BACK
TOP OF THE POPS
IT'S BEEN MAD
TOURING WITH BOYZONE HAS BEEN A WILD EXPERIENCE FOR NEXT OF KIN'S BIG BRUV NATHAN.
WHAT'S BEEN THE CRAZIEST AFTER-SHOW PARTY?
Last night when we stayed up 'til six in the morning. We dared one of Boyzone's
dancers to get up and dance on the table in the hotel bar and he fell off. It
was mad.
HAVE YOU TALKED CARS WITH SHANE?
No, but he's chatted about BMX bikes and he rides his around backstage.
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU SEEN STEVEN GATELY ON THE PHONE?
Ha! Only twice so far but when Boyzone were rehearsing, they were all talking
into their mobiles instead of singing into their mikes!
ANY CRAZY ON-STAGE MOMENTS?
Halfway through one of our sets I got really bad ache. It must have been the
wind. I just had to carry on. Mark's torn one of his fingers on the strings of
his guitar cos he strums it too hard. There was blood everywhere.
HOW HAVE THE FANS BEEN?
Mad! They're so loud! Last night I got dared to go outside the hotel and kiss a
fan. I should get dared to do that more often.
EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT...NEXT OF KIN
LINE UP:They are bass guitarist, Kieran, 13, drummer Nathan, 18 and lead guitarist Mark, 15.
BACKGROUND:Kieran: We've been playing together for about a year now, but individually we've
been playing our instruments for about two and a half years or so.
Nathan:We were never that musical really until we picked up our instruments. It sort of came
naturally to us and we carried on from there.
Mark:I'd never really thought about music until one day I was watching a band on telly. I thought
it looked cool so I just asked my dad for a guitar for Christmas and it sort of developed
from there.
MUSIC:Nathan:It's really melodic and up-beat.
Mark:It's rock with a poppy edge.
WHAT'LL GET THEM NOTICED:Mark winning Young Guitarist Of The Year when he was just 12 plus the
support of Simon Fuller, who propelled the Spice Girls to the dizzy heights of fame. And being
hailed as the British brunette Hanson certainly won't do them any harm!
CHANCES OF MAKING THE TOP 10:Kieran:If we did get a Top 10 hit I think we'd just go ballistic.
Absolutely mental!
Nathan:Yeah, and throw a huge party.
ARE YOU READY FOR SUPERSTARDOM?
Mark:Yeah, I think we are.
Kieran:It'll be nice to be able to prove some people wrong. Like at school, the teachers would
never take us seriously.
Mark:When I was at school and the teacher would ask me what I would wanted to do, I'd say I
wanted to be a popstar and they'd look at me and say, 'Mark, do you know how many people want
to be popstars?'
Kieran:They'd tell us we should get proper jobs!
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELVES?Nathan:Kieran's witty, sharp and a real nutter.
Mark:He's also an animal lover and completely hyper and full of energy all the time.
Nathan:Mark's quiet when you first meet him but once you get to know him he really opens up.
He's quite caring but he's also a complete perfectionist.
Mark:Nathan's the funny one who's always making people laugh.
Kieran:He's also into keeping fit, and if he's not tapping away on his drums you can bet he's
working out at the gym.
HOW DO YOU FANCY THE IDEA OF BEING PIN UPS THEN?Nathan:That's a really weird thought. I mean I
wouldn't complain, but it just feels really strange.
Mark:I can't wait. Come and get it, girls!
Nathan:When there are girls camped outside our house, thats when I'll feel we've made it.
Kieran:When we can't walk down the street without being mobbed! Yeah! That and a number one
record would probably convince me!
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