inter_wl

From Smash Hits, November 1st 2000

WHICH OF YOU HAVE GIRLFRIENDS?
S: I haven't, but I'd like one.
B: Yes, I do - me and Kerry have been going out for a year. The record company were iffy about it 'cos Rich'n'Billie got so much heat from the fans, but I hated lying about so I'm glad that I can be honest now.
M: Not at the moment, but I date as much as possible, I just don't have time to build up a serious relationship. I've seen a few different girls over the last few months, it's good to test out different types of people while I'm young!
K: I wish - I'm getting bored! I was seeing a girl about a month and a half ago, we went out on like three or four dates and that was it. ItJust doesn't work. I was seeing a girl about two months before christmas last year she was like, ´I don't like this, I've seen you twice in this last month and a half.´ It's not fair on either of us. I always had a girlfriend growing up, then the band took off and I haven't had a serious girlfriend since.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HAD A DATE?
K: About four and a half, five weeks ago.
S: Mine was a couple of months ago. We went for dinner and then met up with Nicky and Georgina and went to a nightclub. I got a snog!

MARK IS IT TRUE YOU DATED A PAGE 3 STUNNA?
M: Yes, her name was Ebony and she's a gorgeous, lovely girl. I dated for a month or two and had a really great time, but then all off a sudden we were off to America for a few months. It would be upsetting to try to a relationship last in that situation, so we called it a day.

NICKY, HOW LONG HAVE YOU AND GEORGINA BEEN GOING OUT?
N: (Thinks) Five years last month.

HOW DO YOU KEEP 'ER SWEET?
N: We keep in constant contact. We've got a mobile phone deal, so we get calls free!
K: (Interrupting) He's always on the phone. I mean always. I'd say that he talks to her on average ten times a day. At least. What is there to talk about?

WHAT DO YOU ARGUE ABOUT?
K: The stupidest things in the world. ´That's my top.´ ´No, it's mine.´ Every time we get clothes we end up fighting. It only happens when we're really tired. We've been doing photoshoots from 9am this morning (it's now 9pm) and we'll probably have a niggly little spat later on!

HAVE YOU EVER PUNCHED EACH OTHER?
M: Never. I think if that happened, it would be the end of the band. But we do have big, big roaring matches. Picture Big Brother - that's what it's been like for the past two and a half years .
N: We don't fight, but Shane and I had a heeuge argument in LA and then didn't speak to each other for two days!

HAVE YOU EVER FELT LIKE WALKING OUT OF THE BAND?
M: Yes. A lot of times. You just realise that it's because of the pressure at the time. Sometimes I'll think, ´I want a normal life again,´ then I'll have a walk around and chill out, then feel better. Sometimes you just have to flip. I'm very laid back, but if one of the lads gets on my nerves, I'll let them know.

EVER BEEN IN A FIGHT?
S: No, I've never thrown a thump at anyone but I hit a guy by mistake once and broke his nose! He swung around and my hand hit him - I didn't mean to do it!
B: Yes, a guy assaulted Kerry physically and wouldn't let go of her, so I punched him.
K: God, yeah! I used to get picked on quite a lot when I was younger, but I was always the type to kick them back so I'd still have my pride the next day.

HAVE YOU ALL SEEN EACH OTHER NAKED?
M: We probably have, but nothing stands out (ooer!). We all get changed infront of each other, but we don't totally strip off.
K: I don't think anyone's ever seen Mark naked, he's pretty private about stuff like that. Nicky doesn't care at all - he'll drop his trousers anywhere!

WHO HAS THE BEST BODY IN WESTLIFE?
K: I don't know. I think we're all pretty average. Shane's got a good body and Nicky's got a good build.
S: Not me! Kian has a good upper body, Bryan has great arms and I'd like to have Nicky's waistline. Sometimes I wake up and think, ´Look at the state of me´, other times I feel more comfortable. Do you work out?
K: Yeah. Very irregularly but I do. Maybe once every month.
S: I didn't for the last year, but I started again recently. Our security man got me into the gym.
B: Nah, this (mimes lifting pint over and over) is me workout.

WHAT'S THE LARGEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEEN YOU NAKED AT ONCE?
K: (Laughs) Probably about four or five in the gym changing room. There's never been a lot of nudity at the parties I go to, people don't suddenly decide to rip all their clothes off. But I wouldn't mind if it happened every now and then... (giggles).
N: I haven't seen it, but I've heard there's a nude picture of ´me´ on the internet! Hopefully the model they've ACTUALLY used makes me look good!
B: One person at a time, thank you very much!

HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD IT TAKE FOR YOU TO POSE NUDE?
M: A lot. If it was like a porno thing, I don't know if I'd do it, but if it was arty it would be easier.
N: A cool million, after tax. And a clause to say that me mam would never see the pictures. If it's OK with Georgina of course.
B: Half a million, (thinks) but I'd think about it for £100,000.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A NUDIST BEACH?
N: No, but when we were shooting IF I LET YOU GO video in America, we saw a few girls topless. We tried to concentrate on that area on our breaks!

DO YOU PULL MOONIES ON THE TOUR BUS?
S: Yes, I have done a few times. Once you get with the lads you can't help it!
K: That's any lads on a bus, regardless of whether it's a tour bus or a football team, everyone pulls moonies on a bus. If there's a group of guys on a bus there's going to be moonies pulled and anyone that tells you any different is lying.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN REALLY STARSTRUCK?
N: I met Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, but that was before the band at the opening of Planet Hollywood in Dublin.
B: Bryan Adams, that was amazing, but we missed Stevie Wonder by five minutes at the Grammys -we had to catch a plane- and that's the one person I'd love to have met.
M: Loads of times. The obvious one was Mariah Carey. I never thought I would ever meet her in my life, so you can imagine how crazy it's been to duet with her. The first time I met her I was shaking and totally stuck for words!

DID YOU HNAG OUT WITH HER?
N: Yeah, we had dinner with her. She came into the restaurant with about 90 million security guards in a long black dress, looking like a million dollars, and we went on a boat trip the next day. I was surprised when she called us egotistical, though. I hope she didn't mean it.
K: She's not this big superstar that everyone makes her out to be, this diva. She's not like that at all.

WHAT DID YOU TALK TO HER ABOUT?
M: Just normal things-we were taking the mickey out of each others' accents.

WHICH STAR WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO SNOG?
N: Liz Hurley. What a woman. If she's reading this, (cheeky Irish wink) how'r ye?
K: There are a lot of good-looking girls in the industry, hundreds. Rachel 7 is nice, Hannah is nice, Billie Piper is nice, Mariah, Whitney Houston is lovely, Britney, the girls in Steps, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Aniston, Kylie, Samantha Mumba. You'd be sick not to snog any of them. Most girls in bands are good-looking birds that's why they are in bands. (Pause) And they can sing, obviously...

WHICH STAR THAT YOU'VE MET HAS MOST DISAPPOINTED YOU?
N: Christina Aguilera. The first time, we went to her launch, we thought she was an amazing singer. She just thinks she's such a star, and she's not. She's a talented singer, but who is she to treat anybody like that? She's just a person.
B: She's a real cow. For such a talented girl to be such a cow is sad.
K: I just think she's a real prat. She's just not a nice person. She doesn't talk to anybody, she doesn't say hello, she doesn't mix-she is genuinely stuck-up.

HAVE YOU MET THE BACKSTREET BOYS YET?
N: We were both recording in Sweden, and staying in the same hotel. I got in the elevator and AJ was there saying, ´Yo, man, how's it going?´ And Nick introduced himself in the restaurant and we had a drink.
K: AJ was really good to get on with, Nick and Howie are both ladies' men, Kevin is chilled out, and Brian can be very quiet at times-a bit like Mark. They're nice guys.

WHEN DID YOU REALISE YOU WERE FAMOUS?
N: I still don't. I thought it would happen after the first single. Then I began to realise fame is just a word. I wake up in the morning, I still go to the toilet. My poo still smells. Maybe Britney Spears' doesn't, but mine does...

WHAT'S THE SILLIEST WESTLIFE RUMOUR YOU'VE HEARD?
N: That we spend ten grand on watches, stuff like that.
B: That I was engaged to be married to my babysitter! And that I was going out with Samantha Mumba. (Laughs) She's like my little sister.
K: Someone said that I was going out with Britney Spears, which I thought was quite funny. Trust me, if it was true it would be more than just a little rumour, it would be all over the place! And THE SUN said I said Mel C looked like a dog-which I didn't say at all. We know where most it came from, just one guy who has nothing to do with the band.

ARE YOU REALLY MILLIONAIRES?
S: (Mysteriously) I might be...
N: I wouldn't say so, though some of the lads would argue that we are. We're potential millionaires, but everyone is.
B: (Looking up) Nicky, are WE millionaires?
M: I think people get too wound-up in the money side of things. It's not about whether we are millionaires, it's about whether we are happy.

TVHITS Magazine Issue 135 November 2000

So boys, when do you feel sexy?
Kian: Summer's always a good time on the beach when you're in shape and you come out of the seas and the water's falling off you...
Nicky: I feel sexy if i'm pleased with my outfit before going on stage - I just love that feeling.
Mark: I never feel sexy to be honest, sometimes I think I look better than other times but I never really feel sexy. Maybe I do sometimes and I just don't realise it. If i'm in an intimate situation with a girl then I feel sexy...heh-heh!

Do you have an outfit that makes you feel sexy?
Mark: I have'nt got one particular outfit that makes me feel sexy but I like long jaackets that cover up my ugly body! They're pretty sleak too, but its mainly 'cos they cover my fat belly!
Shane: I have'nt got one either, but I feel really nice in denim jackets. I love the old looking ones, if I could wear them all the time, I would!
Nicky: My leather trousers are my favourite. I've three or four pairs of leather trousers, two black ones, one blue snakeskin and a pair of bright yellow ones!

Who is the sauciest member of Westlife?
Nicky: I think that we're all probably pretty saucy in out own ways but we don't let anybody know about it, if you know what I mean!
Bryan: No way. Shane is the sauciest 'cos he loves Ketchup on his chips, heh-heh! Nah, I think its Shane 'cos he's the best one with the laydees.
Mark: Oh I thought I was the sauciest - only joking!
Shane: You wish!

Who talks about the laydees the most?
Nicky: Shane is probably the worst for spotting a girl and going "Wow, look at her!".
Shane: Nah, it's Mark - without a doubt! He does'nt stop talking about women, but then again he hasn't got a girlfriend, so he's allowed isn't he?
Kian: But Bryan wouldn't be far behind Shane though, would he? He's always spotting the birds!

Do you have a favourite part of your body?
Kian: Yeah, my eyes. Only 'cos people tell me they look good and if people tell me they look good, then they must be OK!
Nicky: My hands are the best part of my body, they're well cool. They are exactly the same as my sister's and brother's!
Shane: Me too. It's got to be my hands because a lot of have commented on how nice they are now, so I've come to quite like them!
Bryan: But I've got the biggest hands in pop so it can't be my hands! I'm quite keen on the backs of my ankles, heh-heh!
Mark: Between my big tow and the next toe down. It is just a very curvaceous and sexy part of my body, although not many people get to see it.

Have you ever been caught posing in the mirror by a girl?
Bryan: Yeah, our little sweetheart stylist just caught me posing ten minutes ago!
Shane: I've never been caught looking at myself in the mirror, even if I was I wouldn't be that bothered because in this business you have to look after your appearance, and you need to look respectable.
Nicky: Yeah, I know what you mean, I don't get caught posing by my girlfriend really. I don't stand there and pose and throw punches or anything. I just get ready and make sure that I look the best that I can before I leave the building. It's not posing! Call it vain if you like, but I just like to look the best that I can all the time!

Have you ever snogged more than one girl in 24 hours?
Bryan: I've snogged seven. Some mates and myself went to a club and we were egging each other on to snog as many as possible, it did'nt mean anything because they were all horrible.
Nicky: I had 11 girls one night back when I was 15! It was the night of my jumior exam results.
Shane: Four in one night. It's okay though, 'cos I was only 14. Me and my mates were just chasing the girld and kissing them - it was a laugh.
Kian: I kissed 15 in the night once, but I was only about 15 or 16 too!
Mark: I've never done anything that bad but.....
Kian: Mark! I know loads of time when you've snogged two or three birds in one night!
Mark: (embarrassed) Yeah, maybe two or three but not 12 or anything.
Nicky: And he would have been the most recent to do something like that!

When was the last time you had a really nice kiss?
Bryan: A month ago in Gran Canaria with my girlfriend, Kerry. We had lots of nice kisses, but I'm sure everyone saw the pictures in New of the World.
Shane: I've had a couple of nice kisses. The last one was about six months ago with a girl I met, she was nice and had lovely lips!

Do you ever get embarrassed to show a girl your body?
Shane: Well I wouldn't stand naked in the street, but I'm not worried about showing a girl my body - if it was my girlfriend that wouldn't be a problem.

How many times do you think about ruderies in a day?
Mark: Every five seconds, heh-heh! No, maybe once every half-hour!
Kian: I'd say about five or six times a day!
Bryan: Every ten minutes, I can't get it off my mind me!
Shane: I'd say every five minutes - I'm the worst one in the band, well Mark and myself. It might be because I haven't got a girlfriend, but I think about rude things quite often anyway.
Nicky: Yeah, I'd say every five minutes for sure! (laughs)

Have you got a name for your rude bits?
Shane: No! Thats terrible! I'm not telling you what I call my rude bits! It's too rude for the TV Hits readers!
Bryan: My main rude bit is called Mike, as in microphone - don't ask!
Mark: Irish people have very blunt names for rude bits and they are too bad to mention.
Kian: Yeah! Mine called Tiger! I'm not telling you why!
Nicky: Mark's is.........(Sorry, it's far too rude readers!)

Ever worn a thong?
Kian: (shocked) No, never ever! Not even for a crazy dare! I don't have a girlfriend and if I did I definately wouldn't be trying on her thong either.
Nicky: Nup, me neither! Not that I remember anyway! But I would like to wear Liz Hurley's thong (cheeky grin)!
Shane: C'mon lads, when I horse ride I have to wear one occassionally! (all the other boys in fits of laughter!) Not the ones the go right in your bum cheeks like cheese wire though! I've also worn one for volleyball to protect my privates! They're not that bad, honestly!

Have you ever bought a nudie mag?
Bryan: Yeah I always buy them, they're brilliant! I don't read the features though, I just look at the pictures, heh-heh!
Shane: I've never bought one, but I'll have a look a the other lad's mags.
Nicky: I've never, never bought one! I swear to God that I never, never have! Don't look at me like that!
Kian: You told me you had them when you lived up in Leeds.
Nicky: No, the lads in Leeds used to have them!
Kian: I've bought them before.
Nicky: Yeah, I've seen him buy them at Heathrow Airport at three o'clock in the afternoon.
Mark: I've bought them too, but I usually rob ones that I find!
Nicky: I don't buy them regularly, though. Let's get that straight!

Do you ever get embarrassed watching nudie scenes with your parents?
Nicky: No way 'cos my dad is a legend and my mum is really, really cool as well. My dad would be chuffed for whoever was involved in it. My mum would just laugh.
Mark: I get really embarrassed and I would never feel comfortable even it was really simple stuff.
Shane: No, never! I used to but i'm not that bothered anymore. My parents wouldn't be embarrassed either - they're cool parents!

How did you learn about the birds and the bees?
Shane: I just knew, I don't know how. Maybe it was from my sisters, because I'm the youngest.
Bryan: I think it's more word of mouth, you know? When you're at school everyone talks about it, you just find out from them.
Nicky: Yeah, I learnt from my friends. My dad just asked me one day "What exactly do you know?" I told him and he said "Right, that's all you need to know then!" (laughs)
Mark: I sort of worked it out a bit myself and then I watched a nudie video with my cousins and that filled in all the blanks! My mum started telling me and said "Look mum, don't worry, I already know and I will be really safe. Thaat's all that matters!"

What girls' perfumes drives you mad?
Kian: Emporio Armani!
Nicky: Calvin Klein Eternity
Mark: I don't really know the smell of perfumes but I think that just the smell of a girl without perfume is great! Not like the smell of her armpitts or anything, but the smell of a clean girl! That shanpoo fresh smell!
Shane: Ermm..... Cool Water, and Dolce & Gabanna. I smelt Cool Water on a fan the other day and I though, umm....that's nice!
Bryan: Yeah, me too! I love Cool Water more though!

What does a girl have to do to catch your eye?
Shane: She must have amazing legs, wear a short skirt and really high heels. The legs are the really important part of it though - I love long sexy legs, they really do it for me.
Nicky: Just purely eye contact for me! Eyes are a window to a girl's heart....
Bryan: I prefer a girl in a tracksuit, I hate it when girls dress tartily, and I hate makeup. I just like girls that look natural.
Mark: Eyes and a smile do it for me! You can tell so much about what a person is about by looking at the kind of eyes they are giving you!

What accents get you hot under the collar?
Mark: Definately the English accent!! Like a normal English accent. I love the Liverpudlian accent and the London accents. I also love Spanish and Italian accents.
Nicky: I love Northern Ireland, Liverpool and the really posh English accent!
Kian: I like American accents. I like that "Ohmigod! Come over here!" type accent! I also really like the Australian accent - which is a great one!
Bryan: Liverpudlian! Always!

The 2 Sides of WL
Article from the News of the World, July 1st 2001

You're in a bar and you see a beautiful girl. What do you say to impress her?
SHANE: I stare at her like crazy.
KIAN: Yeah, and flirt with her.
SHANE: But the most important thing is eye contact. (Laughs) Then I'd say, "How are you doing?!" MARK: Yeah, try to catch her eye and start flirting, smiling and talking.
SHANE: I'd stare at her a lot and see if she likes me.
KIAN: You have to show you like her.
MARK: If you just walk over and start saying all the chat up lines, they're going to think you're a total idiot.

Your new girlfriend tells you she wants to have a baby with you. How do you react?
ALL: (Laughing) P*** off!
SHANE: I'd tell her no, it's too early.
MARK: (Laughs) P*** off for a few years, love!
KIAN: I agree.
MARK: No babies for a long time!

A fan asks you out to dinner and you don't have any plans that night. Would you go?
SHANE: Is she good looking? If she isn't, I wouldn't go. I'm only joking!
MARK: It depends if she's a nice girl.
SHANE: If she's a nice girl I'd go. Her being a fan wouldn't bother me.
KIAN: Depends how big a fan she is.
MARK: If she's a lunatic, I wouldn't.

You're at a party and you get so drunk that you throw up all over the dance floor. It's in the papers the next day. How do you deal with that?
KIAN: Just say that we're human. I'm 21 - what do you expect? Ninety per cent of 21 year olds do that. I got really drunk at The Brit Awards and it was all over the papers. But I just thought: "So? I won a Brit Award and I'm 21 - of course I'm going to get wasted! Why wouldn't I?!"
SHANE: (Laughs) I'd say that I had a great night.
MARK: I'd be the same as them. It's a normal thing to do.

You've been seeing a girl for some weeks and you both want to take it furthur. She tell you it's her first time - she's a virgin. What do you do?
SHANE: I'd tell her: "Don't worry, so am I". (Laughs)
MARK: That's terrible! I'd try to make it the nicest experience possible. Not do anything too fast. If it's her first experience, you don't want to put her off. I'd probably be nervous knowing it was her first time. I'm giving her the impression of sex. First impressions last, if you know what I mean.
SHANE: You'd want to be good!
KIAN: (Laughs) You've got to make sure she's very, very comfortable. And she needs to be absolutely sure she's doing the right thing. It's important the first person you have sex with is someone you love. I was really in love with the first person I had sex with.
SHANE: I wouldn't do anything unless I loved her. If I'm in love, that's a good thing. Let nature take its course.
KIAN: Obviously guys get nervous when they have to be, like, the first sex experience. You need to be the best you can be. Like Mark said, first impressions last.

One girl wants to take two of you guys home to her place. Do you go?
ALL: Definitely not!
SHANE: I wouldn't like that! I have to be in control.
KIAN: (Laughs) If you are with two girls you're definitely not in control!
SHANE: If there's two guys... no, can't think about it!
MARK: I'd never do that!

You're on a date witha girl you fancy. You find out that she's been dating JC from NSync, Nick from Backstreet Boys, and Sean from Five. What do you do?
KIAN: She's a serial celebrity dater - get rid of her!
SHANE: She's a monster fan - see ya!
MARK: In a situation like that, I would actually take advantage of the girl!
SHANE & KIAN: (Laughs) Oooh!
MARK: She's going to take advantage of me so obviously I would do the same to her if I'm in the mood for sex. If they're coming up to me just because I'm in a band and treat me with no respect as a person then I'd be like: "Whatever, love!"

Two girls want to take one of you guys home - do you go with them?
SHANE: Oooh, yes!!
KIAN: That's every man's fantasy.
MARK: (Laughs) I'd really love to have a threesome!
SHANE: It depends if they've got nice personalities!
MARK: It depends if they look good.
SHANE: True. Looks are so important. Looks are like the top for me.
KIAN: That's a stupid thing to say!
SHANE: Maybe it's not important to you, but it's important to me.
MARK: If you're going to have a threesome it's going to be more of a sex thing, not like boyfriend and girlfriend making love. So that's why the girls need to be sexy girls.
SHANE: I don't see why that's a bad thing.
KIAN: It's a bad thing to say because you say it all the time.
SHANE: I'm just being honest here.

You're at a club and a guy comes up to you and asks you to dance. Do you?
SHANE: A guy? Definitely not!
KIAN & MARK: No!
MARK: People may think I'm gay.
SHANE: No way! Bye bye!
MARK: If one of your mates asks you, it's OK. But not some stranger.
SHANE: (Makes his voice deep) Would you like to dance? Hell no!
KIAN: You go on the dancefloor with a girl or some mates - not some strange man!
SHANE: If a girl came and asked me, well, that's another story isn't it?
MARK: (Laughs) If she's good looking!
SHANE: Yeah, nice legs and a nice bum! Mmmm. I'm into that.

The first time you enter your new girlfriends house, you discover she has posters of you everywhere. What do you do?
SHANE: Psycho!
MARK: No, not a psycho.
KIAN: It does make you wonder whether she's in it for you. Why does she have pictures of me all over her house? If she just had, say, a photo of me beside her bed that she had taken or one of her friends had taken, then that would be OK. But I'd think she wasn't in it for the right reason if she was with me every day, kissing me every day, and still had posters of me on every wall.
SHANE: At the end of the day, when you're with a girl, you've got to feel you're with her because you're normal and you've got to feel like this girl might love you. You can take advantage of a lot of girls in Westlife. At the end of the day we're just normal people, but we understand it's dificult for a girl to ignore.
MARK: We don't take advantage. But some girls make it so obvious they are only coming up to you because you're in Westlife. You know. In that case it's really quite strange. But if the girl comes up and she's really being nice, it's a different story.

You're offered a role in a movie that lasts just 10 seconds and you'll get £5m. The only thing is - it's a nude scene. Would you do it?
KIAN: If there was no sex invloved, I would do it!
MARK: Definitely!
SHANE: (Laughs) I reckon I'd do it for 10 hours!

IN DEMAND

Jan 31, 2002. Inside Zouk, a popular nightspot in Singapore, screaming fans of Westlife are displaying their banner; two of the most attention-grabbing read: “Take off your kit, Mark!” and “Ride me, Shane!”.

Whoever said Singaporeans are reserved lot obviously hasn’t been to a Westlife showcase. But then, who could blame those teenagers with their raging hormones. After all, they were in the presence of the hottest boy group in Asia. (note: two nights later, the boys triumphed as Favourite Pop Act at the MTV Asia Awards helf in the Lion City.)

Westlife has grown accustomed to such unabashed displays of affection, since the release of its eponumous album in 1999. Now bona fide celebrities and a best-selling music act in Europe and Asia – with the American market well in its sights – Westlife is riding high on the wave of popularity.

To date, Westlife – comprising five attractive 20-something blokes named Bryan McFadden, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, Nicky Byrne and Shane Filan – have sold more than 12 million albums worldwide.

Nominated for Best British Group at the BRIT Awards this year. Westlife has achieved over 100 platinum awards worldwide. Its third and latest album, World Of Our Own, is expected to sell 10 million copies, and has already produced the hit single Queen Of My Heart.

On his group being “a veritable cultural phenomenon” (as declared in the press release), Byrne – the most boyish-looking of the bunch – says: “It’s an amazing thing, to be considered a cultural phenomenon… we’ve been together for just three years and we are now a household name in Ireland. There’s no sign of us declining and news of us breaking up is just stupid. We’re stronger and more positive now than ever.”

Indeed, the group generated an abundance of positive vibes during interviews with the regional media that had been gathered in Singapore by BMG.

The five took turns to address press queries, with Filan and Egan being the most serious and outspoken. McFadden proved the most cheeky and likeable; expressing his delight at one journalist’s provocative T-shirt and unintentionally making bad coffeee for Byrne (who grumbled good-naturedly). At another meet-the-press session, he countinously mumbled “Uh-huh” into the michophone while the others were talking.

After the self-titled debut and Coast To Coast (2000), the lads are particularly proud of their latest studio outing. It is their third collaboration with the writing/production teams of Steve Mac/Wayne Hector and Cheiron, cementing guaranteed radio-friendly ballads and catchy choruses. “The quality of the songs on our third album is better than the last two albums put together,” gushes Egan.

As testament of the group’s creative involvement this time around, its members have taken a larger share of writing duties on World Of Our Own. Five tracks (Bop Bop Baby, When You Come Sround, Don’t Say It’s Too Late, Don’t Let Me Go, Love Crime) are co-penned by Westlife while two tracks I Wanna Grow Old With You and Imaginary Diva are 100% Westlife compositions.

“It’s a group effort,” explains Filan of the songwriting process. “(The dynamics) change all the time, sometimes it’s two people, then it’s the other three.

“But one thing we want to say,” continues Filan, “is South East Asia seems to be where a lot of our original ideas come from.” So, does Asia inspire Westlife to pen love songs? The groups says yes, adding: “We’re so far away from home, away from our loved ones and we have more free time on our hand. Just last night, Bryan and Mark compose a song on the piano.”

Included in World Of Our Own are two covers: a rendition of Sarah McLachlan’s Angel and Billy Joel’s Uptown Girl. The latter was Westlife’s ninth single released in March last year. It spearheaded the 2001 Comic Relief campaign, sold a staggering million copies and became the biggest single to date for both charity and the group.

Not surprisingly, Uptown Girl is one of Westlife’s favourite songs to croon. “It’s enjoyable to perform and it was for a good cause.” They also singled out Flying Without Wings, their third hit single released in October 1999. “No matter what, we’ll always be remembered for Flying Without Wings.”

When asked about the group’s weakness and strenght, Feehily replies: “Our biggest weakness is food: KFC McDonalds … our biggest strength is group unity.”

Filan reiterates: “(In the past), a lot of people in this industry have tried to create bad vibes among us. But we know it’s important for us to stay together. At the end of the day, we are no different from anyone else, we’re just five normal guys in a band who love to sing.”

"Westlife is the main thing for us to do,” adds Feehily, dispelling any notions of solo music ventures. “ All our concentration is totally directed towards Westlife.”

On their critics, of which there are many, Filan says: “It doesn’t really bother us. When you are a boy band, you get steroetyped from day one. No matter what you do, no matter how many No.1s and millions of albums you sell, the rock bands will always be cooler, you know what I mean?

“A lot of people who slag us off are just jealous. We don’t really slag off anybody; we just do what we love to do. We don’t really care about credibility and all that, we just want to make music and sell records. What we care about are the fans, the people who buy our albums.”

Indeed, there are many, many people who love Westlife, as is evident by the accolades and awards heaped upon them. There are even fans who turn stalkers: Byrne declared his annoyance with fans who camped outside his house for several days until he asked security to get rid of them, while Feehily spoke of one girl who crossed the line by contacting his grandmother.

Thus far, McFadden is the only Westlife member to get hitched; he is already the proud daddy of a baby girl. Filan and Byrne have long-term girlfriends while the remaining two are unattached. Asked whether their popularity could be affected by marriage, Byrne replies: “I think it could, a little bit, but we have come to a stage where our music is really strong and that is what matters.”

On the rumours surrounding another possible duet with Mariah Carey after their successful union in 2000 with Against All Odds, McFadden says that they had a meeting with the troubled diva last year but nothing has been confirmed yet.

What about the news of a movie starring Westlife? “We got a few cripts last year but we don’t have the time,” says McFadden. “Next year maybe,
but definitely not this year.”

This year, Westlife is intent on breaking into the American market. Its summer release in the United States will be a compilation of the best songs from its three albums.

article taken from star newspaper

Time of our 'life! Lime mag (Jan 2002)

You'd have thought Westlife have signed enough autographs. Heck, they probably suffer Immuno-deficiency of Autograph Hand Cramps (if there's such a thing)! Instead, when LIME meets the dishy dudes in London, where they're promoting new album World Of Our Own, we catch them practising scribbly-scrawlies- Robbie William's signature, that is!

It's been a long day of TV interviews and the fidgety foursome (Bryan was on sick leave as he'd gorged on some dodgy room service) are chilling out by erm…defacing poor Robbie. Pouncing on a back copy of LIME, they tear out a giant pull-out postie featuring the Rock DJ and proceed to sign `Robbie Williams' everywhere.

Uh oh! My promise 35- minute talk-time with the boys has been slashed to 20- with the first few already wasted on giving Rob conjunctivitis and blushing cheeks! Suddenly, Kian grabs my camera and clicks photo after photo of me. I protest, feeling disconcerted at being on the other side of the lens. Hey, if a couple of shots get me all flustered, how do Westlife handle having cameras and recorders stuck in their faces all the time?

Can you imagine what it's like to live in Westlife's world? (It's so different from ours, they've even named their new record world Of Our Own!) How do you cope with becoming international superstars at 21, working 16-hour days to feed the frenzy? To sell 12 whooping million units of Westlife and Coast To Coast worldwide- and have
expectant record execs hail your new disc "the biggest release of the year"? To know that the world press jetted into London in honour of your album launch, despite the current terrorism scare? To be famous, the paparazzi risk winter temperatures to tarry outside your album launch party? To get slammed right, left and centre by fellow
celebs like Mel C and Ash? And finally, to feel so tired after a brain-numbingly boring day of press interviews, you create your own fun with a buncha markers and a dog-eared poster?

Does being worth an estimated £5 million each make up for it? "The money has helped us, obviously, but it's taught us that other things are more important," Mark philosophises. Such as families, girlfriends (Shane couldn't stop talking about his gal!) and having a buncha bandmates who're "more than friends, they're family". I
think I've got Westlife's world all figured out- and it's not all glam and glitter. Phew!

LIME: Life has been good to Westlife these years. On a scale of one to ten, how do you feel right this moment?

Mark: 10 out of 10! We're looking forward to World Of Our Own's release, we can't wait to see what our fans think of it!

Shane: I'm a bit tired `cos we worked til 3 am last night. And because it was a Saturday evening, we went out after that for a drink. It's self-inflicted pain though. (Shouts dramatically) I don't want any pity from anybody.

LIME: Your new album is titled World Of Our Own. Say, what is the world like to Westlife?

Mark: It's a very, very crazy world, a very busy world. We've lots to do every single day. It's also very exciting, the highs are extremely high but the lows can be extremely low.

LIME: We're sure you haven't had any lows…

Mark: Sometimes, the workload gets to us. Mentally, it can be very draining. For lads our age, we have a lot of responsibilities. It's hard for us to be perfect when we're not.

LIME: Do Westlife have the world in your hands, then?

Nicky: No. In the pop industry, we have the world in three fingers at the moment. Two more to go!

LIME: How important is power to Westlife?

Kian: It's important to us as a group. We don't have to make the decisions, we just want to have a say in stuff like how the album sleeves looks like, what single to release next… Our record company has made the right choices for Westlife so far, but we now feel we can also help make those decisions.

LIME: Is World Of Our Own your best work so far?

Kian: The standard of this album is definitely a step up from the first two. There wasn't a lot of variety in Coast To Coast, to be honest. World Of Our Own has greater range and a more up tempo sound. (Smug grin) And the quality of the songs is definitely better!

Nicky: After three years, we've kinda learnt to say no to producers. We're happy that we've written seven songs. This disc took us four months to record- the last one took just five weeks! We knew we'd taken a big step to make Westlife sound better.

LIME: Wow! Who's the best songwriter of you lot?

Kian: It's hard to say, we all have different styles. I wrote four songs, Bryan and Shane did four, Nicky's on three and Mark had one. I think Bryan is a very talented songwriter. He comes up with a lot of good ideas, but really, all of us have the talent for it!

Nicky has an obsession with size. He just can't stop comparing! We're gossiping about *NSYNC (something about their warped fashion sense), when he suddenly shoots me this odd question: "Who's bigger down there, *NSYNC or Westlife?" " Um… what do you mean down there? You mean in Singapore?" " Yeah, Singapore. Who is bigger?" the persistent fella demands to know. Cripes! What were you thinking about, you saucy scramps?

LIME: Between you and *NSYNC, I'd say Westlife are more popular in Singapore.

Nicky: Yeah? (Competitively) How much bigger?

LIME: Your albums out-sell theirs. In fact, Westlife's last two albums topped our local sales charts in 1999 and 2000!

Mark: (Amazed) Wow! That's crazy!

Nicky: Yeah! An absolutely huge thank-you to anyone who's had anything to do with Westlife success in Singapore, from the record company to all our fans who bought our albums and came to see us at our shows! You make Westlife what we are, you're the reason we're the biggest pop band in the world!

LIME: Hmm. So Westlife do you think you're the biggest pop band in the world…

Nicky: Well, top three, at least

Shane: And there's *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys because they're in America. But if we exclude America, we're definitely the biggest band in the world.

LIME: Right now, I'd say it's a fight between you and *NSYNC.

Shane: To be honest, *NSYNC aren't popular in Europe even though they are huge in America. The Backstreet Boys are bigger here.
(Smugly) But they've gone down a bit and hopefully, we can go up. Still, Westlife have been together only three years- *NSYNC have been around seven years and Backstreet, nine! We haven't reached our peak yet! Did you know we supported the Backstreet Boys on our first ever gig? They're very nice guys. If there's a band we look up to, it would be the Backstreet Boys!

Nicky: Nobody would recognise *NSYNC if they walked down the streets in England! But they don't care about that. Everyone thinks it's more important to break into America. We think that's a mistake.

LIME: Well, Westlife have said "we won't be happy till we make it in US". Since rock is hot stuff in the States now, will you ditch your soppy ballads?

Kian: (Stoutly) No! We don't see any point because Westlife have become successful using our own formula. We enjoy our music and we're not going to change it for the sake of America. It's our dream to make it in US because it's the biggest market in the world. What happened the last time was Clive Davis, who was representing us,
left the record company and we were kind stranded.

Nicky: The promotional set-up was useless. Our biggest TV show appearance was the QBC shopping channel! They were advertising a nine-carat gold ring for US$30, along with the Westlife album!
You've got *NSYNC who were also promoting their CD, on The Late Show With Jay Leno- and we're on a shopping channel singing for 25 people! (Grimly) We don't want to waste our time in America like
that again.

It's strange, this fame business. Suddenly, your opinion on everything- anything- counts for a lot. What do you think of the world right now? ("We're sad and hope things get back to normal soon") Which Asian artist would you like to work with? ("Coco Lee! And we want to support A1 on their Asian tour because we hear they're massive in Asia") Kian, are you gay? (Erm… Sorry, no comment!) Mark our words, the newly grown-up Westlife are learning to snap at press hounds who take things too far.

At their press con, a reporter from Brit tabloid The Sun asked for the band's opinion on Lee Blue's recent boo-boo. (The popstar had allegedly said the New York terrorist attack wasn't as terrible as cruelty to animals.) An uncharacteristically serious Bryan shot back: "Lee told us you totally took it out of context and he didn't actually mean it that way. Whatever he says, we're not going to comment because we don't have an opinion on it. But what you did was wrong because it's just his opinion, whether it's wrong or right. You shouldn't think he should be sacked from the band just because of what he thinks about politics and stuff." And for his brave stand, a roomful of shamefaced press folks gave Bryan a thundering round of applause!

LIME: Describe your relationship with the tabloids.

Nicky: It has improved over the last couple of years. It was never really bad but we've gotten to know them as people. Wt the end of the day, they have to do their jobs and we need them. It's important for us to stay on their good side, and them to stay on our good side so everyone can be happy.

LIME: Did Westlife stand up for Lee Blue because you're supporting a mate, or just looking for a chance to knock the tabloids down?

Kian: it's not fair when the tabloids pick up on something like that and make such a huge thing out of it. Yeah, it was a silly thing for Lee to say but like Bryan said, everybody's entitled to his own opinion. Just because he said that doesn't mean he shouldn't be in the band!

Nicky: Lee's new to the business and he's learning it the hard way.

LIME: Did you have to learn things the hard way, too?

Kian: No. We learn slowly. It's not too bad, we've never had such big run-ins with the press- fortunately!

Ok, we'll admit it. We're dead jealous. The Westlife warblers get to travel around the world crooning to zillions of lust-crazed gals and pick up million-dollar paychecks for their trouble! But just how important is money to Westlife?

LIME: You guys are rolling in big money. Is it very important to you?

Nicky: (Candidly) Yes. Very important. Haha!

Shane: It's very important because our lifestyle is expensive. After getting to a stage where you live in a nice house and drive a nice car, it's kinds hard to imagine not having it. But it's not the most important thing. I'd rather be poor and have a wife and kids than have lots of money and be unhappy.

Mark: Having money has been very helpful, for obvious reasons. But it has helped us realised there're other things that are more important. (Adds wistfully) Like love. And having peace and harmony- not boyband harmonies. Ha ha! - in your life.

Nicky: Me too. But when you've led this life, you can't go back to a nine-to-five job. First of all, people think you're worth an awful lot more then you actually are.

LIME: How much are you worth, really?

Kian: Aha! That's it, we cannot tell you!

Nicky: No, for the first time, let's reveal the truth! Give LIME an exclusive!

Kian: (Pretends to be horrified) You can't do that Nicky, our bank managers will go mad!

Nicky: Hey, how much do you think we're worth?

LIME: I figure about £5 million each. Am I close?

Shane: Not far off. (Everyone starts clapping)

LIME: Yay! Does that mean you'll buy me a big dinner when you come to Singapore?

Shane: I'd have to talk to Nicky, he's the boss. He has the credit cards!

LIME: Will Westlife ever come to a point where you'll sit on gold-plated toilet bowls?

Shane: No! They'll be platinum-plated

Kian: At the end of the day, we don't look at things like that. We're very lucky and we make an awful lot of money for people our age but that doesn't mean we ant to sit on golden toilets and eat off golden plates.

Nicky: (Sagely) I think never say never is the best policy. If anybody wants to buy me a gold-plated toilet bowl, send it in!

LIME: Kian, we hear you're erm… the thrifty sort. Do you get girls to pay for dinner?

Kian: (Annoyed) No, it's nothing to do with money, it's because I'm never sure if girls go out with me because they think I'm famous and rich! (Adds cheekily) But you can pay if you like!

Their enthusiastic crack at America fizzled out disappointingly. Mel C, Ash and gang take gigs at them. Even Kian's sneering ex-school mates jumped on him at a local pub! But when you have a couple million pounds in the bank, who gives a hoot? Not Westlife, for sure!

LIME: What do you say to critics who complain Westlife stick to a safe formula?

Kian: The same old formula sells records so the critics can go and bleep!

Nicky: If it's not broken, don't fix it. I don't care what the critics say. We're selling millions of albums, we're the biggest pop band in the world so we're not doing too badly!

LIME: So whose opinion really matters to you?

All: The fans. That's all we really want.

LIME: When Westlife started out, everyone called you the new Boyzone. Looking at the `Zone's career now, do you get a little worried?

Nicky: We've gone much further then Boyzone. We've sold more records with two albums than they did with four - and that's not bragging. It's a fact! But we'll always look up to Boyzone, they're a great band, they're from Ireland and they did so well.

LIME: Ash made headlines when they burnt 300 copies of Coast To Coast. Would you rather sell 10,000 copies of your new album to them for another bonfire, or give a free CD to someone who really appreciates it?

Shane: I'd give a free copy to someone who cares about out music. It's not always about selling records. We'd love to sell 10,000 copies, but hopefully we'll sell them to fans and not people who want to burn it.

Nicky: (Pipes up) Ash are crap. I'd love to punch Ash in the face!

LIME: Kian, we're impressed with how you defended yourself fist-to-fist when you were pounced on. Are you the toughest of the lot?

Kian: (Very pleased) Yeah? We're just as tough as each other- at least we like to think that! Haha! If anybody says something bad about any of the boys, I'd stand up for them straightaway.

Shane: (Menacingly) I'd fight anybody who starts it. You wouldn't like to fight us.

LIME: Gulp! Kian, we noticed you've got a sexy scar under the right eye. Got it while defending Westlife's honour, eh?

Kian: Nah. I had it since I was 12. I erm… fell off my bicycle. And you thought I had a good story! Haha!

With Nicky happily attached to childhood sweetheart Georgina for yonks and Bryan, Kerry and ickle Molly a cosy family unit, it's no wonder the other lads are feeling the `ol heart pangs. Luckily for Shane, he's found his gal, as rudely revealed by one of the reporter during the press con! Although Shane curtly refuses to discuss his love life with the world press ("Yes. I have a girlfriend. Her name is Gillian. Full stop."), LIME soon discovers that a little private prodding is all the encouragement the love-lorn laddie needs to brag about his laydee!

LIME: Shane, you're much happier these days. Wanna tell us a bit more about your girlfriend Gillian?

Shane: (Smiles shyly) She understands me. She's a big part of my life now. She's an average girl who goes to college. I feel like I've a bit of normal life now, `ya know what I mean? In the first couple of years with Westlife, when I see what Nicky and Georgina, Bryan and Kerry have, I felt kinda… left out. I wasn't sad but it was like, `When am I going to find a girl I can fall in love and be happy with?'

LIME: Where did you find Gillian, then?

Shane: I found her in Sligo! Back home! I've travelled the world but there `s no place like home. Um… she's actually Kian's cousin.

LIME: Do Georgina and Gillian like Westlife's music?

Nicky: Yeah! Georgina wasn't a big fan of Coast To Coast but she loves this album, she plays it all the time.

Shane: Gillian loves it too. She actually knows the words! She wasn't a fan of our music at first, for which I'm actually glad. I've known her for ten years, she's been my best friend for the last four years. That's good because I've known her long enough to trust her. (Chuckles) The newspaper thought Gillian was dating Kian because she used to come to our concerts, but they didn't know she's actually his cousin and we're dating! Haha!

LIME: How about you, Kian? Have you found somebody you want to grow old with?

Kian: Not yet. (Exasperated) The tabloids linked me up with one of our dancers some months ago because they spotted us at a club- with a buncha other people whom they conveniently ignored! It's very annoying. But it happens all the time.

LIME: You blokes always complain you're never sure if girls go out with you just `cos you're in Westlife…

Shane: I've talked to girls whom I thought were really nice and they turned out to be interested in the wrong things. (Smiles shyly) I think I've found the right girl now and hopefully, I can hold on to her.

Kian: Anybody in our line of work will face that problem, that's the way it is. It's very risky business, this dating thing.

Mark: (Confesses) Being in Westlife, you suddenly get very attractive girls coming on to you. I definitely walked into that with open arms for the first two years. But I look at Bryan, Nicky and Shane, there's so many good things about having someone close to you. Right now, I'm just too afraid of getting hurt and falling in love with somebody who's there for the wrong reasons. But in the next few years, I hope to find someone.Take That did it, as did Aqua, Five and (possibly) Boyzone. As any
band would tell you, the commonest (and most annoying) question they've been asked is about the Big Break-up.

LIME: She, you've said 'We don't want what happened to Boyzone to happen to us, people not knowing if they've broken up or not. We want to do it like Take That did, go out at the very top.' For the record, at which point is Westlife's career now?

Shane: We're not even half-way yet! No way do we want to split up, we're already planing our next album. This band can be together for at least three to five more years. We hope to continue making good music but I want to end it at the top, at our peak.

LIME: Your manager Louis Walsh said he reckons only Shane and Bryan will succeed in solo careers…

Mark: What Louis probably means is, he'll only manage Shane and Bryan. Louis is a very successful and talented manager in one area in the business - boybands and pop. I have no intention of giving up music after Westlife, whether we end tomorrow or 20 years later. But I don't think Louis is the right manager for what I intend to do.

LIME: If Westlife ends tomorrow, what do you see yourselves doing?

Shane: I'd like to be a solo artist. I'd like to keep singing because that's what I'm good at.

Nicky: I'd love t see myself married and living in a house with our own children in the next five years. Georgina and I don't have any wedding plans yet, but I'm going to marry the girl. I know if I propose, she'll say yes because we've been going out for seven years. (Stricken-faced) But if she says no, that'd be seven years down the drain! And I'd love to do a solo record, act or present on TV.

Shane: (Sincerely) I think Nicky will be a big actor. I think he'll be Ewan McGregor!

It's easy to assume we've got Westlife all sussed out. Five pretty boys sticking to a tried-and-tested success formula issued by their record company, following identical merchandising plans as the next boyband, splurging their money on Ferraris and £600 tee-shirts… Hold your tongue! Westlife are much smarter than that!

LIME: Samantha Mumba, Mandy Moore, Britney Spears and Joey and Lance *NSYNC are all heading for the big screen, but we hear Westlife turned down several movie projects…

Mark: We've had a few scripts sent to us. They were very interested. One guy wanted us to do something like the Spice Girls movie but we told them no. There's no way we'd do that. If we wanted to do a movie, it would be a Westlife version of The Commitments.

LIME: How much of your success do you attribute to talent, marketing and luck?

Shane: Luck-20 percent. Talent-50 percent. Marketing-30 percent.

LIME: The Spice Girls endorsed everything from wallpaper to motorcycles. Why haven't you capitalised your brand name?

Nicky: It's like, how come you never see a Boys II Men café?

Shane: Spice Girls weren't just a band, they were a marketing thing. They were 70 percent marketing. It was all about making quick money. We're more about making music and sticking around. We might be young but we're very smart with our money. We've invested them. We might but a silly thing now and then, and spend a bit too much on a car but we're not foolish at all. Believe it or not, we're very clever fellas!

Westlife on Radio One on Saturday 16th February 2002:

How do you get described these days?
Kian: It's quite funny when you go on t.v. or for you today to sit there and read out a sheet with loads of facts like you know 16 million albums whatever amount of number ones so on so on so on. Its like you kinda sit there and go is that us or is that someone else he's talking about you know it doesn't really register.
And you do mean that you're not just
Mark: yeah yeah. When you're in the middle of it all you don't really realise what you're achieving. If you know what I mean I suppose in a few years time when we kinda sit back a little bit
Nicky: I think that it definitely when you sit back when it's all over and you sit back and go God.
Do you reckon that will be tough when than happens
Nicky: definitely course it will
Bryan: it's a bit like Pele it was four years after the world cup that he turned around and said I'm a legend.
But he kinda knew that at the time…I guess you've eclipsed Boyzone's success now in record sales and number ones all that
Bryan: I think in sales we definitely have but Boyzone have kinda set a standard.
Back then they were the original. Nah take that were the original
Bryan: no no for us being Irish they were the first kinda big Irish pop group that like everyone took notice of and they kinda just.. they set a standard and everyone just looks and remember Boyzone.
Kian: and even take that cause we were signed to the same label and we used to always ask about their sales and number ones and all that and we kinda passed them out quite a bit I'm not saying that in a big headed way but that shows that the pop industry has grown an awful lot since they were around. And hysteria has become a little bit less.
Nicky: the reason being because there's lots more kinda of different types of music the kids aren't just into bands like Take that or Boyzone or Westlife you got everything from Alicia keys to Britney spears
Kian: to limp bizket
Nicky: you know which I don't think was around as much there wasn't much variety
Of course there was
Nicky: nah there wasn't
There always been all kinds
Shane: not in pop not as much pop
Do you think?
Bryan: the difference with us and if you take other groups that have had the same success as in spice girls even though they were huge like massive compared with us and Boyzone take that there was always a massive hysteria around them you know there was a madness around them with us it just seems a bit more quite and level and even though we are having massive success its not as… I think the days are gone
Kian: people just see us as good old Westlife

Who were the better band take that or Boyzone.
All: take that

OOHHH
Nicky: Definitely without a shadow or a doubt Backstreet boys are a better band than take that

Really
Nicky: Yeah

Backstreet boys?
All: Yeah

Their rubbish
Nicky: They are not successful over here but they are everywhere else

I know that I know that
Mark: one thing about Take That I liked their live shows
Shane: their live shows were very good
Bryan: the beach boys were like the ultimate boyband

That's true what about n sync
Kian: their good

Nah they're not they're rubbish
Kian: you can't say that
Mark: Yeah but you think we're rubbish when we're not here as well though
Kian: honestly you can't say that they are good singers and they've got really good pop songs

Cause they are as they stand they are the biggest group
Kian: They are biggest selling pop group in America yeah.

I can't understand that
Mark: they taken pop music and found out … they've taken it to a new extreme when it comes to production and stuff like that
Bryan: they like Bucks Fizz
Mark: they have just sort of totally … they have so much money to put into their product

They bought their success that's what you're saying
Kian: that's what you're saying

That's what I'm saying
So our very special guests on the show are the planets second biggest pop band … Third biggest
Kian: Who's the second?

Well we were just discussing this earlier on weren't we?
Kian: But we were talking about the best not the biggest

Well I can … more than happy to say that you are far better than N sync or backstreet Boys. Those groups of people haunt me in my dreams. Well anyway it Brits week fellas
All: that's right
Nicky: we're actually nominated yeah
You are nominated you looking forward to it?
Nicky: we can't wait for it we're hoping you know we can pick up best pop act you know we won it last year and it would be amazing to win it two years in a row but we got some stiff competition
You've got Blue
Kian: Yeah
Hear'say
All: yeah
Kylie
All: yeah
S Club
All: Yeah
It that it
Mark: yeah
Nicky: it there not Destiny's Child as well?
No … Who's the stiffest competition?
Shane: Kylie or S Club
But I think Kylie's definitely going to win best British female
Kian: she's not British … she'll probably win best international
That's the one she's going to win best international female she'll beat Alicia Keys for that and Nelly Furtado
Shane: she shouldn't I think Alicia Keys should win that
Do you think? For one song?
Mark: nah I think Alicia Keys is really cool but she doesn't deserve to win that
B: How come Charlotte Church isn't up for best British female?
Mark: who?
B: Charlotte Church
Charlotte Church? Best British female is dido, geri, pj harvey, sharday
Kian: Dido
Shane: Dido will defiantly win that
What about best British newcomer?
Mark: Who's up for that?
Atomic kitten, Blue, Elbow, Gorillaz, Mistque, So Solid, Starsailor
Mark: Defiantly Gorillaz
Shane: Gorillaz or blue
Nah nah nah So solid crew
Mark: So Solid are very good as well
They will
Nicky: no they won't
As new comers I think they will
Kian: Nah
You don't wanna say that you know what they'll do to you
Bryan: they'll come and get us
And you don't want that … anyway listen your going to be there obviously your going to have a good night its always a fun time … any fond memories of last year?
Kian: I think we were to nervous to have fond memories of last year cause it was our first kind of big big big award show and we performed on it as well it was very nerve wracking
Mark: it's very very difficult to perform in front of the industry especially for a band like us … Westlife… were we are kinda known to represent the pop corner of the whole thing and it was very kinda intimidating cause the record industry people are there in front of you are so … they'd rip you to bits if you know what I mean … the only table that wasn't booing was our own record company.
Nicky: and even they booed a few times just to join in
Well this is the deal right cause its not just them because radio one's got four pairs of VIP tickets to give away. (Details of who to enter – you have to remember three items they tell you on different shows) the first item is here now to be revealed.
Bryan: I've got it here
Have you got it Bryan?
Bryan: can I open it?
Yeah what is it … it's a kinda Brits style box Bryan's got
Bryan: the essential brit item is Bryan from Westlife as Westlife are nominated it's a doll
It's a doll!
Bryan: it's a Bryan from Westlife doll
It's you
Bryan: but it's a doll

It's you
Nicky: watch press the button (Doll starts singing if I let you go)

That's brilliant … it sings better than you
Bryan: he even mimes better than me

So there we go that's the first Brit item a Westlife doll
Bryan: you gotta see this at the back it has name Bryan mcfadden born 12th April 1980 Dublin height 6ft 1in hobbies football

Really
Bryan: isn't that just a great design of a box
Nicky: then there's a good picture of you showing you're eh
Bryan: my essential
Nicky: buttocks

That's a cracking picture of you on the back there
Bryan: it is isn't it

How many number ones is it now? Consecutive number ones?
Bryan: we've had seven consecutive then we had number two at Christmas
Nicky: and we've had to consecutive since
Bryan: bob the builder beat us to Christmas number one
Nicky: but he deserved it bobs good

Ohh shut up
(they go in to a whole boring discussion about how many number ones other people have had)
so what about if your new single goes in to number one
Nicky: ten number ones

Ten number ones?
Shane: double figures

Shall we play it?
Shane: its out on Monday
Nicky: you can buy it

I'll buy it
(World of our own is played)
so that's the new one from Westlife could they make it ten number ones its up to you … you buy the records…you make the decisions
Bryan: Go on be a part of history

That's the slogan "Be a Part of history" … I tell you … you know Kylie's singles out
All: yeah
Mark: that's right yeah

Its gonna be tough .. why didn't you wait for an easy week
Nicky: there is no easy weeks

R kelly mistque and princess superstar are all releasing records
Shane: good luck to everybody

Yeah right … Bryan what are you doing to that?
Bryan: I'm just dressing myself

That's your doll
Bryan: I know

Your essentially playing with yourself… and its not something people want to know about … it lunchtime on a Saturday for goodness sake… now listen there's one more thing I wanna clear up before we move on and its this … what is this thing about the Brits voting being rigged
Kian: the first time we heard about it was when we read in the newspapers so

I'm going to put this allegation to you … three separate phone numbers voted for Westlife one thousand times ok … now there's five of you … which two are innocent?
Kian: Jamie it was you I know

I've got the phone numbers down here so gimme your mobile phones and ill check your numbers
Kian: here you go
Bryan: I can't I'm in the middle of calling the number

What's all that about then?
Nicky: is that in the papers today?
Mark: as the lads said it was the first time that we actually heard anything about it when we seen it in the papers ourselves and I don' know obviously there could be like some hardcore fans out there that are like doing that or else you know I don't know
Kian: we honestly know nothing about it
Mark: we don't know anything about it ourselves … it's nothing to do with us if that did happen and you know we'd prefer to win fair and square if we win at all

Sure
Mark: its nothing to do with us

That pop idol thing was meant to be a mess too
Shane: I think it's just a story to hype up the Brits on Tuesday night

What about this pop idol thing? Did you watch it?
Kian: the first single that will is releasing is our song
Evergreen?
All: yeah

How did that come about?
Kian: cause Simon cowell is our A and R man and obviously he A and r for will as well and when we recorded the song it wasn't put in to our single selection and he thought it was a great song for a single which it is

If you think it's a good song why didn't you release it … it's cause you don't like it isn't it? You think its rubbish
Nicky: we were going to release it as a single but as time went by we kinda felt that we had better singles

Basically your giving away your rubbish singles … that's what I would do
Nicky: world of our own or evergreen which would you release in your opinion… be honest if its evergreen fair enough

No it's not evergreen
Bryan: you know what's strange we don't like will doesn't like but it will still probably be a massive number one

Well of course its going to be a big number one… but the thing is you must never give away your good songs
Bryan: we haven't … imagine there was a DJ idol … you'd have every bingo caller in the world going for it
Kian: sorry I have to say I support will and I support the whole pop idol thing I thought it was very good
Bryan: yeah but you're a freak so

There's another story… something about Simon cowell ringing you Bryan saying that on your honeymoon … what was that about
Bryan: he just rang me on my honeymoon and said I look on my wedding pictures

Jeeesh… what did you say back to him?
Bryan: I'm just enjoying my honeymoon see you later

The guys an arse right
Bryan: he can't see his arse cause of his trousers really

On your honeymoon… is he a nice guy really
Bryan: he's alright … you just don't let things like that get to you… that's the way I am … I am fat

No… no Bryan
Bryan: at the end of the day he just speaks his mind … and he is our A and R man and he's just speaking to me as in he thinks I should lose weight for the band

But that's rubbish for anyone to say that don't take it
Bryan: I don't care cause that's what I am …I am what I am

Before you go I just wanna talk about the tour … your doing what is it ten nights at the odsessy arena
Kian: thirteen now

Thirteen nights? … now the promoter reckons that one in fifteen people in Northern Ireland will be seeing the band
Bryan: and one in eight has a Westlife album

Really?… whoa
Nicky: this tour is going to last for four months… it's huge … at the moment we're on 67 dates

67?
Nicky: yeah and there's more to go… that includes Europe the republic of Ireland Northern Ireland and England and Scotland
Bryan: and we haven't even thought about the rest yet… at the moment we have two plans wee are either going to record a new album when the European dates finish or else we're thinking about maybe going to like south Africa south east Asia middle east south America Australia

What do you wanna do?
Nicky: we wanna go to the world cup … go to Japan

Go to Japan?
Bryan: we wanna do it around the world cup

That's a cracking idea… well we are out of time a big round of applause for Westlife
Nicky: Jamie can I just say the best of luck to the Irish ruby team against England today

Ooohhh I knew you were going to do that… what I can do is … if I do this and I've faded down your microphones so I would just like to say good luck to England in the rugby… thanks for coming on guys good luck in the Brits.