Mortimer was the former singer of boyband EAST 17, who were fierce rivals of TAKE THAT during each of the bands' 1990s heyday.

He has recently announced that he is planning to launch a solo career and has claimed that he may perform versions of songs by his old adversaries.

Writing on his blog, Mortimer said he currently has 15 tracks in progress, three of which are covers.

"A few have asked for a Take That cover - well there's definitely room for improvement on those songs, that's for sure," he wrote.

He also said he would consider appearing naked on stage, after watching a performance by THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.

"It is Rock and Roll after all haha," he wrote.

TAKE THAT'S Gary Barlow was recently named Greatest British Songwriter Ever in a survey conducted by One Poll

The group, which dissolved ten years ago after an acrimonious court case, are hoping to follow in the footsteps of Take That and The Police, who have seen huge success following their recent comebacks.

Manager Steve Dagger confirmed the news today. 'It's true,' he told the Sunday Express. 'We're not making announcements yet, but yes, basically the boys are back in town.
Fresh-faced: Spandau Ballet in their early days, from left, John Keeble, Tony Hadley, Steve Norman, Gary Kemp and Martin Kemp

Fresh-faced: Spandau Ballet in their early days, from left, John Keeble, Tony Hadley, Steve Norman, Gary Kemp and Martin Kemp

'Not just a nostalgic re-run of the old, but a fresh slant on what Spandau Ballet are all about.'

The reunion, which is expected to include the release of an album and multi-million pound world tour, is set to take place next month on the site of the band's launch in 1979, the HMS Belfast, which is moored on The Thames.

Band members Tony Hadley, Steve Norman, John Keeble and brothers Martin and Gary Kemp vowed 'never to speak to one another again', following a disagreement over royalties worth over £1million.

Martin Kemp, 47, who went on to star in Eastenders, was the only member to abstain from the arguments in which Hadley, Norman and Keeble claimed that they were owed money by Gary Kemp, 49.
Spandau Ballet star Martin Kemp as Steve Owen in Eastenders

Spandau Ballet star Martin Kemp as Steve Owen in Eastenders

Gary, the sole songwriting credit on all Spandau Ballet's hits, maintained that he had single-handedly created all the songs. Ironically it was he who later suggested the reunion ahead of the 2005 Live 8 concert.

The timing would have coincided with the 20-year anniversary of the band's performance for Live Aid in 1985.

The reunion has nonetheless surprised industry insiders. The former boss of thee band's previous label, Chrysalis Records, said: 'Every band on the way down is a band on the way up. But I never thought I'd see this one.

'Once, they couldn't stand to be in the same room together, let alone play.

'But now they are older, fatter, poorer, there's every reason to see if the magic still works.'

Gary Kemp, who was once married to Sadie Frost, went on to star alongside his brother in the 1990s film The Krays, based on the lives of the East End criminals.

Martin went on to enjoy a successful career with a role on Eastenders
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowb....at.html

Gary Barlow and the boys have finally started to piece together some ideas for their shows after making the dash to Sin City before Christmas.

My insider promises the man-band's show bonanzas are now set to be their best yet, revealing: 'The lads actually went to Las Vegas at the end of last year to try and get some ideas for the show.'

'Now it's going to be their most spectacular and energetic show ever', said the source.

Tickets for the shows sold out in four hours last year.

But the pressure has been getting to group member Howard Donald after he revealed at the MTV Awards the troop were yet to figure out a show despite the sell out.

Donald confessed: 'We're a little nervous all the tickets have been sold and we don't have a show together yet. We're working on it.'

Barlow promised: 'It's the most tickets we've ever sold so we have to deliver the biggest show we've ever done.'

http://www.metro.co.uk/fame....ge_id=7

The company that operated the online sale of Take That menchandise (ie, the site that the 'store' link on the front page used to link to) has called in the administrators.

Music Site E-Commerce Vendor Trinity Street Goes Under; Oasis Execute Plan-B

By Patrick Smith - Mon 16 Feb 2009 09:18 AM PST

Trinity Street, an e-commerce company providing digital marketing, CD stores and ticket sales for clients including Oasis and Metallica has gone into administration, leaving its customers to hastily find other commercial partners. The company, owned by Trinity Universal Holdings, has ceased trading and its affairs are being managed by administrators Tenon. There was no comment from Trinity Street’s London office today. A report from NMA had suggested that the company had suffered from a lack of investment, but a spokesman for its VC backer Ingenious Active Media Capital said it was “completely risible to suggest that Ingenious cannot afford its investments,” adding that “Trinity Street had numerous problems”.

Oasis have not wasted any time in moving on: a message on the band’s Oasisnet site confirms it has reverted to selling CDs and merchandise through its previous e-commerce provider therecordstore.co.uk.

http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=1036952&c=1

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money....ms.html

http://www.paidcontent.co.uk/entry....artners

Coldplay plead for Take That duet18/02/2009
Published: Wednesday, 18 February 2009, 12:12PM

Coldplay are desperate to play with Take That at the Brit awards.

The four-piece rock band are lined up to perform at this year's Brits at Earls Court, where they are nominated for four gongs, and frontman Chris Martin hopes to top off the evening by playing with the reformed man band, according to The Sun.

Chris, 31, who is married to Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow, said: "My dream is that by tomorrow morning we would have performed a song with Take That - that would make me really happy."

Coldplay members Chris, Guy Berryman, Will Champion and Jonny Buckland, regularly perform Take That's hit Back For Good at gigs but just missed an opportunity to chat with the band about a duet at the Brits rehearsals.

A source told The Sun: "Chris came in for rehearsals and was asking to be introduced to Gary Barlow but the lads had already left. There was definitely something bubbling though."

Meanwhile, Lionel Richie said he plans to collar Coldplay at the awards show to discuss a collaboration.

Lionel, 59, said: "I'd love to work with Coldplay, that could happen. It would be great."

http://www.itv.com/Enterta....79.html

Take That singer jokes that he uses them as backpacks

Tuesday, 3 March 2009

Howard Donald says the behaviour of Take That's fans has changed now they're older.

‘We tend to get more bras nowadays and they are a lot bigger!’ he tells This Morning.

‘I can use them as backpacks now and carry my stuff around in them.’

Bandmate Mark Owen, 37, admits they're not pelted with pants as much these days.

‘We don't get so many knickers thrown at us anymore,’ he adds.
http://www.nowmagazine.co.uk/celebri....1

In the early days of British pop group Take That, singer/songwriter Gary Barlow was known to be a wholesome music star, steering clear of the excesses of drugs or sex. In 1992, however, Barlow has revealed that when Take That’s creator/manager Nigel Martin-Smith wasn’t around, he didn’t shy away from his eager female fans.

“Nigel’s spies weren’t with us,” Barlow told Q magazine. “In Amsterdam I slept with a fan. A chubby Dutch girl. And carried on from there…On a scale of one to 10 I did alright. I didn’t go out looking for it every night. It lands on your doorstep. Every time we went away for two or three weeks I’d have a little run of relationships on the way… We just had a lot of fun. I don’t feel any guilt when I think about the amount of sex I had.”

Take That’s Howard Donald, Jason Orange, and Mark Owen also confessed to the temptations of being a teen idol in the early 1990s and the hypocrisy of their wholesome image. “I remember throwing lots of condoms out into assembly at schools,” Donald said. “I felt a bit stupid, to be honest. One minute we’re rubbing jelly all over our arses [in the video for “Do What U Like”] and the next we’re telling teenage girls not to have sex.”
http://www.twentyfourbit.com/post....auchery

They have to their credit a number of songs which can definitely be called evergreen but that was in 1990s. Though one cannot deny that their comeback album Beautiful World too was spectacular after a decade.

The comeback of Garry Barlow, Mark Owen, Jason Orange and Howard Donald with Take That was absolutely real in contrast to the Spice Girls’ reunion where one could smell grab-the-money attitude all along. These guys really needed a validation and they have invested earnestly to make sure that they don’t fall short. Maybe Robbie may not feel so smart after all!

Greatest Day surely takes the cake and is easily the best song they have. Julie has excellent catchy chorus which goes sha-la-la-la-la-la I love you and it is certainly expected to be a hit.

It has one of Barlow’s heart-rending melodies. Hello needs some time to settle down into the listeners system, though initially it may not be so likable.

The band shares its album tittle with Britney. But unlike her, Take That gives the impression that they are still happy to be in the ring.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Feature....507.cms

The lads were forced to sing on without beloved member Jason Orange as they were introduced on the show by host Francesco Facchinetti in Milan.

But worry not, it's not a new rift for the man band, poor old Jason was taken out by 'a nasty bout of the flu'.

The 38-year-old backing singer has recently recorded the lead vocals on the group's new track '84', only the third time he has taken the lead in the group.
http://www.metro.co.uk/metroli....e_id=25

The *** Vampire Killers star said: "I absolutely love Take That.

"When I was younger, I knew the opening 35 minutes of the Take That Live In Berlin, the whole routine, and I would be either Gary or Robbie - and when I was Robbie, I wouldn't do the lead vocal, just do Robbie's bits."

And though his film is a horror movie spoof, James admits he's a big wuss.

"I don't enjoy horror films or like being scared. I like romantic comedies and things. To this day, Stephen King's It is one of the scariest things I've ever seen in my life and gave me nightmares. I just tend not to watch stuff that's scary."

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21....b3.html

Kleine Bäuche, schöne Schwedinnen und verbotene Fragen: fem.com hat Howie und Jason von Take That zum Interview getroffen.

Mit flacher Hand und voller Wucht schlägt Howie auf einen Schokoladenosterhasen auf dem Tisch, pflückt das Goldpapier auseinander und grinst in die Runde: "Chocolate, girls?" Wir treffen uns mit Howard Donald und Jason Orange kurz vor ihrem großen "Wetten, dass..."-Auftritt in einem Münchner Hotel - und die Fronten sind schnell klar: Wir werden mindestens genau so gefordert sein, wie die Take-That-Jungs. Denn die können lauwarme Interviewfragen nicht mehr hören. Erwartungsvoll räkelt sich Jason, in einem blau-weiß-gestreifen Longshirt, auf dem Sofa, Howard setzt sich kerzengerade daneben - muss er auch, denn sein kariertes Hemd spannt über dem Bauch. Los geht's.

Jungs, wie ist es für euch, wieder hier zu sein, im Land der Take-That-Mania?

Jason: Es ist cool! Irgendwie glaubt uns das niemand, alle Journalisten, die uns das fragen, denken sich 'Klar, die sind ja auf Promo-Tour, die müssen das sagen' - aber wir finden es tatsächlich super. Wir schlafen in den geilsten Hotels, die Menschen um uns herum sind echt cool, das Essen ist prima und die Sache mit den PR-Terminen gehen wir ganz chillig an. Findet ihr Deutschland etwa nicht gut, weil ihr immer so kritisch nachfragt?

Wir lieben es. Gibt es spezielle Momente, Erinnerungen, die ihr mit Deutschland verbindet?

Howard: Ich hab ein Haus in Münster, ich hab also jede Menge schöne Momente hier, der deutsche Lebensstil gefällt mir, ich stehe total auf das Essen, hey, und die Mädchen sind bildhübsch.

Bildhübsche Mädchen? Wie sieht denn der typische deutsche Fan aus?

Jason: (grübelt) Heute lässt sich das nicht mehr so genau sagen. Damals, in den Neunzigern, gab es schon so ein Bild. aber jetzt sind sie älter, erwachsener geworden. Mache von ihnen sind Mütter, die jetzt mit ihren Töchtern zu den Konzerten kommen.

Howard: Ich frage mich immer, was in ihren Köpfen vorgeht, wenn sie vor den Hotels oder TV-Sendern stehen und auf uns warten. Das ist doch alles verrückt, macht es sie glücklich?

Damals haben sie "Babe" gerufen, was schreien die Fans heute?

Howard: Es ist witzig, aber sie schreien nicht mehr. Alles ist viel ruhiger, fast still geworden. "Circus" ist aber auch ein Album, das viele anspricht, Mädchen kommen ja jetzt auch mit ihren Boyfriends, um uns live zu sehen. Da wird nicht mehr so gekreischt.

In welchem Land gibt's die schönsten Fans?

Howard: Deutschland hat schon eine ziemlich gute Auswahl, immerhin ist meine Freundin ja auch Deutsche. Die Schwedinnen sind aber eine Klasse für sich. (lacht)

Was ist für die nächste Tour geplant?

Howard: Natürlich erstmal Schweden! (lacht) Nein, stimmt nicht, erstmal ziehen wir die UK-Tour durch, dann müssen wir weiterschauen. Die Tickets haben sich rasend schnell verkauft, der Wahnsinn.

Gibt's "Circus" auf der Bühne?

Howard: Klar, am Ende werden wir einen Haufen wilder Tiere auf der Bühne haben. Nein Quatsch, erstmal spiegelt sich der Albumtitel in der Setlist wieder, alles andere halten wir noch geheim.

Zieht ihr eure T-Shirts aus?

Howard: Ja, aber hinter der Bühne. Willst du das wirklich sehen? (lacht)

Jason, du bist so still. Howie, kannst du ihn in einem Satz beschreiben?

Howard: Er ist großartig. Er ist vertrauenswürdig, sensibel, ein Sexgott. Nein, echt, wenn ich ein Mädchen wäre, würde ich komplett auf ihn abfahren.

Du bist dran, Jason: Howie in einem Satz.

Jason: Howie ist verrückt. Verlässlich. Ein großartiger Sänger.

Jason, du bist Single. Howie, wir muss die perfekte Frau für ihn sein?

Howard: Sie muss eine Engelsgeduld haben. Ich glaube er steht grad mehr auf Brünette. (Jason schüttelt den Kopf und ruft, dass er auch nichts gegen Blondinen habe.) Sie darf nicht oberflächlich sein, sie muss was Spirituelles haben, eine Art Hippie-Mädchen. Jason schaut echt nicht nur auf das Äußere, dem ist es genauso wichtig, dass das Andere auch passt.

Wo triffst du deine Frauen, Jason?

Jason: Ich treffe die ganze Zeit welche. Das ist echt nicht so schwer, weil wir in England nicht wirklich erkannt werden. Mir begegnen immer wieder gute Frauen, direkt auf der Straße, im Coffeeshop. In den Neunzigern war das alles viel hysterischer. Da haben wir Jungs auch noch gedacht: Los jetzt, raus und sich zeigen, alles mitnehmen, was geht. Jetzt machen wir unseren Job viel gelassener - und uns laufen immer noch gute Frauen über den Weg.

Aber die Richtige war noch nicht dabei?

Jason: Tausend Richtige. Aber ich bin der Falsche.

Das klingt traurig.

Jason: Ja, ich bin wirklich arm dran. Ein armer Sexgott.

Was ist die langweiligste Frage, die euch in Interviews gestellt wird?

Jason: Seid ihr 'Back for Good'? (gähnt gelangweilt)

Howard: Die Frage nach Robbie nervt einfach. Langweilig.

Dann lassen wir diese Frage und danken für das Interview.

Die neue Take-That-Single "The Garden" steht seit dem 20.3. in den Läden. Den passenden Blumengruß als coole E-Card gibt es hier.
http://www.fem.com/stars....46.html

Thanks Carmen for link
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/83122-page.html

Penguin signs Take That
20.04.09

World Rights to a photographic book by Take That have been acquired by Rowland White at Michael Joseph from Eugenie Furniss and Sol Parker at William Morris and Jonathan Wild at 10 Management. The book is to be published in two volumes and will celebrate the Take That story, from the formation of the band in 1990 right up to the present day.

The images will include personal pictures, previously unseen images from the Take That archive, as well as specially commissioned, stunning new photography. The accompanying text will be written by the band.

Jonathan Wild, on behalf of the band said: "The guys have wanted to do a book for a long time, but it was important that the timing, as well as the creative idea was right. They’re really looking forward to producing what will be a fantastic collector’s piece featuring imagery spanning almost two decades along with comment which is both honest and personal."

White said: "The inspiring return of Take That has been pop's biggest and best good news story. And nothing short of astonishing. I'm very proud indeed that Penguin will be collaborating with the nation’s favourite band on this ground- breaking and enormously exciting project."

The book will be published in October 2009 following the band’s summer tour.

For some, only a grown-up mainstream combo for the other heroes of their youth: Take That! Spearhead of the British boy band movement. And yet today - whether with or without Robbie - they offer 1-A-Entertainment! Before and behind the stage ... But no matter how they manage the gap between children and career, time to listening to music is always. … That's why this week Take That are the request TRACKS candidates for the question about their own personal three favorite records ...

"Introspectice" by the Pet Shop Boys and "The Stone Roses" by The Stone Roses
Gary Barlow : "One of the first records that I loved , was that album" Introspectice "by the Pet Shop Boys. That was a time when it was about crazy electronic music and synthesizers. And suddenly there was this band that had all these sounds, and we really enjoyed the sound over stereo headphones ... I have heard it for hours. That was music I wanted to make! "

Mark Owen : "One of the first records that I remember ... and it puts me back in an exciting time ... were The Stone Roses, with their first record, my friends and I were almost finished with school and we wore those short neon colors, hairstyles and jeans. It was a scene right at the time ... Beautiful melodies, great songs that were right icons, that were unique, to see and experience, and you had the feeling that something very big to be part of ... "

Seal of "Seal 2" and "OK Computer" by Radiohead
Gary Barlow: "The second album is the first Seal album, I just re-bought, because it somehow disappeard during the move . The song" Killer ", I totally loved! That was the first single. And the rest of the plate is simply stunning. One of these plates, you play from beginning to end , and every song soudn after a hit. Simply brilliant! "

Mark Owen: "The second panel, which is really important for me and I was almost brought about, making music with stop, it was" OK Computer "by Radiohead. When I first heard, I thought: let it simply, because I even tried at that time my songwriting to be improved. But there was such an incredible sound, I believe, produced by Nigel Gotrich ... these texts, this momentum ... just everything. And I was a real Radiohead stalker: for each concert: Oh, no he is already back! And I like this: Hi, I love you! But they are still one of my favorite bands! "

"Day & Age" by The Killers and "Fleet Foxes" by Fleet Foxes
Gary Barlow: "Three weeks ago I bought by downloaded- not on CD times change - by downloading the new Killers album . The songwriting is great, as the whole album is really good. Clear produces good voice, good musicians. Of all the groups that are just there, probably the best band album! "

Mark Owen: "If I think a more current album, which I recently heard again and again ... there's this band" Fleet Foxes "because they have a beautiful song on it, which means" White Winter Hymnal "or something similar. Amazing song, great harmonies, wonderful text. Probably my band of the hour! "

http://www.arte.tv/de....60.html