Boyzone

[Perdita]

Back in May the five members of Boyzone - Ronan, Stephen, Keith, Shane and Mikey - regrouped for their first tour in nine years. It went so well, with 300,000 pop fans coming to see them at 29 shows across the UK and Ireland, that they're now releasing a brand new single and an updated greatest hits set. But are the boys back together for good? We gave Stephen a call to find out.

What made you want to get back together now?
"Just time, really. We went to see Take That on their reunion tour and they had such an amazing response. We thought, 'We used to do this. We used to have all this noise and screaming,' so we decided to give it a bash."

Were Take That a bit of an inspiration then?
"Oh yeah! They really raised the bar. We knew we had to put on a fantastic show and we waited until the time was right - we were in chats for about two years. It wasn't a money-making thing for us because we spent £3m on the tour's production. We wanted to give fans the best show we've ever done and I believe we achieved that."

Who was the driving force behind the reunion?
"I don't know, really. Myself and Ronan met up at this charity bash and someone bid £20,000 for me and him to sing 'No Matter What' together. The vibe up there was just fantastic and it was really fun to sing with him again, so meetings started happening and it all just snowballed from there really."

Were any of the guys reluctant to reform the group?
"No, I don't think so. We're more chilled out now, more grown up and hopefully a little bit wiser! We're not winding each other up - there's just no point. We can't believe how much warmth there is for us out there and we're really enjoying it."

'Love You Anyway', your first single since 1999, is out on Monday. Are you feeling nervous about the chart position?
"You know what, I'm very nervous about it being released. The market's changed and I just want it to do well. If it went top ten, I'd be very happy. If it went number one, I'd be absolutely ecstatic. I'd go out and buy a really good bottle of champagne and drink it through a straw! It's a song that really grows on you and it's a fun song to perform. We didn't want to do what was expected of us and come back with a ballad."

You've got a new greatest hits album coming out, but is there going to be a new Boyzone studio album?
"There will be. Myself and Ronan are going into the studio in January to do some writing and then the rest of the guys are joining us in February. It's a really exciting time for us. We've also got another tour coming up in May and June, and before then we're going to Asia and Australia - places we haven't been in ages."

Do you see the reunion as a long-term thing?
"I hope it goes on for a long, long time. We're in this for the long run really. The reaction to the tour has been so fantastic that we've just decided to run with it. We've all done our different bits and pieces but you can't beat the fun we have together."

Will Louis be getting you on The X Factor this year?
"You know what, I really hope so because I love The X Factor. He'll have to, I'll be disappointed if he doesn't! We said to him recently, 'Come on Louis, you have to get us on the show for a song'. It probably won't be this single, but hopefully we'll do the next one, which is a beautiful ballad that's coming out just before Christmas."

Boyzone release 'Love You Anyway' on Monday. Their greatest hits album, Back Again... No Matter What, follows on October 13.


Love them and their music

[Bad Wolf]

i do actually lik their new single, they are not TT but they are ok and much better than west life who i cant stand!!

[Abi]

Their new song is really catchy!

[lizann]

Hollywood actor Colin Farell has said he’s glad he failed an audition for boyzone years ago - because he wouldn’t have “lasted too long” in the band.
The actor tried out with the boyz in the 1990s while he was a struggling actor in Ireland, but was rejected during the audition phases for his lack of vocal talent.

Farrell eventually landed a role in the drama series Ballykissangel in 1998 and went on to forge a high profile career in Hollywood.
And the star admits he’s pleased he was never accepted into boyzone - because it would have sent his life off on a very different path.
He says, “I don’t think I would have lasted in the band too long. Life would have been very different, very different.
“I certainly wouldn’t have lasted a reunion I don’t think.”

I couldnt picture CF in Boyzone at all

[lizann]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhDC6k7dx00"]YouTube - Boyzone - Better[/ame]

interesting video for new single Better

i prefer Tom Baxter's version of Better

[lizann]

Three months after the tragic death of Boyzone singer Stephen Gately, his bandmates have paid tribute to him in a moving video.

The group's new single Gave It All Away will be the last Boyzone release featuring the vocals of the Irish singer, who died aged 33 in his Majorca holiday home in October.

In the unashamedly sentimental video, frontman Ronan Keating and his three remaining bandmates are seen writing emotional letters to Gately.

The video starts with Gately's voice as a black and white video of him singing and larking around with his bandmate is played on a projection screen in an empty room.

One of the first lyrics sung by Gately is the poignant verse: 'I will learn to live before I die.'

All four Boyzone members, Keating, Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch, take it in turns to contemplate their thoughts and shed tears for Gately against a backdrop of fond memories with the singer.

Towards the end of the video, the group have all written letters addressed to dear 'Steo' and are seen laughing as they reminisce over happier times with Gately.

The band refused any offers by their record company to make a big-budget video, preferring to film the simplistic video with just them and the director Paul Griffin.

Keating explains: 'The footage is incredibly raw and tough to watch at times but we didn't want it being too mournful and there's lots of laughter.

'It's us reminiscing about the times we had with our other brother. My favourite scene sees us four sat around a table at the end with Stephen's favourite picture hanging behind us.

To film this video without him was one of the toughest things we've done.'

Keating played the song on his Magic FM radio show yesterday and informed fans the single would be released on March 1.

He lamented: 'It's a great tribute and a great memory, thank God we have it.'

A forensic report last month confirmed Gately's death was caused by an undiagnosed heart condition and was not linked to drink or drugs.

A report handed to a Spanish judge investigating the tragedy revealed the star suffered from atheromatosis, a thickening of the arteries. It also revealed he was dead for eight hours before his body was found.

Gately was found dead on October 10 by a Bulgarian who had been partying with him and his civil partner Andrew Cowles after their night out on the Spanish island.

A preliminary pathology report said the star died from an acute pulmonary oedema, a build-up of fluid on the lungs caused by the atheromatosis and said the death was due to 'natural causes'.

Boyzone - Gave It All Away

[tammyy2j]

I like the new song and video very sad

[lizann]

Here’s the cover for the new boyzone album, “Brother”, which is due for release on 8th March.

[Perdita]

Mikey Graham was on Celebrity Mr And Mrs last night and he won £30000 which was donated to a charity very close to Stephen's heart, I can't remember the name of it now. I thought that was very lovely

[sindydoll]

thought we had seen the last of boyzone