Westlife’s Mark Feehily isn’t letting the band’s split get to him
Monday October 24 2011 The Sligo native was spotted letting loose at celebrity haunt Lillie’s Bordello just days after confirming that he and Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan and Shane Filan were to head their separate ways, after 14 years together. The Sligo native was spotted letting loose at celebrity haunt Lillie’s Bordello just days after confirming that he and Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan and Shane Filan were to head their separate ways, after 14 years together. While girls all across the country mourned the loss of their favourite band, Mark (31) spent Saturday night partying with friends at Lillie’s popular VIP area, The Library. Other familiar faces at the top celebrity hotspot this weekend included Belle Amie star Rebecca Creighton, celebrity trainers Paul and Siobhan Byrne, and PJ Mansfield. Boyzone star Keith Duffy was out as were RTE host Kathryn Thomas, Xpose’s Glenda Gilson, and Masterchef’s Dylan McGrath.
credits: http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/westlifes-mark-feehily-isnt-letting-the-bands-split-get-to-him-2914859.html?start=2
credits:
Chinese girl dies in hit-and-run that sparked outrage
BEIJING (Reuters) - A two-year-old Chinese girl run over by two different vehicles and ignored by passersby died on Friday, state media said, in a case which ignited public uproar over what some called a moral numbness seeping through society. Both drivers who ran over the girl have been arrested, but Internet users have flooded microblogs decrying the apathy of the people who left her for dead, after graphic footage from a security camera of the incident went viral. Wang Yue died of brain failure more than a week after the accident in Foshan in the far southern province of Guangdong, Xinhua news agency said. “The hospital went all out and made utmost effort to save her. But … her injuries were too severe and the treatment had no effect,” Su Lei, the director of the Guangzhou Military Hospital’s intensive care unit, told a news conference. The surveillance video from the October 13 hit-and-run, aired by a television station, shows the girl run over by a van, which drives off leaving her to bleed on a narrow street. More than a dozen people over the next seven minutes walk or drive past the girl on bicycles and she is run over by a second truck. A woman then pulls the girl to the side of the street before her mother, a migrant worker, rushes into the frame. China’s economic boom and the growing disparity between the rich and poor have made changing social values a contentious topic, with some lamenting what they see as materialism replacing morals. “Now people have become so selfish. So many people walked by but no one helped her because they didn’t want to get into trouble,” said Yang Yaying, a 21-year-old Beijing resident. Wang’s death quickly became the most talked about topic on China’s popular Twitter-like microblog service, Sina’s Weibo. “I hope that this little angel who was discarded by society can act as a wake-up call to the nation about the importance of moral education,” wrote one blogger, “gongzai xiaoben.” “Hope you can find some love in heaven. This world is full of apathy,” added “Winter space.” Xinhua said her father had received more than 270,000 yuan ($42,280) to help pay for Wang’s medical treatment, with donations flowing in from Chinese people all over the world. INTROSPECTION A senior provincial social worker, Liu Runhua, said he did not believe the case reflected a wider malaise in Guangdong. “Those who ignore the dying make up only a handful of people in the province,” the China Daily quoted him as saying. “But cases when dying persons aren’t given help, or when good Samaritans get into trouble, are often widely reported in the media, which tends to make the public concerned.” The provincial capital, Guangzhou, plans a law to protect good Samaritans and give rewards of up to 500,000 yuan for such actions, the newspaper added. The provincial Communist Party chief, Wang Yang, urged “searching reflection” on the incident, the official Guangzhou Daily reported. “Take active and effective steps to raise the moral standards of the entire society,” he told a meeting of province officials, according to the paper. “We should look into the ugliness in ourselves with a dagger of conscience and bite the soul-searching bullet,” Wang also said, Xinhua reported separately. Many people in China are hesitant to help people who appear to be in distress for fear that they will be blamed. High-profile lawsuits have ended with good Samaritans ordered to pay hefty fines to individuals they sought to help. ($1 = 6.386 yuan) (Additional reporting by Chris Buckley and Sabrina Mao; Editing by Nick Macfie)
By Ben Blanchard | Reuters – Fri, 21 Oct, 2011
A new statement by Westlife
24 October 2011
We wanted to take a moment to say thank you to everyone for their kind words and support since making out announcement. Our fans continue to be the best support system we could ever hope for and we thank each and every one of you.
The support we have felt over the last couple of days gives us all strength as we look forward to our new individual paths in life and we all feel excited about the next chapters that we are embarking on. We know it doesn’t make for a good story but regardless of what you might read in the papers this was wholeheartedly a united decision. Obviously there is already a huge amount of speculation as to what exactly is next for us all, but until you hear it from us it remains just that; speculation.
We are planning a fan Q&A and some interviews in the coming weeks so that we can speak directly to you all and so that you can hear our plans, straight from us. Until then, we thank you all from the bottom of our hearts – we really do have the best fans in the world.
credits: http://solo.uk.com/news/westlife/westlife-statement-24696.aspx
The feuding, fights and fatigue that split Westlife after 14 years at the top - Daily Mail UK
By EOIN MURPHY
Last updated at 1:55 AM on 23rd October 2011
What you couldn’t have known – even if you could see their faces – was that these four fresh-faced young men with pints in their hands had just agreed to break up the most successful boyband in decades.
In doing so, they were waving goodbye to millions of euro; closing the book on a 14-year collaboration that had brought them 14 No.1 singles, 44 million album sales, 10 sellout tours – and riches beyond the dreams of (as their manager once labelled them) ‘some cute culchies and a Dub’.
Down the hatch: From left, Kian Egan, Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne, and Mark Feehily reached their decision to quit in Kuala Lumpur
They were also turning their back on a £5m deal from RCA, the giant record company that also boasts talent such as Alicia Keys and David Bowie. And, of course, they were breaking the hearts of millions of fans worldwide – and none more devoted than those at home in Ireland.
But the truth is that the break-up of Westlife, while a shock to their devotees, had been brewing for more than a year. The group had been torn apart by concerns about their direction; a wedge had been driven between them by Simon Cowell’s record label, Syco; and they were finding separation from their families increasingly unbearable. Despite all the money, the adulation and the achievement, Westlife, quite simply, had had enough.
While all bands experience various strains and stresses on the way – U2 recently admitted nearly breaking up during the recording of Achtung Baby in 1991 – Westlife had proved remarkably resilient. They had easily weathered the loss of Bryan McFadden… to the extent that it was he who was begging to rejoin them last week. The fact that three of the members – Shane Filan, Mark Feehily and Kian Egan – were all from Sligo had given them a strong bond, without ever suggesting that the fourth man, Nicky Byrne, was an outsider. They were still selling out Croke Park and their lustre appeared undimmed.
During 2010, however, they began to have serious problems with their longtime label, Syco – owned by Simon Cowell, the most powerful man in pop. Even the fact that they were managed by Louis Walsh, a close friend of Cowell with an unparrallelled track record, didn’t help.
Family man: Nicky with wife Georgina and twins Jay and Rocco
Westlife felt Cowell and his label had lost interest in them and were unwilling to co-operate with the singers’ plans. The band felt the last two Westlife albums, Where We Are and Gravity, contained some of their best work, so good they felt that there were three singles on each – but the label seemed unwilling to back them up.
The first release, Safe, limped into the British charts at No.10, their weakest-ever position. Beautiful Tonight had been earmarked as the second single but Cowell pulled the plug on any further releases.
‘This was when the cracks started forming within the band,’ said a well placed source. All four felt Gravity was an ‘incredible’ album but Cowell wouldn’t release any more singles. Cowell knew Westlife fans would buy the albums anyway so why waste money on videos and promotions for singles? It was February and the British leg of the Gravity tour was under way but only one single had been released.
‘Mark was very upset by this, having written on four tracks,’ said a source. ‘He desperately wanted the group to take control back from the Syco and made it clear to the others that if they didn’t leave, the band was doomed. So they phoned Louis and told him the situation. The future of the group and their friendships were in jeopardy.’
Family affair: Singer Shane Filan with his wife Gillian
As the band began touring Britain earlier this year, the atmosphere had deteriorated to such an extent that the four members were not leaving their dressing rooms. Because of increasing frustrations, tempers were often lost backstage before gigs. Shane and Mark had chartered a private plane to fly them home to Sligo each night after shows – allowing them to make it home no matter what happened. Nicky was spending more and more time working with 2FM on the radio and was in constant demand. Kian’s girlband, Wonderland – whose members included his wife, Jodi Albert – was on tour with Westlife, and the dual responsibility demanded 20-hour days for the singer, further fuelling stress. Shane, on the other hand, was preoccupied with his family as his daughter began school in Sligo.
At times, phone calls between the members ended in shouting matches, with Mark threatening to walk out on a number of occasions. Then, on March 14, a deal was struck with the record label – and it seemed peace had returned. After 10 years with Simon Cowell, Westlife were released from their contract. They would finish the Gravity tour and afterwards become free agents.
The singers had gained control of their music and could plan their own future. ‘It was like a blood transfusion for the four of them,’ reveals the insider.
Within days, they had lined up another label, RCA – like Syco, still part of the Sony family. Louis used his connections to set up a meeting, and it looked like the group’s fortunes were changing. As the band’s future became more secure, relations continued to thaw between the singers.
On March 25 they played the LG Arena in Birmingham, a venue they had performed at many times before. That evening, they met RCA to negotiate the terms of the album that would be Westlife’s next step.
Break: Bryan McFadden announces his departure from the group during a press conference at the Four Seasons Hotel in Dublin, 2004
As Wonderland warmed up the crowd, a party of five executives listened attentively as Mark, Shane, Nicky and Kian discussed a greatest hits project. Louis waited nervously on the phone, eager to find out how the meeting had gone.
Each member of the band would pick three songs for the record, along with four new tracks. These tracks would be worked on with producer John Shanks in LA and released as three separate singles. The record executives doodled on the paper tablecloth in the canteen. By 7pm, a deal was agreed – one album, a greatest hits tour and then a two-year break.
A grinning Shane was unable to contain his excitement as he talked of the new contract, sinking back in his dressing room chair as a broad smile crept across his face.
‘It’s unreal and we are just over the moon right now to have done the deal,’ he said.’We are still in negotiations with RCA over the finer points but we have signed with them for the Greatest Hits. It’s a trial period because we aren’t going to sign our life away to someone we don’t know. We need to see that this is the right place and home for Westlife.’
It was a statement that would prove prophetic – and one that hinted Westlife were no longer content to sit back and let executives manage their lives. The Gravity tour ended with four sold-out shows in Dublin’s 02, after which the band flew business class to LA and recorded their new tracks: Lighthouse, Beautiful World, Wide Open and Last Mile Of The Way. Mark and Shane co-wrote two of the tracks. But Shane’s foreshadowing became piercingly relevant in July, when manager Louis Walsh received a call from RCA. The label wanted to extend its relationship with Westlife – offering a £5m deal for a series of albums.
Split: The line-up before they became a foursome
Louis was ecstatic: but the band was not. Intent on following their hearts and their own paths, Westlife saw a downside to the deal.
‘Louis called the boys to give them the news expecting to hear excitement,’ a source said. ‘But the new contract would have them back recording in 2012 and touring again in 2013.
‘They were exhausted. They had their hearts set on taking a break. Life on the road had changed. And while the conditions had greatly improved – they enjoyed the best tour buses, five-star hotels and first-class flights – their personal situations had altered dramatically. They weren’t twenty-somethings any more – they had responsibilities.
‘They were about to embark on a six-week tour of the Far East and the thought of working solidly for the next two years was too much to bear. Kian was going to be a father, Shane and Nicky were desperately missing their families. Mark, whose writing had taken him in a different musical direction, was keen to do other projects.’
They decided to call Louis and reject the deal. Their longtime manager already had an inkling that they might do exactly that. And he also suspected what would happen next.
Four-piece: Westlife perform live on stage at the Odyssey in Belfast, in March 2004.It was the first time the boyband have performed without Bryan
After spending literally all of their adult lives together, the four band members were keen to focus on their own families and careers – hoping to enjoy personal time that was not always overshadowed by the professional. The boys began to ask each other whether they should carry on as a band at all.
Shane was already homesick when a cyber stalker threatened his family at home in Sligo. His decision was crystallised – he wanted to leave.
Simultaneously, Mark was dealing with his own cyber stalker. He was forced to call British police after threats were made against him and his partner, Kevin McDaid. He also wanted to quit.
Kian was now focused on becoming a father with his wife Jodi, and he had just landed a job as coach on the new RTÉ talent show, The Voice Of Ireland. He wanted to leave, too.
Nicky’s stint on 2FM as a guest DJ had tapped into something of a talent and he found himself inundated with job offers. He was also homesick, missing his wife Georgina and his twins, Jay and Rocco. He wanted to leave.
So on that fateful night in Kuala Lumpur earlier this month, the friends decided to invoke the pact they had made when Brian left in March 2004. They had decreed that if one member wanted to leave, they would disband. And now that all four were ready to leave Westlife, the decision was obvious – and easy.
‘It was their decision, all theirs,’ Louis told the MoS. ‘That was always the way with Westlife and I had to respect that. Could they have gone on for longer? Most definitely. I would have liked them to take a break and come back with a covers album and a tour.
But they all want to do other things. They have ended it on their terms and remain close friends. Had they gone on longer, who knows if that would happen?
‘When the statement went out this week, I know that all four of them were hurting at the upset they caused their fans. But at least they will be able to give them a proper goodbye. And who knows what will happen down the line?’
And even if they choose to do nothing but enjoy the comforts of family life, they will still be able to bask in their riches – and in the fact that five kids from unfashionable parts of a little country called Ireland became the biggest thing since the Beatles. Not bad for a few cute culchies and a Dub…
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2052341/The-feuding-fights-fatigue-split-Westlife-14-years-top.html#ixzz1ba8S7RP9
Westlife to split up after 14 UK number ones - Reuters 
I’m not sure how to react to this statement when my friend link me to this site. He said, don’t emo. I laugh at the thought that I’m not suppose to get emotional over Westlife’s decision but got slightly sad at the thought that it’s really happening.
It’s okay, I’ll be strong.
WORLD EXCLUSIVE: FINAL WESTLIFE INTERVIEW AS THEY CALL IT A DAY
21st October 2011
By Jennifer Dunkerley
SITTING in the sunshine in South Africa I finally broach the question. With a Greatest Hits Album in the making after 14 years in the business, is the end of Westlife inevitable? Are they splitting up?
All four lads look at the floor.
Shane speaks first: “As a band, we’ve had a long 14 years. Obviously we can’t do it at the same pace any more.” I realise I’ve hit a nerve. It was obvious they were in the process of making a decision they knew would upset millions of fans worldwide.
Later, on his own, I probe Mark. He seems adamant the band has a future, stating: “I don’t think Westlife will ever be truly over. As long as the four of us are alive and well we will always be willing to sing together and there will always be Westlife.” That was four weeks ago.
Little did I realise it would be their last interview together as a band before this week’s shock split. “We plan to go our separate ways after a greatest hits collection at Christmas and a farewell tour next year,” they announced. “The decision is entirely amicable. We want to have a well-earned break and look at new ventures.”
And the boys, Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily, spelled out their amazing achievements: “14 years, 26 Top 10 hits including 14 number one singles, 11 Top Five albums, seven of which hit the top spot and have collectively sold over 44 million copies around the world, 10 sell-out tours and countless memories that we will forever cherish.”
The Irishmen believe the greatest hits album, due for release next month, is the perfect way to say goodbye to their fans. Speaking about it that day in the sun – at the video shoot for their new single, Lighthouse – Nicky, 32, explains: “It’s going to be a complete deluxe package with new tracks, some live tracks and a photo box set – something really special for fans that have stuck with us all this time.” Kian, 31, says: “We have 14 years’ worth of photos to put in there, so it’s been crazy and really emotional to put those together. It feels like you get to watch yourselves get older.” Shane, 32, adds: “It’s emotional because it’s literally been half our lives in those photos and it did take us back to reflect on everything we’ve done.”
The box set will, of course, include shots of former band member Brian McFadden who left the group in 2004. “Those times at the beginning of the band with Brian feel like another era and it’s funny because our kids don’t even know who Brian is now,” admits Shane. “They look at the pictures or the discs on the wall, point at Brian and say ‘Who’s that, Daddy?’ “But we have no regrets – it’s all memories. So it must be included.
“There have been so many high points over the years to include but for us it was meeting the Pope and President Obama. You just can’t buy those experiences.” Hanging out with the boys that day, they didn’t seem like a band on the verge of quitting, messing around more like brothers than rivals.
When I first met them (my first ever interview as a rookie journalist back in 2004), they had the same family-like banter. Brian had just left, but instead of slamming their former bandmate, they were positive about the future and moving forward. Much like now, there appeared to be no hard feelings. Mark, 31, feels the same: “I don’t think Brian regrets leaving the band and I don’t think he ever could. I’m sure he does look back at all the fun we had. We travelled the world together – he can’t deny it was a blast.” What do they think is the secret to the band’s longevity in the industry? Mark laughs: “Sometimes I think we’ve been too sensible for our own good.
We saw bands before us blow all their money and leave with nothing. So I’m glad we had Louis (Walsh) in a way as he gave us good advice and looked after us. As did our families. “Brian stood out because even in the beginning he was out of control with money. He bought a canary yellow Ferrari or he’d brag he’d bought a house in Portugal. We warned him he’d have no money left.” So what do they have planned for the farewell tour next year? “The pressure is on us to pick songs that the fans will be happy with,” explains Mark. “Sometimes we feel like we’ve used up all the ideas over the years. We could just do all the number one singles.
But even though it’s a greatest hits tour it’s important we make it sound fresh.” What advice do they have for new boybands like One Direction, keen to emulate Westlife’s success? Shane and Kian smile: “Enjoy it!” Mark agrees: “You can’t ever explain to anyone what it’s like to land in a foreign city, face thousands of fans and be escorted through the airport by the army. It’s another world.” Nicky nods: “You just have to dive in and enjoy the ride. We wouldn’t change a thing.” Lighthouse is out on November 14 and The Greatest Hits album follows on November 21.
Tour tickets go on sale today at www.livenation.co.uk
source:http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/216736/World-exclusive-Final-Westlife-interview-as-they-call-it-a-day/
Westlife to split after 14 years
Tim Jonze · 19/10/2011 · guardian.co.uk
Westlife, who are splitting after 14 No 1 hits. Photograph: Myung Jung Kim/PA Westlife, who are splitting after 14 No 1 hits. Photograph: Myung Jung Kim/PA
The Irish boyband are calling it a day after 20 top five hits, but are planning a farewell arena tour and album
Perhaps terrified at the prospect of having to compete for critical attention with the Stone Roses, Westlife have decided to call it a day.
The Irish boyband, which was formed in 1998 and has inflicted more than 20 top five hits on the general public since then, will no longer be releasing records as relentlessly creative, not to mention downright influential, as Unbreakable, Fool Again and Flying Without Wings. We must, however, keep our champagne corked for now – the band are threatening a farewell arena tour and greatest hits album before they are finally on their way.
Westlife have sold more than 40m albums during their career and the tour will be a chance for their fans to hear some of those 14 No 1 hits nobody can quite recall the name of for one last time. After that, the foursome, which comprises Nicky Byrne, 33, Shane Filan, 32, Mark Feehily, 31, and Kian Egan, 31, have promised to explore “new ventures”. Whether this means a sonic exploration along the fringes of underground electronica or just some charity work and crap solo albums remains to be seen.
Unfortunately for those of us trying to spin a news story out of this event, there are no reported fights, affairs or even creative differences to attribute the split to. Rather, it seems their parting is “amicable” and quite possibly based around the fact they can’t believe they’re still getting away with this rubbish after 14 years so best quit while they’re ahead.
In a statement, the group said: “Over the years, Westlife has become so much more to us than just a band. Westlife are a family.”
Signs that all was not well in the Westlife camp came when the band split with their label boss, Simon Cowell, earlier this year. Byrne said at the time: “We signed to Simon back in 1998 and he was brilliant, but then came the development of X Factor and American Idol. Simon became famous himself and his interests went that way rather than on Westlife. We almost felt a little bit unloved with Simon Cowell, if I was to be honest.”
A band source reportedly told the Sun: “There’s no bad blood in the band, they’re still great pals. But all good things come to an end and they are all keen to do their own thing. It’s not something they have done lightly as they are still at the top of their game. They could carry on making albums into their old age the way their career has gone, but none of them want to do that.”
Let’s be thankful for small mercies. Until the 2016 reunion tour, that is.
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