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| Simon Cowell Can't Do Without Me!; Louis Walsh Interview - Westlife Mention | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jun 29 2007, 07:31 AM (125 Views) | |
| Villy Feehily*McDaid | Jun 29 2007, 07:31 AM Post #1 |
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Villy
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By CHRISSY ILEY Louis Walsh has never been one to dwell on the negative side. That's why he's such a lover of pop music. He doesn't go for navel-gazing rock and rollers. He loves the lift you get from a good pop song and performance. He was a fan first and became a businessman as a consequence of it. It's his enthusiasm, knowledge and quirky sense of humour - as well as his business acumen - which made Simon Cowell warm to him. Having worked together since the late 90s turning Westlife into a global phenomenon, Louis was a natural choice as a judge for Simon when he co-created ITV's reality talent show Pop Stars: The Rivals. Posted Image Ears for talent: Louis Walsh has a laugh at fellow judge Simon Cowell's expense Simon then took him with him on to the judging panel with Sharon Osbourne on its successor, X Factor, in 2004. On that show Louis went from being well-known in the business and in his native Ireland to becoming a greatly loved TV personality in the UK. But then, in March, came the stunning news that Louis was to be dropped from the X Factor in favour of an American choreographer. It was such a shock - Louis has after all been the most successful of the three judges with his acts G4 and Shayne Ward - that many believed it was part of a conspiracy to garner publicity for the X Factor's new series and stem viewer fatigue. He was replaced, bizarrely, by Brian Friedman, the choreographer who was a judge on the ITV1 Simon Cowell production Grease Is The Word which lost out in the ratings to the more emotionally charged Any Dream Will Do. Dannii Minogue and a fourth category have also been added to the X Factor, and new presenter Dermot O'Leary is replacing Kate Thornton. But rather than all of this upheaval giving X Factor a new wow factor it seemed instead to cast a shadow of apprehension and discomfort. Why sack Louis? Now, of course, it has been revealed that he is back - only fuelling suspicions that it was all a PR stunt. But Walsh is adamant: "It wasn't a stunt, but if I was on the outside looking in I would probably think it was. I was gobsmacked. "I still love the whole thing," he adds with not a smidgen of resentment. "In a way I think it was a good thing for me to be sacked because in show business nothing is definite. "That's a thing I always tell other people and then it happened to me. Maybe I needed that. Now I know what it is like. "I had a lot of sleepless nights when I was sacked, a lot of stress, and I learned a valuable lesson. You can get a phone call that can make or break you." It was a tough lesson for a man accustomed to success, having dragged himself up from humble beginnings. The second of nine children, Walsh grew up in rural Kiltimagh, Co Mayo, where his father had three jobs: as a farmer, a baker and as a cab driver, to earn money to bring up his brood. Louis inherited his father's strong work ethic. His mother wanted him to be a priest, but he failed the exams. Besides he had other ideas and at 17 was living on his sister's floor in Dublin and starting work for an agent booking Irish show bands. He moved into management and his first taste of success came when his artist Johnny Logan won the Eurovision song contest in 1980. His amiability masks his strong ambitious streak and, inspired by the success of Take That, in 1994 he formed Boyzone, who reinvented Irish pop. But even Boyzone's massive British success was dwarfed by their successors Westlife. Louis may have been saddled with a bit of an underdog image in Britain, but in his homeland he's one of the most famous and respected men in the country. As Shane Filan of Westlife says: "He's a god in Ireland." What you see on TV is what you get in private, a fun-loving sociable man fond of Prada suits and the bright lights, whose dressing room at X Factor became a weekly party where you'd find family, artists past and present, and friends all treated with the same civility and warmth. On screen Louis, Sharon and Simon have a palpable chemistry that makes exciting television but is also familiar. It seemed invincible, a hit formula. So why break it? The last time I saw them all together was this year at Elton John's Oscar party in Los Angeles on February 25. Sharon was sparkling with diamonds, and purring like a lioness over her husband Ozzy and children Jack and Kelly. Simon was complaining about everything in the way he does when he's enjoying himself. Louis was excited to be in a room with so many famous people because that's Louis. He doesn't grasp he's famous, too. As I left with Louis, Simon said: "Make sure Lulu goes to bed early, [both Simon and Sharon affectionately refer to him as Lulu] don't keep him up. We've got intense X Factor meetings tomorrow. That's why we're here." We didn't stay up late because it was business as usual the next day. Louis, 54, will always try his best. So what a shock when just ten days later, on March 7, one of those make or break your life phone calls came. "It was eight o'clock in the evening and I was in Stockholm, where I was meeting with various producers for Shayne's album. (Shayne Ward was the second series X Factor winner and is managed by Louis). "I didn't see it coming. I thought the producer was going to give me the dates for the show auditions, but executive producer Richard Holloway's first words to me were: 'I've got bad news for you'. I was gobsmacked. "Every year I get drawn into the show. I get close to the artists. It's my job to fight for them even if they are probably not going to make it. I try. "Last series I was emotionally involved with the MacDonald Brothers. I had sleepless nights trying to keep them in the show. "But they were nice people, genuinely trying to be singers and I get so drawn in. So yes, after the producer called I was in shock." When the news broke, Simon Cowell said the decision was ITV's not his. But the fact that he didn't call Louis himself made Louis suspect otherwise. "I did not believe him. I wanted to blame somebody and he was the person I could blame. He was the one that hired me. Now I believe that it was Simon who fought my case. He told me he missed me. "I'm now sure it was not his decision to fire me because he has been the one who got me back. "I believe that ITV just wanted to change it, to make it younger and edgier." But the edginess that ITV hoped for was clearly absent in rehearsals. In the London auditions the chemistry between Friedman, Simon, Sharon and Dannii just didn't work. Although since Louis' rehiring Friedman has been retained on the show as "creative advisor" he wasn't deemed right as a judge. Apparently his background as a choreographer and music video director led him to struggle with the auditions, and his limited knowledge of pop music and a complete lack of understanding of British slang made it difficult for him to do the job. For Louis, a pivotal turning point came when he was invited to appear as a guest when Simon was surprised by This Is Your Life just a few weeks ago. Walsh was the first person to congratulate Cowell, and their faces lit up on seeing each other, but at the same time Louis put in a couple of digs that what Simon had done had been forgiven but not forgotten. "At the party afterwards Simon told me he missed me and he'd like to have me back working on the show." That was their first conversation as friends since the split, although they had been in business meetings together because Louis remains the manager of Westlife who have sold 36 million albums for Simon Cowell's label, and they are also working on Shayne's new record together. "Those meetings weren't awkward because we know we have to put business and our artists first," says Louis. "Simon is always professional. He wants to succeed. Westlife's album and Shayne's album are important to him. But we never talked about anything outside of that until this hint at the after-show party. "I knew Sharon was missing me because we talk all the time. We are really, really good friends." When Simon first dropped this hint Louis dismissed it and told him he was busy with Westlife's tenth album, Shayne's new album and managing Any Dream Will Do winner, Lee Mead, and Keith Jack, the runner-up on the show. Louis has also been thinking about a Boyzone reunion tour but the timing wasn't right. "The Spice Girls pipped us to the post by announcing they are getting back together." Now it will probably happen next year, giving him time to do X Factor. He's also just written a book, on how to fast track to fame. I have heard there is a chapter in it called Never Trust A Man In Heels. "Yes there is," he giggles. He is always animated, but it's nice to see him so naturally at ease with himself in his home environment. He lives alone in a swish ultra modern penthouse apartment. It is bright inside despite the overcast sky above Dublin. "The book's all tongue in cheek and I have to say, although it's early days, that Simon and I are getting on really well. "But as judges we will all want to win. There are four categories this year so I have three judges to beat instead of two." The extra category is going to be the under-16s. "I hope I don't get the kids. I would be no good with them. "But you can never predict what you are going to get, and if they think you don't want something they'll give it to you," he says. Simon himself has been predictable in his unpredictability since Louis' return. Last week he said: "If I am honest I have missed Louis a bit and I think the show has missed him, too." One can only speculate whether it was Simon or the show who missed Louis more. Reports say that he was lured back with a £1 million offer. "No, I tell you we didn't even talk about money. "I'm actually looking forward to working with Dannii Minogue. I've never understood why she hasn't been a bigger star. She deserves to be. Maybe she needs a good manager," he quips. "I will be the only person on that panel though who's had no cosmetic work done. I'm the only person with my own teeth and t**s." "I have history with these people. I know that Simon has a really good side. He's got a big ego, but that's why he's really successful. And he's got a brilliant instinct for songs." As for Sharon, they have a huge respect for each other. "She's a great woman. A family woman. She looks after her family. "I like her work ethic and there's a special bond between us. We always have great fun. Every time I see her I light up. "I recently did the Friday Night Project with her where she got me to dress up as Amy Winehouse. I would never do that for anyone else, but it seemed like a natural thing to do with her." Not having any X Factor to get emotional about must have left a gap. "It did, but I am very busy with Westlife, Shayne, Lee, Keith, and potentially Boyzone." The trick is he knows how to fill the gap. That's why he too has been phenomenally successful. Westlife are one of the biggest selling acts of all time. He says that one of the first people to call and congratulate him on his return to X Factor was fellow sackee Kate Thornton. "She's getting over it now. She put a lot of emotional energy into it as well. I think Dermot will be good at presenting it as well, but in a different way." Before Louis was reinstated as a judge Cowell hinted that he would like him to manage the winning act whether he was a judge or not. "I'm not sure if I will. I need to devote attention to Shayne, who is going to be a really big international star and I would only do it if I felt something for the winner, if I really, really loved them." The problem is, if it was one of Louis' acts he really would love them. This week he is back at auditions. He's only missed the London auditions. And all four judges will work together on Boot Camp. So is everything really forgiven and forgotten? "Let's just say I've taken the pins out of the voodoo doll now. That doll, it had a very high waist band, a very strange haircut and a very big head. But I've taken the pins out now." Another irrepressible giggle and he's off to catch the private jet that ferries the judges and their egos around the country. Let's hope it's not a bumpy ride. • X Factor will be back on ITV1 later in the summer. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ |
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| JoanneVIP | Jun 29 2007, 07:40 AM Post #2 |
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THE BOSS
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thanks so much hunie, for posting, yeah the simon cowell/louis walsh factor, A t the end of the day theybrought us westlife so im greatful to them for that lol x |
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| jlovenicky | Jun 29 2007, 08:01 AM Post #3 |
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Jacqueline
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It was a long article :lol: Thanks for posting hunnie :D |
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| Villy Feehily*McDaid | Jun 29 2007, 08:34 AM Post #4 |
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Villy
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No problem babes :D I can't wait for the new album :wub: Why does it say the tenth though lol it's the nineth :P :D |
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| JoanneVIP | Jun 29 2007, 08:36 AM Post #5 |
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THE BOSS
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I dont know.... why do they say anything lol...... Yeah new album please and not covers lol x |
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| uptowngirl | Jun 29 2007, 06:58 PM Post #6 |
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Unregistered
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thanks for posting hunnie, its very long but great :lol: |
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| MrsMaryByrne | Jul 1 2007, 05:18 PM Post #7 |
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Mary
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thanks for posting villy :) cant wait for new album...... westlifemagic |
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8:39 AM Jul 11