Watch Soul Boys of the Western World

Soul Boys of the Western World is a 2014 British music documentary film directed by George Hencken. The movie is centered around the history of the popular British pop group Spandau Ballet, tracing their journey from their humble beginnings to their eventual rise to fame and superstardom in the 1980s. The film provides a fascinating insight into the rise of the New Romantic movement, which emerged in Britain during the late 1970s and early 1980s as a reaction to the punk rock ethos. This movement is brought to life through interviews with the group's original members, including Tony Hadley, Gary Kemp, Martin Kemp, Steve Norman, and John Keeble, as well as with prominent members of the British music scene of the time.

The movie begins with the band members discussing their early years in London's Islington district, where they first met and formed the band. The group members share their experiences of growing up in the 1970s, against the backdrop of a changing political and social climate in Britain. They recall the influence of glam rock icons like David Bowie, and their fascination with the new wave of synthesizer-driven pop music which was beginning to emerge.

We then see the band members' first performances at London's Blitz club, which quickly became a hotspot for the New Romantic scene. It was here that their unique style and sound began to take shape, and the band quickly gained a following of dedicated fans. The movie features many interviews with fans of the band and the New Romantic movement, who testify to the impact that Spandau Ballet had on their lives at the time.

Throughout the film, we see the band become more successful, as they release hit after hit, including "True," "Gold," and "Through the Barricades." The film includes plenty of footage from their music videos and live performances, which are shown alongside interviews with the band members discussing the songs' creation and their personal experiences around this time.

One poignant moment in the movie comes when the band members recount their experience of the 1980s, which was a time of great personal and artistic growth for them, but also a time of tension and conflict. The group began to experience internal disagreements over creative direction, with Gary Kemp emerging as the primary lyricist and driving force behind the group's sound. This led to a bitter dispute between him and Tony Hadley, which ultimately resulted in the band's breakup.

The film concludes with the band members' reflections on their time in Spandau Ballet and the significance of their music. They discuss their enduring legacy and the impact that they had on the British music scene of the time, as well as the abiding camaraderie between the band members that persists to this day.

Overall, Soul Boys of the Western World is an engaging and insightful documentary that should appeal to fans of Spandau Ballet and anyone interested in the history of British pop music of the 1980s. The movie manages to capture the band's unique style and sound and provides a valuable insight into the New Romantic scene which spawned them. Whether you're a long-time fan of the band or a newcomer to their music, this documentary is well worth a watch.

Soul Boys of the Western World is a 2015 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 50 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.9 and a MetaScore of 60.