Unbreakable boy band
Just months after both Take That and Steps released their Greatest Hits albums, the two phenomenally popular pop bands announced they were splitting up.
Since then the Greatest Hits album has been the death knell of many a pop act.
So when record-breaking boy band Westlife announced they would be releasing a Greatest Hits in time for Christmas, it was inevitable that rumours started about the band’s impending split. But the boys themselves – Nicky Byrne, 24, Kian Egan, 22, Mark Feehily, 22, Shane Filan, 23 and Bryan McFadden, 22 – deny the stories, saying they’re having far too much fun to end it now.
“The only surprise announcement that we’re making is that we’re staying around,” laughs Byrne. “A Greatest Hits does spell the end for a lot of bands, but we’ve just signed a renegotiation for more albums with the record company.
“We’re enjoying it, we’re still making good music and I’m the oldest at only 24. We’ve worked so hard to get the band to this level, there’s no point in calling it a day when you reach that.”
The boys admit that it’s a bit strange to be releasing a Greatest Hits album at such a young age, but to be fair to them, they have achieved a lot in the three years since their first single Swear It Again went straight in at No 1. With 10 No 1 singles to their name and 25 million record sales around the world, there’s certainly enough material to warrant a Greatest Hits.
Compiling the album has given Westlife the first chance they’ve had to look back at what they’ve achieved. Caught up in the whirlwind of recording, touring and promotion the boys haven’t really taken in what’s been happening until now.
“It’s mad to think what we’ve done,” says Egan. “Doing this Greatest Hits has brought back a lot of memories and it’s made us excited about doing it all again.
“We’ve recorded songs with Mariah Carey, we’ve sung for the Pope, we’ve had drinks with Stevie Wonder in a nightclub in LA, but it’s all happened so fast that it’s only now we’ve been able to sit down and talk about it all and ask ‘What is going on?”’
As well as looking back at the past the boys have their sights firmly set on the future. On the Greatest Hits, there are five brand new songs, including their new single Unbreakable, which showcase Westlife’s new musical direction.
“It’s not much different but it’s a little bit more mature,” says McFadden. “They’re a taster of what the next album is going to be like. Production wise it’s a little bit less pop.”
Egan adds: “It’s a bit more adult, in a sense. Obviously the young girls and all the other fans will still enjoy the songs but I think adults will enjoy them a bit more.”
Westlife takes up most of the boys’ time and they say none of them are harbouring urges to branch out and do solo work. But McFadden has been working on one side project – managing a rock band.
“I’m giving them a helping hand to get started,” he explains. “There’s nothing happening yet, they’re just writing songs. It is difficult to find the time though, most of it’s over the phone at the moment.
“I saw them when I was on my honeymoon and I just thought they were brilliant so I brought them over to Ireland and they did some demos and stuff. It’s just a matter of getting them a deal now.”
McFadden seems to be the busiest of the five singers. As well as Westlife and his rock band, he has a growing family to occupy him. He married Atomic Kitten-turned-TV presenter Kerry Katona in January and the couple have a year-old daughter Molly with another child on the way.
McFadden admits that being in Westlife limits his time with his family but he says that becoming a father has made his career all the more important to him.
“Having kids makes all this worthwhile,” he says. “It is difficult as I don’t get to spend as much time with my family as I’d like but it’s only for so long. It’s important now to set us up for life, to secure our future.”
Of the other band members, Egan and Feehily are single, Filan is seeing Egan’s cousin Gillian Walsh and Byrne is engaged to Georgina Ahern, daughter of Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern. Byrne admits that spending time with Molly has made him broody.
“I’ve been with Georgina for eight years and even holding Molly now, I can’t let her go,” he grins. “When they take her out the room I try and kidnap her. She’s absolutely dope, she’s beautiful.
“But I’d rather not have a baby for the next few years because Westlife is so big. If it happens great, but I hope I can spend a little more time with the band.”
Byrne could be waiting some time for the patter of tiny feet, if the boys’ attitude to Westlife remains as dedicated as it seems. Asked how long they think Westlife can go on for, they say in no uncertain terms that they want to see the band achieve its full potential.
“It all depends on whether we’re still enjoying it, which we are at the moment and I’m sure we will be for the next few years,” says Egan. “There’s no reason why that would change. There’s no point in us working this hard just to break up.”
Byrne adds: “There’s no point even putting a time on it. We’ll know when the time is right to break up. It might be 10 or 20 years. If we can still make good music, enjoy it and the fans still want to buy the records then who knows?”
