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Boys to Men! Shane interview
Topic Started: Mar 30 2008, 02:08 PM (273 Views)
JoanneVIP
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THE BOSS
Boys to Men!
By Ellen Irvine, Sunday News (Star Times) 30 March 2008

Irish heart-throbs Westlife are maturing nicely … and you could hang out with them!

Westlife frontman Shane Filan can’t quite believe the Irish boy band is still together. While other pop groups of the same era are having reunion tours – Take That, The Spice Girls, and now Boyzone – Westlife never broke up.
“We are doing the reunion tour every year,” Shane told Stars. “We just decided to keep going. To be honest, I don’t know how we have lasted so long. It’s just that we love what we do and the fans love what we do. Our songs aren’t too confusing. They are very melodic and straight-forward. I think people love that about it, that’s why they have stayed loyal.”
No longer strictly a boy band – Shane calls them a ‘young man band’ – Westlife has grown up.
Their music is now more adult contemporary than pop and they have wives, partners and children. They’ve even had to get a bigger tour bus to accommodate all their loved ones. Shane says life on the road is nothing like the old days.
“Kian and I actually went for a couple of drinks last night. We were like, ‘Oh my God, we can’t do it like we used to, you know, really tired.’ Years ago we used to be on the p*ss – now it’s all about our families and kids and stuff.”
Westlife – Shane, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily and Nicky Byrne – are playing four New Zealand shows in May on their 10-year anniversary tour. Shane is thrilled to learn their Wellington gig sold out in three hours.
“Oh my God, that’s cool. I was just going to ask how the shows are doing. I’m really excited about it. The fact we have so many fans that far away from home, I’m delighted.”
Westlife has sold 36 million albums worldwide but they’re not resting on their laurels. The band plans to take nine months off when their tour ends in July – but fans can relax, they are definitely not breaking up.
“We have achieved a lot and it’s great. You always want more – not to be greedy – but we want to sustain ourselves. We have carved out a career for ourselves – it’s not just a few years for us. We want to be like U2, the Rolling Stones, bands that last for a very long time. Things like concert tours selling out in three hours in New Zealand, these are things that mean a lot to us.”
Shane plans to use the break from Westlife spending time with his family. He’s married to childhood sweetheart Gillian and the couple have two-year-old daughter Nicole, and another baby due in September. He’s close to his dad and one of his greatest pleasures was being able to give him an F-Class Mercedes.
“It was one of the best moments of my life. I’ll never forget his face. I drove in and put on the flashers on Christmas morning. It’s the car he loves. It was literally the best thing I’ve ever bought. Even when my dad is dead and gone, I’ll always have that memory. That’s what Westlife is all about for me. To be able to put a smile on his face.”

No Returns
Brian McFadden never wanted to return to Westlife. Rumours that Brian had asked the band to take him back for a reunion tour were false, Shane Filan told Stars.
“I remember reading that in the paper. I thought, ‘oh sh*t, Brian’s not going to like that.’ I think they were running out of stories or something. Brian is very happy in his life. The last thing he wants is to come back to Westlife. He made that decision four years ago.”
Shane says Brian’s departure made the band stronger.
“We had no time to sit around and mope. We had such a point to prove to everybody – not just to ourselves – to our fans, mums and dads. I think it brought us close together than ever we were as a band. We have never been closer.”

Thank you to Kiwijem/
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MrsMaryByrne
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Mary
thanks for posting :) X
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JoanneVIP
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THE BOSS
welcome
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uptowngirl
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thanks for posting hunnie
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jlovenicky
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Jacqueline
Thank you for posting :D
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Nicky's Angel
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Sara
Thank you for posting Jo I'm glad he is still enjoying being in Westlife :D
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JoanneVIP
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THE BOSS
Yes im so happy too
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Gloria
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Westlife DIVA star
Thanks Jo for posting,I love the interview. :)
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JoanneVIP
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THE BOSS
Its a great interview :)
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