Reckon you know which WESTLIFE would break the law, distress a diva at dinner or run riot with his Platinum AmEx? Hold on to your hot dog as Westlife run rampage Stateside
SHANE
Did you act like crazy tourists in the U.S.of A?
We went to Disney World and I did the dodgiest thing ever. I hate rolllercoasters. Hate them! But there was this thing called the Aerosmith Rock'n'Roller Coaster - supposedly one of the fastest roller coasters ever. The other lads had been on it the day before when I was at my sister's wedding, so they knew exactly what it was But they told me it was a theme ride through Aerosmith concert footage. I didn't have a clue! I sat in this seat next to Nicky and just as I realised Nicky said, 'Sorry, Shane!' I started shrieking, I can tell you! It was 0-60 in two seconds - like a fighter jet. I was shouting every bad name under the sun. It was brilliant though - I went on it another four times!
You must have gone on a few mad American shopping sprees?
Well, I kind of did. I bought 20 pairs of trainer ankle socks for some reason! I know you can get them anywhere, but I'd never worn them before.
Who spent the most obscene amount of money?
Well, I bought a Rolex and thought I was actually saving money. But then I worked out the sterling rate and... Well, I ended up spending £3,000 on this watch when I thought it was £2,000! Nicky and Mark bought Breitlings, Kian got a Rolex. Bryan waited and got his Breitling at Harrods.
Were you adventurous when it came to trying out new food?
I'm not into trying weird food. I try to eat healthily, but if we see a McDonald's, we're hungry right away.
Any wild nights out clubbing?
It was really hard cos they're very strict about drinking under the age of 21. Nicky was the only one who was 21, but Mark borrowed Nicky's passport a few times and got away with it.
So he broke the law?
Well... (Clearly not wanting to answer.) He had to wear a cap!
So are American fans more attractive?
Not really. But American girls have beautiful skin, you know. Maybe it's cos they're browner. All we had to do was speak - they loved that!
What lengths did the fans go to meet you?
A lot of them tried to sneak in by saying they were related to us or they were Irish. Some actually got backstage. American girls are very good talkers. (Shane, ever the diplomatic Westlife!)
Did any of you cop off?
Cop off? Mark did, but not me - I'm a good boy!
BRYAN
Who did you spend your time hobnobbing with?
We saw Destiny's Child, Sonique and BBMak, and we played shows with Bon Jovi, Sinead O'Conor, Sugar Ray and Christina Aguilera, too. We met Eminem - I love his music even though he's a bad boy. He's so full of attitude He cursed at us, saying 'Oh, here we go, it's another ******* Backstreet Boys.' I just told him to **** off!
Did you do any impulse purchasing?
I bought a really cool, denim, Alexander McQueen jacket. Yeah, there was lots of impulase buying - I'll probably end up giving loads to my mates! But I only had one extra bag in the end cos I brought a lot of stuff home with me when I got sick.
So, Bryan, what was Christina like?
Next question. (Oops! Bryan looks a bit stony faced - wonder what happened there?!)
Ahem, well, did you have any American snogs?
No, actually. I was always too tired to flirt. I'm not into American girls either - they're too mouthy.
Hmm, so how do you explain those two naked girls found in your room?
I really did ask them to leave, you know! Totally! Jeez, they were a bit doggy! If I wanted to be with a girl, I wouldn't have to be with them. I was more embarassed than anything else. I just said 'Hello' and they got up and started walking towards me, totally naked. I shouted for the other lads. It was weird. They could've been psychos!
Nicky: So he says. Two months later it'll come out that he sat up chatting to them all night!
So US girls are more forward?
Definitely. They just come straight out and ask us if we want to sleep with them.
Sleep with them?
Yes, some of them have no shame! There were a lot of girls who wanted us to sign their breasts and also ones who pulled down their knickers for us to sign down there! I just couldn't believe it!
NICKY
We hear you went on a few outrageous shopping sprees.
Well, Kian would say he was the worst, but I'd say it was me. We both went mad as soon as we got to LA. I've spent an absolute fortune - more that £5,000!
Didn't it cost you in excess baggage?
We never have to pay excess baggage cos Anto (Westlife's tour manager) always gives out pictures of the band or signed albums. We call Aer Lingus the big, green bird - they always seem happy to see us!
Was the American food up to standard?
I didn't like things like grits (gritty American breakfast dish). In Manhattan we stayed in an Irish hotel, which served stew, cabbage and potatoes and stuff - lovely! It has to be said, though, that Ronald McDonald and the Kentucky Fried Chicken colnel are absolute legends and will get a thank you on our next album!
Did you run up against any unexpected language barriers?
The record company over there soon picked up a few words we use, like 'knackered'. At first they'd say, 'What's knockered?' but next day some of the guys were using it nearly every other word!
Would you ever consider moving to LA?
I could definately live in LA - it's cool! Although it is very fake. I'd be there for two months then be dying to come home!
Why?
I can't stand fake boobs - they seemed to be everywhere in LA! And not just girls have plastic surgery to be more beautiful. It seems automatic that, at a certain age, boys as well as girls have nose jobs!
Any outrageous flirting in the Westlife camp?
There's always flirting going on with us! Bryan was the biggest flirt with the US girls - as usual! He's not really secretive about it. He'll just tell you six months later, 'By the way...' I really thought Mark was going to hit it off with Mandy Moore, but he didn't! (See Mark for full details!)
Go on then, divulge the raucous American rock'n'roll stories.
They're quite boring in the States actually cos I am rock'n'roll! I love going on lads' nights out, but it's so difficult there cos of the age thing. So, sorry, it didn't happen!
MARK
What American phrases have you picked up after spending so long in the States?
I pick up accents really quickly and I caught myself saying 'baloney' a couple of times, but it's not a conscious thing, honest!
How did the Americans cope with the Irish sense of humour?
The Irish and British sense of humour is really sarcastic. You say things and people know you're messing, but in America they take it so seriously. I was always putting my foot in it. Once we were backstage at a concert meeting competitions winners and I said to this girl wearing a skimpy top and skirt, 'Jesus, where are the rest of your clothes?' She was really offended and gave me the dirtiest look. It takes a lot of getting used to.
Who's the biggest fan of Ameican food?
We're all big fans and if we stayed out there any longer, we'd be coming back looking like Rab C Nesbitt! All we eat over there are huge steaks and burgers, and the portions are absolutely massive.
So there must've been some dinner disaters?
Yes, the night we had dinner with Mariah Carey. Mariah's one of those people that the slightest remark can put her off her whole meal. she was telling us this, but Bryan didn't realise how serious she was, so he said her plate of seafood looked like a bowl of snot. And that was it, she put her knife and fork down ad said, 'I can't eat that now,' and Bryan and me were like, oh no, we've upset Mariah Carey.
Bryan(butting in): Mariah flipped at me and said, 'That's it, you're eating one of them.' It was clams or something and I was like, 'No, I'll be sick,' but she just put it in my mouth. I swallowed it whole cos there was no way I was chewing it!
(Back to Mark.) It was all these fishy things Bryan hates. He had a bit of a session in the toilet later!
What about your wild partying antics.
Bryan's portrayed as the mad party animal of the group, but most times I'm out there with him. The thing is I can't legally drink in America cos I'm under 21, which is a bit crap. We kept trying to find a way round it, but they're so strict it's near impossible. It's crazy - you need ID for practially everything, even a can of coke!
You must have gone out and let your hair down for your birthday.
I wanted to go out to this club, but they were having none of it so I just sat in my hotel room and read Angela's Ashes. There was nothing else I could do. The place we were in was so dull as well. It made Sligo look like New York City!
Were any of you lucky with the ladies?
(Suddenly looks incredibly coy.) Well, we had a good laugh. We weren't exactly in the situation where we could meet girls 24-7, but there were a couple of incidents. Like what? There's nothing to divulge - I had a laugh!
How to American girls' snogging techniques compare with the Irish and British lasses?
Ummm, it's fine. Girls are girls and boys are boys, worldwide. Snogging's the universal language of the world!
Right. what about the Mandy Moore incident?
Nothing happened with Mandy Moore - honest! We went out a couple of times, but when I first met her I didn't realise she's only 16. She's a lovely girl, absolutely beautiful. And we had a great laugh - but really, nothing happened. We've kept in touch even though we're on opposite sides of the world, but at the end of the day we're just good friends.
KIAN
How did you find the US grub?
It's strange cos what we call a Mars bar, they call Milky Way and all the chocolate tatest really different in America. And their milk is just terrible too! They have stuff called 'half and half' , which is like half milk, half water and that's what it's like - water! When you come down to breakfast in the morning ordering is so confusing. there's easy, over easy, over easy easy, sunny side up... I was just like, 'Can I have two eggs on toast and make them soft? Thanks.' And the bacon! They cook it twice, so it's rock solid. and the cornflakes...
Is the Irish accent popular on the other side of th eAtlantic pond?
Yes, on the whole I would say the accent was a but if a hit over there. To be honest I was very nervous and didn't want to start getting into that whole thing of metting a girl for just one night. I don't like doing that - I've never done that. I'm not a slag.
We hear you spent an obscene amount of money in America.
I bought a diamond ring, a Rolex watch and a thousand-dollar jacket. I spent about £5,000 on clothes and another £5,000 on jewellery - all for myself! I'm going to buy a car soon, too. Probably a Porsche, but I'm not sure yet.
Hmm, things can't be bad.
Well, I only just passed my driving test - I think that's fair enough.
What American phrases have you adopted after spending so long out there?
I started to develop a bit of an American twang and caught myself saying things like 'awesome', so I checked myself and put a stop to that!
What about all the mad nights out on the town?
There wer hardly any cos we're under 21. we met up with Savage Garden at a club in New York, butit's only thanks to them we got in. When we first turned up and said we were Westlife the door people didn't believe us.
What, Westlife refused entry?
Well, yes. So then Savage Garden turn up and go (adopts rather convincing Aussie accent) 'Oh, Westlife, what's the craic, boys?' and that's when they had to accept we were Westlife and let us in.
You must have got up to some skulduggery?
Well, that night we ended up partying with Slash and the drummer from Guns N' Roses. They just got up and started jamming - it was mad! Then another night we actually sneaked into a club. The doors were open all the way roudn the club, but the security were only on the front door so we just sneaked in round the side. It was this bunking-bronco place in LA.
Did you tickle anyone's tonsils while you were there?
No, honest. The girls out there are really beautiful, but they're all taken. They've all got boyfriends. And if they don't have boyfriends, they're too caught up in the themselves.
What was the most outrageous proposition made to you by an American fan?
There were quite a few - not so much original ones, but, er, straightforward would be the word I think! One of the tamest was, 'Can you come to bed with me, please?' As simple as that. Then I had a 14-year-old flashing at me from the crowd in upstate New York. she flashed her boobs! She just lifted her top at me, but thankfully she kept her bra on!