Pop Star life - what's it really like? Find out as OTT discuss their girl-pulling power, missing home and, erm, living in the shed...
Pop star life can't always be great. Tell us about some of the bad bits?
- Niall:
- Struggling out of bed in the morning. In my old job I was always ten minutes late. I can't do that now.
- Alan:
- Harrumph! Well, having to shave every day annoys me! No, seriously...it's difficult to be on top from all the time, to always have a smile on your face. Everyone gets out of bed on the wrong side some mornings - yes, even me!
- Do you find life on the road difficult?
- Glen:
- Nah, I love it, but I'm jealous of my mates at home if they nip off to the country for the weekend, to have a made time without me.
- Adam:
- (Eyebrows knitted.) But we made a choice and we knew things would change and we'd have less time at home.
- Niall:
- (Nods.) But it's still hard. (Profoundly.) It's like giving up chocolate. You know you've made the right decision, but you still fancy the odd bar of Dairy Milk.
- Who do you cofide your troubles in?
- Alan:
- I ring my mother with all my problems cos she's the main person in my life, or I confide in the guys.
- Niall:
- And I'll talk to... depends on the problem.
- Adam:
- I ask loads of people for advice.
- Alan:
- (Adopts posh voice) Dear Agony Anne...
- Glen:
- Ah, shut it! (Seriously.) I'm unsure about relationships so I ask everyone. I change the names of the people involved. This friend of mine really fancies...
- What one thing do you miss from your house?
- Alan:
- Parents!
- Niall:
- (Nods.) 'Course. There comes a time when we need to go home. After five weeks on the road we suffer from cabin fever.
- Alan:
- We go craaa-zzzy.
- Niall:
- We need to relax and go. 'Ahha.' Nothing beats a hot cuppa and inner at home.
- Adam:
- I miss being able to go into me own kitchen.
- Does your room at home look different now?
- Glen:
- Exactly the same...
- Naill:
- ...we own more CDs!
- Alan:
- You're lucky - mine is very different! I used to have my own room. When the band began, I was moved back to share with my brothers. Now my dad's bought a foldaway bed for me! I'm like, 'Hello? I still live here, don't I?
- Adam
- It'll be bags on the doorstep and new locks on the doors soon!
- Are you star-struck when you meet celebs?
- Alan:
- I didn't think I was bothered until I discovered I'd gone mad and was talking in my sleep to them.
- Adam:
- We share a room so I listened to the conversation, they were priceless. He talked to Cindy Crawford and 911. He'd shout, 'Look, there's Pete! Peter Andre! How are yeh? Oh, Ant! Hi Dec.'
- Niall:
- Hihihi! And we did meet Paul Weller. I think he's a legend, bu I wasn't star-struck. I told the lads back home I'd seen him but I didn't ask for an autograph. We're too complacent these days.
- Glen:
- (Excitedly.) Unless it was Tom Jones - then I'd be star-struck. If you're reading this, Tom, we wanna do a duet!
- Do you pull more girls cos you're famous?
- Niall:
- It was much easier to score in the old days!
- Glen:
- (After lots of rascal-type laughter.) Girls were much more interested before OTT. I had more self-confidence. I don't go up to girls and talk to them now. They'll say, 'It's your man from OTT. Who does he think he is?' It's sad.
- Alan:
- I don't go out looking for romance. I'll need to have a dozen other people with me to feel comfortable in clubs these days. I used to be a hectic dancer but now I sit down and chat.
- Glen:
- People expect me to be a great dancer and I'm not. You don't often catch me throwing shapes on the old dance floor.
- Niall:
- (Amused at quaint language.) Aw, you're a superfly, Glen. Ha ha.
- Do you have more or less self-confidence now?
- Glen:
- We've all experienced feeling insecure. You become aware people are watching you - everyone knows us in Ireland. It's scary.
- Adam
- You worry about how you look.
- Alan
- If I see a mirror - anywhere - I'll check my reflection to make sure I'm looking good. You never know where there will be cameras or fans.
- Glen:
- I'd like to go back to normal life for a day.
- Niall:
- There's nothing better than being able to do what you want and no one noticing.
- Adam:
- On the up side, I never used to go out much and now I am invited to loads of parties. I don't worry about it.
- Do you feel you've had to grow up fast?
- Niall:
- I think I'm becoming more immature! I had a lot of responsibility in my old job - I was the boss, I couldn't mess around. Erm, we mess around a lot now!
- Glen:
- We're looked after well. All we have to do is show up at the right time. But I give anyone credit who can make it in this business cos it's difficult. You quickly learn people aren't always given the chances they deserve.
- Alan:
- It's not what you know, it's who you know. It's all politics.
- What was last year's lowest point?
- Adam:
- You can sit in hotel rooms and be miserable - but you hve to remind yourself how lucky you are.
- Niall:
- I felt bad when my mum was ill and I wasn't there.
- Glen:
- A couple of kids from our estate were in a car accident. I had seen them only a couple of hours earlier, that brought everything home.
- Alan:
- My grandma died when I was out on the road. I found out just before doing a TV show. I had to pretend to be happy. It was horrible.
- And finally, what makes you happy?
- Alan:
- The chance to go to other countries.
- Niall:
- (Yawns.) The last time I was happy was one Saturday night at home. I stayed in, the next morning I went to mass with me mam, then took my nieces to the pictures.
- Glen:
- Mine was when me da won ¢G50 on the lottery!
- Adam
- Me, I'm happy when I get eight hours sleep! And recently when my family and the lads came to my birthday dinner.
- Glen
- (Pause.) The soup was crap though!
- Adam
- Ohmegod! My mum'll be devastated!
- Alan
- Dear Agony Anne, Glen's upset me ma...
