-TOP OF THE POPS MAG Issue 39,May'98
LOTTERY WITH ABS FIVE
YOUR GUIDE TO OUR BALLS
RED: LOVE AND PASSION
BLUE: CAREER
GREEN: LIFESTYLE
YELLOW: CHILDHOOD
WHITE: YIKES
Yellow: Did you ever get into fights at school?
(looking sad)Hmmm,I did.When I was in primary school
there was this girl who was really mean to me.We had a
playground with a little pond in it full of goldfish and
stuff.Anyway,she said something horrible to me,I can't
remember what,so I grabbed her by the ponytail and swung
her round and round.When I let go she skidded on the
floor and went into the pond!How dreadful is that?
Red: Does it annoy you that some girls may fancy you
just cos you're famous?
It doesn't really bother me to be honest cos I've got a
girlfriend (Gina from Hollyoaks)so I don't worry if
girls fancy me or not!I met my girlfriend before I was
famous.If you meet someone before you're famous then
everything's OK but if it's afterwards,well,you don't
know what they're after,do you?Actually,if I was single
I wouldn't even be looking for a girlfriend right now.
I'm really very lucky to have my girlfriend.
Yellow: What's your earliest memory?
A lot of my early memories are of being with the cousins
I grew up with.I remember dressing up in little white
costumes and doing karate fighting with them - you know,
the usual stuff.(pause)I'm lucky,I haven't had a white
ball yet....doh!
White: When was the last time you got up to outdoor
ruderies?
Whaaaa?Doing outside what?Oh, right!Well,it was about a
month ago and we were in a sort of wood,well it was like
a park actually.There must have been lots of noise
coming from the trees cos we kept snapping branches.Then
we just walked out as if nothing had happened and I said,
'Oh,I found my contact lens!'
Blue: Do you ever worry what will happen when Five split
up?
No!I can honestly say I don't worry about it because I
take each day as it comes.When Five split up,which they
will eventually,I'll just do my own thing.I'll have a
lot more time on my hands to develop something else.I
often daydream about starting my own record label or
going into films,but I'm not looking too far into the
future at the moment.
Red: How did you learn about sex?
Erm,I dunno.I think it was from watching saucy videos at
my cousin's house - they weren't too rude,but there were
girls with no tops on.I didn't really learn anything
from lessons at school,I just heard the usual
whisperings in the playground really.
Yellow: Were you good at games at school and did you
ever have to do PE in your underpants?
I always forgot my PE kit at school but I never had to
do it in my underpants,I was just given detention
instead.It was a really big deal in those days if I got
a detention.I'd be like,'Awwww, man, I've got to stay
half an hour after school!'I was really good at games,
though,not anything in particular bit I was just,erm,
good.Oh, I remember I was particularly good at rounders.
Blue: Did you always know you'd be in a band?
I was at stage school and I remember just wanting to do
anything performance-wise,be it dancing,singing,or
acting.It was a case of whatever came along first - and
Five did!I live to perform!I've had people tell me I
could go into acting if I want,so if all else fails I
could be the next Leo Dicaprio!
Blue: When were you last chased by fans?
I still travel on public transport a lot and last
Saturday I was out in Bethnal Green in East London,
wandering around the market.I went into a pie and mash
shop - I love me pie and mash,I do - and my cousin said
there were a few girls in the shop talking about me.
Anyway,they came over and suddenly I was surrounded!I
left the shop and they were chasing me down the street.
I'm now beginning to realise that going out is not going
to be as easy as it used to be.
Red: Who in the group would you go to for advice if you
had girlfriend problems?
Not one of them!No,I don't need any of their advice
thank you.Anyway,(looking miffed)I haven't got
girlfriend problems!
White: How talented are you on a scale of one to ten?
How talented?Ooooh,mmmm,I can't do that.I don't like
that question.Can I choose another one please?
Green: What's the worst thing about being famous?
Not having any privacy.You could be walking along
picking your nose but have to worry that someone might
be taking a picture of you.It's just hard to be yourself
sometimes.People expect pop stars to be riding around in
limousines all the time - you can't be normal.
Blue: What did your careers officer say you should be
when you grew up?
I had to go and organise my work experience with my
careers officer.I told him I wanted to do all sorts of
stuff but in the end I went to my uncle's Turkish cake
shop.I was quite good at making cakes,actually,but I
don't think I would have made a career out of it.The
only reason I wanted to go to my uncle's shop is so I
could mess around all day.
Green: Do you use posh men's grooming and skincare
products?
What are they?(After having facial wash,etc,explained to
him)Oh right,got ya.Naaaa!I don't use anything like that,
man.Well,I mean,obviously I use soap and water -
sometimes I even have a dry shave.Aftershave and all
that sort of stuff is just a waste of money in my
opinion.
Green: Who is the vainest member of Five?
Ooooh,mmm.I'd have to go for Scott.Yep,Scott is without
doubt the vainest person in Five - he's always concerned
about his hair.Rich is the second vainest,then J.Sean
and me are last cos we really couldn't care less what we
look like most of the time!
Yellow: Can you remember the most trouble you ever got
into at school?
Actually,I do remember this.You see,I was at stage
school and for some reason I really didn't want to go in
that day.So I told mum that I was ill and that I was
gonna go straight round to the doctor.Then i told the
school I was ill and I ended up going round my mate's
house and we both bunked off.Of course,everyone found
out and my mum went absolutely berserk at me!
Blue: Which other artists do you most admire?
Hmmm,I don't know really.There are loads o artists I
respect,but I must say I admire the Spice Girls a lot
because they cope so brilliantly with their hectic
schedule.I mean,I've always thought our schedule is mad
but the Spicies are doing a huge world tour and
everything and,it's amazing,but they still manage to
look really good.Seriously,it's really hard work in this
business you know!
