Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp and MOBO award winning grime artist Lady Leshurr want to show the world when it comes to rock ‘n’ roll, you’re never too old if you’ve got the talent.

For this brand-new BBC Two four-part series, they form two rival bands of musicians over the age of 64 and get them to rock out the main stage of the Isle of Wight Festival. It’s then up to the crowd of 65,000 to decide which band they love the most…

In just eight weeks, mentors Martin Kemp and Lady Leshurr audition and form their rock bands. Both Martin Kemp and Lady Leshurr also call-in help from top musical director friends as well as renowned stage performers including X-Factor finalist Fleur East, soul singer Mica Paris and the Darkness front man Justin Hawkins.

Lady Leshurr

Hello Lady Leshurr!
What made you want to get involved in the series Rock Till We Drop?

I wanted to get involved in this project because it’s something that’s never happened before. I always love being a part of something that is going to shift cultural perception. In my experience, I have found the music industry to be ageist at times; I have been asked to make my age younger, suggesting I don’t have a lot of time left if I want to make it, which is quite upsetting and frustrating because talent doesn’t have a time limit! It’s refreshing that there is now a TV show where the older generation gets an opportunity to showcase their talent and prove to the world that they still have what it takes.

What was the series highlight for you?

Meeting people from different walks of life - different ages, different accents - those that are older than me and have had so much experience within the music industry and their personal lives which is what has made them the person they are today. I think when I started choosing the people I wanted in my band and seeing them eventually meet was such a great thing to watch. I loved being there throughout to see their friendships blossom; I’m sure they have made friends for life!

What was one of the hardest things about making the series?

The hardest thing was not being able to be there for my band to show support when they performed at the Isle of Wight due to Covid. It was like I was there the whole way, and then at the final hurdle I couldn’t be there to support them.

What would you say to any musicians and singers out there who still feel it’s not too late for them?

I’d say keep pushing. There is no limit on anything in life. You can wake up tomorrow and be the biggest superstar in the world, or you can post a video and it can go viral within seconds. Nothing is guaranteed but anything is possible!

Can you share one golden piece of advice from your time and experience in the music industry?

One thing I had to learn the hard way is that you have to trust your gut. When things don’t feel right, chances are they aren't. You must surround yourself with positive, impactful people that only want the best for you and your career, otherwise it can mentally and spiritually break you - changing you into a person you never thought you’d be.

Rock Till We Drop introduces us to people from all walks of life and all ages, even a 95 year old drummer. What inspired you most about the people you met?

What inspired me the most about these talented people was that they still had so much more to give. It’s all about the fight, and the fact that they still had the confidence and the strength to audition, which shows a lot.

If you could be in a band like the two that appear in Rock Till We Drop – what would you name your band?

I think I’d call my band MOM. It would be an all female band and every band member would be a mother!

What will you take away / what have you learnt most about this generation of rockers?

I have learnt that they’ve got way more heart and passion than the younger generation!

Martin Kemp

What made you want to get involved in Rock Till We Drop?

I loved this the moment I first heard the idea; it’s the stuff dreams are made of, just when you think life has passed you by, an opportunity like this comes along.

To be able to give these bands a moment they have always dreamed of on one of the biggest festival stages in Britain was something I will never forget.

What was one of the hardest things about making the series?

The hardest thing has to be telling some of the guys that we couldn’t take them along to the next stage, as a performer I know how much that hurts…

What did you learn about yourself doing this project?

Just how much I miss being on that stage with a band, feeling the love of 65,000 people, it’s a buzz you just can’t recreate.

What would you say to any musicians and singers out there who still feel it’s not too late for them?

It’s never too late… You always have to remember, music is and should always be a hobby… even if you’re super successful, it’s still a hobby.

Can you share one golden piece of advice from your time and experience in the music industry?

Never change your artistic point of view for someone else’s. If you succeed it has to be your success and if you fail it has to be your failure.

Tell us about some of the challenges getting each band ready to play the Isle Of Wight main stage?

The main challenge getting the bands ready to play the IOW was turning them from solo musicians that mostly played in their living rooms to a band and getting them to understand that being in a band wasn’t just about playing music together but living and working together and how give and take plays a big part of making a band work.

If you could be in a band just like the two that appeared in Rock Till We Drop – what would your band name be?

STARDUST… because for ten minutes on a sunny afternoon in September some definitely spilled a tub of the stuff on these guys.

What will you take away / what have you learnt most about this generation of rockers?

That for some, life can be like a good rock song with its climax in the last 16 bars…