Baby You're a Star (16 page)

Above: Louis with his six brothers: Paul, Frank, Eamonn, Padraig, Joseph and Noel.

Above: The Walsh family home on Chapel Street as it looks now.

Above: Louis at the wedding of Bryan McFadden, a member of Westlife.

© Photocall Ireland/Cathy Loughran

Above: Bellefire. From left: Cathy Newell, Kelly Kilfeather, Ciara Newell and Tara Lee.

© Sean Dwyer

Above: Westlife. At a time when the world seemed to have enough of boybands, Louis created Westlife. The band released a string of singles that reached No. 1. From left: Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne and Bryan McFadden.

© Photocall Ireland/Graham Hughes

Above: Samanth Mumba. Louis said Mumba instantly impressed him, that she reminded him of a young Janet Jackson or Toni Braxton.

© Sean Dwyer

Above: Omero Mumba at the Irish launch of Time Machine.

© Sean Dwyer

Above: Six on stage. From right: Sarah Keating, Kyle Anderson, Andy Orr, Emma O’Driscoll and Sinead Sheppard.

Above: Louis. “Unquestionably, Louis’ greatest strength is that he can hear a song and know if that song can be a hit,” John Reynolds said.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Top of the list are my publishers, Maverick House. Thanks so much for inviting me to write this book and for your support and advice throughout its production. Your faith and patience is much appreciated!

Thanks too to Louis Walsh who gave generously of his time and contacts, although he was under no obligation to do so. I’m also grateful to his family particularly Maureen, Frank and Evelyn Walsh, who agreed to be interviewed and supplied photos from their own collections.

Thanks must also go to all the other people who agreed to give interviews not forgetting everyone who helped to organise those interviews, gathered other information and offered photos, particularly Anto Byrne, Christina Thornbury, Jane Curtis, Lisa Brindley, Rosie Hunter, Joice Toh, Karola Zakrzewska, Alex, Caroline and Laura at Polydor, Nikki Shand at BMG, Michelle and Troy at Hot Press, Leanne at Aiken Promotions, Claire at the POD, James Sellar, Peter Robinson, Carol Hanna, Des Kiely, Anne Kearney and Declan Ryan in the Irish Examiner, Betty Solan of Kiltimagh Historical Society, the staff of IRD Kiltimagh and the staff of the National Library of Ireland.

Special thanks to all interviewees, especially Niall Stokes of Hot Press, Shay Healy, Tommy Hayden, Linda Martin, Barbara Mumba, John Coughlan, Mark Frith and Michael Ross.

Thanks also to Photocall Ireland and the Irish Examiner for supplying photographs.

I would also like to express my gratitude to the people who gave me a chance at different times in the past, and from whom I have learned the most along the way. Thanks to Eddie Holt, Peadar Kirby, Niall O’Dowd, Mark Keenan, Rob Norton, Neil McIntosh and everyone in Editorial and Production at Scope, including Charlie (for providing vital equipment!) and Dave (for not forgetting a poor freelancer!).

To Darina, thanks for making a kid welcome in the big city and teaching her a hell of a lot in the process. It meant more than you’ll ever know and I promise I’ll see those kids before they graduate!

Karen and Siobhan, we went through a lot of hassle in that bloody dump but I’d do it all again to make such great pals. The white waan and the stein of beer are on me, ladies.

Huge thanks too to all the girls from Cork – Cassandra, Eimear, Ciara, Maeve, Helena and Catherine (honourary Corkonian) – for putting up with my errant ways and far too occasional appearances. Special mention for Kate – we might not see each other as often as we should but the old friends are the best ones.

I can’t forget the lads from Cork either (and yes, that includes you, Dom). Thanks for looking after himself when he was looking after me. I would mention you all by name but if I left anyone out, I would never be allowed to forget it, and if I listed all of you, there would be no room left for the rest of the book.

I must also thank those excellent friends who double up as professional advisers. Hanners, I’ll visit you soon, I promise. Same goes for you, Ciara, if you ever up sticks to Rangendingendingdong. Joe Cam, please keep me in your portfolio – you’ll always be in mine. Col, take a bow, you’re my favourite charming man. Bourkie, thanks for all your help. By the way Ken, Lorcan, Tracy, Eiméar and Nora, look after these people. I need them!

Thanks too to the people who had the most to put up with. Rory, you’re the barbecue king. Canice, the word count is . . . finished! Fiona, you’re a rock. You kept me calm, fed and moisturised and a girl can’t ask for more. Thanks to Glenn, Bronagh and Kevin as well and not forgetting Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson of Foxrock.

I’ve kept the best ‘til last. Fred, you’re the best brother in the wurrled! Some day I’ll make it all up to you. Mum and Dad, thanks for supporting me and believing in me all the way. I would never have made it this far without you both.

And Giz, you know this book wouldn’t exist without you. As always, thank you for making me laugh and keeping me sane. When my ship comes in, you’ll be the first to board.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Billy, (2001)

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NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES

Adams, Jo
‘Play it again, Sam’,

The Observer

2 September 2001

anon
, ‘Louis the Lip is new TV ogre’,

The Star

4 September 2002

anon
, ‘Virgin in blazing row over TV show on girl band Bellefire’,

Irish Independent

6 November 2001

anon
, ‘Star gazing’,

Hot Press

14 January 2002,

anon
‘Eurosong girl ill on eve of contest’,

Irish Independent

19 April 1980

anon
, ‘Dreaming of a trite Christmas’,

Independent

21 December 2001

anon
‘Result means red faces at Castlebar,’

Irish Press

21 April 1980

anon
‘Two sales-a-second for Johnny Logan’,

Irish Independent

25 April 1980

anon
‘What’s another manager’,

Hot Press

Vol 3 No 24, May 23 - June 6 1980

anon
‘Westlife admit defeat’,

Hot Press

19 July 2001

Armstrong, Stephen
‘When will I be famous?’,

Sunday Times

14 July 2002

Battersby, Eileen
‘Peter Pan of pop’,

Irish Times

1 July 1999

Boland, Rosita
‘Looking for six of the best’,

Irish Times

19 January 2002

Boland, John
‘Who needs facts anyway,’

Irish Independent

9 February 2002

Bright, Spencer
‘If tomorrow never comes’,

Ireland on Sunday

28 July 2002

Brophy, Eanna
‘What’s another win!’,

Sunday Press

20 April 1980

Carey, Brian
‘Brogan makes right London connection’,

Sunday Tribune

21 October 2001

Chu, Jeff
‘Go West, Young Men’,

Time

7 May 2001

Clayton-Lea, Tony
‘Mumba One’,

Irish Times

27 May 2000

Clayton-Lea, Tony
‘A star is born’,

Irish Times

24 February 2001

Clifford, Michael
‘Grist to the mill of pop’s Sun King’,

Sunday Tribune

20 January 2002

Coffey, Edel
‘The girl in the machine’,

Sunday Tribune

26 May 2002

Cooke, Rachel
‘No fear, plenty of loathing’,

The Observer

16 December 2001

Courtney, Kevin
‘Critics loathe it, millions love it,’

Irish Times

12 May 2001

Crimmins, Carmel
‘When Irish eyes are smiling, singing and dancing’,

Reuters

2 May 2002

Curran, Ken and Purcell, Bernard
‘A star is born (again)’,

Irish Independent

11 May 1987

East, Louise
‘A star who’,

Irish Times

14 March 1998

Ebert, Roger
‘The Time Machine’,

Chicago Sun-Times

8 March 2002

Fay, Liam
‘Boy of the Rovers’,

Sunday Times

21 July 2002

Fay, Liam
‘Six, lies and videotape’,

Sunday Times (Irish edition)

27 January, 2002

Gibson, Owen
‘Children of the revolution’,

The Guardian

22 October 2001

Gibbons, PJ
‘Pop goes another band’,

Irish Examiner

18 January 2002

Graham, Bill
‘Logan’s Law’,

Hot Press

vol 4 no 1 June 6 - June 20 1980

Hanafin, Will
‘The bushwhacking of Ronan’,

Independent

23 July 2002

Hattenstone, Simon
‘Go on, take a pop’,

The Guardian

21 January 2002

Haughey, Nuala
‘Westlife take Christmas number one’,

Irish Times

20 December 1999

Heaney, Mick
‘Wish Upon A Star’,

Sunday Times

30 December 2001

Humphreys, Joe
‘Westlife break record with 5th number 1’,

Irish Times

3 April 2000

Jackson, Joe
‘Telling it like it is’,

Hot Press

12 October 2000

Jackson, Joe
‘The boyz in the bubble’,

Hot Press

14 December 1994

Jackson, Joe
‘Louis Louis’,

Hot Press

16 April 1997

Jelbert, Steve
‘Svengali? Me? I’m more like a butler’,

The Independent

20 March 2001

Layne, Anni
‘The Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync have company’,

Rolling Stone

13 November 13 1998

MacMillan, Fraser
‘Now he tastes the fruits of fame - autographs in the street, a Bentley on the doorstep’,

Sunday Independent

27 April 1980

Meagher, John
‘I’d love to come home to this country like U2 do . . . and people shake your hand and say ‘fair play to you’’,

Irish Independent

6 October, 2001

Michael, Neil
‘So you want to be a pop star? Meet the man who turns dreams into reality’,

Daily Express

23 January 2000

Mitchell, Elvis
‘In Futuristic New York Are Pods Rent-Controlled?’,

The New York Times

8 March 2002

Moloney, Eugene
‘Prince of pop just wants to be left alone,’

Irish Independent

2 February 2002

Morrissey, James
‘Johnny in Hague triumph’,

Sunday Independent

20 April 1980

Mulcahy, Orna
‘Johnny come lately’,

Sunday Independent

10 May 1987

Mulligan, Gerry
‘What’s another tear on the way to the bank”,

Irish Independent

21 April 1980

Murphy, Peter
‘Man and Boy’,

Hot Press

22 April 2000

O’Hare, Colm
‘We’re just five culchies coming into Dublin’s pop scene’,

Hot Press

24 June 1998

Ojomu, Akin
‘Stars in his eyes’,

The Observer

21 January 2001

O’Toole, Bernie
‘Star search offers glittering prize as RTE adds twist to Eurovision’,

5 August 2002

O’Toole, Fintan
‘The Garda and the new gentry’,

Irish Times

8 January 2002

Palta, Lisa and Wick, Ali
‘Sir Elton’s Garden Party,’

OK

10 July 2002

Petridis, Alexis
‘The power behind pop’,

The Guardian

23 November 2001

Porcelli, Kim
‘This Is Pop’,

Hot Press

22 June 2000

Power, Ed
‘the boys are back in town’,

Irish Independent

19 June 2002

Purcell, Bernard and Rea, Stephen
‘Johnny’s another year, another win’,

Sunday Independent

10 May 1987

Quinn, Helen
‘Loganmania as a star is reborn’,

Irish Press

11 May 1987

Rowley, Eddie
‘The Rise Of Kiltimagh Kid Who Became King Of Showbiz’,

Sunday World

30 April 2000

Rowley, Eddie
‘How His Big Boy Band Gamble Paid Off’,

Sunday World

7 May 2000

Sullivan, Caroline
‘A boy’s own story’,

The Guardian

4 December 1999

Sullivan, Caroline
‘Battle of the blands’,

The Guardian

13 November 2000

Swift, Jacqui
‘She has no talent, can’t sing or dance and like the kids who audition, just wants fame’,

The Sun

6 August 2002

Walshe, John
‘Angels With Dirty Faces’,

Hot Press

12 April 2001

Walsh, Louis
‘The perfect boy band’,

The Observer

29 April 2001

Waters, John
‘The Westlife era has no right to sneer at Big Tom’,

Irish Times

March 7 2000

Wren, Maev Ann
‘Johnny comes marching home’,

Irish Times

22 April 1980