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Elton John’s favourite song by The Beatles is an unlikely choice

Elton John’s favourite song from The Beatles is unexpected given their huge amount of hits. Picture: Getty

It’s a fact: The Beatles paved the way for a generation of stars that followed them.

During their ten year tenure as a group, the Fab Four broke an insurmountable series of records and completely changed the landscape of pop and rock music.

They were the perfect package of charming personalities and songwriting chops that shifted ahead of the times, moulded popular music culture to their whim as they went.

Paul McCartney and John Lennon, together with the talents of George Harrison and Ringo Starr, also wrote an inexplicable number of enduring hits that remain as potent today as ever.

We surely all remember the first time we heard The Beatles and all have our favourite song of theirs – the band have provided the soundtrack to most of our lives.

But not everyone was completely enamoured by the Liverpudlians, including some of the most celebrated artists that followed in their footsteps.

At least they weren’t at first, namely Elton John, who remembered that it took him some convincing before admitting he was a fan.

In 2019, the ‘Rocket Man’ revealed which song changed his opinion and remains his favourite song of theirs to this day. The song? ‘We Can Work It Out’.

Elton John admitted it took him longer than most to warm to The Beatles. (Photo by Robert Altman/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images). Picture: Getty

Exposed to The Beatles by a school friend of his – who was also a member of their official fan group – Elton admitted that he didn’t warm to the legendary band immediately.

“I remember being at school and my friend Michael Johnson came with a 45 and said ‘I’ve just heard this band, they’re gonna be the biggest band in the world, and it was ‘Love Me Do’.”

“I’ve listened to and said, ‘It’s not bad, it’s not bad’. I couldn’t see that they would be the biggest band in the world, and he turned out to be right. I think he was number four in the fan club. So he spotted them a mile off.”

“Of course, what the 1950s did with rock ‘n’ roll, The Beatles were extraordinary”, Elton told broadcaster Ken Bruce.

“They revolutionised the way things were recorded, even though it was with quite simple equipment, they experimented, and they wrote fantastic songs”.

But his favourite song of the band’s, ‘We Can Work It Out’, didn’t even appear on an album of theirs, though it was released as a Double-A single in 1965 with ‘Day Tripper’.

The Beatles in 1965. Picture: Getty

We Can Work It Out (Remastered 2015)

Talking about why ‘We Can Work It Out’ means so much to him, Elton said: “‘We Can Work It Out’ is such a wonderful song. Stevie Wonder did an amazing version of it.”

“I can’t even begin to think of how many people covered Beatles songs. There is so much I could have chosen.”

“I was amazed when I was at Sain-Tropez playing at the Papagayo Club with my band Bluesology, Revolver was out and it was a big part of my life. But I’ve chosen (‘We Can Work It Out’) because I just love the song.”

Though he confessed it took him much longer than most to become a full convert to The Beatles, Elton remains hugely grateful for their work and the deep influence it had on his decision to become a musician.

What must’ve been even stranger for Elton, was that he would later befriend one of the band’s key songwriters in John Lennon, and would even collaborate with him.

Elton became good friends with Lennon, who appeared on-stage together in what would be John’s final ever live concert performance in 1974. (Photo by Steve Morley/Redferns). Picture: Getty

During the celebrations of Lennon’s 80th birthday in 2020, Elton revealed to his son Sean Lennon the impact his father and his former band had on Elton’s musicianship.

He referred to the time they’d spent together in the 1970s when they collaborated on Lennon’s huge solo hit ‘Whatever Gets You Thru The Night’.

Elton would provide harmonies and piano parts for the track which appeared on John’s fifth solo album Walls & Bridges in 1974.

“That was the kind of wonderful two or three-year whirlwind romance we had, and it was such an important thing in my life, Sean” he revealed.

‘It just really helped me. It gave me so much confidence. Your dad was as kind and as generous and sweet, and we just hit it off immediately.”

“We laughed so much because we talked about the 50s and 60s and where we grew up”, Elton said, revealing that his music world came full circle.

The Beatles: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr turn back the clock on the red carpet

Stella McCartney enlists her family and friends for her Paris Fashion Week show.

The Beatles are in some ways as together now as they have been since the mid-1990s.

Not only are they continuing their major re-releases and reliving the past with Get Back, last year they even finished off their Last New Song together, the stunning ‘Now and Then’.

Surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are clearly still the best of friends, and we saw that at the weekend when they had an in-person reunion at the Stella McCartney Winter 2024 show during Paris Fashion Week in support of Paul’s daughter.

Pictures from the event itself show Paul and his wife Nancy in attendance alongside Ringo and his wife Barbara Bach, as well as snaps of the Beatles with Stella herself, and also Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris.

https://twitter.com/StarrScruff/status/1764731048074629611?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1764731048074629611%7Ctwgr%5E1639773fc6d8874791e02d059e4a1c20865094b3%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goldradiouk.com%2Fartists%2Fthe-beatles%2Fpaul-mccartney-ringo-reunion-red-carpet%2F

Even better still, video footage from the red carpet show Paul and Ringo turning back the clock with some Beatles-style antics that wouldn’t be out of place on footage from the mid-1960s.

As the snappers did their thing, Ringo placed himself in front of Paul and quipped “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

Barbara Bach, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and Nancy McCartney. Picture: Getty Images

Paul and Ringo are the sole surviving members of the Fab Four of course, following the death of George Harrison in 2001 and murder of John Lennon in 1980.

Over the years since The Beatles split in 1970, they’ve continued to work together and appear on each others’ albums.

Paul McCartney, Paris Jackson and Ringo Starr. Picture: Getty Images

The Beatles years will be covered in depth in four separate biopics planned for release in 2027.

All will be directed by Sam Mendes, with each focusing primarily on each of The Beatles.

“The dating cadence of the films, the details of which will be shared closer to release, will be innovative and groundbreaking,” we’ve been promised.

The Beatles song Ringo Starr never understood how to play

It’s about time that music fans stop chastising Ringo Starr as the “least talented” Beatle. For all of the great music that John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison may have written for the group, none of it would have mattered had Starr not had brilliant timing and a sixth sense for knowing whatever a song needed at the moment. There were the odd moments where he could get tripped up, though, and when it came time to record George Harrison’s classics for Abbey Road, Starr was left confused on ‘Here Comes the Sun’.

Before he had even laid down a note of music with the band, Starr was always being kept watch on by producer George Martin. Since he had been hired instead of original drummer Pete Best, Starr would first be relegated to tambourine on the group’s first single, ‘Love Me Do’, after Martin insisted on using a session musician.

As time went on, though, Starr adapted from a workhorse drummer to a complex percussionist as the years went on. While what he does could never be considered all that flashy, the trademark drum fills he put into pieces like ‘Come Together’ and ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ work to completely tie the songs together.

During the sessions for Let It Be, though, they would face one of the most significant low points of their career, including a stint where Harrison left the band. Electing to leave their material on the shelf for the time being, the Fab Four reconvened at Abbey Road Studios to make songs that would leave their audience on a high note if it was actually the end.

After slagging off one of their numerous business meetings at their label, Apple, Harrison had come up with ‘Here Comes the Sun’ when visiting Eric Clapton. While every aspiring acoustic guitarist tries to get this gem under their fingers eventually, Starr remembered never internalising what Harrison had actually wanted from the song.

When discussing the track in Living in the Material World, Starr said that the timing of the song’s interludes never sat well with him, saying, “[George] was talking to me because he’d been to India again, and he said, ‘I’ve got this song. It’s in seven and a half time’. And I was like, ‘Yeah, so?’. He may as well have talked to me in Arabic”.

Since Starr was used to the traditional driving 4/4 drumbeats and the occasional waltz time, the alternating bars of both three and two were enough to do his head in. Instead of trying to study what the rhythm was and probably sounding stiff because of it, Starr let the music carry him by relying on the tom-toms to get the sound he wanted.

Listening back to the song, Starr said that he was flying blind some of the time, explaining, “I have no way of counting ‘Okay, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven’. It’s just not my brain. I had to find some way to do it the same way every time, so it came off on the time. That’s one of those Indian tricks. [mimics the drum fill] Okay, that’s seven. Good, got it.”

That was far from the first time Starr had to adapt to changing time signatures, either, since Lennon was doing the exact same thing by either stretching out the bar for one extra beat or cutting things off too quickly to suit what he needed. Given how well Starr worked with each member of the group on their songs, the kind of bond that they shared back in the day feels like musical telepathy.

It hasn’t been smooth sailing for every member of Westlife since their early 2000s fame – so who has fared best? Photo: @westlifemoments/Instagram

Westlife lays their love on fans again! The members of the beloved Irish group are currently performing in the UK before embarking on the Asian leg of their world tour in February 2023, which includes a stop at Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld Arena on – rather appropriately – Valentine’s Day.

Westlife released their first single in 1999 and went on to have 14 No. 1 hits in the UK. Photo: @westlifemoments/Instagram

Fans were disappointed that singer Mark Feehily had to pull out of recent gigs due to a bout of pneumonia, but his bandmates attempted to cheer them up by bringing a life-size cut out of the star on the stage, British media reported.

Members of Westlife with a cardboard cut-out of Mark Feehily at a recent performance. Photo: @shanefilanofficial/Instagram

Founded in 1998 with five members – Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, Nicky Byrne and Brian McFadden – Westlife made waves from the get-go with their debut single, 1999’s, “Swear It Again”.

In the years that followed, the Irish boy band continued to top charts and drive fans crazy. Hits including “Uptown Girl”, “Fool Again”, “I Have a Dream”, “Flying Without Wings”, “My Love” and others scored them a total of 14 No. 1 singles in the UK – a number only surpassed by The Beatles and Elvis Presley, according to Official Charts.

Pop band Westlife reunited in 2018. Photo: Universal Music

After McFadden left the band in 2004 to focus on his family, Westlife gradually disbanded in 2012. But in 2018, they reunited again – this time without McFadden – and released two albums: Spectrum in 2019 and Wild Dreams in 2021.

The group has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide according to Celebrity Net Worth, helping all but one of them cement multimillion dollar fortunes as they enter their 40s.

So what else have they been up to since finding fame with the group – and who is the richest of them all?

5. Nicky Byrne, 44 – US$1-5 million

Nicky Byrne used to be a football goalkeeper for Leeds United. Photo: @nickybymeinsta/Instagram

The former Leeds United’s player left the team in 1997 and switched his career to music. Joining Westlife in 1998 alongside his fellow band members, Byrne enjoyed “great money” from its success, he told the Irish Independent.

Nicky Byrne admits he and his band mates were not prudent with money in the early days. Photo: SCMP Archive

However it didn’t take him or his bandmates long to lose the money, he admitted: “We did very well out of Westlife, but everybody lives and spends. We have all lost money. We were all very foolish with money in the early days, we all bought cars and watches – the silly things.”

But the multitalented singer managed to recovered his fortune with another career pivot after the band’s initial split – as a TV presenter. He became a star of RTÉ, the national broadcaster of Ireland, hosting various shows including Dancing With The Stars. He joined RTÉ’s top 10 earner’s list in 2017 with a salary of over US$200,000, per the Irish Independent. His net worth is now estimated at around US$1-5 million, according to the Express.

4. Shane Filan, 43 – US$3 million

Westlife’s frontman Shane Filan. Photo: @shanefilanofficial/Instagram

Westlife’s frontman, and one of the two lead singers, also amassed a lot of money with the band, but lost it all as a result of his investments in the Irish property boom a decade ago. Filan’s company, Shafin Developments, went bankrupt in 2012 with a debt of over US$24 million, per British media.

Westlife’s Shane Filan, pictured here in 2003, lost everything after leaving the band, but has since bounced back. Photo: David Wong

But he moved on, trying harder than ever in his music career. He has since released three solo albums including You and Me (2013), Right Here (2015) and Love Always (2017). He has also written songs for other artists including John Ostberg, Jerry Given and II Divo. He has now returned to millionaire status, according to Celebrity Net Worth, with a current fortune of US$3 million.

3. Mark Feehily, 42 – US$16 million

Thanks to Westlife’s immense success in the UK singles chart in the early 2000s, Mark Feehily ranks as the highest charting LGBT performer in the country. Photo: @markusmoments/Instagram

The group’s other lead vocalist, Mark Feehily, came out to fans in 2005 and, thanks to the aforementioned 14 number one hits, became the highest-charting LGBT performer on the UK Singles Chart, per Radio Box. Besides his income from the band, Feehily banked US$630,000 from the dissolution of Westlife’s main entertainment firm Bluenet Ltd, after the members decided to go their own way, the Irish Mirror reported.

Westlife’s Mark Feehily at the height of their fame in 2003. Photo: David Wong

Between 2015 and 2018, Feehily pursued a solo career and performed with Mariah Carey on one of her Christmas tours in 2017, and with 1980s Scottish group Wet Wet Wet before reuniting with the band. His fortune is now around US$16 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

2. Brian McFadden, 42 – US$18 million

Brian McFadden left Westlife in 2004 to focus on his family. Photo: @brianmcfadden123/Instagram

McFadden stayed with the band for only a few years – but it was still enough for him to rake in millions. He went on to release five solo albums and launch his own label, BMF Records.

Brian McFadden and wife Kerry McFadden, formerly of band Atomic Kitten, celebrate after she was crowned winner of the British show I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! in Australia in 2004. Photo: AP

In 2016, he teamed up with Boyzone’s Keith Duffy to form a mini supergroup, Boyzlife. The pair have released two albums so far, and are preparing for their next live performances in the UK next January and August, according to live entertainment website Ents24.

Like his former bandmate Nicky Byrne, he is also very active on TV, working as a judge on Australia’s Got Talent and Australian Idol, among others. Celebrity Net Worth puts his current fortune at about US$18 million.

1. Kian Egan, 42 – US$20 million

Multi-instrumentalist Kian Egan was in rock band Skrod before joining Westlife. Photo: @kianegan/Instagram

Kian Egan had already begun a professional music career before making it big with Westlife according to British media. Playing various instruments including the guitar, piano and drums, he was also a member of the rock band, Skrod.

Kian Egan is sitting pretty at the top of this list as the richest member of Westlife. Photo: Sony Music

After Westlife, he also released one solo album, Home, in 2014. He boosted his popularity further when he became a judge on The Voice of Ireland and a presenter on This Morning’s Hub and Surprise Surprise. He also won the 13th season of I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here.

All this has added to his already impressive net worth to help him take the number one spot in this list with a fortune of US$20 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

The band were at the top of their game in 2004 when three weeks away from their fourth world tour, Brian dropped the bombshell that he was leaving with immediate effect

Irish Boy Band Westlife Nov 2000

Westlife’s Kian Egan has lifted the lid on the “bad blood” with Brian McFadden after he left the group over his dislike of their music – but continues to sing the songs today in his new band.

The band were at the top of their game in 2004 when three weeks away from their fourth world tour, Brian dropped the bombshell that he was leaving with immediate effect.

After announcing his departure in an emotional press conference, his bandmate Kian choked back tears as he read a letter to Brian on behalf of the remaining four members, describing the strain they were feeling.

While they have poured cold water on any claims of bad blood in the past, Kian has finally opened up about the devastation they felt – admitting they feared it was the end of their career.

He told the Irish Mirror: “Of course there were hard feelings.

“I mean he left us at a time when we were just about to step out on tour and we kind of felt like ‘is this the end?’ You know. ‘Is it all over now?’

“We looked at bands like Take That and Spice Girls and it seemed to be the case that once one member of the band left it was over.

“So we definitely felt like our career was dangling and we were very nervous.”

Despite the panic, Kian, 41, feels the timing of Brian’s departure ended up contributing to their long lasting success in the years that followed.

He added: “Because we went on tour that year and we showed our fans we were just as good as a four-piece.”

Almost two decades later, the band – made up of Kian, Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne and Mark Feehily – are Ireland and the UK’s biggest selling group of the 21st century.

Dubliner Brian embarked on a solo career shortly after leaving the band, before joining forces with Boyzone’s Keith Duffy to create Boyzlife in 2016.

The ex-boy banders performs some of their biggest chart hits from their time with the two Irish bands.

Kian said his actions after his departure have left him and his bandmates scratching their heads.

He said: “As the years rolled on we didn’t have any contact with Brian.

“He left Westlife, he said he didn’t like the music, he said he didn’t want to sing the songs, and you know, he didn’t want to be going on stage singing the songs we were singing, and he said he’s done. And he told us he wanted to go home to be with his family but then a few months later he had a solo album.

“He said he didn’t want to do music, they were his words to us.

“He sings the Westlife songs now with Boyzlife I believe…”

Kian says Westlife are now tied by a strong “family” bond –describing the three other members as “brothers”.

And he says like any family, they fight, and can very easily rub each other up the wrong way.

But off the back of Wild Dreams, a new 15-track special edition deluxe album which includes Starlight and live recordings of hits including Flying Without Wings, World of Our Own and Uptown Girl, he maintains they are still rock solid after 20 years.

The former I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! champion said: “It is very much a family relationship.

“We do fall out, we do have our arguments and we do have our tiffs, but we get up and get on with it. It is like you get over it.

“Everyday life people have arguments and fall out they get out of each other’s lives.

“But with things like bands, if you want the band to continue then you know everyone has got to see it from the other person’s point of view and then compromise has to be formed and met.

“And in a way it is great, it can be very difficult sometimes, but in a way it is great that we have that thing that keeps pulling us back together. Because we all want this band.”

The Sligo man also explained why the group decided to go their separate ways in 2012, before reuniting in 2019.

He added: “Obviously we got to that point at one stage in our lives, we did break up, but I think that was more due to a fatigue scenario. We had done it for so long and we were tired and I think we all needed different things at that point of our lives apart from being a member of a band and having to commit to that band. And we wanted to go off and be with our families and our children, and you know all of those different things.”

Wild Dreams is Westlife’s first album following their 2019 return and is also their first with EastWest Records after they signed a deal with the label earlier this year. Curated by the group throughout lockdown, they visited studios across Ireland and used a home music rig that travelled from house to house to record the songs.

Kian added: “With the pandemic and everything that has happened in the last few years this is our result of it, and you know we are just buzzing for everyone to hear it and for the fans to hear it. It’s a really exciting time for us.”

 

Nicky lives in a small gated community which is often referred to as “millionaires row”

Nicky Byrne is back on tour with the Westlife lads, having just played Denmark and set to perform in Cork this weekend, it’s important that the RTE presenter gets some chill time.

His Malahide home is definitely the perfect place to relax and recharge. As of yesterday, Nicky has been married to Georgina Ahern for 19 years. Together, they share three children, twin boys Rocco and Jay and daughter Gia.

The happy family live in a small gated community which is often referred to as “millionaires row”. The Victorian and Georgian inspired houses are valued from €2 million and €4 million each.

Their stunning home is three storeys tall and is connected by a winding staircase. There are glamorous chandeliers in the hallway and classic panelling and neutral tones can be found throughout the house. There are lots of windows meaning there’s plenty of natural lighting which complement the dark hardwood floors.

In the kitchen they have floor to ceiling French windows and an American style fridge but that’s not all, one of the most unique features has to be Nicky’s home bar. The pub is fully stocked and ideal for home entertaining.

They also have a huge spectacular garden for outdoor parties. There’s loads of room to exercise outside but if it does rain, Nicky also enjoys a fully equipped home gym.

These throwback pics of Westlife will transport you back to the 00s

 

 

Westlife pose at a photocall prior to The Meteor Ireland Music Awards at the Point Theatre, Dublin, Ireland March 01 2004 (Image: Photo by ShowBiz Ireland/Getty Images)

We decided to take a trip down memory lane to the decade when boybands were thriving – the noughties.

It’s safe to say that the 00s was a golden decade for our very own homegrown group Westlife. DIe heart fans will still be able to recite the lyrics of ‘Uptown Girl’, ‘Flying Without Wings’ and not forgetting ‘ Bop Bop Baby’.

When Byran McFadden decided to leave Westlife in 2004, the band’s success continued for many years and the remaining members even released their autobiography, ‘Our Story’ back in 2008.

Check out the selection of throwback photos captured of the boyband and their dedicated fans during the 00s, from shooting the video for ‘World Of Our Own’ to their performances at the Point.

Westlife – 2002

Westlife filming the music video for ‘World Of Our Own’ in Dublin, January 2002

(Image: Photo by Brian Rasic/Getty Images)1 of 12

Westlife – 2003

Westlife perform at their homecoming concert at Landsdowne Road on June 27, 2003

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Westlife – 2003

Westlife launch their new album “Turnaround” at the Four Seasons Hotel on November 20, 2003

Westlife – 2004

Nicky Byrne and Bryan McFadden pose during a charity football match in aid of Childline at Tolka Park on February 1, 2004

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Westlife – 2004

Fans pictured at Westlife’s concert in The Point on May 11, 2004 (Image: Colin Keegan/Collins Photo Agency)5 of 12

Westlife – 2004

Westlife performing at O2 in the park, September 2004

Westlife – 2005

Westlife fans Niamh Byrne and Rachel Harding from Dublin at Westlife’s concert in the Point, February 2005 (Image: Arthur Carron/ Collins Photo Agency)7 of 12

Westlife – 2005

Fans queuing to see Westlife at the launch of their album ‘Face to Face’ at HMV on Grafton Street in October 2005 (Image: Colin Keegan/Collins Photo Agency)8 of 12

Westlife – 2005

Westlife at the launch of their album ‘Face to Face’ at HMV on Grafton Street in October 2005 (Image: Colin Keegan/Collins Photo Agency)

Westlife – 2006

Westlife pose backstage at the Childline 2006 concert at The Point on January 29, 2006 (Image: Photo by ShowBizIreland/Getty Images)10 of 12

Westlife – 2007

Westlife fans pictured at the Cheerios Childline concert at the Point in January 2007. (Image: Arthur Carron/Collins Photo Agency)11 of 12

Westlife – 2008

Westlife pictured in Easons on O’Connell Street for the book signing of their autobiography ‘Our Story’ in June 2008

Did George Harrison have a relationship with Madonna?

Did George Harrison have an affair with Madonna? Picture: Getty

By Thomas Edward

Strangely enough their paths crossed.

It’s safe to say that the woman who sang ‘Material Girl’ and the man who wrote ‘Living In The Material World’ were worlds apart.

After his time in The Beatles however, George Harrison didn’t just stick to his circles, later venturing into the world of cinema.

Harrison was the executive producer of several films, bankrolling the likes of Monty Python’s Life Of Brian, and Time Bandits, both of which were major successes.

In 1986, he put his financial backing into one of the most infamous flops of the decade, nearly bankrupting him.

Shanghai Surprise was an unmitigated disaster, reportedly leading George to reignite his creative relationship with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr on the ’95 Beatles Anthology to scrape some money back in his pockets.

The adventure comedy starred star-crossed couple, Sean Penn and Madonna, and despite their recent marriage, it didn’t stop rumours swirling of a romance between Harrison and the pop star heavyweight.

Sean Penn, Madonna, and George Harrison on set during the filming of Shanghai Surprise. Picture: Alamy

For anyone who knew about George beyond his image as ‘The Quiet Beatle’, you can understand why the rumours came into being.

George had many affairs throughout his life, and it was known that he had a serious weakness when it came to women.

His wife Olivia – who married in 1978 after the birth of their son Dhani – suggested in Martin Scorsese’s 2011 documentary George Harrison: Living In The Material World that she was privy to his behaviour.

“He liked women and women liked him,” she says. “If he just said a couple of words to you, it would have a profound effect. It was hard to deal with someone who was so well loved.”

McCartney adds in the documentary: “I don’t want to say much because he was a pal, but he liked the things that men like. He was red-blooded.”

An expert on The Beatles, Bill Harry, said: “George had hundreds and hundreds of affairs. John Lennon was probably the most highly-sexed Beatle, but I would put George next after him.”

Even the band’s roadies Peter Brown and Steven Gaines revealed in their tell-all book The Love You Make: “He wanted to seduce every woman he laid eyes on.”

The opinions about George’s infidelity have kept stacking up, so what actually happened between him and Madonna?

Shanghai Surprise (1986) – Original Trailer

Well during the filming of Shanghai Surprise, George visited the shoot location in Macau, where he and Madonna reportedly got on very well.

The media storm that followed the actors throughout filming irritated Sean Penn however, who took his frustrations out on his wife – admitted to only doing the film as a favour to her – even punching a photographer at one point.

The couple were only recently married, but the cracks were appearing. Madonna reportedly sought a shoulder to cry on from George who she found “very kind and sympathetic”.

Madonna even visited Harrison on several occasions in London before and after filming had wrapped.

Her brother Christopher Ciccone told the Daily Mail that Harrison “read the riot act” to Penn over his bad attitude and outbursts during filming, yet treated Madonna with “kid gloves”, heightening suspicion of a relationship.

During the press conference for Shanghai Surprise – that was later dubbed ‘Flop Suey’ – Madonna further expressed her adoration for George, telling the press that he was a “great boss” and that he’d given her “more advice about how to deal with the press than how to make the film.”

Madonna called George Harrison a “great boss”. (AP Photo/Peter Kemp). Picture: Alamy

Presented as good friends and confidants throughout the press conference, a later interview with George indicated that any relationship they had soured.

After an interviewer asked “you worked with Madonna on Shanghai Surprise,” George quickly cut in replying: “Tried to.”

“You want the truth? It was a pain in the ass,” Harrison continued. “Because we were doing a comedy movie, she hasn’t got a sense of humour.”

“And her husband Sean – who’s a really nice and intelligent fella, and I had a laugh with him at times – but, you know, he sort of gets all uptight and, you know, caused all the trouble.”

“It was like The Producers [1967 movie], you know, where he says: ‘I’ve picked the wrong cast, the wrong actors, the wrong director, where did I go right?’” he joked.

So whilst they might have been fairly close at one point, it seems like the rumours of George Harrison having an affair with Madonna are just rumours after all.

It’s been 15 years since Brian McFadden quit Westlife yet he hasn’t been able to completely shake off the boyband.

In speaking with Manchester Evening News, the 39-year-old Irish singer discussed if he regretted leaving Westlife and if he would consider joining them on their comeback tour.

While McFadden is probably sick of people bringing up Westlife time and time again, he understands their curiosity. Regardless whether he’s performing as a solo artist or as a duo with Boyzone’s Keith Duffy, his concert setlist usually consists of Wesltlife’s early repertoire in addition to his own material.

In spite of the nostalgia, the singer explained that it’ll be weird to appear on stage together with former bandmates Shane Filan, Markus Feehily, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne. “Singing Westlife songs does bring back memories. I’ve been singing the songs for over 20 years now. But I have never regretted leaving,” he said.

He continued, “Westlife are a different band now than when I was there, they’ve reinvented themselves. When they went on tour recently everyone was asking why I wasn’t going back for it, but I left back in 2004, so they’ve been without me for 15 years. If I went back, I’d need to learn 20 plus songs for the show, plus it would be weird for this guy who hasn’t been involved for so long to just turn up on stage and sing.”

A few years back, McFadden even claimed that he “saved” the band by leaving in 2004. Apparently the quartet wouldn’t have stayed together much longer had he not made the decision to move on.

A post shared by brianmcfadden (@brianmcfadden123) on Jun 22, 2019 at 4:00am PDT

Regardless, we’re glad that Westlife is still killing it while McFadden is happy doing his own thing.

Two of Britain’s most famous boy bands combine for show in York

Keith Duffy and Brian McFadden are coming to the Barbican (Image: Supplied)

SINGERS from two of Britain’s most famous boy bands are combining for a show in York.

Boyzone’s Keith Duffy and Westlife’s Brian McFadden are setting out on a 14 date UK tour in 2025, with the York performance coming on February 1.

The duo Boyzlife formed in 2016, when both Keith and Brian left their respective groups.

The popular pop-duo Boyzlife has performed for more than 100,000 fans – with two complete sell out tours either side of the Covid pandemic.

They’ll be performing a mixture of Boyzone and Westlife’s classic tracks on the 14-date tour, including their catalogue of over 21 UK number one singles. Hits include Boyzone’s: ‘I Love The Way You Love Me’, ‘All That I Need’, ‘No Matter What’, as well as Westlife’s: ‘My Love’, ‘I Lay My Love On You’, and ‘Uptown Girl’.

Tickets are on sale and available via ticketmaster, which can be accessed through the link here.

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(Image: PA)

Dream collaborations do not come much better than Keith Duffy and Brian McFadden.

The two Irish singers, who forged successful careers as part of ’90s and ’00s boybands Boyzone and Westlife, teamed up to form Boyzlife and with new music under their belt, and their Old School tour kicking off imminently (the 27-city tour has its first date on September 22 at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall), the duo are by all accounts in a good place.

The tour will see them performing hits from their first album of original music – also titled Old School and released earlier this year – as well as some of the much-loved tunes from Westlife and Boyzone, and will also be a welcome return to performing live in big venues.

“We’re very aware that a lot of our fans are coming to hear the classics from Westlife and the classics from Boyzone, and we won’t let anybody down,” Duffy, 47, vows as we speak over the phone.

“We’ll make sure that we do the big hits, but we will slot in a few of the new songs…”.

Among their new music are tunes like The One, which was co-written previously by McFadden and songwriter Guy Chambers, who has worked with a long list of music superstars including Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue and more.

It was important to the duo they got the sound and songs right for their original material.

(Image: Getty Images)
Duffy explains: “This is something that we’ve been thinking about for a long time. And we did put a lot of thought into it, because we wanted to make sure that when we found the sound of Boyzlife that we really did believe in it, and that we could back it up and that we enjoyed performing it.”

He says music from the treasure chest of hits Westlife and Boyzone had, although great songs, were not always the type of music he would listen to.

“With Boyzlife, we’ve much more artist control, creative control, we want to not make music for the sake of it, we wanted to make music that we genuinely loved to listen to,” he says earnestly.

“Both of us loved the ’80s, we loved those power ballads from the motion pictures like Top Gun and The Karate Kid, all those great movies of the ’80s.

“So we wanted to find, nobody’s doing that now, we wanted the lyrically led songs with the love story and the fist pumping, and the hair standing on the back of your neck style songs, so that was our template in our heads.”

“We’re very, very, very happy with what we have now. And it’s a different world now than the ’90s. I suppose to be honest, we’re probably not a current act.

“So it’s difficult to get as much radio play as we would have liked it to, to get out to the general masses, to build a new audience, but we’re lucky enough that the audience that we have are very, very loyal and their kids and their grandkids are all listening to our stuff now as well.

“So we are gathering a new network of fans”.

Despite knowing each other from their time as members of successful boybands, the pair have formed a closer friendship now they are musical partners.

Duffy recalls how they were previously “good buddies” who would play the odd round of golf together or whose paths would cross while touring and they would enjoy a night out.

It was, he says, “a good social friendship” but “we never had a solid kind of brotherly friendship”.

That has all changed now.

“It took us a long time to find that common ground between us because although we’re very alike, we’re not kids. We have our own ways about us, we have our own habits, good and bad.

“And when you’re living with somebody inside out and backwards, and you’re in each other’s pockets every day, you do upset and wind each other up to a certain… until you kind of understand each other and then I think your friendship either gets stronger or you fall apart.

“And thankfully, I think our friendship has got much stronger, I would go as far to say we are like brothers. We love each other and we’re a big part of each other’s families, which is obviously very important as well.

“And I think it’s a very healthy way that we work, we’re very honest with each other. If either of us let each other down, we’re very quick to pull each other up on that.

“And we don’t bury anything under the carpet, we will have full on arguments, we will have full on honest, kind of, let’s say, debates about what we think is right and wrong.

“We will agree to disagree and move on, or we’ll sort the problem out, but we do not walk on eggshells, and we do not push things under the carpet. We were very, very honest with each other”.

Ahead of their tour, they have a decent warm-up gig in the form of a performance at Liverpool’s Reminisce Festival on September 10.

Duffy credits performing one of their new songs, called All This Time, with helping build up his confidence in performing live again.

“I think All This Time is a song that’s a little bit more mature than the rest of the songs on the album, a little bit more in the direction that we want to go in,” he says.

“Performing that song live, it took me a while to get my confidence up about what I was just talking about, when I first started singing live with Brian and upfront and I wasn’t projecting my voice very well, because I was self-conscious.

“And I needed to build up my confidence and I needed to assure myself that I was in tune and I still had an ability to be able to sing.

“So it took me quite a while to get there and with the recording of this song and the writing of the song, I feel it’s one of the best vocals in my life to be fair.

“Getting the opportunity to do that live with the live drums and electric guitar, it’s a great feeling. It’s a real feeling of achievement.

“I’m making the most of the opportunities that I have now. And ultimately, to get on stage and sing a song that you wrote, recorded, produced, it’s a great feeling – a really, really good feeling.”

Boyzlife’s Old School headline tour starts on September 22 with dates running through to early November 2022.