rockhead on.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
OK.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
We might do a couple of sort of classic songs,
but it's mainly going to be pop rock. So we're
going to be doing all the hits, True Gold, Barricades,
cut Along, Flight for You, Heiley, Strain and that kind
of stuff. And then I'm also releasing a new contemporary
album next year as well, so we'll be doing a
couple of songs from that album too. How do we
keep it fresh? Number One? We enjoy each other's company.
(01:53):
They are the most incredible musicians, so they can play anything.
And we have a lot of fun, and that's the
key to it. And I think the minute you're not
having fun, I think people can see that when you're
on stage. And so we have a lot of fun
together and we just love playing. And I never get
tired of you know, people say to me, you know,
do you get tired of singing true and Barricades and gold, etc.
(02:14):
And I never do because every gig you're getting different
sort of reactions from different audiences, and so I never
get tired of singing the songs. And if I forget
the words, which has happened occasionally, not very often, I've
picked the mic out and.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
There, well, everybody knows it. It's going to help you
because you have you have such a long history with Australia.
It goes right back to the very very beginning of
what about eighty one. We were one of the first
territories to embrace you.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
Yeah, I mean back in nineteen eighty. I mean our
first hit record was to cut a Long Story short.
And back in the day, I mean if you went
top fifty or top seventy five, that was deemed to
be really brilliant. But in the UK it went top
five and you guys in Australia you followed suit and
you've been with us ever since. So when we finally
got to Australia in nineteen eighty four, it was genuinely
(03:03):
like being like the Beatles or something. We had three
hundred crazy fans outside the hotel all the time. We
had to get smuggled out in you know, blankets and
cut things like that.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
They were the days you remember.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Well might be a little bit older, but every now
and again asked the ladies just give me a little scream,
go and give you a little screen.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Come on, I'm saying, must of what you still can.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
I've told you before tiny that to cut a long
story short change my life. I'll never forget the day
I saw that. The first time I saw it on countdown.
I imagine the eighty shows. The minute that first beat starts,
people must get on their feet to dance to it.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Yeah, yeah, I mean it's funny because I mean, you
know it's nineteen eighty that's a long time, forty five year.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Yeah, it hasn't aged. It's still good.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
No, it hasn't. And we still plays with as much
gusto as as we ever did. And I mean that's
the thing, you know, we play the songs with as
much enthusiasm as we have done over the year, and people,
I don't know, even young people are coming along to
the concerts now because I suppose because of streaming and
Spotify and Apple Music and everything, yeah, can instantly go back. Well,
(04:10):
I'm going to check out SPAN, I'm going to check
out Duran Culture Club ACDC, cream LEDs up and so
you get kind of a whole new sort of audience there.
And also I love Sinatra and all those kind of guys,
and my parents played all their records, So I suppose
it away there's a lot of parents out there who
have bombarded their poor children with that bully and probably.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
It's their own journey of discovery you talk about. Obviously,
you came here in nineteen eighty four, chaotic scenes. You
guys were act your peak worldwide. And then the year later,
of course there was live A. We just had the
big fortieth anniversary. Did you market Did you sit down
and rewatch it on YouTube or something?
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Yeah? I watched bits of it. There was a documentary.
I've never actually watched Spandau's full performance because I watching
myself on TV. Also, why didn't we do Gold and
why did we do Virgin?
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Still that.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Honestly I watched it. I watched bits of it thinking
why did we do that?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
It's crazy?
Speaker 4 (05:15):
You know, we're the only band to have attempted to
have done a new song. Now, honestly, what were we thinking?
It was a long time ago, but I remember, I
mean standing on the stage watching status quos starting going
in to see the Queen Boys Andy young Fella that
(05:37):
I was going, Oh, good luck, Fred, good luck lads?
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Is this quick?
Speaker 3 (05:45):
So now we know why it was such an iconic
performances because you pepped them up before.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Give it large.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
Fred.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Well, on that note, I think we'll let you go
and we look forward to March twenty and twenty one.
It's my birthday that weekend, so I shall be celebrating
with you down at the ASTA. Tickets for the Saturday
night show through Destroy All Lines dot com. Tony, It's
always a pleasure to have you talked to us. And
before I let you go, I just want to say
(06:15):
thank you so much for the message that you recorded
for our friend Clersey who recently quit these horrendous breakfast
hours after forty three years.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
That was really lovely and he was so touched.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
So forty three years forty three years wow, Yeah, nearly
as long as me and the music.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Yeah, he would have started out playing your song.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
He absolutely did Shartbusters, he played gold.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
I'm really pleased with Honestly, we're so looking forward to
coming down. We always have a great time, and it'll
be winter and horrible here.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Yeah, it'll be lovely. It'll be lovely. Well, we'll see
you in March live at Large.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
Yeah, Thanks Tony, thanks very much,
Tony Hadley is on his way back to town.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
He's at the Estatheata March twenty and March twenty first
tickets not for March twenty because that sold out, but
to the other one through destroy alllines dot com.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
And he's with us now.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Good morning, Good morning, Tony.
Speaker 4 (00:14):
Good morning. Nice to speak to you. You guys.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Well, yes we're doing okay and you're back for another visit.
I get the feeling you like us, you do.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
No, we love it down.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
I mean my band, well, I get excited. Me and
my band get really excited every time we go. Yeah,
we're going back to Australia. We're also coming to New
Zealand as well and Your Lifetime. We were meant to
do a lot more and we didn't want to let
people down, so we had a few shows just on
our own because we were meant to be down with
the I Think Boy George and Culture Club and Bonnie
Tyler and there was a whole kind of series of
(00:46):
festivals going on for some reason, I don't know why
they didn't happen, but they didn't, but we felt that
we should come down and play to everybody. Anyway, we
only did a handful of shows, but it was fantastic
and it all went really, really well, so we thought,
let's go again. So we're coming back in March.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
I don't think it's your first time at the ASTA, though.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
You obviously have settled it and it's a beautiful old theater.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
It used to be a cinema.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
It's a gorgeous place. So you've made good friends with
the ASTA. Now the fabulous Tony Hadley band is accompanying you.
How do you work with them to maintain the sound
and energy of both your old hits and your knew
us swing style.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Yeah, I mean it's I mean we do. When we
come down to you guys, it's going to be the
pop I've got my pop rockhead on.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
OK.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
We might do a couple of sort of classic songs,
but it's mainly going to be pop rock. So we're
going to be doing all the hits, True Gold, Barricades,
cut Along, Flight for You, Heiley, Strain and that kind
of stuff. And then I'm also releasing a new contemporary
album next year as well, so we'll be doing a
couple of songs from that album too. How do we
keep it fresh? Number One? We enjoy each other's company.
(01:53):
They are the most incredible musicians, so they can play anything.
And we have a lot of fun, and that's the
key to it. And I think the minute you're not
having fun, I think people can see that when you're
on stage. And so we have a lot of fun
together and we just love playing. And I never get
tired of you know, people say to me, you know,
do you get tired of singing true and Barricades and gold, etc.
(02:14):
And I never do because every gig you're getting different
sort of reactions from different audiences, and so I never
get tired of singing the songs. And if I forget
the words, which has happened occasionally, not very often, I've
picked the mic out and.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
There, well, everybody knows it. It's going to help you
because you have you have such a long history with Australia.
It goes right back to the very very beginning of
what about eighty one. We were one of the first
territories to embrace you.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
Yeah, I mean back in nineteen eighty. I mean our
first hit record was to cut a Long Story short.
And back in the day, I mean if you went
top fifty or top seventy five, that was deemed to
be really brilliant. But in the UK it went top
five and you guys in Australia you followed suit and
you've been with us ever since. So when we finally
got to Australia in nineteen eighty four, it was genuinely
(03:03):
like being like the Beatles or something. We had three
hundred crazy fans outside the hotel all the time. We
had to get smuggled out in you know, blankets and
cut things like that.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
They were the days you remember.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Well might be a little bit older, but every now
and again asked the ladies just give me a little scream,
go and give you a little screen.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Come on, I'm saying, must of what you still can.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
I've told you before tiny that to cut a long
story short change my life. I'll never forget the day
I saw that. The first time I saw it on countdown.
I imagine the eighty shows. The minute that first beat starts,
people must get on their feet to dance to it.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Yeah, yeah, I mean it's funny because I mean, you
know it's nineteen eighty that's a long time, forty five year.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Yeah, it hasn't aged. It's still good.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
No, it hasn't. And we still plays with as much
gusto as as we ever did. And I mean that's
the thing, you know, we play the songs with as
much enthusiasm as we have done over the year, and people,
I don't know, even young people are coming along to
the concerts now because I suppose because of streaming and
Spotify and Apple Music and everything, yeah, can instantly go back. Well,
(04:10):
I'm going to check out SPAN, I'm going to check
out Duran Culture Club ACDC, cream LEDs up and so
you get kind of a whole new sort of audience there.
And also I love Sinatra and all those kind of guys,
and my parents played all their records, So I suppose
it away there's a lot of parents out there who
have bombarded their poor children with that bully and probably.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
It's their own journey of discovery you talk about. Obviously,
you came here in nineteen eighty four, chaotic scenes. You
guys were act your peak worldwide. And then the year later,
of course there was live A. We just had the
big fortieth anniversary. Did you market Did you sit down
and rewatch it on YouTube or something?
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Yeah? I watched bits of it. There was a documentary.
I've never actually watched Spandau's full performance because I watching
myself on TV. Also, why didn't we do Gold and
why did we do Virgin?
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Still that.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Honestly I watched it. I watched bits of it thinking
why did we do that?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
It's crazy?
Speaker 4 (05:15):
You know, we're the only band to have attempted to
have done a new song. Now, honestly, what were we thinking?
It was a long time ago, but I remember, I
mean standing on the stage watching status quos starting going
in to see the Queen Boys Andy young Fella that
(05:37):
I was going, Oh, good luck, Fred, good luck lads?
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Is this quick?
Speaker 3 (05:45):
So now we know why it was such an iconic
performances because you pepped them up before.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Give it large.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
Fred.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Well, on that note, I think we'll let you go
and we look forward to March twenty and twenty one.
It's my birthday that weekend, so I shall be celebrating
with you down at the ASTA. Tickets for the Saturday
night show through Destroy All Lines dot com. Tony, It's
always a pleasure to have you talked to us. And
before I let you go, I just want to say
(06:15):
thank you so much for the message that you recorded
for our friend Clersey who recently quit these horrendous breakfast
hours after forty three years.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
That was really lovely and he was so touched.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
So forty three years forty three years wow, Yeah, nearly
as long as me and the music.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Yeah, he would have started out playing your song.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
He absolutely did Shartbusters, he played gold.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
I'm really pleased with Honestly, we're so looking forward to
coming down. We always have a great time, and it'll
be winter and horrible here.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Yeah, it'll be lovely. It'll be lovely. Well, we'll see
you in March live at Large.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
Yeah, Thanks Tony, thanks very much,
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