20 17.02.06 pressgazette.co.uk | | | |pressgazette.co.uk|17.02.06| 21 I N W T E I E R V V R E with RONAN KEATING I by Rob McGibbon E T W N I I first met Ronan Keating in RONAN’S NEWS SCHEDULE January 1995 to do an ‘At Home’ No inter- view would be in Dublin. He was 17 and a slip of Newspapers: we rang to get some chips. I had a real laugh with the complete without a lad who had kicked in his shoe I read the Irish Times just guy and he found a place for us — I think we ended some discreet product about every day. I pick one up up having kebabs. placement. We aim to be shop job to pursue a pop star dream. from the newsagent when I I don’t subscribe to any magazines because I am a bit more up front, so feel It all came spectacularly true as drop the kids off at school. I not home enough. I once subscribed to Billboard and free to pull The Blatant also like the Irish Independent, I got back from tour and there was a pile of them still Plug… Ronan’s new single from Boyzone figure-danced to seven a little bit of The Guardian in their plastic wrapping and I thought, I’m not the album Bring You Home is released No.1’s and 15 million album sales and I get The Observer on fockin’ doing that again. in April. Visit www.mariekeating.com — and Keating was the undoubted Sundays. I keep well informed for details about his cancer and I think it’s important to Television: charity. star. He went solo in 1999 and educate yourself and know I have Sky News on in the background most of the bucked the trend by succeeding how the world is bearing up. I like flipping through time without brainwashing the kids. I like the 6pm or the tabloids, but I don’t buy them. 9pm news in Ireland, and if I am away I watch BBC is better for you. I might have two Jack’s, then wine, with a string of hits including World, Sky or CNN. My favourite show recently has then a few more Jack’s at the end of the night. But “When You Say Nothing At All” Magazines: been 24, and my wife and I loved Lost. I tell ya, I’ve got a shite memory lately! I love cars and bikes maga- and “Life Is A Rollercoaster”. zines. I admit I am a total Web: What do you think of your wholesome media Keating’s blessed career got its anorak when it comes to I don’t listen to the radio much because I have my image? You get some stick from certain corners those. Top Gear, Car, iPod with me everywhere. I also have a Blackberry, of the press. first bloody nose in 2003 when he BMW Magazine, I get which I use all the time. I am really into my Macs, but Everybody thinks that I am this clean-cut, nicest- decided his manager Louis Walsh them all. I also love the only website I use a lot is iTunes. I’m not one for guy-in-pop character. That’s fine, but I didn’t get gadgets, so Stuff magazine surfing to find all kinds of into this to be in the press, I got into it for music. had the ‘Ex-Factor’ and sacked him. is great. The best gadget crap I don’t need, but I will I was in a boy band, so there is a certain stigma, but But showbiz hath no fury than a I’ve got at the moment book a weekend away on I am cool with that. People think you’re different pop svengali scorned and Walsh set is on my phone. It has a the net if it means it’s a bit because you’re not throwing TVs out of windows or button on the side that connects you to a concierge cheaper. The concierge taking drugs. Because I got married young, I’m about knifing his former protege in service. They promise to do anything for you — book service is great, but they different. Well, I don’t give a shite. I want to have a the back through the tabloids. restaurants, flights, anything. It’s fockin’ brilliant. One book everything at the most family and make records, so that’s what I do. night I was pissed drunk with mates in New York and expensive rates. Certain magazines won’t allow me in because Few in pop could probably deserve they’re “cool”, but I’m not bothered. I don’t read it less than Keating, a devoted those magazines and the people who listen to my with something else, so what’s the point? Ok, let’s get off that one. On a lighter note, music don’t buy them either. There are critics who father of three and devout Catholic I’m grateful for what he did with Boyzone. Louis can you give me an example of the dafter press will always have a go, but it’s easy to slag off pop who never badmouths anyone. helped us out in the beginning, but after that we kind you’ve had lately and maybe some of the stuff music. As for the papers, I don’t have a problem with of made our own success. There are two sides to him. you regret over the years? any of them. I have always shown them respect and The feud was exacerbated when In one sense, he is very controlling and wants to have I read recently that I’ve bought an island off the coast they show it back, and the publicity I get is generally Ronan’s next album flopped. Walsh everything, but then he doesn’t want to manage you. of Ireland. Why would I buy one there — it’s too great, but I tend not to read all of it. Early on, Bono So when you try and do something else he gets upset fockin’ cold! The Caribbean maybe. To be honest, said to me, “Don’t read all your press or you might gloated, but Ronan stayed silent and and says, “But I’m your manager, I should be doing I’ve been really lucky with the press and even the end up believing the hype.” bounced back with a No.1 ‘Greatest that.” I said to him, “Here, please look after these paparazzi leave me alone, which I appreciate. I said Hits’. After a long break, he is set things,” then six months later nothing would have some stupid things about being a virgin when I was With the launch of a new album, there are been done. I said, “You know, Louis, you’re not 16, which was more embarrassing than difficult. countless interviews ahead. How do you feel to release a new single in April, managing me, this is not working.” People looked at me like I was a fockin’ leper. about that prospect? followed by an album. At one point, I was on a world tour and we opened The one thing I regret was doing pictures for OK! I am up for it. The main thing I am looking forward in Sydney, and he didn’t even know where I was. He magazine when my son was born. I chose something to is getting back playing with the band and Keating may have a choir-boy was my manager, but he would only get involved for him and it was wrong, I let him down. As a performing, but I know that publicity is all part of it image, but he is no pop puppet. He when the album was being made. I had to sack him parent, it’s your duty to protect your children until and I don’t have a problem with interviews. The because he wouldn’t manage me. It’s OK for him, he they can decide for themselves. I showed his face, only thing I am not a fan of is having my picture is mature beyond his years — he’s can manage 10, 20 different bands, but I’ve got one took his privacy. He was a baby and looks totally taken. I don’t like posing and photographers drive still only 28 — and suffers no fools. shot at this, so I have no time to waste if important different now, but still, it’s the principle. me crazy because they always take the same shot things aren’t being done. Louis would have been a 10,000 times. But he wears his heart on his very good manager for me if he’d brought in other So what made you do it? But I know I’m a lucky focker to do what I do sleeve, likes a good drink and liber- people to do jobs for him, but he wouldn’t delegate. It was really good fockin’ money! It was something and have what I have, so I wouldn’t change a thing. ally seasons his distinctive Dublin like 200 grand — sterling — but I wouldn’t do I have a really good relationship with the press. They “Louis says, ‘Ronan It can’t have been easy reading the stuff in the anything with my children again until they can don’t hassle me and I don’t hassle them by telling tones with the “fock” word.