Old News >> June 2008
Video: Westlife book signing
WESTLIFE fans took to Belfast city centre in their hundreds on as they queued
for a glimpse of – and maybe even a chat – with their pop star heroes.
Click
here
to see Westlife in Belfast and some fan reaction.
The Irish band arrived in Eason in Donegall Place to sign copies of their new
autobiography, and were greeted by scores of adoring fans.
A sight to behold for bemused shoppers, crowds of cheering women – and men –
were queued as far back as McDonalds and beyond, as they waited patiently on
Thursday evening to get through the doors of the store.
They passed the time by singing the hit songs of their favourite four-piece,
and for those who were successful in meeting Shane, Kian, Mark and Nicky, it
was well worth the wait.
Tears of joy and delight flowed freely as fans shared a few moments with their
idols, and for some it was all too much, as our pictures show.
Deputy store manager Trevor Proctor said last night that lots of fans had been
able to meet the band.
But he accepted that judging by the scale of the event, there were many more
left disappointed.
The band stayed for an hour signing books and had stipulated that no photos
were taken of them with fans, nor that they could write personalised dedications.
Trevor said this was a bid to speed the process up, and "reduce the number of
minutes spent at the table".
Westlife – Our Story charts the highs and lows of the group's career and a
friendship that has seen them endure 10 years.
The book chronicles the band's story from their grassroots to multi-platinum
records, celebrity collaborations and chart achievements.
And if this their latest offering receives as much of a welcome as the lads
themselves did the day they came to Belfast, they'll definitely be flying
without wings.
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Added: 26th June 2008, source: Belfast Today
Westlife 'reveal everything'
Click
here
for a video of the booksigning at Waterstones in London.
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Added: 26th June 2008, source: BBC News
Wayne Rooney's Westlife Wedding Duet
Wayne Rooney surprised his new bribe Coleen McLoughlin by leaping onto stage
with Westlife at their reception.
The soccer star amazed guests with a “note-perfect rendition” of the boy
band’s hit ‘Swear It Again’ at the reception in Italy this week.
Coleen was reportedly so touched by the gesture - which apparently cost the
Man Utd forward £400,000 - she burst into tears.
A source tells the Daily Mirror, “The boys were stunned - they could not
believe it.
"Wayne hadn't practised with them but must have practised somewhere.
"He is a brilliant singer and it was a moment that made the hairs on the back
of your neck stand up. Some guests said it was the most romantic thing they'd
ever seen. Coleen was not the only one in tears. It was the perfect end to
the perfect day."
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Added: 26th June 2008, source: EntertainmentWise
Five minutes with... Westlife
How did you manage to write a book between the four of you?
Nicky: Well, it was obviously difficult in more ways than one for the writer
Martin Roach. He interviewed us separately and collectively. He also had to
cater for four different personalities and four different people talking and
telling the same story in different versions, but he did it effectively. I
read the book and even though I know all the stories and I was in stitches
laughing, it’s a milestone in our career 10 years on. Even if you’re not a
Westlife fan, the book is a success story in the pop industry.
Kian: We’ve all opened up – Mark in particular opened up and said things he
might not have said to members of his band. It’s sometimes easier to talk to
someone outside the band about your story.
How did you feel when Brian McFadden announced he was leaving?
Nicky: My initial thought when he told us was that he was punking us.
That was Brian’s personality. He was sitting beside me so I looked at him,
smiled, laughed, and started checking him for wires because that would be a
typical Brian thing to do. I respect him for doing it even though it was
heart-breaking. I thought he was crazy. I offered him counselling, we were
almost in relationships with each other in terms of how much time we were
spending together so I thought maybe counselling might have helped us. But
there were different things going on that we didn’t know about. Obviously there
were things going on with his marriage that we didn’t have a clue about. But I
think he made the right choice for him.
Shane: Brian leaving was a very big turning point within Westlife. I
wonder whether we would be still be together if Brian hadn’t left, I don’t know.
At the time it made us realise how lucky we were. It made us stronger as a group.
Three of you have known each other since school and Shane is married to
Kian’s cousin. Is Westlife a family affair?
Shane: We’ve known each other since we were 12, for more than 15 years, so
it has been kind of like they’re family to a certain degree. We picked each
other as mates so that is the backbone to a strong relationship, and when the
others came they gelled with us straight away.
Were you worried about how people would react to news that Mark was gay?
Mark: I really didn’t give a damn what anyone thought – that’s one of the
key things that anyone that’s gay needs to realise before they come out. It’s
getting to the point of not giving a s**t what anyone thinks that actually
pushes you into it. Too many people care about what people will react like.
What will you do during your year off?
Shane: My wife is pregnant so I’m looking forward to having some time off.
But I’m worried I’ll be bored after four or five months, not working. Even if
you have a new baby it’s going to be a shock to the system after having a
schedule for so long.
What do you think Westlife stands for today?
Kian: We’re not a political band, we’re not trying to make any big noise
politically or in the music industry. We don’t try to sell ourselves as this
credible, funky band that writes their own records and is making milestones in
the music industry. We’re just four guys that sing great pop songs for pop fans.
Their book Westlife – Our Story is out now
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Added: 26th June 2008, source: WalesOnline
Treat Yourself At The Brand New Online Store!
Exciting news alert - we've just launched an online store featuring a whole
host of amazing Westlife goodies!
Here's just some of the fab stuff on offer:
- A cool Andy Warhol-style T-shirt featuring the boys' faces
- A super-cute Kian & Mark & Nicky & Shane babygrow for your little one
- A lip-smacking Westlife lip gloss
- A brilliant Back Home apron
- A gorgeously scented air freshener
- Some sexy white hotpants
- A funky spotlight keyring
...plus loads more.
Go straight to
westlife.officialmerchshop.com
to start treating yourself. With prices starting from just £5, there's bound to
be something that takes your fancy.
And if you're feeling in a generous mood, there's lots of stuff on there that
would make the perfect pressie for a Westlife-mad mate or family member!
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Added: 26th June 2008, source: Westlife.com
Westlife: Our Story Out Now!
The waiting's over - Westlife: Our Story is finally out!
You'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll get a better insight into what life's
really like in one of the world's most successful band that you could have
ever hoped. If you haven't already snapped up your copy, order it online
here.
Thanks to the hundreds of you who entered our competition to win a signed copy
and a poster. We're reading through all your entries now - keep an eye out
right here to see if yours was chosen as a winner.
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Added: 16th June 2008, source: Westlife.com
Nicky Byrne on Bertie, Croker and a year out
IT HAS been a busy few weeks for pop group Westlife. Not only were they booked
to perform at Wayne Rooney’s wedding, they also played to 82,000 fans at
Croke Park — while also convincing former taoiseach Bertie Ahern to start
playing golf.
“I’ve been trying to get him into golf,” said Westlife’s Nicky Byrne, who also
happens to be the former taoiseach’s son-in-law.
“He said he’d love to get into it but he’s never had time to even pick up a
golf stick.”
That aside, Nicky said Bertie is doing well following what he said was a very
hard time for him.
“He probably had another good year left in him but he put up with that barrage
for as long as he could and I think he made the best decision. He’s happier
now and doing well,” he said of Bertie’s resignation as Taoiseach.
Nicky, who has been married to Bertie’s daughter, Georgina, for the last five
years said his father-in-law is also getting to spend a lot more time with his
grandsons Rocco and Jay.
“Even at his height of office he was always quite full-on anyway but he’s
definitely getting to see them more but he’s still quite busy.
“At the end of the day he’s still a politician and he has a lot of work to be
doing and the tribunal is still going on and when that’s out of the way he’ll
make a decision about what he wants to do. I keep saying to him he should write
a book.”
Bertie, along with Nicky’s family were at Croke Park two weeks ago to see the
band play what they have described as their biggest gig to date.
“The night blew us away. For us coming home to our home country, in what is
really our national stadium. It was just amazing.
“We have played in bigger stadiums but that would be with other bands. But that
was our biggest individual gig for us and without a doubt it was the best.”
And the whole thing was filmed by Nicky on his video camera.
“I bought the camera that morning. I had left mine in Portugal and I was filming
that day — us rehearsing, backstage before the show, the lads, Louis, Bertie
coming in, my mum and dad coming in. Everybody just backstage chilling out.
“But it was just to have and I’ll send everyone the disk when we’re all grey
and old. I’ve watched it back and it’s pretty special.”
One of the most moving parts of the night was when he was filming band mate
Mark doing a speech. Mark, who revealed to fans last year he was gay, was
thanking fans for their support.
“When he was speaking I felt he had more to say but he couldn’t and he turned
and I have his face on video camera at that moment.”
Once the lads finish their last few gigs, which include one in Killarney on
Sunday, June 22, they’ll be launching their auto-biography — Westlife: Our
Story before parting ways for a year out.
“We have a place in Portugal so I do plan on taking the family down there
probably for most of July and August.
“We’re five years married in August, myself and Georgina, so we’ve that to
look forward to as well. We’ll have to plan something special for that weekend.
We’ll also go to Kerry with Georgina’s family in August.”
But for the first four months of the year off most of the Westlife boys plan to
do absolutely nothing.
“Maybe we’ll watch some Saturday night TV, which will be a change from actually
being on Saturday night TV,” Nicky joked.
But as far as extending the family goes — there’s no plans there.
“It would be great if we could have a little girl or even a little boy but no
plans yet. The boys are 14 months now and they’re growing into proper little
boys. But we’re coping pretty well.”
Nicky is also quick to dispel the rumours that this year out is more of a
Westlife parting of ways.
“We just really needed a break away from the industry and we felt that fans
needed a break from us.
“We found ourselves doing cover after cover and I’m not knocking them but if you
start doing the love albums back to back things start of suffer. We decided
among ourselves that we needed to give songwriters more time to find songs for us.
“We do plan on coming back after the year and we’ll probably miss it like
crazy when we’re gone but everybody’s fired up for it. Too many people were
resting on their laurels thinking: ‘Oh it’s Westlife they could release Ba Ba
Black Sheep and it could sell’.”
But solo albums have been ruled out as part of their year off.
“I’ve no projects lined up. On the year off nobody’s against anybody doing
anything once it’s not releasing a solo album because that would be diluting
what we are as a band. Everyone’s just really looking forward to the break.”
Looking five years ahead Nicky is hoping that the band, discovered by Louis
Walsh 10 years ago, will still be at the top of their game.
“That’ll be 15 years and will be a serious career in music. But look at Kylie,
she’s lasted a long time and look at footballers. You can play until your 40 —
you won’t be as good as you were when you were 25 but as long as the songs are
good we’ll be there.”
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Added: 15th June 2008, source: Irish Examiner
Take A Westlife Quiz On Bebo!
Once you've got your copy of Westlife: Our Story, hop over to
www.bebo.com/westlife
and pit your wits against the fiendish quiz!
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Added: 15th June 2008, source: Westlife.com
Autobiography Extract: Part 2
Read part two of our fantastic preview of Westlife: Our Story!
Signing the record deal was a huge decision for me, says Mark. I can clearly
remember actually putting the pen on the page where I was supposed to sign. I
can see it now, the pen moving in slow motion as I signed my name. At that
precise second, a thousand thoughts were buzzing through my brain. I was excited
about the deal, naturally, but I was very nervous about what it meant for my
life back in Sligo. I was really scared that it might change things. Of course
it changed everything beyond recognition.
Subconsciously, I must have known this and that is why signing that piece of
paper was such a big deal for me. There I was, an 18- year-old country boy,
flying into this big corporate office in the middle of London, being surrounded
by all these big names in the business, working for this worldwide company,
sitting by accountants, lawyers, managers - it felt insane. I think in the
back of my mind I'd been preparing to go to college, like a lot of kids do
from around Sligo, then suddenly here I was signing a multi-million pound
record deal with all the heavy responsibility that comes with that. Maybe for a
kid brought up in Camden, it would have been an easy day out, but for me the
contrast was so severe. Exciting, thrilling, scary, daunting, all at once. I'm
just trying to be really honest here.
As I signed, the noise of the city outside was as far from my idyllic country
childhood as you can imagine. I could feel that distance sitting there in that
room, writing my name on that sheet of paper. Right there and then, I put a
barrier up. This is not going to change me, this is not going to change my
life, I kept saying to myself. It was important at that point to have that
feeling. It reassured me. I hadn't travelled like Nicky, I didn't have the
confidence of Shane, Kian and Brian. But, ultimately, the draw to sing was
greater than the desire for my life not to change, so I signed the contract.
But I just kept telling myself it wouldn't really change anything. How wrong
can you be?
The business side of it hit us instantly, says Nicky. We had to set up a
company, we hired an accountant, Alan McEvoy, and we got lawyers and tour
managers lined up, all sorts. It was explained to us that the company,
Blue Net, should own the band name because if any member were to leave then
the band could continue without legal problems. We just agreed - it sounded
reasonable and besides, no one was going to leave Westlife, were they? As soon
as we signed the deal, we spoke with Louis and he said, ‘Right, you're going
straight into a recording studio.' Game on.
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Added: 15th June 2008, source: Westlife.com
Extract From Autobiography
We've got an online exclusive especially for Westlife fans - a sneaky peek at
part of Westlife: Our Story!
Here's an extract from Chapter 7, in which the boys discuss signing their first
ever record deal. We'll be bringing you more from the chapter tomorrow, in
which Mark discusses how he felt at the meeting and Nicky reveals a bit about
the business side of the band, so make sure you check back in!
The book comes out on 16th June: pre-order your copy
here.
Signing the actual record contract was amazing, recounts Nicky. It was in the
first week of November 1998, while we were still on tour with Boyzone. A lot
of the lads hadn't even been to London before; I was a little more experienced
in that I'd been to America, Canada and much of Europe with family holidays and
football tournaments.
Louis was travelling to the record label separately, so it was literally the
five of us travelling over on a plane to meet him there. We made our way from
the airport to this big office block where the record company was based. I
remember that standing there, ready to go in, we were just giddy kids. Looking
back, as soon as we entered that doorway, all of our lives changed beyond
recognition.
We went into a big meeting room that is now Simon Cowell's private office but
back then was just a huge conference room. Sonny Takhar was also there, Simon's
right-hand man who has also been instrumental in our career.We knew it was a
big record deal - we signed for five albums on a contract worth several million
pounds, so, understandably at that age, we all thought that once we'd signed
this piece of paper, we'd be millionaires. Of course that money is split over
the albums and it has to go towards paying for some incredibly expensive stuff
like accommodation, clothes, cars, video shoots, recording costs and so on.
It's funny, looking back, because we'd all been looking at what cars we could
afford. Rather than get proper carried away, I was thinking of buying maybe a
Toyota MR2, you know, for 15 grand, say - nothing too ridiculous. That's how
you think at that age.
Signing that record deal was all my dreams come true, says Kian. It really was
a lifelong dream and here we were, signing the contract, about to record an
album, put singles out, travel the world in a band and make music. It was just
amazing.
It was the stuff of dreams, absolutely, recalls Shane. All my life I'd been
looking forward to this moment. It was one of my major goals in life, but I
never thought it would happen. I knew I wanted to get married and I hoped I'd
be a father, but I never thought I'd get a massive record deal. It's such a
prized achievement for a band. I can't really ever forget that excitement,
that moment sitting in that office, all the thoughts buzzing around my head:
We are going to be pop stars! We might have a hit single! Then the teenage
thoughts kick in, like Maybe I'm going to be a millionaire! Then, most
importantly of all, I can go and buy a new car!
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Added: 15th June 2008, source: Westlife.com
Win Signed Books and Posters!
How do you fancy winning a signed copy of Westlife: Our Story plus a big poster
to go with it?
With the band's autobiography coming out on 16th June, we want you to tell us
about one of your favourite or most significant Westlife memories. It might be
the first time you saw them on TV, the best concert you went to, dancing to a
Westlife song on a night out...whatever you like!
We'll be picking five of our favourites to be published on the homepage, with
each winner getting a signed book and a promotional poster.
Post your entry in the special
forum thread.
You can only enter once and each entry must be a maximum of 150 words. The
closing date is 10am on Monday 16th June.
Good luck!
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Added: 11th June 2008, source: Westlife.com
Westlife: Our Story Signings
It's the news you've all been waiting for - the boys will be travelling up and
down the UK & Ireland for in-store signings of Westlife: Our Story!
Here are those all-important dates and times:
Monday 16th June
Waterstones Piccadilly, London 12.30 - 14.30
WH Smith, Lakeside 17.30 - 18.30
Tuesday 17th June
WH Smith, Milton Keynes 12.30 - 13.30
Wednesday 18th June
Waterstones, Liverpool 12.30 - 13.30
WH Smith, Manchester Trafford Centre 18.00 - 19.00
Thursday 19th June
Easons, Dublin 12.30 - 13.30
Easons, Belfast 17.30 - 18.30
Friday 20th June
Easons Franchise, Sligo 12.30 - 13.30
Hughes & Hughes, Galway 17.30 - 18.30
Entry to the signings is on a first come, first served basis, so make sure you
get there early to avoid disappointment.
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Added: 11th June 2008, source: Westlife.com
Westlife wow the Croker crowd
By Fiach Kelly
Westlife lived the dream as they wowed 82,000 fans at a sold-out Croke Park
last night.
The Westlife lads arrived on stage to the sort of roar normally reserved for a
goal by home team Dublin in the All-Ireland Final.
With an explosion of fireworks, and dwarfed by crazed dancers on stilts, they
launched into 'Hit You With The Real Thing' then 'World of Our Own'.
The group tore through a selection of hits, including 'What Makes a Man' and
'Uptown Girl', which got the sea of fans, some wearing bunny ears and carrying
banners, singing and dancing.
The set was huge, with massive screens beaming the boys' every move to the
people below.
Kian Egan told the crowd it was a perfect 10th birthday present for the band.
"To be here in our national stadium in front of over 85,000 people is
unbelievable," he said.
Mick O'Dwyer's Wicklow GAA football team were denied a game on the hallowed
Croker turf because of the weekend gig.
Instead, legions of fans wearing plastic cowboy hats swamped the stadium and
lapped up hits from the Irish foursome and support act Shayne Ward. There was
a multicultural feel to the crowd, with supporters in this gig hailing from as
far afield as the USA and Australia.
Unsurprisingly, most of the fans were female and travelled from all over the
country and even further to see their idols who were enjoying their biggest-ever
headlining gig.
By the end of the show at 11pm Croke Park was a cauldron of emotion -- with
the band themselves at the centre of it all. In an impassioned speech to the
throng they described the gig as the peak of their careers. Nicky Byrne paid
tribute to his family including wife Georgina Ahern, father-in-law Bertie Ahern
who is understood to have been in the crowd, and his own children Rocco and Jay.
The uplifting finale saw the band dressed in white suits as they led thousands
through 'You Raise Me Up'.
They also switched direction with a cheeky cover of The Jackson 5's 'Blame
it on the Boogie'.
Linda Whaley (18) and Sarah Dunne (16) had travelled to Croker from Laois.
Maintaining she was not a "really big fan" of Westlife, Linda was clear about
what she was there for. "I'm looking forward to Shayne Ward," she said,
blushing slightly.
"But I'll still be up the front throwing my Bridget Jones knickers
[at Westlife] on stage."
Ward warmed up the crowd nicely. He mixed pop with trad when he performed a
version of 'The Fields of Athenry' and won a roar from the crowd when he said:
"I'm proud to be Irish".
English fans Caroline Shaw (24) and Julie Kennedy (28) headed into the concert
sporting T-shirts they had printed especially for the occasion, showing both
of them with band member Mark Feehily.
"I've seen them at least 50 times," said Caroline, who last saw the pop
supergroup in March. "We had to come over for Croke Park. We've been going to
the Point gigs for the last four years."
For others, it was all about the kids, with hordes of parents bringing their
children.
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Added: 11th June 2008, source: Indepentdent.ie
Westlife to perform at Wayne Rooneys wedding
Irish band Westlife is set to perform at the wedding of soccer star Wayne
Rooney and Coleen McLoughlin.
The 22-year-old Man U star is set exchange wedding vows with McLoughlin on
June 14 at La Cervara, Italy.
He was eager to book his fiancees favourite group after they were unable to
make it to her 21st birthday last year.
Some of Waynes teammates gave him a bit of stick but he knows how much Coleen
loves them, The Sun quoted a source as saying.
Meanwhile, the couple is making sure that their big day is one to remember by
settling for a 3 million pounds butterfly-themed wedding at a former Italian monastery.
The Fifty guests attending the wedding will be given a hand-made box tied with
a ribbon and containing a live butterfly, which they have to release at the
time of the wedding.
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Added: 11th June 2008, source: Thaindian News
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