3/10/04

Internal strife?

courtesy of The Sun [with editorialization]
remember that The Sun is a tabloid magazine

Bryan McFadden quit Westlife after a series of bitter bust-ups ripped the band apart, The Sun can reveal today. Byran's decision to quit is bad news for the rest of Westlife if history is anything to go by.

Robbie Williams quit Take That in July 1995. They had two more No1 singles but disbanded seven months after he left [note: although I would add that the lead singer actually left a few months before Robbie, and they replaced him]. The Spice Girls had three more No1s after Geri Halliwell walked out during a European tour in May 1998, but they called it a day two years later.

Ronan Keating announced he was leaving Boyzone to go solo in August 1999 and their final single came two months later [note: it's the lead singer leaving again]. S Club 7 became S Club when Paul Cattermole left in 2002. They split in June 2003 and only Rachel Stevens has carved out a solo pop career.

Yesterday Nicky, Mark, Kian and Shane said an emotional public farewell to Bryan at a press conference — claiming they were still best mates. But the tears and hugs were just a smokescreen to hide a savage civil war that has raged for three years.

An insider last night told how Bryan’s romp with a lapdancer started a feud that destroyed Britain’s best-loved boyband. At one stage Bryan even attacked Kian after taunts about the stripper, raining punches until he was pulled away by a security man, it was claimed.

And the insider said other band members were fuming that Bryan had left them in the lurch by quitting on the eve of a world tour. The seeds of the rift were sown at Bryan’s stag night in 2001, when he had oral sex with lapdancer Amy Barker.

Fellow band members Nicky Byrne, 25, Mark Feehilly, 23, Kian Egan, 23, and Shane Filan, 24, were appalled. They said 23-year-old Bryan — now wed to I’m A Celebrity jungle queen Kerry McFadden — had put the band’s future at risk by tarnishing their clean-living image.

Angry Bryan responded by refusing to help promote the band. The insider said: “The incident with the lapdancer has had bigger ramifications than anyone imagines.

“From that moment on Bryan became increasingly difficult and would not play the media card. He feels he became a real victim and became bitter. It really wound up the rest of the band, who know what side their bread is buttered on. There were fights about interviews and TV appearances and on more than one occasion it ended in a proper scrap. Kian had a dig at Bryan about mucking about with strippers and Bryan launched himself at him. He sat on top of Kian and started punching him in the head before security split them up. They have never been the same since.”

The rest of the lads were furious when Bryan told them on Thursday he was pulling out of their world tour, which starts at the end of the month. He dropped his bombshell as the band met for their first tour rehearsal.

The insider said: “They were livid. The band have a set blueprint. They release an album every November then tour. They are going on as a four-piece and plan to release an album but how long can you really see it lasting? Bryan was the band member most people have heard of and certainly the most charismatic. They’ve lost their heart now.”

Bryan’s departure was exclusively revealed in yesterday’s Sun. The news was officially announced by the band at a carefully stage-managed Dublin press briefing yesterday. As heartbroken fans wept outside, the five lads hugged emotionally in front of the world’s media. And Kian seemed to be fighting back tears as he read a farewell message.

He told Bryan, who says he is quitting to spend more time with Kerry and daughters Molly, two, and Lily, one: “We’ve enjoyed some unbelievable times with you through the years and will always hold them and you very close to our hearts.The last five days have had a huge strain on all of us and only we will ever understand. We have enjoyed so many times with you on the road. We’ve shared laughter, tears, success, weddings and babies but most of all we shared our dreams. Although we wish things could be different we understand and respect your decision. We wish you, Kerry, Molly and Lily all the best in your career and family life in the future. For one last time Bryan, we love you and always will. Thank you.”

Ex-Atomic Kitten Kerry, 23, wept as the statement was read. Tearful Bryan gave no sign of the seething resentment that lies behind his departure.

He said: “I’ve nothing lined up at all musically or otherwise. Kerry has got a prosperous TV career ahead of her. For the first time in my life I’ll simply be a house husband — although I’m useless at chores. It’s not the lads. We are still five best friends and over the last six years we have become like family. Basically, I’ve had to juggle two lives — being in a band and having a family. Being in a band is a huge commitment. Since Lily was born I haven’t been able to give 100 per cent.”

It was hoped Bryan would at least join the lads on stage for the Irish dates on their forthcoming tour. But manager Louis Walsh yesterday said that would not be happening. He said: “Bryan won’t be appearing on the album at all and he won’t be appearing at any of the gigs. At least we will just have to order one black cab now. It’s a band of four now and we’ve got an album to make now.”

Then, for a moment, the facade seemed to slip as Louis added: “They’re still friends for now. But things can change.”

Kian admitted the decision had hurt the rest of the band. He said: “Last Thursday we held our first tour rehearsal meeting and it was then that Bryan said he wanted to go. He said it was either now or after our world tour. We thought he was joking at first. It came like a bombshell. I even suggested going for counselling as being in a band is like being in a marriage. For the last five days we’ve met up every single day until three in the morning and we are totally drained.”

Nicky added: “It would have been worse if he had come on the tour and something happened and he left then.”

The band have three weeks of rehearsals until they embark on a 70-date tour across Europe and South-East Asia beginning March 29. They are also due in the studio shortly to begin work on a new duets album — collaborating with artists like Lionel Richie, Diana Ross and Donna Summer.