FEATURE EVENT 3

In the zone: Ronan Keating is enjoying being back in a boyband

FROM BOYS TO MEN

cluded winding down the five lads’ them down the street as they jumped in the ‘‘Outback’’ of Broken Hill. They were as screamed-at as the Beatles. solo careers, rehearsing dance rou- into their van. One girl’s scream Could we possibly have another Now Boyzone are back together again and tines and songs and spending long seemed to last longer when the former Irish boyband member a hours in the gym until they felt ready others had died away. resident of our shores? Ronan Keating says it even beats flying solo, to take their shirts off. ‘‘We couldn’t understand how this ‘‘Absolutely,’’ says Keating. ‘‘I’d ‘‘We were training for this goal so girl was keeping up still running and love to bring my family down here for writes Sally Browne we could walk out on stage without screaming, and we realised as we a couple of years. It’s a great country. our tops on,’’ admits Keating. went around the corner she was I really enjoy coming here. It’s never THE night he arrived in Australia, couldn’t be more genuine. He may bored me. I love the country.’’ Ronan Keating went out drinking have given countless interviews on The band are hoping to make it to holding on to the back of the car and Australia as part of a full-scale tour she went flying off the car and rolled After Boyzone, Keating had a with his Irish mates, including our his brief Australian sojourn but his successful solo career but he says very own resident former Irish enthusiasm is audible in his slightly by August next year. down the street.’’ Keating was just 16 when he first Now he, Shane Lynch, Stephen nothing compares to being in a band. boyband member Brian McFadden. raspy, ever-so-lovely, Irish lilt. ‘‘Being in a band is a very different auditioned for Boyzone, and Gately, Mikey Graham and Keith Keating, 31, who is back in the ‘‘I’m not joking, we’ve had such a atmosphere,’’ he says. although he admits the band name Duffy are more likely to be sur- swing with Boyzone, was here pro- brilliant time just being in each ‘‘There seems to be more people might be a little out of date, he rounded by screaming children. moting their reunion CD and tour. other’s company,’’ he says. ‘‘The first around and a greater buzz when remembers those years well. Keating jokes that at their recent UK He and ex-Westlife singer McFadden few months we just talked about old you’re in a band. I noticed that go back to when both were young times and laughed. Every day we ‘‘Some of the things we used to get shows, the family room was bigger straight away as soon as we got heart-throbs topping the charts. laugh when we’re together. I’m loving up to,’’ he muses. than their dressing room. together again, it was like someone There are heaps of memories to every minute of it, honestly.’’ He remembers one incident, after a Boyzone have fond memories of flicked a switch.’’ relive, and Keating’s excitement at It took nearly two years to get the gig in Amsterdam, where a group of Australia, too, including making a Boyzone’s CD Back Again... No being back with the Boyzone gang reunion tour in motion, which in- girls were screaming and chasing video for the song Isn’t It A Wonder Matter What is out now.

Keating songfile RONAN Keating on some of the biggest NO MATTER WHAT PICTURE OF YOU band and solo songs: For me it was definitely the time that more It was the first time I was recognised properly as people seemed to recognise Boyzone as a a songwriter. I got an Ivor Novello Award for LOVE ME FOR A REASON musical power, I guess. Overnight, people writing this one. We managed to get the song on I was a kid. I was 16 years of age. It was my dream started to respect us differently in the industry. the Mr Bean movie. to be in a band like Boyzone, not just a boy band but to be in the music industry. To be doing it on ISN’T IT A WONDER? LIFE IS A ROLLERCOASTER a world stage was amazing. I just remember the We shot the video in Broken Hill. It was the first That was my first big solo record. It launched me chaos of it all. I’d never been on an airplane, I’d time we made a video away from the UK. It was a as an individual away from Boyzone. It was No. 1 never left Ireland, really. It was shocking to the big budget. We’d never seen anything like it. We system, but what a rush. loved it. It was in the desert in the Outback. in about 12 countries or something like that. I travelled the world. I’ll never forget it. thesundaymail.com.au THE SUNDAY MAIL, event November 30, 2008 Page 3