New Romantics 1981: Crucial TV report that meant lift-off

Spandau Ballet's first single had been in the UK chart for 11 weeks and their second was launching January 1981. They were the house band for a London clubland cult variously called the Blitz Kids and the New Romantics. Few journalists had paid much attention to this massive underground following, but Robin Denselow, a savvy music writer for The Guardian, had also been recruited by the BBC's new nightly current affairs strand, Newsnight. He recognised a Pop Moment if ever there was one and took his camera crew to Le Kilt, the coolest club-night of the month. We see him given the full New Romantic manifesto by half a dozen of its 21-year-old exponents who were all on the brink of showbiz and media careers! This package triggered the tabloids to flock into clubland and make stars of the most stylish kids – the story of the 80s Pose Age was in lift-off.
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For a kaleidoscopic cult history of the Blitz Kids who led British street fashion visit
http://shapersofthe80s.com

Video © BBC Newsnight Archives

TAGS
"New Romantics", "Blitz Kids", "Steve Strange", "Gary Kemp", "Spandau Ballet", "Le Kilt", "Blitz Club" "Graham Smith", "Chris Sullivan" , Swinging 80s, UK, "youth culture", "Swinging 80s", "Perry Haines", "Jon Mole Baker", electronic music, nightclubbing, "Robin Denselow",