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8/20/03

Westlife Rolls Back!

Irish boy band Westlife is finally releasing a new single, after a long period of silence on the charts.

The brand new single "Hey Whatever" is reported to be on heavy rotation on U.K. radio stations, and a video for the single has already been shot. Directed by David Mould, the "Hey Whatever" video sees the Westlife lads "being cool and being natural" in black and white.

Of course, this means the lads will be coming up with a new album very soon. But fans may need to wait as the album's release is scheduled for mid-November, and will be preceded by another single release, tentatively planned for November 17.

Meanwhile, Westlife are busy putting on the finishing touches to the as-yet-untitled album. However, word has it that they will be making another trip to Asia in October for a promotional tour.

"Hey Whatever" will be commercially released in the U.K. on September 15.

The Bryan vs. Amy saga continues

Westlife idol Bryan McFadden is being sued by a lap dancer. Amy Barker, 29, claims the star lied when he denied having sex with her, and that he took cocaine. Bryan strongly denies her claims and will fight the case. click here to read the full article

All roads were heading south today, as tens of thousands of rock fans packed into cars and buses for the annual pilgrimage to Slane.

Up to 80,000 people are expected to converge on the quiet village in Co Meath which, once a year, becomes a Mecca for music lovers of all ages. US rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers will add some spice to the event, which kicked off at around midday. Support is being provided by Foo Fighters, Feeder, PJ Harvey and Queens of the Stone Age.

Thousands of motorists took to the roads early this morning in a bid to beat the rush, while dozens of private buses left Glengall Street in Belfast around 9am. It's the second time Red Hot Chili Peppers have played the Slane gig.

The band backed U2 in the grounds of the castle in 2001, before returning to Lansdowne Road the following year. Lord Henry Mountcharles, who owns Slane Castle, was looking forward to a "phenomenal" gig. "I reckon it's going to be one of the best Slanes ever," he said.

Among stars expected today are US actor Patrick Bergin, Bryan McFadden from Westlife with wife Kerry and U2 boss Paul McGuinness.

Dave's raves

MODEST DAVID WILCOX reckons he is amazing between the sheets and assures me he never disappoints the ladies.

The TRIPLE 8 star says: “I’m always good in bed, even if I’m drunk — never had any complaints. And I never have any problem pulling.”

Well, with chat-up lines like that Dave ...

He also had a dig at WESTLIFE. David said: “They all came from comfortable backgrounds but we were working class. I used to work in a pub. I know what hard work is.”

At least David’s got personality, if not charm — more than most popsters being churned out today.

Louis spoke to me after returning from Westlife star NICKY BYRNE’s wedding to GEORGINA AHERN on Saturday at the 18th century Chateau d’Esclimont, near Paris.

Guests included RONAN KEATING, GIRLS ALOUD’s NADINE COYLE, and Georgina’s dad, Irish PM BERTIE AHERN.

He added: “It was a beautiful ceremony. Ronan sang, Nadine sang Because You Loved Me with just a piano backing. She has a lovely voice.”

8/10/03

Full coverage of Nicky's wedding to Georgina Ahern

On Saturday they had a church wedding in France, followed by a reception at the exclusive Chateau D'Esclimont near Paris. The couple married in the 11th Century church of St Pierre and St Paul in Gallardon, six miles from the chateau. The 16th Century Chateau d'Esclimont, an hour from Paris between Versailles and the Cathedral of Chartres, is said to be one of France's most exclusive getaways. It is on a 150 acre estate.

It is reported that the couple struck a $1m (£622,000) deal with celebrity magazine Hello! to cover the ceremony.

oops!

Nicky's wedding in France yesterday was cursed by a some funny mistakes.

Problems that happened in the reception in Gallardon, near Chartres, included:

1. Ronan Keating turning up late after getting lost in Paris.
2. Girls Aloud's Nadine Coyle also delayed after losing her passport.
3. Other guests like Pop Idol judge Simon Cowell held up at the chapel as the marquee wasn't ready on time.
4. Fireworks costing £30,000 fizzling out like a damp squib.
5. Crates of Red Bull also had to be flown in at a cost of £7,000 because it is not sold in France.

But some friends were less than sympathetic after paying their own way out - the happy couple pocketed £400,000 in a magazine photo deal. They wed earlier in the week in Ireland. One guest said: "It was close to being a disaster."

Entertainment

Singer Ronan Keating, classical singer Wendy Vard.and Nadine Coyle of Girls Aloud, are reportedly among the artists who entertained guests.

Nadine confirmed she and band member Kimberly Walsh would be jetting off to Paris this weekend for the wedding celebrations of Westlife's Nicky Byrne and Georgina Ahern. But she was remaining coy about her star performance at the event. She said, "Yes, I'm definitely going to the wedding and Kimberly will probably come with me. And who knows, I might be singing for them."

There was an Irish pub and all the food was flown in from Ireland, according to the paper.

The original ceremony

Nicky and Georgina officially married at a simple service at Wicklow registry office near Dublin on Tuesday, ahead of a lavish reception this weekend. More than 200 fans gathered outside the registry office in Wicklow, south of Dublin, as Nicky, dressed in blue jeans and wearing a red baseball cap, married Georgina.

The pair were forced to exchange vows in Ireland first due to French marriage laws, which rule that a couple must have been living in France for 40 days for the ceremony to be legally binding. It was reported that Byrne and Ahern arrived at the registry office separately in order to protect a $1m (£622,000) deal with celebrity magazine Hello, which will publish photos of this weekend's ceremony.

Byrne proposed to Ahern in a pub in December. The Irish prime minister's other daughter, journalism graduate Cecilia, also recently hit the headlines after securing a $1m (£622,000) book deal for her debut novel and its follow-up.

Westlife fan Nicola Dargan, 13, saw the pair as they left the registry office. She said: "Nicky looked happy. He was wearing a red cap and he looked lovely."

Another onlooker, 13-year-old Ruth Neiland, added: "He looked gorgeous. But he looked very casual, it was as though it wasn't his wedding. He just walked right in and didn't say anything but he still looked lovely."

With temperatures now soaring into the high 30s celsius (over 90F), guests were due to arrive today and tomorrow, facing the prospect of a day of stifling heat at the fairytale chateau where the couple are to wed.

Despite the luxury of the 47 rooms in the chateau, some costing up to 1,000 euro a night, and six apartments in the grounds, the stunning building is not equipped with air conditioning.

As temperatures continue to soar across Europe, the 430 celebrity guests may be in serious danger of losing their cool as they celebrate the wedding without that all-important mod con.

Security

Security is expected to be high in order to protect the couple's lucrative 850,000 euro deal with Hello magazine but this has not deterred hoards of media.

Relish on "Hey Whatever"

Relish today told of their "surprise and delight" that Westlife are to release a re-working of their single Rainbow Zephyr. As you know, Westlife have recorded a version of the Relish track, which will be released in the UK as "Hey Whatever" on September 15.

Only the title and a few lyrics in the chorus have been altered. The single will be the first release from Westlife's new album, due to hit the charts later this year. The song is already being tipped for No 1, which will give Westlife their 12th chart-topper and raise the profile of the Downpatrick outfit.

Relish drummer Karl Papenfus, who wrote the track with his brother Ken, said they were "chuffed to bits" that Westlife had chosen their track. And he said the band were "pleasantly surprised" with the result.

He said, "We had heard that Westlife were fans of our music and we knew that they had been to watch us in concert before. But when they contacted our record company EMI to express an interest in recording Rainbow Zephyr, we were surprised, but chuffed to bits. Ken and I have worked very hard writing our songs, so to have a band like Westlife, who have notched up so many No 1s, record one of our tracks, is a major compliment. We were told that Westlife were looking for a new direction for their next album and we are delighted that Rainbow Zephyr has been given a new lease of life."

Karl said the band did not know what to expect before hearing Westlife's new version. He said, "We wanted it to be representative of our song and when we heard it, I have to say, we were pleasantly surprised. They sing their hearts out on it and I think it's their best song to date."

When Relish released Rainbow Zephyr two years ago, it charted in the Top 20 in Ireland and became something of a cult single among their followers.

Karl said: "If it goes to No 1 for Westlife we'll be thrilled. Whenever they release a song, it's guaranteed to do well."

Chart success will obviously also mean big money for Relish when the royalties come rolling in. Karl said: "Money's never been our motive for being in the music industry. We'll just be pleased that people know the name of Relish."

A spokesman for Westlife's record company BMG confirmed that the Irish band are planning to release their own version of Rainbow Zephyr. He said, "The guys liked the song and decided to record it.They changed the lyrics in the chorus and the title. It's a great song and should go to No 1."

Westlife on Relish

The group recently recorded the video in London, and renamed the Relish track "Rainbow Zephyr" to "Hey Whatever". A spokesperson said, "It's a very uplifting soul-come-rock track that the band just love. I think they've got another big hit on their hands with this release."

Relish's song Rainbow Zephyr was the second single from their debut album, Wildflower. Westlife are long-time fans of the rock band, which features Ken Papenfus, Carl Papenfus and Darren Campbell from Down Patrick in Co. Down.

"They love Relish and regard them as a really talented group so they really wanted to do justice to the song."

Another wedding detail

TAOISEACH'S daughter Georgina Ahern and her Westlife sweetheart Nicky Byrne chose the fairytale location of a French chateau for their forthcoming wedding, the PR guru behind the celebrity deal has revealed.

Joanne Byrne, who is co-ordinating the wedding, told Derek Davis on RTE's Liveline programme: "It was both Nicky and Georgina. It was one of the countries that they love. They went for the first time when the World Cup was happening and they fell in love with it. They have been back a large number of times since. Westlife is very big and France is one of the few countries that they haven't broken the market in. It's actually one of those places they are really left to their own devices. This is a ploy to try and have some peace and quiet among family and friends."

The couple, who will marry at the Chateau d'Esclimont, 37 miles south of Paris on August 9, have been criticised for holding the ceremony outside Ireland. Joanne said she negotiated the deal for the wedding rights with Hello! magazine. "I've managed to get a substantial amount for them."

She refused to confirm the reported figure of 850,000 euro but added: "It's in or around that amount. It's close to that amount." And she revealed that Miriam Ahern, the Taoiseach's estranged wife, was one of the central planners behind the VIP affair where more than 500 guests are expected to celebrate in style at the 16th century castle. "Everything that's happening on the wedding day is very much the couple's."

She did not know if Celia Larkin had been invited to the wedding. "I don't know. I have nothing to do with the invitations. My understanding is that all the invitations went out and I'm not privy to say whether she received an invitation or not."

And she revealed that the happy couple will not be forking out for the reported 100,000 euro security bill for the wedding.

"Nicky and Georgina aren't paying for the security. That 100,000 is not actually something they are going to have to worry about. Any wedding with any kind of celebrity couple they would always want to secure it in order to have the privacy they want. This is a very big Irish wedding that just happens to be taking place in France. All the guests are their family and friends. What people do at an Irish wedding after the speeches is their own concern."

She added that mobile phones that take pictures will not be allowed among guests at the wedding and the couple will not have to pick up the €100,000 tag for security at the wedding venue. "This is a very big Irish wedding that just happens to be taking place in France. All the guests are their family and friends." She would not be drawn on the honeymoon plans. "I can't tell you where the honeymoon is, because then I'd be informing photographers around the world where it is," she said. All she would give away was that: "It is in a sunny clime where you can get a suntan."

"Yes, she is the Taoiseach's daughter, but, much more importantly, she is a private individual, as he is. And it is the biggest day of their lives."

Shane’s wedding to have a Christmas theme

Shane Filan’s wedding is going to be a huge affair coupled with a Christmas theme. It’s the day Shane Filan’s female fans have been dreading. After five years of courtship, the countdown is on to the day the pop idol gets hitched this year. The day is Sunday December 28. The ceremony takes place in Ballintubber Abbey with the reception in nearby Ashford Castle in Cong, Co Mayo. Shane admits that his childhood sweetheart Gillian Walsh from Maugheraboy is doing most of the preparation.

Westlife lads come home in a blaze of glory

The love Sligo people have for Westlife is to quote their hit song “unbreakable”.
The finale to the homecoming at Markievicz Park last Friday saw Westlife hoisted up in the air to sing “this love is unbreakable,” the first lines of their hit Unbreakable.

This was the last hit the band sung before the encore to the concert, which lasted 15 minutes past the hour mark. Kian Egan summed it up best when he said: “We are delighted to be here with our world tour in Sligo. This is a dream come true for us.”

The drama began at just past nine o’clock when the clock counted down to Westlife’s arrival on stage. But there was no sign of the band. Instead their upcoming single Hey Whatever blasted through the speakers. The wait for the band was over when all five lads came shooting up from the stage in a blaze of fireworks.

And straight into the music they went as they sung hit after hit much to the delight of the 20,000 screaming fans. The rain which threatened to pour didn’t fail to dampen the spirit of the crowd who were determined to get into the spirit of things. One of the highlights of the concert for many was the arrival on stage of Bryan’s daughter Molly. She sat on her father’s knee when the band sang Queen of My Heart in their acoustic session. Later on in the show, Bryan brought his youngest daughter Lillie Sue on stage to roars from the crowd.

A touching moment during the concert was a tribute to the late Laura and Lisa Keane who died tragically in a house fire in Glendallon on July 5 last. All you could hear was the wind whistling through the stadium as the band sang Flying Without Wings. The band changed three times during the concert and had the girls and women in the audience drooling as they shook they tushes.
The curtain came down but not before Kian said: “We would like to thank everyone that made this possible, our friends and family for supporting us all the way and most importantly the fans. We wouldn’t be here without them.
“Sligo we will be back.”

The band partied the night away in The Manhattan on Tobergal Lane after the concert. Up to 100 family and friends shunned the limelight to party until 6am.
Heavy security surrounded the bar which was refurbished in the days running up to the party.

Only four of the band members were there. Nicky Byrne went home to Dublin, straight after the concert. He is busy making final preparations to his wedding to An Taoiseach’s daughter Georgina Ahern in Paris on August 9. Mark, Kian, Shane and Bryan partied the night away and all their guests enjoyed drinks on the house all night.

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