News Archive October - December 2001

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> >17th December 2001 Look out for more Westlife...!

Look out for new Westlife projects coming your way soon!

While Westlife were in Spain at the end of November, they announced a new edition of 'World Of Our Own' will be released next year, featuring Queen of my heart, Bop bop baby, I Cry and World of our own in Spanish.
Furthermore, Westlife are reupted to be making the leap from stage to computer screen - as they become the stars of their own video game. The trivia game will be entitled WESTLIFE FAN-O-MANIA. The game - for PC and Sony Playstation - is set to hit shops in the New Year and will test fans' knowledge of the chart-topping band, as well as featuring never-before-seen video footage of the five-piece in action. The game will be fronted by an animated hostess called Tara and users will unlock the exclusive footage when they score full marks in a round. Heiko Tom Felde of game manufacturers TDK Mediactive says, "This latest title on PC and PS1 will make Westlife the only band to have a number one single and interactive game in the charts."
The guys are also reported to be making a cartoon in association with Warner Brothers which they hope will help them on their way to breaking the US music scene.

[sources: wenn.com] [thanks to: Rebecca]

> >17th December 2001 Performance for the Pope

Westlife gave a special performance in Rome for the Pope on 15th December in concert to raise money for a charity which aims to build 50 new churches around Rome. The guys performed Queen of my Heart, Little Drummer Boy, and Silent Night.

Westlife stated that performing for the Pope was "the ultimate honor", and specially flew their families over to attend the event. The private performance was organized when the Vatican contacted the band to tell them of the Pope's admiration for their chart-topping music. Shane commented "My parents are very happy."

[sources: ananova.com, wenn.com]

> >17th December 2001 Hits awards fixed!

Westlife have been making headlines lately - being the only band to play The Point Depot in Dublin for 13 consecutive nights. The dates, set for their tour next year, break the previous record of 11 consecutive nights which Westlife set with their tour earlier this year. But not only have they been breaking records, they have also been winning loads of awards!
Westlife were among the winners in the first annual "Top Of The Pops Awards", picking up an award for "Top Pop Act". Bryan McFadden commented: "It is fantastic to win a Top of The Pops award and this being the first ever makes it even more special." Following this success, they picked up a grand total of three awards at the Smash Hits T4 Poll Winners Party, held in London on December 9th. They won:

Best Album - Westlife (World Of Our Own)
Best Male Haircut - Nicky from Westlife
Best Band - Westlife

However, their glory was soured by the alleged fixing of the awards. Apparently Shane Filan was due to win the "Most Fanciable Male" award. But, it has been reported that just 24 hours before the big bash, organizers rang his record company to say they were taking it back! They told RCA bosses they were withdrawing the gong and giving it to a1's Ben Adams-because the band hadn't won anything. The awards were meant to be voted for by the magazine's readers, who could either fill in a form and post it to the publication or vote on the mag's website. But Westlife's furious manager Louis Walsh assured: "It's a complete fix. One minute we're told that Shane had won the award, the next they change their minds. It's outrageous. The awards have played an important part in the pop industry for years. I've had a very good relationship with the magazine's editors in the past who helped launch my bands, Boyzone and, of course, Westlife. The current editor of the magazine rang me two weeks ago to tell me what the boys had won. She even rang RCA's general manager just days before the show to repeat the awards that Westlife had won. They were supposed to get four gongs-"Best Album", "Best Male Haircut", "Best Band", and "Most Fanciable Male". The producer of the awards even showed the band a clipboard on Saturday, during rehearsals, which had Shane as the winner of Most Fanciable Male. Then, a few hours later, I was told they'd given it to Ben from A1 instead. I rang the editor - who refused to change it back. What kind of awards are they? I thought the magazine's readers were supposed to vote for the winners." The ceremony saw fans jeering when it was announced Ben had won. Louis added: "It was so obvious to the fans that Shane was the outright winner. I feel extremely sorry for A1 because they didn't win any awards. But this is a tough business. It just goes to show you that Westlife are a far more popular band. After all they've had nine No1 singles and two No1 albums."

[sources: ananova.com, newsoftheworld.co.uk ]

> >27th November 2001 Westlife 'laidback'?!

Westlife have made a video for album track "Angel", even though the track will never be released as a single. The song, a cover of Sarah McLachlan's worldwide smash, features on their latest LP "World Of Our Own."
"We've been constantly releasing singles so now we decided to be more laidback and just to make this video for MTV and other music channels. A non-commercial video is probably the best way to call it since you need to buy the album to get the song," Kian explained. "But it is not going to be a single. We donít want to overload the market."

The video sees Kian showing off a little-known talent: tinkling the ivories.. "It is shot in black and white with close ups on our faces and I play the piano," he told MTV. "We havenít seen it yet but I think it will be very good."

It has been suggested that for a future single release Westlife may record another duet with Mariah Carey sometime next year. The guys are performing at the Top of the Pops awards this Friday with Mariah, singing her song 'Never Too Far'. Speaking to a UK tabloid, Westlife's manager, Louis Walsh, explained: "There was real chemistry when they worked on 'Against All Odds'. We want to record with her again because it would be a great way to bolster her profile in the UK and introduce Westlife to the Americans."

Meanwhile, "World Of Our Own" is currently number 1 in the Swedish album chart, the first time Westlife have reached the top spot with an album in Sweden!

[sources: mtv.co.uk, mtvasia.com, dotmusic.com]

> >22nd November 2001 No. 1 again but no xmas single...!

Westlife topped the UK charts again last weekend as their third album 'World of Our Own' reached the number 1 spot, after selling a massive 51,000 copies on the first day of release. However their single Queen of My Heart slipped down the chart to number 2, being outsold by Blue's new release.

To date, Westlife have sold over 10 million albums worldwide. In Indonesia they have sold more than 1,500,000 albums, while in Korea, Westlife's new single and album is expected to top the billboard charts very soon - following in the footsteps of their previous releases.

But despite the success of their album and new single, Kian explained that they won't be releasing another single from the album before Christmas...

"We feel that last year we rushed it. I don't think that's why we were No.2, I think Bob The Builder was better, fair and square. I think just in general, we are releasing this single so late in the year, to try and get another one in for Christmas is a bit rushed and it's going to be very hard for us to try and squeeze it in there."

However, the guys are keen not to be forgotten at Christmas... Kian said:

"We have got a plan B to try and keep Westlife in the market for Christmas time, but the whole No.1 thing to us is gone now. Plan B is releasing a song onto MTV and the Box, we made a video for Angel yesterday and thats whats going on MTV, it isn't going to be released as a single though..."

[source: dotmusic.com, Radio 1] [thanks to green325@orgio.net & Indra]

> >11th November 2001 Westlife's 9th UK number one!

Westlife's latest single release, 'Queen of My Heart', entered the UK charts at number one today, becoming Westlife's 9th UK single to reach the top of the charts! The single is also set to become one of the top 5 best selling singles of the year, outselling this week's number 2 song - Afroman's 'Because I Got High' by almost three to one!

Kian, speaking on live radio, commented that getting another number 1 with Queen of My Heart, their tenth single release, was "amazing", saying, "standing here in my bedroom looking at all the discs on the wall...it's unbelievable".
Westlife's 3rd album 'World of Our Own' is released in the UK tomorrow. Shane, seapking about the new album, stated that its is "our best album yet... a huge step up for Westlife". However the album is up against Madonna and Michael Jackson's new albums which are also released tomorrow - Shane reckoned that he didn't think Westlife's album would stand a chance of getting the top spot with such strong opposition, despite DJ Dr Fox's assurance that the pre-sales of World Of Our Own are "phenomenal".

[source: Pepsi Chart, Radio 1] [thanks to Mandy and Hel!]

> >19th October 2001 Nicky's done a Mark!

You might have already seen Nicky's new hairdo by now and had a shock - yes, he's gone and done 'a Mark' and shaved off all of his hair! UK tabloid papers reported on Friday 12th that Nicky had shaved off all his hair 'as a tribute to his favourite footie player' - Roy Keane.
Nicky's new hairdo!

Nicky stated that the reason for his new hairdo was just a new look for the band's new video, Queen of My Heart, which they filmed in London last Wednesday 10th October.According to the Sun, Nicky stated "I did this in honour of Roy, who is an absolute hero for taking Ireland to the World Cup play-offs. It is something I really wanted to do so I asked if they could incorporate it into the video."

The new video features more than 60 girls, starting off in black and white, showing the band in a disused mansion. But as the music picks up tempo the promo turns full colour as the girlsgather round Westlife.

[source: The Sun] [thanks to Kelly Macgregor]