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I
came to see you at your record signing in Manchester, but by the time I
got to see you you couldn’t sign any more albums. Whose decision was
that, and were you annoyed that your fans were upset?
The
decision was the record company’s because we literally didn’t have
time to sign everyone’s albulms. If we’d stayed and signed them all
we wouldn’t be able to go to the next signing. It’s really
unfortunate ‘cos it’s happened a lot. In Glasgow 7,000 people turned
up to a signing but we could only sign 1,000 autographs, so people were
disappointed. But 1,000 people is still a lot of people to sign for!
We’re really sorry if people were disappointed, but don’t worry,
there will be other opportunities to meet us.
I’m
really disappointed that Westlife, an Irish band, supported the Poppy
Appeal. Are you concerned about losing some of your loyal Irish fans
because of it?
When
we launched the appeal, we didn’t know much about it. We’re not
political, we’re a pop band, we sing songs and we support charities.
We’ve done Children in Need, and loads of other stuff, and when saw in
our schedule we were doing the Poppy Appeal, we didn’t think much
about it. It wasn’t til later that we realised that we may be
offending people. We’re really sorry if we did offend anyone. If I’m
honest, we probably wouldn’t do it again because it caused so much
controversy.
What
do you think about your former bandmate Derek Lacey saying in an Irish
newspaper that you kicked him out of the band?
(Sadly)
I don’t know. Derek was one of my best mates. Probably my best friend
in the band when it started, but it was me who had to tell him he had to
go. It was probably the most horrible thing I’ve ever had to do. I’ve
seen him since it all happened and he’s said hallo and stuff, but
he’s obviously not happy.I suppose nobody would be because of the
success we’ve had. I feel terrible and I’m really sorry that I hurt
his feelings but I’d love for us to be mates.
Are
Westlife ever going to do a fast song instead of a ballad?
Of
course! We’ve recorded a couple of uptempo songs recently, and I think
one of them is going to be the first song we release in America. It’s
written by the same person that wrote Christina Aguilera’s single
Genie In A Bottle it’s fantastic. There will be definitely more
uptempo songs on the next album aswell. Definitely.
Is
there big rivalry between Westlife and Five?
No,
there’s no rivalry at all. Last year we weren’t very close to them
‘cos we didn’t know them that well, but lately we’ve got very
close ‘cos we’ve been on loads of the same TV shows and got really
friendly with them. They are a really nice bunch of guys and they are
totally opposite to what we do. There can’t be rivalry because we’re
a totally different kind of band. They’re really uptempo and we’re a
mid-tempo ballady type band. I think people think we don’t get on
‘cos we’re on the same record label, but, if anything, that means we
get on better.
Does
it feel strange knowing that there are lots of girls around the world
with posters of you on their walls?
It
does feel very weird. A year and a half ago I was in college, looking at
Smash Hits and dreaming of being in it. Now I’ve been on the front
cover on my own – I can’t believe it! I always worried about how
people would take to me, whether or not people would like, but it’s
turned out to be really good for me. I love it!
Which
of Westlife would you fancy if you were a girl?
Probably
Nicky ‘cos he’s the cleanest! He looks after himself well, he’s
the Posh of Westlife. He’s neat and tidy and he’s a nice guy so I
think he’d be my favourite.
I
read recently you’ve got a Chinese symbol tattooed on your back. Is
this true?
Have
I got one? (Lifts up his top to reveal a tanned, tattooless back) No! I
have no tattoos at all. Some of the boys have, but I’m not saying who
‘cos it’s not my place. Although… (whispers) Kian has one on his
ankle. I have no plans to have one either. They are not my thing and I
don’t think you need ink on yourself to look better.
Scott
Five kept his girlfriend secret. Would you ever lie about a girl?
Would
I ever? (Thinks) If I started going out with a girl I would keep quiet
about it for a couple of months ‘cos I’d want to get to know her
before everyone else did. I wouldn’t want her to get loads of hassle
so I’d keep it a secret’til I knew I was in love with her and we
were going to stay together. I wouldn’t be able to keep quiet for
long, though, that would kill me. It would be hard enough to have a
relationship with a girl, let alone try to keep it a secret as well.
I
read in Smash Hitsthat you’d date a fan. Then more recentlyyou said
you wouldn’t date anyone under 20. Most of your fans are teenagers.
Explain yourself!
Some
of our fans are over 20! I probably said I’d rather date someone
around my age. I’d definitely date a fan, but I couldn’t date
someone that was like 15 or 16 – they’d be too young for me. I
don’t have a problem with dating a fan, and I wouldn’t not date them
just ‘cos they liked the band. Not all fans are fanatical and if
someone treats me normally and not just as someone they see on TV or in
magazines then fine, there would be no problem. If she’s nice looking
and a nice girl and she liked me, then why not?
Which
member of the band are you closest to?
I
don’t think I’m actually closest to any of them, but mine and
Nicky’s personalities are most alike. Bryan, Mark and Kian are all
quite mad, but me and Nicky are much more laidback.
If
I went back to your old school and asked your teachers to tell me all
about you, what would they say?
They’d
probably tell you I was giddy in class, always singing, and practicing
my autograph and hoping I’d be famous. They’d also tell you I talked
about Michael Jackson a lot! I think they’d say I was a dreamer with a
bit of a naughty side, but a good side as well!
Shane's
pick of the post:
In
the September 8 issue of Smash Hits Nicky said you had a fetish for high
heels and short skirts. Is that true?
(Laughs)
Very, very, very true. I love girls legs. I love it when a girl has a
good pair of legs and shows them off. Girls don’t have to be models,
but if they have something nice they should show it off, and high heels
show off good legs so much it’s unbelievable. It’s a very big fetish
I have!
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