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 ground breaking 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.

Release date: 27th November, 2020