Byran Mcfaddens Departure

  Byran McFadden was born on 12 April 1980 in Dublin,.    Throughout his younger years, he always had an interest in  singing, dancing and football. Along with his sister Susan, Byran attended the Billie Barry Stage School in Dublin which led him to doing stage and TV roles, including a role in the Irish TV show Finbar's Class, a comedy revolving around a group of student-swingers. In early 1998, he formed a pop-R&Bgroup with his friends, Tim and Darragh called Cartel, and performed live gigs in Dublin pubs.Then in 1998 he joined Westlife.

 Westlife released their eleventh UK number 1 single, "Unbreakable", in 2002.During the rumours of a split of Westlife, they released their first greatest hits album in November that same year Unbreakable - The Greatest Hits Vol. 1 which went all the way to number 1 in the UK. The release was followed by the double a side single, "Tonight/Miss You Nights", which debuted at number 3 in the UK. At this time, Because Films Inspire... made a TV Documentary titled as "Wild Westlife" directed by Iain MacDonald and starred by the group itself. It reveals Westlifes musical life on a daily basis and when on tour.

 In 2003, Westlife went on to their third world tour, The Greatest Hits Tour shrugging off rumours of a split.
In September 2003, Westlife released "Hey Whatever", which peaked at number 4 on the UK Charts. Their fourth studio album, Turnaround, was then released in November, earning the group another UK number 1 album. "Mandy", a cover of the Barry Manilow hit, was released in November 2003. Their version won them their third Record of the Year award in under five years. Their version of Mandy is also considered as the highest single leaper to the top (it went from number 200 to number 1) in the UK music history.This left Westlife in pure amazement. "Obvious" was released as the final single from the album, charting at number 3.Byran had been saying for while now that he wanted to quit Westlife to be with his family, but Westlife never took him seriously as he was oftain drunk or just after a fight with one of the guys when he would say this.

 On 9 March 2004, just three weeks prior to embarking on their fourth world tour, Bryan suddendly left the group to spend more time with his family and work on solo projects.This devastated the other members leaving them unsure of what was left of Westlife. On that day, a press conference was held where all the group's members were present and gave emotional individual speeches. Bryan's final public performance as part of Westlife was at Newcastle Upon Tyne's Powerhouse nightclub on 27 February 2004.Hundreds of fans gatered outside this event also devasted about Byrans decision to leave.

Byran subsequently began a solo career, deciding to revert the spelling of his first name back to its original 'Brian', he released his first solo single, "Real To Me" which entered the UK chart at number 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHRDjLACuVA&ob=av2e.

Soon after, he released his first solo album, "Irish Son" under Sony Music. McFadden co-wrote most of the songs on the album with Guy Chambers, best known for his successful collaboration with Robbie Williams and INXS.

 The third single "Almost Here", a duet with Australian singer Delta Goodrem became McFadden's second Number 1 single in Ireland as a solo artist and his first in Australia,gaining a platinum accreditation there.The fourth and final single, "Demons" peaked within the top 30 on the charts in Ireland and the UK. McFadden continued writing songs for artists such as, Il Divo and Girls Aloud, as well as co-writing the theme song "Together We Are One" for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. That same year, McFadden collaborated with American singer on the song, "Everybody's Somebody"

Westlifes Start to Star dumb

Westlife recored their first single in Cheiron studio (where all the big American pop bands had recorded) in Sweden. After just 13 months Westlife released their first single "Swear It Again" in April 1999. They shot the video costing Simon Cowell £150,000 but he hated it, he made them reshoot the video again with 5 or 6 different photo shoots. This was a no expenses spared video by Simon and the label. The single immediatly topped the charts in Ireland and the UK for two weeks running. They were on Top of the Pops and made front cover of magazines such as Smash Hits.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMPF3BGUxCU
The single was a massive hit all over the world.

Shortly after they released their single "Flying Without Wings" which also went straight to the top of the charts selling 350,000 copies. This really was a real turining point in their career, it took them from being seen as a pop boy band to a vocal group. in December 1999 they did their first cover its was a double A-side "I Have a Dream/Seasons in the Sun" in December 1999.It went to straight to number 1 aswell. It was number 1 for weeks making it the last number 1 of the decade and the first number 1 of the millennium.They then won the Record of the Year with "Flying without Wings" up against Ronan Keating and Shina Twain this was huge for them.

In early 2000 they were nominated for an MTV Award for Best UK and Ireland Act and they won.Their success was just on going.
There second record Coast to Coast was even better than Flying Without Wings they sold 250,000 copies.

Westlife did their first tour after 2years together called "Where Dreams come True". They toured Europe and Asia completing 70 shows from Febuary to June 2001. They had sold out shows and were mobbed by fans and paparatzi were ever they went, but they loved every minute of it.

Westlife released World of Our Own, their third album, in November 2001. 

"Uptown Girl", "Queen of my Heart" and "World of My Own" were released as singles, which all peaked at number 1s in the UK. "Bop Bop Baby" was also released as a single but it only got to number5 in the UK Singles Chart. In 2002, Westlife went on their second world tour, the World Of Our Own Tour

The World Of Our Own Tour saw Westlife touring the UK and Europe in 2002 it went from April 1st to June 30th completing 46 shows. The tour centered around a space theme with giant globes for the band's entrance. Each band member earned £2 million, £14,000 each for their shows, £800,000 each from merchandising as well as an extra £300,000 each for lucrative deals with Adidas.

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How Westlife Became Westlife

Before Westlife became a band each member had had some expierence in the "singing world" but this is how they ended up together.


Shane did his first proper stage show when he was 12 years of age, the show was Grease at the Hawkswell Theatre in Sligo. The 3 Sligo lads started to know each other by performing this which Shane acted the role Danny, Kian as Kenickie and Mark as Vince Fortaine, all 3 lads were studying at Summerhill Colleg e at that time. Boyzone's success really made Shane wants to be in a pop group. His very first idea was with his friend Michael Garret and they thought of starting a four-piece and calling it SC4, after their school, Summerhill College. Then Shane asked Kian if he was interested and he just laughed at that time since Kian was really into heavy rock band then.

Later Shane, Kian and Mark joined 3 other members - Michael Garrett, Derek Lacey and Graham Keighron - from the same school and started off a group called IOYOU and realease their debut single "Together Girl Forever" which was co-written by Shane and Mark.

Shane's mom Mae got in touch with the manager of Boyzone Louis Walsh, he came to hear their group in some Backstreet Boys songs. But Louis just thought of signing Shane, Kian and Mark to form a pop group he taught a group of six was too many, Shane had to tell Derek he was no longing in the band , this was a really tough time for Shane as a result of this he fell out with Derek and they have never been the same since.Louis asked Simon Cowell to come to hear the band, he liked them but he was not foud of Shane. Louis felt that Graham wasnt suited for the group, he tod him this and instead asked him to be their tour manager.
Louis held auditions for a fifth member in Dublin and this is how Brian and Nicky joined the group.They were very fond of both singers so as a result they had a vote and Michael was voted out, the best five which as you know was Shane Nicky Kian Mark and Brian were now the members of IOYOU.

Simon came to hear them again and after 30seconds of their first song Simon decided to sign them and also gave them a five-album record deal with Sony BMG. Simon made the group change their name to Westside this suited them though as they lived in the west "side" of Ireland.

With Ronan Keating as their co-manager, they started to perform in public as the opening act of the By-Request Tour of Boyzone and they won the Best New Tour Act Award in the Smash Hits Roadshow Tour.
Soon they changed their name into Westlife, since they found that an American Group has already chosen the name -Westside. This was just the beginnig of Westlife. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHc7j6NokjQ