Martin Kemp told Roman to read his book to learn about drugs

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Martin Kemp says when his DJ son Roman asked him about drugs, he advised him to read his book.

The 57-year-old Spandau Ballet bassist has been very open about his past drug use and has always been a relaxed parent to Roman, 26, and his sister Harley, 29, so when the Capital Breakfast host became curious about trying drugs he told him to "read chapter seven off my autobiography" so he would see why he "shouldn't do it".

Speaking in a joint interview on 'Loose Women', Martin said: "When I brought Roman up, when they were kids, I had this thing I would let them watch anything. If they watched it and they were scared of it then they wouldn't watch it next time or they watched it and they were disgusted with it they wouldn't watch it after that I let them watch anything."

Roman replied: "My friends would always say, 'Oh, can I come over to your house so I can watch that show.' When I was growing up it was 'South Park' or something like that or it was a video game."

Host Ruth Langsford then enquired: "What about serious stuff like alcohol or drugs do you talk about it, has he ever wanted to do that?"

Martin replied: "We're getting sticky there ... No, I just said to Roman read chapter seven of my book and see why you shouldn't do it."

Roman - whose mother is former Wham! backing singer Shirlie Holliman - added: "I think the more open you are with your kids and that type of stuff then that sort of need and want for those things because they're not kind of forbidden things [goes away]."

Martin has previously spoke about how he is proud that he "handed down" his open-minded attitudes to his two children.

The musician-and-actor - who, along with his Spandau Ballet bandmates, was at the forefront of the New Romantic music scene in the 1980s, a pop culture movement that was synonymous with androgynous fashion and tackling gender stereotypes - said: "For me it was the best time of music. Pop culture was amazing, the music was amazing, the bands were amazing and it was the beginning of the 80s.

"When I was going to all those early clubs it was all about boys who were dressing as girls, girls who were dressing as boys. Everything was over the top. It didn't matter who you were or who you wanted to be. It was about being you. And I think for me that really shaped my personality.

"Now, I don't mind what anyone does as long as they are happy and I think that comes from how I grew up in those clubs. And I think the nice thing about that is how I handed that down to my kids - especially Roman."