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OH, BROTHER!
WE GET THE LOWDOWN FROM THE OLDEST NEXT OF KIN-ER, NATHAN...
SO HOW DID IT ALL START, NATHAN?
We've been playing music for ages now, ever since we were very young!
All three of us have been interested since we were born. Mark was
really into playing the guiter from a young age, and he was discovered
first - he'd already won Young Guitarist Of The Year. Then the guy who
discovered Mark wanted two other kids to join the group and asked Mark
if he knew anyone. He told him both his brothers could play instruments,
and this guy was like, "Great - let's have all three of them then!"
HOW DID YOU GET YOUR RECORD DEAL?
It was when we were performing in our Jo Satriani and Steve Vye tribute
band. One day we were mucking about intsruments in this music shop,
when a bloke came over and started talking to us. He was from a record
company and that's how it happened!
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BEING COMPARED TO BANDS LIKE HANSON AND THE
MOFFATS?
We think it's great - they've really opened the door for us. We don't find
Hanson a threat to us, just as they shouldn't find us a threat to them
- there's room for everyone in the music industry! As for The Moffats,
they're really good friends of ours - when they come over we all go out
to the cinema.
APART FORM THE DRUMS, WHAT OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS DO YOU PLAY?
I can't really play anything else myself - I've kind of self taught
myself to play the guitar, but I can only play with my right hand.
But Kieran can play the piano - he learnt when he was really young.
WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK ABOUT YOUR SHOWBIZ CAREER?
They push us very hard! Both my parents pulled me out of college to
do this - I just wasn't learning anything there! I thought I might as
well give this my best shot because I had nothing to lose, and all of
us have got real talent.
DO THEY GO AND SEE ALL YOUR SHOWS?
Yeah, our parents travel everywhere with us - they're here with us at
the moment. Our mum always watches our performances - she's really
proud of us. She'll be watching most of the shows when we support
Boyzone on their UK tour.
ARE THEY ANY OTHER BROTHERS AND SISTERS WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?
Well, we've got a stepsister - she's excellent! She thinks our pop
careers brilliant! She's evn had hundreds of fans camping outside
her house looking for us - she thought it was a bit mad!
SO HAVE MARK AND KIERAN GIVEN UP SCHOOL?
Not so much given up - they're still studying. It's just their tutor
comes to them on the weekend - they don't like it really, but they
have to do it!
SO NATHAN, HAVE YOU GOT A GIRLFRIEND?
No! I've no time whatsoever for girlfriends - we're far too busy! In
fact, I didn't really have a girlfriend even before I was in the band.
I might in a couple of years, but I'm not really that bothered just yet!
IS FAME EVERTHING YOU EXPECTED IT TO BE SO FAR?
Yeah, pretty much - it's quite fun, really!
OVERALL THEN, WHAT'S IT LIKE BEING FAMOUS?
Well, it is a bit weird - we don't really realise it too much, apart from
the fact that we had to move from our house in Braintree in Essex, because
there were too many fans causing trouble at our house - the neighbours
didn't like it. Fortunately we don't get too much bother where we
live now.
NEXT OF KIN
WHO ARE THEY?
Three british brothers all the way from Braintree, Essex. Nathan(18),
Mark(15) and Kieran(13) formed Next of Kin two years ago, after Mark
won the Young Guitarist Of the Year competition - after that, there
no holding back the ambitious trio. They were soon snapped up by 19
productions, the company who lauched the Spice Girls, and haven't
looked back since.
WHAT DO THEY SOUND LIKE?
Guitar based pop, very catchy - and not unlike hanson we might add.
CHANCE OF MAKING IT IN '99?
"We can't wait to play live, and the idea of playing in front of
screaming fans is great," beams Mark.
