Live And Kicking- July 2000

STEPHEN: ALL BY MYSELF. . .

When L & K told Stephen Gately he was going to be this month's cover star, he was so excited he asked if he could interview himself for one of his most revealing interviews ever. Naturally, we agreed. . .

Since I started in Boyzone, I must have been asked thousands of questions in hundreds of different languages. But now, I'm out on my own- there's no Ro, Keith, Shane and Mikey for me to turn to in interviews. My first album, New Beginning, is about to be released and I'm set to do all the press on my lonesome. But I've got to admit, I'm really excited about everything. I'm just about to be interviewed by someone who knows me better than anyone else I know. He'll be able to get all he top goss from me, because he knows exactly the questions to ask. Who is he? It's me! This is me in my own words, just for my friends at L & K, so let's start with the question I'm asked the most. . .

SO, ARE BOYZONE FINISHED FOR GOOD?

No, not at all. We're just all doing our solo things for a bit. Mikey, Ronan and I are all working on music. Keith's doing his FBi presenting and Shane's busy working on his car racing. We're being like the Spice Girls and taking some time to play around on our own projects. But we want to tour together in the future.

ARE YOU EXCITED TO BE THE FIRST 'ZONER TO RELEASE A SOLO ALBUM?

Not excited, no. People are always going to make it out to be competition between me and Ronan as to who gets solo stuff out first, but that's just the way it is. Plus me and Mikey releasing a single at the same time makes for great press, doesn't it?

ARE YOU SURPRISED AT ANY OF THE GUYS' SOLO PROJECTS?

I always knew I'd want to release a solo album at some point and that Ronan would too. Mikey's really into his music too. Keith's done quite a bit of presenting now so it makes sense for him to carry on with that. And Shane loves the whole speed-racing thing so he'll be great at that. I've never seen Shane race, but he's a mad, fast driver, so I can imagine what it would be like.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STATE OF MIND THESE DAYS?

I'm on good form, I'm stable. I feel on top of everything at the minute. I don't have any worries which is a nice place to be.

DO YOU STILL GET A BUZZ FROM BEING RECOGNISED?

Yes, but I really do try and lead my life as normally as possible. I never hide myself away. still go down the shops and to the cinema when I want to. If you run away from people, they'll chase you more. Staying calm about things is best.

YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT ACTING ROLES BEFORE: WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT?

I've had a couple of offers. One was for a musical that can't say much about right now, but acting is something I'd definitely like to get into. I'd loved to have been in The Beach, because that was a great movie. It's been a long time since I've done any acting. I enjoyed the voice-over work that I did on Watership Down so I'd like to do some more of that too. I think Disney should do a movie about an Irish leprechaun and I could do the voice! I'd have loved a part in the new Lord Of The Rings film as well, that looks fabulous.

WHAT ARE ACTING AUDITIONS LIKE?

I still get worried about things like that. If Stephen Spielberg phoned up tomorrow and offered me an audition for his new film, I'd be terrified but I'd try not to show it! If I get a good part then great, if I don't, so be it.

ARE YOU MUCH HAPPIER NOW THAT YOU'VE COME OUT?

Definitely. That was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I was sitting in a hotel in Milan when the story broke. I was terrified, but the support I've had from people has been incredible. I didn't know whether I'd get a good reaction from fans, but they've been great. I always knew I had the support of my friends and family, but to have the support of the fans as well means so much!

DO YOU STILL GET ATTENTION FROM FEMALE FANS?

If anything I get more than I did before! Fans always ask me where Eloy is and if he's alright and ask what we've been up to. Always very positive things.

DO YOU THINK THAT YOU AND ELOY WOULD EVER DUET?

I'm going to write a song for Eloy's album, but I don't think we'll be singing together. He's working on a solo album right now, which I'm going to help him with. He's really excited.

IT SAID IN THE NEWSPAPERS THAT YOU AND ELOY ARE THINKING OF ADOPTING A CHILD- IS THAT TRUE?

I'd love to adopt a child, but I don't have the time right now though. I have two dogs and I hardly have time to look after them! They're called Joey and Woody. Woody's an American cocker spaniel and Joey's a Shih-tzu.

YOU'RE HEAVILY INTO SPIRITUALITY. . .

Yes, I find it's a good way to make me feel positive and balanced about things. The world is so crazy that it's brilliant to be able to take some time out to relax.

DO YOU LIVE IN A HUGE HOUSE IN THE COUNTRY?

I do live in a big house in Ireland, but I don't act like 'Lord of the manor' or anything. It's called The Millhouse and has loadsa land and a stream. People might have seen it when it was in OK! magazine. I think I'll be living their for a long while.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO AN ASPIRING SINGER?

Be nice to everyone on the way up, because you never know who you might have to deal with on the way down.

WHEN YOU SEE YOUNGER BANDS LIKE, WESTLIFE, DO YOU GET NOSTALGIC ABOUT BOYZONE'S EARLY DAYS?

I remember our debut in the charts with Love Me For A Reason and being on shows like Live & Kicking for the first time. That was all really exciting, and I'm sure groups like Westlife feel the same. I'm glad that Boyzone are now at a stage where we can go off and do our individual things.

WHAT'S BEEN YOUR FONDEST BOYZONE MEMORY?

My 21st birthday was brilliant. We were in Argentina and decided to celebrate big style. To be honest, I can't even remember much about it as I was a little worse for wear. We all went out for dinner in Buenos Aires, (the capital of Argentina), and then ended up going to this rubbish old disco, a 'dancing around your handbags'- type of place. I was dancing with one of the girls from our record company and I trod on her toes. I'd had so much fun though and she had to drag me back into the hotel as I couldn't walk. That was a great night!

STEPHEN TRACK BY TRACK!

FIRST OFF THE BOYZONE SOLO ALBUM STARTING BLOCKS IS ICKLE STEPHEN, SO WE SIMPLY HAD TO GET THE LOWDOWN ON THE ALBUM TRACK BY TRACK FROM THE MAN HIMSELF! NICE!

NEW BEGINNING

STEPHEN: This just had to be the first single as it's all about the new millennium and it has a really fresh feel to it. Releasing my first solo single is a new beginning for me. I think everybody can relate to it 'cause it's such a catchy tune- and the fact people are singing it already proves that.

L & K'S VERDICT: It soars! It swoops! It swings! A cracker of a choon that shows our Stephen means serious pop business! It had to be his debut single and it had to open the album. What a stormer!

ELOY HEADS OUT OF FIVE:

I BELIEVE

STEPHEN: This is going to be used in a movie called The Dancer starring Julie Walters which should be out in September, so I wanted to produce a big epic song. I was really pleased when I heard this track for the first time. It's a v. positive song.

L & K'S VERDICT: This is a really catchy song with a '60s kinda melody. It sounds quite grown up and will definitely be going round your brain after one listen. A future single? We reckon so.

ELOY HEADS OUT OF FIVE:

IF ONLY YOU WERE HERE

STEPHEN: I wrote this song about a year and a half ago for Eloy, wishing that he was with me when I was on the road. It's one of our favourites. I'm pleased that I've had a big hand in writing the album, and this track means a lot to me. It's a floaty summery love song.

L & K'S VERDICT: This has a lovely vibe to it and comes straight from the heart. It's rally sweet without going overboard.

ELOY HEADS OUT OF FIVE:

YOU LIED

STEPHEN: Lying is something I can't bear, especially within a relationship, and this song is all about that. I'm sure a lot of people have experienced dishonesty, but I've been pretty lucky!

L & K'S VERDICT: This bubbles along nicely with a bit of diva-stylee attitude from our Steve. We'd never lie to you Stephen: this track's great!

ELOY HEADS OUT OF FIVE:

COMIN' BACK

STEPHEN: This is one of the standout tracks for me on the album. I wanted to do something that had an R 'n' B feel to it. I think this might be the second single, but we don't know yet.

L & K'S VERDICT: Get out of here! No way is this Stephen! This is an R 'n' B rocker and it definitely floats our boat. The next single- we should co-co!

ELOY HEADS OUT OF FIVE:

WHERE DO WE GO?

STEPHEN: I wrote this song for Eloy. It was about when we first got together and we asked each other, 'Where do we go from here?' I'm proud of this song 'cause it shows how I feel about our relationship.

L & K'S VERDICT: Just when we're about to give up on this along come all these strings and we're suddenly in the middle of a James Bond movie! The name's Gately, Stephen Gately, licensed to write top pop choons!

ELOY HEADS OUT OF FIVE:

JUDGEMENT DAY

STEPHEN: : I wrote this when I told the world I was gay. For me that was my real judgement day. I was trying to write how I felt about it all in this song. I decided I felt like a man on Death Row, waiting to die, shouting, 'Save me!' That's what I wanted to get across. I wanted it to be a really up-beat song, there was no way this was going to be a ballad.

L & K'S VERDICT: Blimey! Being such a serious song this should've been a right old duffer, but Stephen manages to funk things up and gets things going. It's a bit '80s but a lot better than L & K thought it would be. . .

ELOY HEADS OUT OF FIVE:

DO WITHOUT ME

STEPHEN: I heard this song and knew straight away that I wanted to do it. It had a Destiny's Child vibe to it. I was in Sweden when I first heard it and just thought, 'This is the song for me'.

L & K'S VERDICT: Destiny's Child? Not sure about that one Steve. This sounds a lot like S Club 7's Change The World, which is no bad thing, but it's bum-all like Destiny's Child.

ELOY HEADS OUT OF FIVE:

FAR FROM LOVE

STEPHEN: : I wrote this song about Ireland. I wanted to give the song a magical feel to prove that my heart is still in Ireland even when I'm not.

L & K'S VERDICT: : Fiddley-diddley-dee! Clear the tables out 'cause we're gonna Riverdance our way out of here! This is great, to be sure!

ELOY HEADS OUT OF FIVE:

STAY

STEPHEN: I wanted to do a song that's poppy, a bit like Britney or BSB. Their songs have a big anthem-style sound and I wanted to do that, too. I think this is a future single 'cause it's really rousing.

L & K'S VERDICT: Well Stephen's got it spot-on this time, this is a full-bodied slab of pitch-perfect pop! It could have come off the last BSB album. Stephen should definitely release it as a single.

ELOY HEADS OUT OF FIVE:

JUST CAN'T SAY GOODBYE

STEPHEN: This is another love song about being with someone and finding it hard to walk away. It's a strong tune which I enjoyed singing. I think it's one of the best tracks on the album.

L & K'S VERDICT: We'd have to disagree with you there, Stephen 'cause we reckon there's better tracks on the alb. It's nice enough, though.

ELOY HEADS OUT OF FIVE:

WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE

STEPHEN: : I'm really glad that this is the last track on the album, as hopefully it will leave people wanting more. I had a vocal coach who managed to do great things with my voice. It's a good record for when you're driving in the car!

L & K'S VERDICT: : This is funky in a George Michael kind of way and it left us wanting more! Soon as it was over, we flipped it over and listened to it again!

ELOY HEADS OUT OF FIVE: