Post by ♣esmie14♣ on Mar 16, 2007 21:40:42 GMT 8
by Sarah Walters
16/ 3/2007
IF a band can be judged on its chart success, it's fair to say that Irish boy band Westlife are almost as big as The Beatles. They're not quite, but then in these terms the Beatles are only almost as big as Elvis.
Of course, we're talking number one singles, of which Westlife have had a whopping 14. It puts them third behind Elvis (who scored a mighty 21 number ones in the UK) and The Beatles (17) and ties them with Cliff Richard. That's quite some company to find yourself keeping.
But the luminaries above them don't intimidate these Irish boys. No, instead, they've cracked many a joke about wanting to score at least 20 top spot singles to knock the Beatles, as the saying goes, down to size.
And who knows? They might just do it. Everyone thought the race was over for Westlife when Bryan (now Brian) McFadden jumped ship back in 2004, but the 'Loife have completed a number of arena tours and racked up two number one albums and their 14th number one single, The Rose, since.
So, there's no denying Westlife have been a huge success story. They've found a following in 40 countries, including most of Europe, Africa, Australia and even Latin America, and they've sold almost 40 million records, earning them 28 platinum awards for their eight hit albums.
Melody
Not bad for the four boys from Sligo and Dublin. Ah yes, but then it was never just Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily and Shane Filan at the controls. While some attribute Westlife's success to their ability to deliver a pleasing melody, others believe that it's the back office staff that have kept the Westlife hit machine moving.
Originally backed and tweaked by X Factor's Mr Nasty, Simon Cowell, after their discovery by fellow judge Louis Walsh, Westlife was originally managed by Louis and Boyzone's Ronan Keating - previously Ireland's biggest pop export before Westlife stole his crown. Similar teams have now scored four number one singles for talent show winners...
Steered by knowing hands, then, but the group have always doggedly resisted any 'manufatured' tag, and perhaps the evidence is in their growth as an act.
It's barely eight years since the boys put out their first record, Swear It Again, in April 1999, but they have gone through many a metamorphosis since, moving their music from teen pop to stadium swing, while their reputation as a group that can shift a record or two has sealed them a new five-album deal.
Westlife play the M.E.N. Arena on Friday, March 16 and Saturday, March 17. £29.50.
CREDITS/RESOURCES:manchestereveningnews.co.uk
16/ 3/2007
IF a band can be judged on its chart success, it's fair to say that Irish boy band Westlife are almost as big as The Beatles. They're not quite, but then in these terms the Beatles are only almost as big as Elvis.
Of course, we're talking number one singles, of which Westlife have had a whopping 14. It puts them third behind Elvis (who scored a mighty 21 number ones in the UK) and The Beatles (17) and ties them with Cliff Richard. That's quite some company to find yourself keeping.
But the luminaries above them don't intimidate these Irish boys. No, instead, they've cracked many a joke about wanting to score at least 20 top spot singles to knock the Beatles, as the saying goes, down to size.
And who knows? They might just do it. Everyone thought the race was over for Westlife when Bryan (now Brian) McFadden jumped ship back in 2004, but the 'Loife have completed a number of arena tours and racked up two number one albums and their 14th number one single, The Rose, since.
So, there's no denying Westlife have been a huge success story. They've found a following in 40 countries, including most of Europe, Africa, Australia and even Latin America, and they've sold almost 40 million records, earning them 28 platinum awards for their eight hit albums.
Melody
Not bad for the four boys from Sligo and Dublin. Ah yes, but then it was never just Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily and Shane Filan at the controls. While some attribute Westlife's success to their ability to deliver a pleasing melody, others believe that it's the back office staff that have kept the Westlife hit machine moving.
Originally backed and tweaked by X Factor's Mr Nasty, Simon Cowell, after their discovery by fellow judge Louis Walsh, Westlife was originally managed by Louis and Boyzone's Ronan Keating - previously Ireland's biggest pop export before Westlife stole his crown. Similar teams have now scored four number one singles for talent show winners...
Steered by knowing hands, then, but the group have always doggedly resisted any 'manufatured' tag, and perhaps the evidence is in their growth as an act.
It's barely eight years since the boys put out their first record, Swear It Again, in April 1999, but they have gone through many a metamorphosis since, moving their music from teen pop to stadium swing, while their reputation as a group that can shift a record or two has sealed them a new five-album deal.
Westlife play the M.E.N. Arena on Friday, March 16 and Saturday, March 17. £29.50.
CREDITS/RESOURCES:manchestereveningnews.co.uk