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30TH January 2000 *      an article from the "Hitkrant" (thanx a lot to Jolanda j.selten@chello.nl  for providing the information to all fans) At the moment Ronan Keating is very busy.He works very hard on his solo-album,but beside it he's also complete disposal to Boyzone,for how long that will last.Further he's taking a big part of the management of Westlife ,he'll account for that.And he's also trying to keep his normal family life together... Why have you all from Boyzone decided to do  solo-projects? Ronan: We've been busy with Boyzone for six years now and luckely we had a lot of success but it was time to develope us personally.Still we haven't decide if we'll stop soon or not.We have many ideas so we could go on for a long time.It looks healthy to us to do other things besides the band,then you could stand it much longer.Look at bands like Genesis,Bon Jovi and also the Spice Girls now,they are all doing solo-things. What are the others doing at the moment? Shane is keeping himself busy with racing,Keith is a presenter and Steve,Mikey and I are working on solo-albums. Could you tell me something about your solo-album?  What you'll get to hear is like Boyzone music.I've wrote twelve songs on the first album, eight on the second,nine on the third,thus I couldn't get away from that. You're using some of the Irish instruments,right? Yes I'll be partial to Irish instruments.And I want to use them as much as I can in my music.But I don't want to make music like, diddle-e idle diddle-e idle.i'll try to work it up but it has to be popmusic.I'm not trying to be B*witched or the Corrs,I am Ronan Keating. Not so long ago you did a duet with Baby Spice,"Don't go breaking my heart".Do you have plans to release that song? At the moment both of us haven't the time to record duets.She's working hard on her solo-album and is busy with the girls.And I'm also very busy.It was nice to do something together for charity but I don't know if it will be continued. Do you have plans for duets? I love to do a duet with all my friends.But I work on a solo-album,so I want acknowledgement for that.So I'm trying to make good songs. Last year there's been a lot changed in your private-life,isn't it? Yes,I've never been so happy then now.I daily wish that my mother could have seen this.A very beautiful child,a wonderful wife.Life is brilliant!I have a life that a lot of people would have if they are thirty or fourty years old.I travelled a lot,met a lot of people,get to know other cultures,eat strange course and drunk drinks.I had have a lot of fun and the next step for me was marriage and to have a child. A lot of responsebility on a very young age? Yeah but you got to see it essential.One of the important things I do is the management from Westlife.And luckely that goes very well.We have a few number 1 hits already.I think  that these guys have the opportunity to become one of the most successful acts in the modern popmusic. Do you see Westlife as the new Boyzone? There will never be another Boyzone.We wouldn't be replaced.We have something special and that has no other band.We have survived all scandales and still we make good music. Has the friendship played a big part in your success? Of course, friendship made us what we are now.That's why we hold out.If we weren't friends,we never had the success we have. Are there any plans for doing a solo tour? It's strange to be on stage on your own.Over and over again I'm looking over my shoulder to see if the others are there.But I want to do a few concerts in May or so. Probably my solo-album comes out in Februari or March.And there's also some Boyzone work planned.And after Boyzone I hope there will be a long solo career waiting for me. Do you think that Ronan solo is just as successful as Boyzone is? Well that's a high catch.But if I don't have that much of success,probably there will be someone who takes my place.that's how it will work in the music industry.You must be very successful to survive in the music. *      article in the Now Magazine (thanx a lot to Sarah Liptrott anamcara@currantbun.com   for providing the information to all fans) EXCLUSIVE Mel and Ronan go it alone. Boyzone heart-throb Ronan Keating and Spice Girl Mel C say they'd consider recording a joint single.They're both pop giants and they respect each other's music. But what do Mel C and Ronan Keating really think of each other? In their first ever interview together, they confess all They make an unlikely pair. Ronan is the ultimate all-round good guy, the housewife's favourite whose silky tones urn teenage knees to jelly. Then there's Mel C. Once the cheeky, smiley Spice Girl, she's toughened up her image and now sports enough attitude to make the average Hell's Angel take flight.But the duo have more in common than you'd think. Both are teen idols with multi-million record sales, both have learned how to cope with the pressures of being internationally successful pop stars and speculation is rife that both could be soon abandon the bands that made them famous in favour of solo careers.Although both have repeatedly denied plans to leave their respective groups, the recent success of their solo projects - Mel C's album and Ronan's chart-topping single When You Say Nothing AT All - may leave them with no choice. Pursuing individual projects takes time and if something has to give, it could well be the Spice Girls and Boyzone. Both singers, who took time out from their hectic schedules to meet up in Denmark's capital, Copenhagen, say freedom and sense of achievement is the big pull of solo work. 'I think it's the challenge,' says Ronan. 'You really have to prove it to yourself as an individual. In Boyzone, I share the responsibility between five people. On you own, you take it all on your own back. We did very well in Boyzone, and everyone said: "Hey, you should try it on your own. You should do it alone." You kind of put that in the back of your head. You never really say that you're in a band and that's the way it is and that's the way it's always going to be. You have to prove it to yourself - it's something within. ANd, you know, it's a lot more fun,because the control is your own, and the freedom, and the space. You don't have four other people speaking for you - you speak on your own. It can be difficult when five personalities are speaking for one. What I did in Boyzone, I loved. But when you hear my new album, it's different. I recorded it with different producers in different places. I went to Nashnille to record some of it. Some of the best musicians in the world come from Nashville. It's still pop songs with melodies, but there are no samples.I've been going for a more organic sound and a bit more Irish influence.' For Mel C, as with Ronan,22, working alone is a chance to do - and say - exactly as she pleases.Doubling the pressure on oneslef is part of it, but you don't really think about that,' she explains. 'The reason why I do it - and Ronan, too - is to please lyself. I love being in teh SPice Girls - it's great fun - but I'm 25 now. I'm still young and I want to prove myself. I want to go out there and give it a try, see what people are going to say. When I'm on my own, I might want to say things that are a little more controversial. SOme of the words in my songs aren't appropriate for some Spice Girls fans. When we're in our bands, we've got responsibilities. When we're going solo stuff, we don't.' Here in COpenhagen, with Ronan's 10 monh old baby Jack and his wife Yvonne hovering in the background, he and Mel joked and talked like old friends. ALthough they've met before, they rarely get the chance to chat to one another without being in the public gaxe at a party or an awards ceremony.'It's good that we've met under these circumstances,' says Mel. 'It's nice to do something like this.'Ronan agrees.'It's cool,' he laughs. 'We bump into each other, like ships passing in the night, during shows and stuff like that. We get to have a laugh and sometimes we go to the after-show parties. Because we're doing the same thing. we kinf of know what each other is going through, so we can relate to each other well.'But will their friendship turn into anything professional and are there any plans for joint projects in teh future?I'd love to,' says Ronan. 'It would be great, cool. It's always interesting working with othr people and you learn so much.'In fact, the major stumbling block is time. Both are already working hard on future solo efforts and Ronan admits that any joint single is likely to be some time off.'SOmething might come along later; somewhere down the road, we might do something,' he says. 'But right now, it's a million miles away for both of us because we're both recording solo albums. But you never know what's around the corner.' 'I've got a lot of respect for Ronan. He's so young and he's done so much,' Mel pipes up. ' I think it's fantastic - he even manages Westlife. I know how difficult that is from being in the Spice Girls. We've been without a manager for quite a while. Having to work creatively and being responsible for business as well - I think it's amazing what he's done.' And teh feelings mutual. 'I really admire Mel for what ahe's doing,' says Ronan. 'She's probably done the most difficult thing: to go from the biggest band in the world, a phenomenon. To take that on board and to pursue a solo career isn't an easy thing to do. ANd she's done it with her head held high.She's already got her own identity, because she's such an individual. So what's left to say? Fair play to her

23rd January 2000 *      Sunday World Columns (thanx a lot to Jolanda Mayer jolanda_mayer@yahoo.com  for providing the information to all fans) January 16th, 2000 A NEW BEGINNING FOR EACH OF US Hi Stephen here, WEDNESDAY night of this week was a big one for us for many reasons. It was the end of our winter tour, it was broadcast live on Sky One and it marked a new beginning for all the members of Boyzone.It could have been an emotional one for us had it not been for the fact that we all decided Boyzone will be back with a new tour.Nevertheless, we are all going off to stand alone as performers and that is going to be strange. It will be a bit weird not having the other four guyz around for a while. Dinner But it's exciting at the same time because new challenges make life interesting. Ronan, Mikey and myself have our own albums on the way, so we hope you, the fans, will stick with us.I went around to Mikey's house for dinner the other night and he played me some of his new songs. I really enjoyed them, they're really good and I'm really looking forward to the album coming out.Ronan has played me some of his new songs and I'm really proud of what he has done as well. You've already made his debut single, When You Say Nothing At All, a Number One hit, so it's going to be a huge album for him. My own songs are more poppy than those of Ronan and Mikey, so we're all coming out with different stuff to give you lots of choice.Now that Boyzone is taking a break until this summer, I will also get the chance to spend some time at my home in Co Wicklow. There's still lots of work I'm planning to on it, so now I'll have the chance to ge cracking on it.Despite what you may have read in other papers, I don't intend to leave ireland. I love it here, it's my home and my favourite country in the whole world.Irish people have been so supportive of me on a personal level and I will never forget that. I have received nothing but good will. People on the street come over and shake my hand and say, 'Fair play to ya!' It means so much to me.We are so proud that a plaque has now been unveiled in our honour at The Point to mark our record-breaking series of nine shows at the venue.A lot of people got to see Boyzone's full live show for the first time on Wednesday night thanks to Sky One. A taxi driver said to me afterwards, 'You guys were really good.' The way he said it, I think he was surprised by what we had to offer. We celebrated down at Dublin's Chocolate Bar with family and friends afterwards and it was a great night. I'LL BE LOOKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT Hi Mikey here, ALTHOUGH we're not splitting up, this week was a strange one for us because we're all setting off on our own. It's like leaving the family home for the first time to stand on your own two feet.We had a great laugh this week as we relived the good times and the fun days we had down through the years since starting out on a roller-coaster ride with Boyzone in the wacky world of pop.Of course there was a lot of hard work involved and there were times when we were walking around like zombies trying to keep up with it all. But it's been a great opportunity in life and fortune has certainly smiled on us. Boyzone fans have been fantastic over the years. We will never forget your loyalty and support. Flattered I'd be very flattered if you supported me in my solo work when my album is released later this year. I'm planning to work very hard on it and I'm very positive about it.But I know that nothing is guaranteed in this business and it could well fall flat on its backside. If that happens, I'm prepared for it as well. It won't be the end of the world for me if it's not a huge success. I am doing my album for myself, because I love music so much and I love entertaining people. I'm so fortunate to be in a position to write and record songs.If only 20 people turn up at my shows I'll be happy that those 20 people have come to see me. But, having said that, I'd love to reach the stage where I'm playing arenas and even stadiums. January 9th -  2000 Hi Ronan hear, After the thrill of coming home with our latest stage extravaganza for 9 performances at the Point, I'm delighted to announce here today that Boyzone will return with a brand new show.Forget all those stories you've heard about the current shows being our last. I am telling you here today in the official Boyzone column that WE'LL BE BACK!I know that I'm repeating myself for the one millionth time when I say that Boyzone are not breaking up.As you know, we are all taking the rest of this year off to do solo projects. But we have also agreed to record a new Boyzone album, so we'll still he working on stuff together as a band. Being realistic, it doesn't seem possible to do a tour this summer with Boyzone as we'll be so busy on our individual projects.But hopefully we'll get some new Boyzone songs recorded by the end of the year and then we'll bounce back in the summer of next year with a major tour.It's lovely to be home at the moment. We've been here for three weeks and its been great. I haven't been home this long since Jack was born. It just great to enjoy simple things like hanging out in my own home. I rarely get the opportunity to spend time in it. There are still bits and bobs to be done on the house, so being home has given me the opportunity to sort them out.There's also been the added thrill of all those shows at the Point,breaking all records at that venue and playing to nearly 60,000 people.On Friday they even unveiled a plaque to us at The Point in recognition of our record breaking series of shows. To us, little things like that really matter. We are truly honoured.It was very difficult for us at the beginning. We didn't get any respect and that hurt because we were working so hard. But that has totally turned around now.Look at us now, getting 9 shows and the papers writing good things about us and how good the shows are...we got no bad press. It's been an absolute turn around and we are lucky to be in this position.We used to get slagged off when we were out and about on the streets,now it's a shake hand and a 'Well Done!' And we are very grateful to the people out there who have made Boyzone what it is.This current series of shows at The Point has a great line-up of support acts and the audience loves them. There's Samantha Mumba, who is managed by our Louis Walsh, and there's no doubt she's going to be a big star of the future. She's a lovely lady and a very talented singer. Singing talent is obviously so important and Samantha has got it, so she's on a winner. You can get slagged off in this day and age for the way you look or whatever, but the critics can never deny you your singing talent. I honestly believe that she has a great future. Samantha also has a very good attitude, which is essential in this business. Chit-chat is a new Irish girl band managed by Boyzone bosses Louis Walsh and John Reynolds. My prediction is that these girls, sisters Ciara (16) and Cathy Newell 17) from Galway, Tara Lee (17) from Dublin, Paula O'Neill (20) from Cork and Kelly Kilfeather (20) from Sligo are going to be massive. They are lovely girls, they have great voices and to be honest, there's no one else like them. There are no good new girl bands around at all They are refreshing to watch and several record companies have been over to check them out. Watch out for them.ReeLare a new "boy band" with a difference, their style of entertainment is based around traditional music.In this day and age, boy hands have to come up with something different and Reel seem to have it sussed. The Corns and B*Witched touched on traditional music and we have ourselves now and then. Irish music and being Irish at the moment is the thing to be. It's massive, so the guys definitely have that on their side.We hope you get the chance to catch us at The Point. If not, check out the show live on Sky next Wednesday night.

16th January 2000 *      Steven article in Teen People (thanx a lot to Joan Sy joan_kristine@yahoo.com  for providing the information to all fans) "Out of The Dark"  meet ten gayand lesbian star who found peace, happiness- and success- after they dared to tell the truth.Stephen Gately: When Boyzone member Stephen gately learned last June that an ex-employee was planning to out him in a British tabloid, he beat the guy to it.  "This is teh hardest thing I have ever had to do," he told The Sun.  "But I owe it all to out fans as well as to myself to be completely honest."  Although Stephen, 23, has known since he was 15 that he is gay, publily he had kept silent for years.  "I desperately wanted to be a pop star but decided early on I couldn't do that and be gay," he told the Sunday Times Magazine.  "I had to keep it to myslef.  Being honest would mean saying goodbye to fame." Luckily, family, friends and thegroup were there for him.Knowing that they understood and supported me helped with the pressure that was building up," he told Sunday Times Magazine.The pressure peaked when stephen began dating Dutch pop star Eloy de Jong, 26, last January.  "He never lied," says John McKie, editor of the British magazine, Smash Hits.  "He never talked about having a girlfriend.  But it must have been difficult for him continually being asked why the rest of Boyzone were married and he wasn't."Coming out hasn't dimmed Stephen's star wattage.  (A typical messgae on Boyzone's official website: "...I will still love Boyzone no matter what!  I hope that steve finds happiness with hoever he settles with.")  "I've got a pile of letters in my office two feet high at least," says MikeHrano, who runs Boyzone's official fan club.  People are very supportive.  If there was a single negative letter, I didn't see it."  Stephen, who is working on his first solo album, is equally positive."He looks radiant," sats McKie.  "He can say he's in love, and everyone knows who he's in love with. It's taken a whole weight off his mind." -reported by Liz Corcoran *      an article from the Irish Times (thanx a lot to Katie_Earl@uk.ibm.com  for providing the information to all fans) WHAT'S ON:TUESDAY, JANUARY 11th, 2000 With the festive period well and truly consigned to history and the annual dose of super-flu reaching it's peak, the capital is presently undergoing a mild bout of post-millennium tension. With 1000 years until the next millennium promoters are at a loss on how to adequately fill the next 365250 odd days and nights and the big night on offer tonight is hardly likely to inspire music fans with confidence. The inspired decision to kickstart the whole shebang with a series of Boyzone concerts at the Point is just a little dubious (let's face it, they're just so 20th Century), but at least it can be said the pre-pubescence of the female variety can bear witness to the Boyz before their inevitable descent into obscurity.Yes, despite Shane Lynch's heartfelt and impassioned pleas to the contrary,it would appear that the only thing 'rapid' in the bands near future will be a trip down the labour exchange. With Andrew Lloyd Webber keen whisk little Stephen away and make him a star, and Ronan's solo, managerial and Eddie Irvine baiting commitments eating into his time, one can only sympathise with the other three. Keith may harbour delusions of TV grandeur but on his current performances one suspects he has roughly the same chance as Shane winning the 2001 World Rally Championship. At least Mikey seems to be accepting his fate with a little grace. Anyway, should you wish to catch the ladz live and in colour whilst you're still able, tickets can be obtained with a crisp £20 note with the show starting at 8 p.m. Noel O'Reilly noreilly@irish-times.com © Dublin Live

9th January 2000 *       Irish Mirror (thanx a lot to Karen Johnson kazz.johnson@btinternet.com   for providing the information to all fans) RONAN BIDS FOR SOLO STARDOM Ronan Keating will beging his uest for solo world stardom just hours after Boyzone's final concert at the Point on January 12.Speaking to the Irish Mirror last night, Ronan said he would make a dramatic escape from Dublin the next morning.He will fly to Los Angeles for a month of intensive work to finish his debut album."I'm flying over to LA with Yvonne and the baby for a month to complete the album," said the 22-year-old singer."I'm excited about it. I've got more work to finish with Barry Gibb and then it's just a matter of choosing the final songs."At the minute we've got over 20. I've written a lot of them myself and worked with some big names on others."After that it's off to Miami for a week and then back home to launch the whole thing."Ronan also revealed plans for a solo tour at the end of the summer if album sales go well. "I'd love to get out there and do my own tour." he said."We are going to wait to see how well the album does. If there's a good response to it there will probably be live concert dates at the end of the summer."The dream would be to perform at the Point as a solo singer." Ronan's debut solo single, When You Say Nothing At All, topped the charts last year. Now he's hungry for more sucess. Recording giants Polygram have already given him a £1.5 million contract for the UK and Ireland release of the album, due out in March."I've been given the best possible chance thanks to my experiences in Boyzone," he said."When we started out we didn't know anything about the music business, but we've learned from good and bad along the way." "Having such a good contract behind me has already been invaluable. It has allowed me to concentrate on the music."We've never pretended that Boyzone would always stay together, and over the next year we're going to be working on our own material and projects."Mikey and Stephen have been recording their own things and the rest of the guys are also keeping busy with their own projects. "We are close probably even closer than when we started. There's not many groups out there who could say that after five years."These concerts with Boyzone are the priority at the minute. I'm just determined to most of the record nine-night run.Last night's gig was unbelieveable and hopefully the enst eight will be just as good."The best thing was topping Gareth Brooks' record for sold-out concerts at The Point. People worship that man in Ireland so to surpass his record is something pretty special."We were just amazed by the response of the fans. Some of them are coming to all nine nights. They are the greatest fans." *      BzColumn (thanx a lot to Jolanda Mayer jolanda_mayer@yahoo.com  for providing the information to all fans) Hi Ronan Here, On behalf of the rest of the lads, let me take this opportunity to wish all Boyzone fans everywhere, health and happiness in the New Year.Looking back, the 90's have been an amazing decade for myself and the rest of the guys. None of us ever imagined in our wildest dreams the life that opened up for us with the success of Boyzone.If you had told me at the start of the decade that I would be travelling around the world many times, meeting and performing with the biggest names in pop and counting many of them among my friends, I would have laughed in your face.Sure I had my dreams and my ambitions and I was always optimistic that they would work out. When you're young and naive you don't realise that there are so many obstacles to overcome.If I'd known then what I know now, I might not have been so sure I would succeed in the world of pop. But I would never discourage anyone from going down the road I travelled. Everyone should follow their dream, even if it doesn't work out, at least you can say you gave it your best shot.Our 1993 Boyzone auditions seem to have taken place a hundered years ago at this stage, yet I still vividly remember them. There were three auditions altogether and I remember how I sang George Michael's  Careless Whisper. I danced to Right Said Fred's I'm Too Sexy and I sang Cat Stevens' Father and Son. Later on I would meet the famous Cat Stevens and my pop idol George Michael, who turned out to be a very down-to-earth and genuinely nice guy.I'll never forget the first Smash Hits Roadshow in the sutumn of 1994 when we got to hang out with all the pop stars we were reading about in Smash Hits magazine.Then there was the big Smash Hits Poll Winners' Party when we picked up our very first award for Best New Act on the roadshow. It was the show that really catapulted us into the major league and, thank God,we've never looked back.1999 was a memorable year for us for many reasons, not east being our big outdoor show at the RDS last summer and the amazing success of our greatest hits album, By Request.It felt so good stepping out on stage at the RDS with a major production behind us. We pumped everything into that show, lapped up every moment of it and had a ball. Judging by the reaction of the crowd there on that balmy summer's night, you enjoyed it too.We are certainly sorry to see the end of the 90's,they were great years for us. Needless to say, on a personal level, my world came crashing down with the death of Mam. But I battle on and life turned around for me again with my marriage to Yvonne and the arrival of little Jack.Right now we're gearing up for our series of shows at The Point and we just can't wait to get out on to the stage. To be honest, the lads, still can't believe that we've broken records set at the Point by the likes of Cliff Richard, Dire Straits and Garth Brooks and we are honoured.It's a fantastic way to go into the new millennium,performing night after night at the most prestigious venue in Ireland. A sincere thank you, once again, to all our fans who have made that possible. Let's all have a great time together.