by Shane Filan
debut solo single of 283, 287
education of 4, 9–10, 11, 16, 17–18, 22, 27–9, 62
18th birthday of 27
England move by 245
first solo tour of 288–92
first song written by 26
first trip to London by 42
Gillian marries 125–7
Gillian meets 14
growth spurt of 12, 20
hay fever suffered by 179, 187, 188, 197, 200
helicopter share bought by 150
helicopter share sold by 158
homesickness suffered by 28–9
honeymoon of 128–9
IVA of 244, 249, 250, 254–7, 259, 260–3
press stories on debts of 251–5, 259, 286–7
property interests of, see Shafin Developments
proposes to Gillian 119
reality shows chase 275
snooker playing of ix
solo career considered by 245–6
Surrey house bought by 163
35th birthday of 292–3
Universal deal of 279
X Factor appearance of 287–8
see also Westlife
Filan, Shane (son) ix, 215
Filan, Yvonne (sister) 2, 28
Firetrap 37
Fitzpatrick, Mrs 12, 16
5ive 41, 60, 74, 75
4 Lights 19
Fran (girlfriend) 6, 10
Gaddafi, Col. Muammar 238–9
Gallagher, Noel 169
Garrett, Michael (‘Miggles’) 22, 33, 34
band sacks 46–8
Gately, Stephen 54, 55, 57
Giddings, John 135, 138, 151, 218
Gilhooley, Fr 126
Gleeson, Brendan 231
Go for It 20
Grease 13–15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 34, 47, 48, 145
Green Day 13
Green Dragon 7
Halliwell, Geri 88, 132–3
‘Hawkins, Mr’ 216–17, 235, 245–6, 276–7
Hawks Well Theatre 12–14, 15, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25
Hector, Wayne 43, 53, 54, 85, 86, 107, 124, 204, 285
Helena (girlfriend) 24, 47–8
Hello! 111
Home and Away 6
Hood, Brandon 285
Horan’s 8
Houston, Whitney 82, 147
Il Divo 160
IOYOU 25, 28, 68
auditions for 44–6
Backstreet Boys supported by 35, 36–8, 40, 68
change of name of 49
Cowell auditions 41–2, 49
final line-up of 47–8
first CD produced by 26–7, 33
Graham tour manager of 43–4
hiatus of 29
TV appearance of 27, 29, 31
see also Six As On; Westlife; Westside
Irish Son 148
Jackson, Michael 7–8, 9, 12, 18, 49, 104, 272
Jasper (pony) 6
Jean, Wyclef 213
Jedward 233
JLS 196, 222–3, 224
Joel, Billy 7, 96
John Paul II, Pope 109–10
Jones, Vinnie 114
Joplin, Janis 82
Judds 168
K West 73
Katona, Kerry 74, 79, 102, 106, 107, 110
Brian marries 110–11, 112
Brian splits from 148
at Meteors 129
pregnancy of 96, 108
Keating, Ronan 33, 34, 45, 51, 52, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 65, 73, 77, 102, 114
Keating, Yvonne 34, 55
Keaveney, Paul 29
Keighron, Graham 22, 26, 43, 47, 57
Keith (friend) 19, 126
Kennedy, Brian 55
Kershaw, Nik 7
Keys, Alicia 147
Kidman, Nicole 158
King of the Spinning Kick 7
Kreuger, David 62
Kris Kross 13
Lacey, Derek 22, 30, 39, 44
Lansdowne Road 119
Laurence (gospel singer) 95
Lee, Bruce 7
Leeds United FC 45
Lennon, John 107, 151
Lewis, Leona 182
Lillie’s Bordello 102
Limerick Institute of Technology 28–9
Littrell, Brian 19, 23, 37, 38
Lynch, Shane 33
Mac, Steve 42, 43, 46, 49, 52, 53, 54, 85, 86–7, 107, 112–14, 120, 124, 145, 155, 156, 167–8, 178, 204, 285
McCartney, Paul 107, 128–9
McDaid, Kevin 165, 211
McDonagh, Mary 12–13, 14, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31
McDonald, Nicholas 288
McEvoy, Dave 12, 16
McFadden, Brian 44–6, 47, 50, 57, 58, 59, 62, 71, 74, 77, 84–5, 100, 117, 123, 129–30
debut solo single and album of 148
as a father 95–6, 108
Kerry dated by 79, 102
Kerry marries 110–11, 112
Kerry splits from 148
Kian’s letter to 136
Shane close with 106, 107, 110
in Westlife audience 138
Westlife quit by 131–7
and Westlife’s split 241
see also Westlife
McFadden, Lilly-Sue 130
McFadden, Molly 108
McKenna, Liam 289
MacNicholas, Mae (mother), see Filan, Mae
Madden, Prof. Brendan 294–5
Magnusson, Per 62
Mall (arts centre) 26
Manilow, Barry 76, 123
Martin, Dean 144, 145
Martin, Max 21, 49, 61, 107
Martin, Ricky 77
Mascall, Patrick 285
Metallica 13
Meteor Awards 129–30
Midas 292
Midler, Bette 168
MJ Carr’s 34, 36, 40, 68
Nationwide 27, 31
Neeson, Liam 231
New Kids on the Block 13
New York Yankees 43
Newton-John, Olivia 13
Niamh (fan) 268–9
*NSYNC 115
Oasis 168
Obama, Barack 212–14, 231–2
Oliver! 16
Olwyn (friend) 14
One Direction 279
Only Fools and Horses 51
O’Riordan, Dolores 110
Orla (girlfriend) 10
Osbourne, Ozzy 86–7
Pajama Game, The 15
Pasquale, Joe 76
Paul (best mate) 19
Peace Park 26
Penthouse 79
Perry, Katy 83
Philip, Prince, Duke of Edinburgh 231
Pinewood 63
Piper, Billie 60, 73
Pod 32, 33, 44, 47, 48, 102
Point Depot 47, 66, 94, 119
Polydor Records 48
Pop Idol 121
Presence PR 125
Pyromania 21
RCA 229, 236
RDS 36, 37
‘Real To Me’ 148
Record Room 27, 73
Record of the Year 77
recordings (albums in italics):
‘About You’ 285
‘Against All Odds’ 84, 85
‘All You Need to Know’ 285
… Allow Us To Be Frank 144–9
‘Amazing’ 154
Back Home 178, 182
‘Beaufiful World’ 236
‘Bop Bop Baby’ 113, 114
‘Closer’ 221
Coast to Coast 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 107, 223
‘Dreams Come True’ 98
‘Easy’ 169
‘In the End’ 285
‘Everything to Me’ 283, 287
Face to Face 153–4, 155, 161, 169
‘Fly Me To The Moon’ 145
‘Flying Without Wings’ 75, 77, 98, 156, 161, 165, 189, 196, 231, 273, 287–8
‘Fragile Heart’ 85
Gravity 221–2, 224, 229
Greatest Hits 117–18, 119, 125, 234, 236, 247
‘Hey Whatever’ 120, 124
‘Hit You with
the Real Thing’ 189
‘Home’ 177–8, 182
‘I Do’ 190
‘I Have a Dream’ 76, 77
‘I Lay My Love on You’ 87
‘I Wanna Grow Old with You’ 108
‘I Will Reach You’ 222, 229
‘If I Let You Go’ 70, 73, 189
‘I’m Already There’ 178–9, 182–3
‘Last Mile of the Way’ 236
‘Let There Be Love’ 145
‘Lighthouse’ 236, 246
‘Little Drummer Boy’ 110
Love Album, The 167–70
‘Mandy’ 124–5, 128–9, 189
‘My Love’ 88, 90, 91
‘Queen of My Heart’ 109
‘Rose, The’ 168
‘Safe’ 222, 223–4, 229
‘Swear It Again’ 65, 67, 68, 69, 71
‘Together Girl Forever’ 26, 27, 37, 40, 123
‘Too Hard To Say Goodbye’ 221
‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ 169–70
Turnaround 124, 125
‘Unbreakable’ 118
Unbreakable 118
‘Uptown Girl’ 96, 100, 101, 189
‘Us Against the World’ 184
Westlife 63, 75, 76, 85
‘What About Now?’ 210–11, 231
‘What Makes a Man’ 86, 92, 189
‘When I Met You’ 285
‘When You Tell Me That You Love Me’ 154, 162
‘When You’re Looking Like That’ 107
‘When You’re Looking Like That’ 87
Where We Are 204, 210–11, 212, 220
‘World of Our Own’ 112, 114, 189, 273
World of Our Own 107, 108, 109
You and Me 286, 287
‘You Raise Me Up’ 154–6, 160–1, 165, 173, 230, 231, 259, 273
see also tours
Red Box 44
Reeves, Jim 3
Relish 120
Richie, Lionel 169
Righteous Brothers 168
Rihanna 83
Rimes, LeAnn 76
Rooney, Coleen 190–1
Rooney, Wayne 190–1
Ross, Diana 154, 162
Royal Dublin Society (RDS) 36, 37
RTÉ 6
Ryan, Gerry 32
St John’s National School, 9, 16
Samuels, Priscilla 94–5, 137, 160, 218
Sayer, Leo 168
Schiffer, Claudia 96
Schulze, Jake 62
Scoil Fatima Infant School 4, 9
SECC 100
Shafin Developments x, 129, 140–3, 144, 150, 160, 163–5, 171–3, 179–82, 183, 186, 191–6, 197–8, 201–3, 207–10, 214–17, 218–19, 225–7, 228, 235, 242–3, 245–6
enters receivership 258
Shanks, John 221, 222, 237
Shearer, Alan 34
Sheffield Arena 101
Sherlock, Sarah 218
Sinatra, Frank 144, 145
Six As One 22–4, 48
change of name of 25
in Grease 22, 23
see also IOYOU; Westlife; Westside
Skrod 13, 21
Sky 101, 136, 238
Slane Castle 110
Sligo Champion 253–4, 286–7
Sligo General Hospital 1
Sligo Gymkhana 6
Smash Hits 52, 60, 64, 65, 75
tours 52, 60, 73, 75, 91
Smith, Will 213
Sonnetti 37
Sony BMG 40, 64, 71, 76, 81, 85, 88, 107, 117, 162, 182
Westlife signed by 59–60
Spears, Britney 70, 77
Spice Girls 46, 88, 89, 132–3
Spinal Tap 65–6
Springsteen, Bruce 82
Star Records 29
Steps 60, 73, 75, 76, 88
Sugarbabes 160
Summerhill College 9, 11, 12, 13, 18
Sun, anti-Westlife campaign by 168–9
Sweeney, John 7
Sweeney, Jonathan 7
Syco 229
Taj Mahal 103
Take That 13, 18, 24, 56, 66, 133, 166, 174, 182, 203–4, 221, 222, 223, 224
Takhar, Sonny 59, 120, 161, 174–5, 210, 223
on Westlife as four-piece 138
Tedder, Ryan 204
Theakston, Jamie 69
Tickled Pink gala 160–1
Timberlake, Justin 115
Titanic 26
Top of the Pops (TOTP) 68, 69
tours:
in Asia 83, 103, 118
Back Home 183–5, 187–90, 191
with Boyzone 50–2, 55–63, 64
East Meets Westlife 81
Face to Face 165–7
Graham manages 43–4, 101
Gravity 224, 230, 236–7
Greatest Hits/Farewell 247–8, 253–4, 258–61, 266–71
Greatest Hits (Unbreakable) 118
Love 173–4
Number Ones 151–2
Smash Hits 52, 60, 73, 75, 91
in South America 80–1
Turnaround 129, 130, 134–5, 137–8, 143
Unbreakable 118, 119
Where Dreams Come True 97, 104, 113
Where We Are 217–18, 219–20
Where We Belong 55
World of Our Own 113
Travolta, John 13, 22
Twain, Shania 69
2FM 50
Tyler, Bonnie 169
Universal Records 116, 279
Usher 147
U2 32, 106, 168, 169, 187
Van Outen, Denise 77
Virgin Records 46
Walsh, Gillian, see Filan, Gillian
Walsh, Louis 30, 31, 34, 35, 36, 42, 54–5, 66, 67, 68, 72, 73, 74, 82, 83, 85, 94, 120, 154, 161, 175, 185
band’s comeback meeting with 203
and band’s private gig invitations 228
and band’s split 236
band’s year off announced by 191
and Brian’s leaving 134
girlfriend policy of 64–5
at Meteors 130
and Rat Pack project 152–3
and SF’s debt problems 252–3, 266
and SF’s solo career 244–5, 249
SF’s solo deal struck by 278–9
SF’s tribute to 271
Shane meets 32–3
and Sun anti-Westlife campaign 169
wedding car loaned by 126
on Westlife as four-piece 138
Westlife managed by 60, 64, 105
Westlife master plan of 63
Westside managed by 49–51, 56
X Factor joined by 169
Walsh, Michael (father-in-law) 295–6
Walsh, Rosaline 245
Ward, Shayne 162
Waterman, Pete 67
Watters, Sam 204
West High 59
West Side 59
Westbury Hotel 41
Westlife:
albums and singles of, see recordings by Westlife
in America 93, 114–16
in Asia 81–2, 83, 84, 103, 116
back again, after break 203
Best New Tour Act award of 60
Beverly Hills trip of 205–7
Blair meets 100
break up of xi
Brian quits 131–7
Carey duets with 83–5, 88
in China 247–8
Christmas singles of 77, 92–3
Comic Relief single of 96, 100, 101
Cowell declares over 120
disbandment of 232–41
Dublin Airport promotes 93
behaviour of 86–8, 91, 100–2, 104, 105, 111, 117
final line-up of 105
fractures and tensions in 220–1, 229–30
girlfriend policy of 64–5, 74, 96, 108
Keating co-manages 65
Las Vegas video trip of 146–7
last show of 271–4
Meteor Award for 129–30
naming of 59, 60
Number 1 records of 67, 68, 73, 77, 78, 88, 100, 118
O’Riordan duets with 110<
br />
personal appearances of 69–70, 82, 83
previous names of, see IOYOU; Six As One; Westside
private performances by 103
Rat Pack project of 143–9, 151–3, 155; see also … Allow Us To Be Frank
RCA move of 229
at Rooney wedding 190–1
singles and albums of, see recordings by Westlife
at Tickled Pink gala 160–1
Walsh subsidises 60
X Factor appearances of 183, 196, 211, 222–3
year off announced for 191
youthful energy of 100–1
see also individual band members; individual music titles
Westlife 63, 75, 76, 85
Westlife for the Last Time 241
Westside:
in America 82–3
becomes Westlife 59, 60
Boyzone supported by 50, 51, 55–9, 60, 61, 63, 64
change of names of 25
Cowell signs 49
‘Flying Without Wings’ recorded by 54–5
Keating co-manages 51, 56, 57
‘new Boyzone’ tag of 57
other bands called 59
see also IOYOU; Six As One; Westlife
Who 37
Wilding, Tom 283
Williams, Robbie 75, 133, 166, 223
Williams, Ross 286
Windmill Lane Studios 106
Wood, Leah 114
X Factor, The 153, 162, 169, 211, 222–3
SF’s appearance on 287–8
Westlife on 183, 196
Yacoub, Rami 62
YouTube 50
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank everybody named and pictured in this book who has helped to get me to where I am today. First of all, of course, my parents Peter and Mae, my brothers and sisters Finbarr, Peter, Yvonne, Liam, Denise and Mairead, Gillian’s family, my extended family, and all of our friends in Sligo and Cobham.
To the people who stood by me when things got rough: Louis Walsh, Alan McEvoy, Liam McKenna, Joanne Byrne, John Giddings, Sarah Sherlock and Steve Levitt.
To my live tour promoters and my band and crew who travel the world with me, and above all, to my fans – without you, there is no me.
To everybody at Virgin Books who helped to put this book together, especially my co-writer, Ian Gittins, for his many trips to Cobham, and my editor Yvonne Jacob, for her patience, understanding and local knowledge of the west of Ireland.
And finally, always and forever, thank you to Gillian, Nicole, Patrick and Shane for helping me to keep smiling through it all. I love you so much – you’re everything to me.
Niamh’s Next Step is a charity that’s very close to my heart. If you would like to find out more, or if you wish to make a donation, please visit www.niamhsnextstep.com.
This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
