Post by Helen on May 25, 2006 19:50:29 GMT
Closer 13th - 19th May 2006
Ronan Keating talks about the feud with his ex-manager and why he hates his squeaky clean image.
It' been three years since Ronan Keating fell out with his manager Louis Walsh - but neither of them seem willing to forget.
Louis, 51, seems particularly keen on keeping the feud alight,
purposely going out of his way to make digs at Ronan.
Even during the last series of the X Factor, Louis - who managed
Ronan's former band, Boyzone, and his solo career - wouldn't let it go, saying of Ronan: "He wasn't the most talented one - he's not a great singer and has no personality.""I'm having a go at him whenever I can on the show. Why? Just to annoy him."
But after years of holding back, Ronan is now keen to speak out
about their argument.
In fact, the mere mention of his former manager's name sends the mild-mannered star into an expletive-laden rant.
Ronan says: "That man absolutely tried to ruin me and if he thinks we can ever hug and make up - forget it." "I haven't heard from the guy in three years, and I wouldn't have a problem if I never saw him again. He's not a nice character."
The pair fell out in April 2003 when the singer refused to sign a
new contract unless Louis reduced his cut of Ronan's earnings.
Following the row, Ronan sacked his manager and a bitter war of
words has raged between them ever since. And given the ferocity of Ronan's comments, this is one row that's set to go on and on.
Ronan, 29 - who left Boyzone in 1999 to pursue a solo career - is
now on good terms with his former bandmates, but despite the sucess of Take That's current sell-out tour, he's adamant he won't be taking part in a Boyzone reunion.
"Why are people so f**king interested?" ask Ronan. "What Take That have done is great, but East 17 got back together and couldn't even sell out Shepherds Bush, which is tiny."
Instead,Ronan has been concentrating on enjoying family life before releasing his fourth solo album.
The singer was forced to take stock of his life in 2004 when he
collapsed in Vienna during the European leg of his tour.
He recalls: "I was in terrible pain and fainted by the roadside."
"My schedule was absolutely nuts. That was when I told myself I had to slow down."So Ronan - who has been working since the age of 16 - decided to give himself a break.
He used the time to travel the world in his role as a UN Ambassador, record a new album and have another baby with his wife Yvonne, 31 a model. The couple who have been married for eight years, live in Dublin with their children, Jack, seven, Marie, five and Ali, eight months.
At a time when the likes of Pete Doherty are redefining rock'n'roll,
family man Ronan is unapologetically "just a normal fella."He says: "People would be shocked at how domesticated I am. I change nappies, clean the house - whatever needs doing. I love cooking, especially Jamie Oliver's sweet and sour chicken."
Yet despite being more domestic goddess than Prince of Darkness, Ronan insists he does have a dark side.
"All the Mr Nice stuff is a bit f**king annoying," he says, "I have
plenty of bad habits! I drink too much, I smoke when I'm drunk, then wake up the next morning feeling like something's died in my mouth."
One of the biggest influences in Ronan's life was the death of his
beloved mum, Marie, from breast cancer in 1998. He believes she died from a lack of knowledge - after finding a lump, it took her two years to get it diagnosed - which is why he set up the Marie Keating Foundation in her memory.
"My Ma died because she didn't know anything about cancer," he
says. "I needed to show she didn't die in vain. It's still so hard -
I talk to her every night."
Ronan recently launched a new project with Cancer Research UK, which will see mobile cancer awareness units touring the UK."Early detection of cancer is your best chance of survival, which is why I thank God Kylie Minogue is now back on her feet," he says.
As well as his charity work, Ronan is busy promoting his new album, Bring You Home. There's another world tour on the cards for 2007, and he's also hoping to find time to establish his acting career. So far his only role has been as the voice of an animated egg called Splat in new kids' cartoon series, Shelltown, alongside Kerry Katona. But the self-confessed movie addict has his eyes set on the silver screen.
"Right now my acting career is a big f**king zero," shrugs
Ronan. "But I'd love to act with my idol Tom Cruise one day."
So what are the odds of Ronan adding "Oscar winner" to his long list of achievements?
"F**king slim," he laughs.
Ronan Keating talks about the feud with his ex-manager and why he hates his squeaky clean image.
It' been three years since Ronan Keating fell out with his manager Louis Walsh - but neither of them seem willing to forget.
Louis, 51, seems particularly keen on keeping the feud alight,
purposely going out of his way to make digs at Ronan.
Even during the last series of the X Factor, Louis - who managed
Ronan's former band, Boyzone, and his solo career - wouldn't let it go, saying of Ronan: "He wasn't the most talented one - he's not a great singer and has no personality.""I'm having a go at him whenever I can on the show. Why? Just to annoy him."
But after years of holding back, Ronan is now keen to speak out
about their argument.
In fact, the mere mention of his former manager's name sends the mild-mannered star into an expletive-laden rant.
Ronan says: "That man absolutely tried to ruin me and if he thinks we can ever hug and make up - forget it." "I haven't heard from the guy in three years, and I wouldn't have a problem if I never saw him again. He's not a nice character."
The pair fell out in April 2003 when the singer refused to sign a
new contract unless Louis reduced his cut of Ronan's earnings.
Following the row, Ronan sacked his manager and a bitter war of
words has raged between them ever since. And given the ferocity of Ronan's comments, this is one row that's set to go on and on.
Ronan, 29 - who left Boyzone in 1999 to pursue a solo career - is
now on good terms with his former bandmates, but despite the sucess of Take That's current sell-out tour, he's adamant he won't be taking part in a Boyzone reunion.
"Why are people so f**king interested?" ask Ronan. "What Take That have done is great, but East 17 got back together and couldn't even sell out Shepherds Bush, which is tiny."
Instead,Ronan has been concentrating on enjoying family life before releasing his fourth solo album.
The singer was forced to take stock of his life in 2004 when he
collapsed in Vienna during the European leg of his tour.
He recalls: "I was in terrible pain and fainted by the roadside."
"My schedule was absolutely nuts. That was when I told myself I had to slow down."So Ronan - who has been working since the age of 16 - decided to give himself a break.
He used the time to travel the world in his role as a UN Ambassador, record a new album and have another baby with his wife Yvonne, 31 a model. The couple who have been married for eight years, live in Dublin with their children, Jack, seven, Marie, five and Ali, eight months.
At a time when the likes of Pete Doherty are redefining rock'n'roll,
family man Ronan is unapologetically "just a normal fella."He says: "People would be shocked at how domesticated I am. I change nappies, clean the house - whatever needs doing. I love cooking, especially Jamie Oliver's sweet and sour chicken."
Yet despite being more domestic goddess than Prince of Darkness, Ronan insists he does have a dark side.
"All the Mr Nice stuff is a bit f**king annoying," he says, "I have
plenty of bad habits! I drink too much, I smoke when I'm drunk, then wake up the next morning feeling like something's died in my mouth."
One of the biggest influences in Ronan's life was the death of his
beloved mum, Marie, from breast cancer in 1998. He believes she died from a lack of knowledge - after finding a lump, it took her two years to get it diagnosed - which is why he set up the Marie Keating Foundation in her memory.
"My Ma died because she didn't know anything about cancer," he
says. "I needed to show she didn't die in vain. It's still so hard -
I talk to her every night."
Ronan recently launched a new project with Cancer Research UK, which will see mobile cancer awareness units touring the UK."Early detection of cancer is your best chance of survival, which is why I thank God Kylie Minogue is now back on her feet," he says.
As well as his charity work, Ronan is busy promoting his new album, Bring You Home. There's another world tour on the cards for 2007, and he's also hoping to find time to establish his acting career. So far his only role has been as the voice of an animated egg called Splat in new kids' cartoon series, Shelltown, alongside Kerry Katona. But the self-confessed movie addict has his eyes set on the silver screen.
"Right now my acting career is a big f**king zero," shrugs
Ronan. "But I'd love to act with my idol Tom Cruise one day."
So what are the odds of Ronan adding "Oscar winner" to his long list of achievements?
"F**king slim," he laughs.
