BOYZONE STORY



It all began November 1993. Those hundred young men gathered in Dublin 
to audition for a place in the line-up of Ireland's first teen sensation.
Shane, Ronan, Mickey, Keith and Stephen were the lucky five to be
seleceted and Boyzone were formed.



Since then, things have just got better and better for the boys; two of
whom were car mechanics before being chosen for the band. It wasn't long 
before Polygram signed them up and the hunt for a debut single was on
"Working my way back to you", the classic 'Detroit Spinners' track, 
became the obvious choice. Within weeks of realise it had reached number 
3 in Ireland. Suddnely Boyzone was a household name, and the band were 
no longer able to walk in their hometown without being chased by their
frenzied fans.



For the follow-up, their manager Louis Walsh flew the boys to London to 
record with Take That writer Ray Hedges. The best track to come from 
that session was "Love me for a reason" by The Osmonds. On it's first 
week of realise in Ireland, the song entered the chart at number three. 
Within two weeks it had given the band their first number one.



By this time, Polydor UK could no longer ignore the signs of Boyzone 
mania and snapped them up immediately. It didn't take long for the 
hysteria to catch on in the UK. Their first appearances in the UK were 
Smash Hits Roadshows and by the end of the tour their popularity was so 
immense that they were voted 'Best Band on the read' by their new fans.
This accolade catapulted them onto the 'Smash Hits poll winners'party 
and an audience of over eleven million. that night, "Love me for a 
Reason" entered the chart at number eleven.



A series of TV appearances followed as well as magazine front covers and 
extensive airplay, establishing the boys as the hottest tip for 1995.
Love me for a Reason climbed to number two in the charts. When Boyzone 
first formed, band member Keith Duffy quipped, "when we get to do Top Of 
The Pops and we're on the cover of Smash Hits, that's when we know we've 
arrived."



Having spent the first part of the New Year recording the debut album 
"said and Done", the band realised their second single, the self-penned 
"Key to my life" in april and scored a second consecutive number tree.
The hat-trick was completed with the realise of "So Good" in august of 
1995. this was followed three weeks later by the album "said and Done" 
storming into the charts at number one. In November 1995, "Father and 
Son" reached number two and stayed in  the charts for fouteen weeks.



The phenomenal chart success was capitalised on by the annoucement of 
their sell-out twenty day UK tour which culmined in a storming 
performance at the prestigious Albert Hall in early October 1995. Not 
content to rest on their laurels, the band toured South East Asia amid 
more mayhem and hysteria, police roadblocks, screamming girls and gold 
discs in every territory in which they toured.



Fresh from a UK tour in which they performed to almost 300,000 fans, the 
band are set to make a dramatic return with an infectious version of the 
Bee Gee's "words". The single precedes their eagerly awaited new album 
"a Different Beat" which will be realised in the UK on 28th October.



The album was recorded in England with their reguler producer Ray Hedges 
and in New York with Rick Wake ( Céline Dion and Mariah Carey ), who 
produced "dont stop looking for love" and the Michael Jackson hit "Ben".
Also on the album is "Melting pot" which was a hit for sixties stars 
'Blue Mink' but the rest of the tracks are all originals. In between an 
action packed performing and recording schedule Boyzone also managed to 
produce their first hardback book, "Boyzone in Personn".



The reaction of fans in the theatres and arenas during the 1996 tour has 
left the critics in no doubt that the popularity of Boyzone is now at 
fever pitch. It seemed like an impossible dream when five young Dublin 
guys first bid for pop stardom, but when they sold out four night's 
London Wembley Arena this summer, Boyzone clearly demonstrated that they 
are now leaders of the pack.
From there, Boyzone have done 2 more UK tour ( End of 1996 and may/june 
1997 ) and have sold out more than one arena.


back to the main page
-->