Post by shayne on Oct 8, 2006 16:12:29 GMT 8
Face To Face With Westlife - 6 October 2006
They're all in their late twenties and one is even a happy, nappy-changing dad, but you can still call Westlife "a boy band" and get away with it.
That's what Prime Time Morning discovered in an exclusive interview with the Irish group who were in Singapore for their "Face to Face" album tour.
When asked about being called a 'boy band' Westlife's Kian Egan cheekily stated "just don't call us a girl band".
At the same time, he was serious in maintaining that the group doesn't find it offensive being called a 'boy band' since that is indeed what they are. "We started off ... we were young at that time, we're abit older now but we still do the same thing, we stand on the stage,sing songs, we do dance routines... we're a pop band."
Egan went on to say that "we don't really care what people call us because when people have something negative to say about Westlife it's because they don't really like Westlife and we're not really interested in those people..."
Westlife which is touring Asia with the launch of 'Face To Face', says the album is a collection that has their best material so far.
Speaking on Prime Time Morning, one part of the quartet, Shane Filan said, "this album really says what Westlife is all about" and the single "You Raise Me Up" which comes from the album "is exactly the type of music we want to sing", he adds.
Nicky Byrne also believes that release of "You Raise Me Up" is giving Westlife a kick-start again, opening up new markets and re-opening older markets, which is part of the reason why the group is touring Asia right now.
The 28-year-old also revealed that "it's always nice to go back to Asia, and our fans in Asia are up there as the best in the world".
And the fact that the fan base has matured along with the band, is a reason why Mark Fehily feels the music has changed too, becoming more adult and contemporary in its approach.
Overall, the members of Westlife feel little has changed for them even though one is father to a little girl and another is married, with a father-in-law who just so happens to be the British Prime Minister.
But Byrne would only reveal that that having a VIP in-law is "good fun", describing him as a hard-working, "nice guy ... very down-to-earth for the job he holds".
Still, having family makes touring difficult as Filan revealed, and that may have an impact on just how long Westlife will continue as a band.
But for now, the group who say they take things a year at a time, have no plans to change anything.
And that includes taking back a fifth member who left Westlife some three years ago.
Byrne who admitted that the loss of Bryan McFadden was a difficult time, also said the group had managed to survive that and "go from strength to strength, which is a big deal for us".
And when asked if the group would consider taking McFadden back, Egan said "we will never close the door on that one... but we don't see it happening, realistically... in the near future."
He also said that Westlife has since worked very well as a four piece, and that "if it's not broken then why try to fix it".
They're all in their late twenties and one is even a happy, nappy-changing dad, but you can still call Westlife "a boy band" and get away with it.
That's what Prime Time Morning discovered in an exclusive interview with the Irish group who were in Singapore for their "Face to Face" album tour.
When asked about being called a 'boy band' Westlife's Kian Egan cheekily stated "just don't call us a girl band".
At the same time, he was serious in maintaining that the group doesn't find it offensive being called a 'boy band' since that is indeed what they are. "We started off ... we were young at that time, we're abit older now but we still do the same thing, we stand on the stage,sing songs, we do dance routines... we're a pop band."
Egan went on to say that "we don't really care what people call us because when people have something negative to say about Westlife it's because they don't really like Westlife and we're not really interested in those people..."
Westlife which is touring Asia with the launch of 'Face To Face', says the album is a collection that has their best material so far.
Speaking on Prime Time Morning, one part of the quartet, Shane Filan said, "this album really says what Westlife is all about" and the single "You Raise Me Up" which comes from the album "is exactly the type of music we want to sing", he adds.
Nicky Byrne also believes that release of "You Raise Me Up" is giving Westlife a kick-start again, opening up new markets and re-opening older markets, which is part of the reason why the group is touring Asia right now.
The 28-year-old also revealed that "it's always nice to go back to Asia, and our fans in Asia are up there as the best in the world".
And the fact that the fan base has matured along with the band, is a reason why Mark Fehily feels the music has changed too, becoming more adult and contemporary in its approach.
Overall, the members of Westlife feel little has changed for them even though one is father to a little girl and another is married, with a father-in-law who just so happens to be the British Prime Minister.
But Byrne would only reveal that that having a VIP in-law is "good fun", describing him as a hard-working, "nice guy ... very down-to-earth for the job he holds".
Still, having family makes touring difficult as Filan revealed, and that may have an impact on just how long Westlife will continue as a band.
But for now, the group who say they take things a year at a time, have no plans to change anything.
And that includes taking back a fifth member who left Westlife some three years ago.
Byrne who admitted that the loss of Bryan McFadden was a difficult time, also said the group had managed to survive that and "go from strength to strength, which is a big deal for us".
And when asked if the group would consider taking McFadden back, Egan said "we will never close the door on that one... but we don't see it happening, realistically... in the near future."
He also said that Westlife has since worked very well as a four piece, and that "if it's not broken then why try to fix it".