Take That – Now and Then: Inside the Biggest Comeback in British Pop History

Take That – Now and Then: Inside the Biggest Comeback in British Pop History
Martin Roach

This book recounts the entire story of the most successful British band since The Beatles. From their humble beginnings to the break-up that shook the pop world, to their explosive and successful come-back tour a decade later, TAKE THAT – NOW AND THEN exposes the intimate details of the band that changed pop history.Containing hot behind-the-scenes information on the band’s sell-out come-back tour, Take That – Now and Then gives a complete history of the band, with revelations on what's happened over the band's time together and apart, and allows you to relive the tour experience all over again.Formed in Manchester in the early '90s, everyone had their Take That favourite, from the cheeky Robbie to gorgeous Mark Owen. Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Jason Orange completed the group, and they went from strength to strength with their unique mix of high-energy dance tunes and soulful ballads.But theirs was not an easy beginning. Gruelling training schedules, tours across the nation in gay clubs that saw their bottoms pinched and empty school halls on a 'Safe Sex tour', all had to be endured before the boys finally 'made it' in the fickle world of pop music. But once they made it, boy did they make it! The only thing more certain than Take Take's next single going straight into the Top Ten was that they would clean up at every award ceremony going, both as a group and as individuals.But behind the glamour and success, tensions were mounting. Robbie Williams was sliding into the depths of depression, and on the eve of their 1995 tour, he left the band. By 1996, Take That were no more.Speaking exclusively to those inside the music industry who knew them best, many of whom have never spoken publicly about their experiences, music journalist Martin Roach recounts exactly what went on behind the scenes during those years, as well as providing first-hand accounts of the fickle world of pop from members of some of the UK's most prolific boy-band members.

TAKE

THAT

NOW AND THEN

THE COMPLETE UNAUTHORISED BIOGRAPHY

INSIDE THE BIGGEST COME-BACK IN POP HISTORY

MARTIN ROACH

Dedicated to Kaye and Alfie Blue

Table of Contents

Cover (#uf2a171f4-25ad-5414-a38f-2f0022ad7f20)

Titlepage (#ub53f5c55-3b6e-5378-8a34-4c71cd925b24)

Dedication (#u9166cb1e-03e0-59ed-af40-228d62200776)

Foreword by Louis Walsh (#u8bfd73d6-d05b-5111-a5cd-9188fcb4be0d)

Introduction (#u1aed6766-f742-52b8-b579-db758dc4ee90)

A Wish Away (#uf04b57a9-f823-5bb0-94a2-f892e3c8f757)

Who Cares Wins (#u73b71630-8b39-5c78-902e-cd38474d28e1)

The Fuses Are Lit (#u53f70e51-88de-5f7d-afdd-fec24dfd651d)

Something Remarkable This Way Comes (#uc8a26092-5f67-5aff-984b-8f5186c3e118)

The Magic Numbers (#litres_trial_promo)

I Can't Believe What I'm Seeing (#litres_trial_promo)

The Golden Years (#litres_trial_promo)

‘I Don’t Even Like Melon!’ (#litres_trial_promo)

Nobody Better (#litres_trial_promo)

Gone For Good? (#litres_trial_promo)

Don’t Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes (#litres_trial_promo)

Open Roads, Endless Possibilities (#litres_trial_promo)

The Phoenix Unfolds (#litres_trial_promo)

Chalk And Cheese (#litres_trial_promo)

People In Glass Houses (#litres_trial_promo)

Play To Win (#litres_trial_promo)

Back With The Boys Again (#litres_trial_promo)

Afterword (#litres_trial_promo)

Back For Good (#litres_trial_promo)

Bibliography (#litres_trial_promo)

Acknowledgements (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

Foreword by Louis Walsh (#ulink_27f3b884-e7cf-502d-80c8-e9760e34ff04)

Take That were the best boy band in the world. They were the reason I started Boyzone—Boyzone were the Irish Take That. I thought Gary and the band were absolutely brilliant. They appealed to everybody, their records were great and they had everything: great ballads, great up-tempo numbers, amazing live shows—I saw them at The Point in Dublin and the sound, the lights, the choreography, the entire show was just amazing.

Then, of course, you had Nigel Martin-Smith, who did a fantastic job managing them. He made Take That special: people weren’t always allowed near them, they weren’t accessible everywhere, hanging out at nightclubs all the time with every Page Three girl, like so many boy bands today. Nigel made them special and that had an awful lot to do with their success.

Robbie has become successful and he is a great performer…a huge success. I admire his work ethic. He’s a fantastic worker who knows how to appeal to both girls and boys. I have been known to criticise him, but he is so ambitious and I would never underestimate Robbie. He knows exactly what he is doing.

Meanwhile, Take That are still selling out stadiums, which is incredible. Their records are still on the radio, their TV documentary was fantastic and they are still so popular. For me, they totally provided the blue-print for that genre.

They will always be England’s best boy band.

Louis Walsh

February 2006

Introduction (#ulink_023acd4a-4574-5c18-94b7-74377c139e4b)

Within twelve months of announcing their ‘reunion’ tour in late 2005, Take That had completed the biggest come-back in pop history. At the time of writing they can sell tickets faster than any other pop artist in the UK; they have topped the singles charts two more times and produced one of the biggest selling albums of the last decade; their own TV special enjoyed one of the highest ratings for an entertainment show in years…it seems there is no limit to what they can now achieve.

How have they done it?

On the surface, there are three key reasons. Firstly, the cultural impact from their original career has proved to have far longer lasting resonance than anyone—probably even the band themselves—realised. Pop is a fickle beast and for a band in that genre to have any lasting validity is unusual. Take That was not a pioneering fashion band, far from it. They were not musical innovators. They were certainly not the critics’ band of choice. Yet what the colossal success of their come-back tour tells us is that they clearly made an indelible mark on British music and cultural history. The broadsheets might not like to think so, but it is a fact. Among the thousands of bands that spilled out of the Nineties, the importance of the majority would fade with time. Take That’s legacy, however, was clearly a sleeping giant.