They Play Their Own Instruments, Write Their Own Songs And Are Gonna Be Huge - They're Ultra!

HOW DID ULTRA GET TOGETHER?
James : Well three of us, Jon, Michael and myself met at school. Me and Michael were in the same class so we formed a small band.

HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER BOY BANDS?
Michael : We're different because we are a band. We play instruments and we write our own stuff.
James : Guys like Boyzone and Backstreet Boys are great pop groups, but we're a pop band.

SO IF YOU'RE NOT A DANCE ROUTINE TYPE OF BOY BAND, WHAT MUSIC WOULD GET YOU ON THE DANCEFLOOR?
Nick : I'm very into Robbie Williams at the moment, he's writing really, really good music.
Jon : The Irish group The Corrs or No Doubt would be the ones for me.
Michael : Everything! I like good song writers like George Michael, but I like a lot of hip hop and stuff like that, too. I really admire Boyzone as well.
Nick : We all like Cleopatra as we were actually on the Louise tour with them and they were great and will go really far. They're very, very talented.

ARE YOU THE BAND TO HALT THE GIRL BAND PHENOMENON THAT'S HAPPENING AT THE MOMENT?
Nick : Well I think the lads are still there though, aren't they?
James : Yeah, Backstreet Boys and 911, they're all out there.
Jon : It's all about good pop songs, not girls or boys, and if they have great songs then that's it!

WAS THE VIDEO FOR SAY YOU DO A BIT OF A THRILL TO MAKE?
James : Yeah, we're on a skyscraper in New York. We couldn't believe it when we were told we were going to New York!
Jon : We thought it'd be in London but the director said she'd love to do it in New York. We'd never been to America before, it was so exciting!

WHAT ABOUT YOUR GIRL FANS - YOU'RE ALL HEARTTHROBS NOW, AREN'T YOU?
Michael : We do get a bit of it, especially Jon, but it's nice. The letters we've had so far are from girls who've seen us on tour. It's quite a nice amount at the moment, though the rude ones are quite shocking!
James : Some haven't been that good at spelling, though. One girl wrote to me and said, "I think you're the best in the whole GROP!" grop, what's a grop then?

ANY FUNNY STORIES TO TELL ABOUT TOURING WITH BOYZONE OR LOUISE?
James : When we were supporting Boyzone and I came on stage with a pair of sunglasses on, only I couldn't actually see the other end of the stage so I just completely walked off it!!!
Michael : Boyzone are really nice guys. We didn't get to meet them much, but the first night Nick and Jon nicked Shane's BMX. They were riding it around Nynex in Manchester then someone came in and said, "Oi, you'd better put it back 'cos he's going mad!" so we put the bike back, then he barged in and we thought he was going to kill us!
Jon : Louise was lovely too - she always came out for drinks with us, advised us what to do and what not to do. She's the kind of girl who refuses to accept she's a big star at all! I hope when I get to her level, I'll be the same!