30th June 2010
Shane will be playing Prince Charming in this year's Sleeping Beauty Pantomime at Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford
The panto will run from 3rd Dec until 9th Jan
To get your tickets visit - http://www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk/stage.asp?s=719
Thursday 15 July 2010
What happens in Vegas
30th June 2010
Shane flew out to the USA today to take part in the World Series of Poker, held annually in Las Vegas. The series culminates with the $10,000 no-limit hold’em “Main Event”, which since 2004 has attracted entrants numbering in the thousands with the victor receiving a multi-million dollar prize.
The winner of the World Series of Poker Main Event is considered to be the World Champion of Poker. However Shane reckons he’ll be playing a couple of hands before retiring gracefully to the bar!! You never know though, he may have the luck of the Irish with him ..
http://www.boyzone.net/2010/06/what-happens-in-vegas/
Shane flew out to the USA today to take part in the World Series of Poker, held annually in Las Vegas. The series culminates with the $10,000 no-limit hold’em “Main Event”, which since 2004 has attracted entrants numbering in the thousands with the victor receiving a multi-million dollar prize.
The winner of the World Series of Poker Main Event is considered to be the World Champion of Poker. However Shane reckons he’ll be playing a couple of hands before retiring gracefully to the bar!! You never know though, he may have the luck of the Irish with him ..
http://www.boyzone.net/2010/06/what-happens-in-vegas/
Drifting News
New rally project for Shane
16th June 2010
Shane is currently busy working on a really exciting Rally with Project Khan, it will be going round the UK and taking place this September.
They are currently at the early stage of putting together routes and making all the plans so we’ll bring you more news when we have it.
http://www.boyzone.net/2010/06/new-rally-project-for-shane/
Shane is currently busy working on a really exciting Rally with Project Khan, it will be going round the UK and taking place this September.
They are currently at the early stage of putting together routes and making all the plans so we’ll bring you more news when we have it.
http://www.boyzone.net/2010/06/new-rally-project-for-shane/
Shane Lynch suggested naked music video
30th April 2010
Boyzone star Shane Lynch has said that he suggested that the group strip off for their next music video.
Speaking on 'Live From Studio Five', Lynch said: "I actually suggested it."
"Me and the boys have always done tame videos and I said to the lads one day, 'We need to get naked'."
"The album we've released is a different step forward for us boys, it is an obvious transformation musically."
"The video was a visual transformation. I just said, 'Let's push the boat out and do things differently'."
http://www.rte.ie/ten/2010/0430/boyzone.html
Boyzone star Shane Lynch has said that he suggested that the group strip off for their next music video.
Speaking on 'Live From Studio Five', Lynch said: "I actually suggested it."
"Me and the boys have always done tame videos and I said to the lads one day, 'We need to get naked'."
"The album we've released is a different step forward for us boys, it is an obvious transformation musically."
"The video was a visual transformation. I just said, 'Let's push the boat out and do things differently'."
http://www.rte.ie/ten/2010/0430/boyzone.html
Boyzone Star Shane Lynch Joins Ladbrokes Poker!
9th March 2010
Ladbrokes Poker has announced that the company is to embark on a yearlong sponsorship deal with Shane Lynch of Boyzone and Racing fame.
Whilst Boyzone took a break from the music scene, Shane has become one of the biggest stars in drifting, which is one of the UK’s fastest growing motorsports. Ladbrokes is sponsoring him in his drifting season in addition to committing themselves to prove that poker is for everyone, turning him from a poker amateur to a proficient player.
Shane Lynch had his first poker experience when standing in for band mate Ronan Keating at the Irish Poker Festival 2008 and now he faces a whistle stop tour of everything that’s to do with poker. Ladbrokes is going to put him through his paces, trying out: online pokers, live, VIP style and will attend the WSOP in Las Vegas.
To give him an added incentive, Ladbrokes has pledged to give £1,000 to the charity of his choice if he finishes in the top 100 at the Irish Poker Festival.
Shane’s poker journey has already begun when he attended the Manchester 235 Casino for his first Ladbrokes VIP poker event on Friday 5th March.
Speaking about his goal, Shane Lynch said: “I’d always been a bit intimidated by the poker scene; I’d seen it on TV and found the whole thing a bit baffling. But having spent time with the Ladbrokes players at a few events last year, I’ve seen that you don’t need to be an expert to give it a go. I’m really looking forward to getting into this poker journey, learning more and having some great fun along the way.”
Kate McLennan Head of Ladbrokes Poker said: “Shane is the perfect ambassador for Ladbrokespoker.com – he’s a great guy and totally down to earth. We want to show that poker is for everyone. We’re not like other sites that spend huge amounts on poker professionals that their players will never be able to relate to. Ladbrokespoker.com is the site that’s friendly, accessible, where all ages and abilities come together. Poker takes a moment to learn and a lifetime to master. With Shane, we want to show that anyone can give it a go and have fun.”
You can follow Shane’s poker journey at Ladbrokes poker.
http://www.onlinepokeralerts.com/news/poker-news/Boyzone-Star-Shane-Lynch-Joins-Ladbrokes-Poker6297.html
Ladbrokes Poker has announced that the company is to embark on a yearlong sponsorship deal with Shane Lynch of Boyzone and Racing fame.
Whilst Boyzone took a break from the music scene, Shane has become one of the biggest stars in drifting, which is one of the UK’s fastest growing motorsports. Ladbrokes is sponsoring him in his drifting season in addition to committing themselves to prove that poker is for everyone, turning him from a poker amateur to a proficient player.
Shane Lynch had his first poker experience when standing in for band mate Ronan Keating at the Irish Poker Festival 2008 and now he faces a whistle stop tour of everything that’s to do with poker. Ladbrokes is going to put him through his paces, trying out: online pokers, live, VIP style and will attend the WSOP in Las Vegas.
To give him an added incentive, Ladbrokes has pledged to give £1,000 to the charity of his choice if he finishes in the top 100 at the Irish Poker Festival.
Shane’s poker journey has already begun when he attended the Manchester 235 Casino for his first Ladbrokes VIP poker event on Friday 5th March.
Speaking about his goal, Shane Lynch said: “I’d always been a bit intimidated by the poker scene; I’d seen it on TV and found the whole thing a bit baffling. But having spent time with the Ladbrokes players at a few events last year, I’ve seen that you don’t need to be an expert to give it a go. I’m really looking forward to getting into this poker journey, learning more and having some great fun along the way.”
Kate McLennan Head of Ladbrokes Poker said: “Shane is the perfect ambassador for Ladbrokespoker.com – he’s a great guy and totally down to earth. We want to show that poker is for everyone. We’re not like other sites that spend huge amounts on poker professionals that their players will never be able to relate to. Ladbrokespoker.com is the site that’s friendly, accessible, where all ages and abilities come together. Poker takes a moment to learn and a lifetime to master. With Shane, we want to show that anyone can give it a go and have fun.”
You can follow Shane’s poker journey at Ladbrokes poker.
http://www.onlinepokeralerts.com/news/poker-news/Boyzone-Star-Shane-Lynch-Joins-Ladbrokes-Poker6297.html
Irish Times Interview
3rd March 2010
SHANE LYNCH Pop singer, actor, 33 Drifting: The Boyzone singer’s passion for this form of extreme motorsport costs between €8,900 to €11,500 on tyres over a weekend
What’s your history with cars?
I was a car mechanic before I got into Boyzone. I worked for my father for many, many years.
When did your motorsport career begin?
I’ve driven all sorts of race cars since ’98. I rallied with Ford Motorsport for a while and then went onto the circuit stuff. I was in British GTs for three or four years. I’ve raced 360 Ferrari, 911 Porsches, the 996 and the 997. I raced for Porsche UK and Porsche Germany.
When did you get into drifting?
Three years ago. I had to know how to drive a car like this because it blew my mind.
Can you explain drifting?
Drifting is an extreme motorsport. It is a judged sport so there’s no chequered flag. You have to get the car into a controlled slide. What you see a lot on the likes of Top Gear is a car sliding through a corner that is predominately a power slide. They’re going through a corner fast and the back end kicks out so the back end is sliding through a corner.
We generally initiate like that into the first turn but then you’ve got to continue that slide through a series of lefts and rights, whichever way the track may go.
You’re judged on how much angle you carry, how sideways the car actually is, how much speed you carry and how fluid from left to right your transitions are within a drift.
How do you manipulate the car?
It’s predominately controlled with your accelerator and your steering wheel.
How do cars compete against each other?
Initially you qualify by yourself. A hundred cars will turn up, but you’ve to qualify into the top 16 for head-to-head battles. Two cars will go out together. You’ll have a lead car and a chase car. The lead car will head off. The chase car will come up behind and when you both initiate into the first corner it’s up to the chase car to mimic what the lead car is doing. If he drops off or cannot mirror that or if the lead car pulls away from him, he’s going to score fewer points than him. Then you go back to the starting line and swap over.
What’s the biggest expense?
The biggest wear and tear on a car is probably tyres. I’d probably do around £8,000 (€8,836) to £10,000 (€11,500) worth of tyres a weekend. We run a tyre called a Maxxis; when you’re spinning up the tyres smoke like hell, which gives a great effect off the back of the car.
Can you explain “the show factor” which is part of the judging process?
It’s a big show-offs’ game like snowboarding or BMXs or skateboarding. With the show factor, it’s mostly to do with the smoke and your bravery into the first corner.
I do what’s called – which only a handful of drivers do in Europe – a backwards entry. I’ll go down a little bit faster than normal and pull the hand-break and go in backwards into the corner. It’s a big, big show factor.
Where do you compete?
England, and next year I’m competing in Ireland, too, for the first time. The season starts around March (and goes) until the summertime.
What car do you drive?
A Nissan S15, which is a Nissan Silvia, but that’s the body shape; the car has been taken down to its bare minimum. Everything Japspeed, who is the team manufacturer, has been bolted on to it so it’s a completely modified car, even down to the engine and gearbox. We run a V8 engine. We push out about 700-brake horsepower. Any normal Porsche or Ferrari pushes out 360-brake horsepower, maximum.
Have you had any crashes?
I had one big one last year. Unfortunately for me I initiated into a turn but a drive-shaft broke in the car so what happened was that spat me into a wall as opposed to the in-field.
I wrote off that car pretty bad. But that’s motorsport – if something breaks on you there’s nothing you can do.
Have you had any serious injuries?
No. The technology that’s gone into making cars safe is pretty, pretty phenomenal. The way the cages are built, you can hit a wall at a 100-mile an hour and you’ll be okay. You’re gonna have whiplash fair enough, but generally you walk away.
What makes drifting so special?
Anyone can jump in a car, dump the clutch and spin some wheels. It’s not a hard thing to do. You see a lot of boys going into car parks and they’re in first and second gear and they’re doing doughnuts.
There’s some smoke and they think that’s the greatest thing in the world, but, with respect, when you get into a drift car and you’re in fourth gear and you’re sliding into a corner at 120 miles an hour, it’s a different world.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2010/0303/1224265504078.html
SHANE LYNCH Pop singer, actor, 33 Drifting: The Boyzone singer’s passion for this form of extreme motorsport costs between €8,900 to €11,500 on tyres over a weekend
What’s your history with cars?
I was a car mechanic before I got into Boyzone. I worked for my father for many, many years.
When did your motorsport career begin?
I’ve driven all sorts of race cars since ’98. I rallied with Ford Motorsport for a while and then went onto the circuit stuff. I was in British GTs for three or four years. I’ve raced 360 Ferrari, 911 Porsches, the 996 and the 997. I raced for Porsche UK and Porsche Germany.
When did you get into drifting?
Three years ago. I had to know how to drive a car like this because it blew my mind.
Can you explain drifting?
Drifting is an extreme motorsport. It is a judged sport so there’s no chequered flag. You have to get the car into a controlled slide. What you see a lot on the likes of Top Gear is a car sliding through a corner that is predominately a power slide. They’re going through a corner fast and the back end kicks out so the back end is sliding through a corner.
We generally initiate like that into the first turn but then you’ve got to continue that slide through a series of lefts and rights, whichever way the track may go.
You’re judged on how much angle you carry, how sideways the car actually is, how much speed you carry and how fluid from left to right your transitions are within a drift.
How do you manipulate the car?
It’s predominately controlled with your accelerator and your steering wheel.
How do cars compete against each other?
Initially you qualify by yourself. A hundred cars will turn up, but you’ve to qualify into the top 16 for head-to-head battles. Two cars will go out together. You’ll have a lead car and a chase car. The lead car will head off. The chase car will come up behind and when you both initiate into the first corner it’s up to the chase car to mimic what the lead car is doing. If he drops off or cannot mirror that or if the lead car pulls away from him, he’s going to score fewer points than him. Then you go back to the starting line and swap over.
What’s the biggest expense?
The biggest wear and tear on a car is probably tyres. I’d probably do around £8,000 (€8,836) to £10,000 (€11,500) worth of tyres a weekend. We run a tyre called a Maxxis; when you’re spinning up the tyres smoke like hell, which gives a great effect off the back of the car.
Can you explain “the show factor” which is part of the judging process?
It’s a big show-offs’ game like snowboarding or BMXs or skateboarding. With the show factor, it’s mostly to do with the smoke and your bravery into the first corner.
I do what’s called – which only a handful of drivers do in Europe – a backwards entry. I’ll go down a little bit faster than normal and pull the hand-break and go in backwards into the corner. It’s a big, big show factor.
Where do you compete?
England, and next year I’m competing in Ireland, too, for the first time. The season starts around March (and goes) until the summertime.
What car do you drive?
A Nissan S15, which is a Nissan Silvia, but that’s the body shape; the car has been taken down to its bare minimum. Everything Japspeed, who is the team manufacturer, has been bolted on to it so it’s a completely modified car, even down to the engine and gearbox. We run a V8 engine. We push out about 700-brake horsepower. Any normal Porsche or Ferrari pushes out 360-brake horsepower, maximum.
Have you had any crashes?
I had one big one last year. Unfortunately for me I initiated into a turn but a drive-shaft broke in the car so what happened was that spat me into a wall as opposed to the in-field.
I wrote off that car pretty bad. But that’s motorsport – if something breaks on you there’s nothing you can do.
Have you had any serious injuries?
No. The technology that’s gone into making cars safe is pretty, pretty phenomenal. The way the cages are built, you can hit a wall at a 100-mile an hour and you’ll be okay. You’re gonna have whiplash fair enough, but generally you walk away.
What makes drifting so special?
Anyone can jump in a car, dump the clutch and spin some wheels. It’s not a hard thing to do. You see a lot of boys going into car parks and they’re in first and second gear and they’re doing doughnuts.
There’s some smoke and they think that’s the greatest thing in the world, but, with respect, when you get into a drift car and you’re in fourth gear and you’re sliding into a corner at 120 miles an hour, it’s a different world.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2010/0303/1224265504078.html
People Article
January 17th 2010
Dancing On Ice star Mikey Graham barely spoke to his Boyzone band-mate Shane Lynch for 15 years after a bizarre argument over car exhaust pipes.
The two pop heart-throbs ignored each other off-stage despite the band's brotherly image to their army of fans.
It was only when Boyzone made their comeback that the pair healed their "ridiculous" rift - and became best pals.
Shane, 33, revealed their 15 years of frostiness as Mikey, 37, prepared to take to the ice tonight for his first live performance in the hit ITV show.
In an exclusive interview with The People, Shane said: "For many years me and Mikey were the furthest apart - I mean we didn't get on AT ALL.
"When the band formed in 1993 I was 17, mad about cars and working as a car mechanic. Mikey was 21 and also a car mechanic but a more advanced one. One day we fell out. It wasn't really 'spanner envy' but, quite ridiculously, we fell out over a bloody exhaust pipe.
"I remember it clearly. I was always into the racing side of cars and Mikey was more a straight mechanic on your average car.
"We were discussing the exhaust pipe and how it would get the car to go a little bit faster and he told me I was talking absolute nonsense and that was impossible.
"And, believe it or not, we fell out over that and we didn't talk for years. We worked together but there was always the clear understanding that at that moment we were two individuals who had absolutely nothing in common.'
"We didn't totally ignore each other but we never hung out together. I'd hang out with Ronan and Stephen while Keith and Mikey hung out because they were closer in age.
"That's just how it always was, right up until our comeback two years ago.
"When we got back together to tour it was just very apparent that we were all adults. We all wanted the same things from life, shared the same values. All five of us instantly became very, very close and understood each other.
"Ever since then Mikey and I have become really good pals and he's actually a brilliant lad to know. He is a very, very knowledgeable guy, a great reader and he's very, very wise."
Shane also told how Boyzone - rocked by the death of Stephen Gately in October - struggled to record a heart-rending video for their new single which goes out on radio tomorrow.
Poignant
The track was recorded months before Stephen, 33, died from natural causes while on holiday in Majorca and is the last to feature his distinctive voice.
The poignant lyrics in "Gave It All Away" caused Shane, Mikey and remaining band-mates Ronan Keating, 32, and Keith Duffy, 35, to repeatedly break down as they filmed the musical farewell.
Boyzone's album - which they have decided to rename "Brothers" in tribute to Stephen - is due out in March.
But Shane confessed it could prove the band'swansong as the lads still don't know if they will be able to continue without "Steo". Shane said: "The big question for Boyzone at the moment is whether we will ever tour again. We'd started the album before Stephen passed and it's a journey we want to complete.
"But we don't know what the next chapter's going to be, without Steo, because we don't know how we feel. It could be the end of everything."
Mikey has been fitting his Dancing On Ice training around preparations for the release of Boyzone's new single and album - in which he features more prominently than ever.
Shane said: "The sound and direction of the band are very different now. Stephen's voice was so distinctive - it was sweet and innocent and it was a pop voice. Now he's not there the sound of Boyzone has changed a lot.
"Mikey has played a huge part in that. Once upon a time his voice was too mature for Boyzone - so were the songs he wrote - and that was never allowed to be expressed in Boyzone at the time.
"Now we've all matured and this is the perfect time for Mikey. He's played a stormer in the studio. I think our new sound is sort of Coldplay meets U2 and I hope it's going to appeal to our old fans and a lot of new ones."
The single Gave it All Away, written by Mika, was recorded by Boyzone nearly two years ago but was shelved because of royalty problems.
Shane said: "When Steo passed, it all took on so much more meaning because of the irony of the title and the lyrics and Stephen singing them, so we were desperate to get it for the album.
"Then Ronan was in LA and he bumped into Mika in a hotel lift. He'd broken his foot and couldn't walk to his car. So good old Ro just picked him up and carried him. Mika was so touched he said 'Whatever happens lads, the record's yours'."
Hearing Stephen singing with them again was a bitter-sweet experience for Boyzone. Shane said: "The video day was horrible - absolutely horrible - and even in the finished version you'll see us all crying. The concept was that we were writing our last letters to Steo. At times I was laughing because it brought back great memories but sometimes I couldn't take it. I'd just break down and I had to get out."
Shane says the months since Stephen died have been a roller-coaster of laughter and tears.
He recalled: "When Stephen passed we all flew out to Majorca to bring him home. On the plane Stephen's back there in the coffin, in the cargo, but it feels like we are all together again so we're actually laughing and joking, like we always did.
"But then we didn't want the plane to land because it felt like a last moment together, that it would mean it was over."
The band have agreed that for the rest of their lives they will get together once a year on St Patrick's Day - Stephen's March 17 birthday.
While the Boyzone lads ponder their future they still have a lot to do as a band.
Shane said: "We've got a busy time ahead promoting the album. If we start to think 'You know what lads, this feels OK' then we will crack on. But if it doesn't feel right we might say 'Let's call it a day' and this could be the last album. It could be the end of everything.
"We just don't know at the moment, but I hope we come together. I hope it works for us."
http://www.people.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/2010/01/17/boyzone-the-secret-icy-rift-102039-21973797/
Dancing On Ice star Mikey Graham barely spoke to his Boyzone band-mate Shane Lynch for 15 years after a bizarre argument over car exhaust pipes.
The two pop heart-throbs ignored each other off-stage despite the band's brotherly image to their army of fans.
It was only when Boyzone made their comeback that the pair healed their "ridiculous" rift - and became best pals.
Shane, 33, revealed their 15 years of frostiness as Mikey, 37, prepared to take to the ice tonight for his first live performance in the hit ITV show.
In an exclusive interview with The People, Shane said: "For many years me and Mikey were the furthest apart - I mean we didn't get on AT ALL.
"When the band formed in 1993 I was 17, mad about cars and working as a car mechanic. Mikey was 21 and also a car mechanic but a more advanced one. One day we fell out. It wasn't really 'spanner envy' but, quite ridiculously, we fell out over a bloody exhaust pipe.
"I remember it clearly. I was always into the racing side of cars and Mikey was more a straight mechanic on your average car.
"We were discussing the exhaust pipe and how it would get the car to go a little bit faster and he told me I was talking absolute nonsense and that was impossible.
"And, believe it or not, we fell out over that and we didn't talk for years. We worked together but there was always the clear understanding that at that moment we were two individuals who had absolutely nothing in common.'
"We didn't totally ignore each other but we never hung out together. I'd hang out with Ronan and Stephen while Keith and Mikey hung out because they were closer in age.
"That's just how it always was, right up until our comeback two years ago.
"When we got back together to tour it was just very apparent that we were all adults. We all wanted the same things from life, shared the same values. All five of us instantly became very, very close and understood each other.
"Ever since then Mikey and I have become really good pals and he's actually a brilliant lad to know. He is a very, very knowledgeable guy, a great reader and he's very, very wise."
Shane also told how Boyzone - rocked by the death of Stephen Gately in October - struggled to record a heart-rending video for their new single which goes out on radio tomorrow.
Poignant
The track was recorded months before Stephen, 33, died from natural causes while on holiday in Majorca and is the last to feature his distinctive voice.
The poignant lyrics in "Gave It All Away" caused Shane, Mikey and remaining band-mates Ronan Keating, 32, and Keith Duffy, 35, to repeatedly break down as they filmed the musical farewell.
Boyzone's album - which they have decided to rename "Brothers" in tribute to Stephen - is due out in March.
But Shane confessed it could prove the band'swansong as the lads still don't know if they will be able to continue without "Steo". Shane said: "The big question for Boyzone at the moment is whether we will ever tour again. We'd started the album before Stephen passed and it's a journey we want to complete.
"But we don't know what the next chapter's going to be, without Steo, because we don't know how we feel. It could be the end of everything."
Mikey has been fitting his Dancing On Ice training around preparations for the release of Boyzone's new single and album - in which he features more prominently than ever.
Shane said: "The sound and direction of the band are very different now. Stephen's voice was so distinctive - it was sweet and innocent and it was a pop voice. Now he's not there the sound of Boyzone has changed a lot.
"Mikey has played a huge part in that. Once upon a time his voice was too mature for Boyzone - so were the songs he wrote - and that was never allowed to be expressed in Boyzone at the time.
"Now we've all matured and this is the perfect time for Mikey. He's played a stormer in the studio. I think our new sound is sort of Coldplay meets U2 and I hope it's going to appeal to our old fans and a lot of new ones."
The single Gave it All Away, written by Mika, was recorded by Boyzone nearly two years ago but was shelved because of royalty problems.
Shane said: "When Steo passed, it all took on so much more meaning because of the irony of the title and the lyrics and Stephen singing them, so we were desperate to get it for the album.
"Then Ronan was in LA and he bumped into Mika in a hotel lift. He'd broken his foot and couldn't walk to his car. So good old Ro just picked him up and carried him. Mika was so touched he said 'Whatever happens lads, the record's yours'."
Hearing Stephen singing with them again was a bitter-sweet experience for Boyzone. Shane said: "The video day was horrible - absolutely horrible - and even in the finished version you'll see us all crying. The concept was that we were writing our last letters to Steo. At times I was laughing because it brought back great memories but sometimes I couldn't take it. I'd just break down and I had to get out."
Shane says the months since Stephen died have been a roller-coaster of laughter and tears.
He recalled: "When Stephen passed we all flew out to Majorca to bring him home. On the plane Stephen's back there in the coffin, in the cargo, but it feels like we are all together again so we're actually laughing and joking, like we always did.
"But then we didn't want the plane to land because it felt like a last moment together, that it would mean it was over."
The band have agreed that for the rest of their lives they will get together once a year on St Patrick's Day - Stephen's March 17 birthday.
While the Boyzone lads ponder their future they still have a lot to do as a band.
Shane said: "We've got a busy time ahead promoting the album. If we start to think 'You know what lads, this feels OK' then we will crack on. But if it doesn't feel right we might say 'Let's call it a day' and this could be the last album. It could be the end of everything.
"We just don't know at the moment, but I hope we come together. I hope it works for us."
http://www.people.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/2010/01/17/boyzone-the-secret-icy-rift-102039-21973797/
Shane in driving seat for fly-on-wall special
5th January 2010
Boyzone's Shane Lynch is being lined up for a reality TV show.
The strapping singer is already busy filming the new series of RTE's All Ireland Talent Show after being signed up again as a judge.
But it seems that the Dubliner has been approached by an Irish company to take part in a fly-on-the-wall style documentary.
And it will certainly be a busy time for the dad-of-one.
As well as preparing for the release of his band's first single without late pal Stephen Gately, Shane has also made a return to drift car racing.
"Shane's got a lot of new projects going on in 2010 so would be a great subject for a something like a celebrity documentary.
"He's a really open guy too and is happy to chat away about most things," said an insider.
In 1994, Lynch was involved in a near-fatal smash that led to him becoming a born-again Christian, but he revealed he is back in the driving seat, saying: "Last year has taught me you have to live life for the now and every day as if it's your last.
http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/shane-in-driving-seat-for-flyonwall-special-1999404.html
"Stephen taught me that."
Boyzone's Shane Lynch is being lined up for a reality TV show.
The strapping singer is already busy filming the new series of RTE's All Ireland Talent Show after being signed up again as a judge.
But it seems that the Dubliner has been approached by an Irish company to take part in a fly-on-the-wall style documentary.
And it will certainly be a busy time for the dad-of-one.
As well as preparing for the release of his band's first single without late pal Stephen Gately, Shane has also made a return to drift car racing.
"Shane's got a lot of new projects going on in 2010 so would be a great subject for a something like a celebrity documentary.
"He's a really open guy too and is happy to chat away about most things," said an insider.
In 1994, Lynch was involved in a near-fatal smash that led to him becoming a born-again Christian, but he revealed he is back in the driving seat, saying: "Last year has taught me you have to live life for the now and every day as if it's your last.
http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/shane-in-driving-seat-for-flyonwall-special-1999404.html
"Stephen taught me that."
Shane aims for championship
3rd January 2010
Shane will be back in the seat of his drift car this year and aiming for the top. The loss of Stephen has made him determined to make the most of everything. He told the Daily Star:
"The last year has taught me you have to live life for the now and every day as if it’s your last. Stephen has taught me that, so I have taken two sponsors on board and I’m going to give it a real shot. You can’t think of past crashes or anything like that because I’m a different person now than before. It’s a great opportunity. I’m car mad and it will be a dream come true."
http://www.boyzone.net/2010/01/shane-aims-for-championship/
Shane will be back in the seat of his drift car this year and aiming for the top. The loss of Stephen has made him determined to make the most of everything. He told the Daily Star:
"The last year has taught me you have to live life for the now and every day as if it’s your last. Stephen has taught me that, so I have taken two sponsors on board and I’m going to give it a real shot. You can’t think of past crashes or anything like that because I’m a different person now than before. It’s a great opportunity. I’m car mad and it will be a dream come true."
http://www.boyzone.net/2010/01/shane-aims-for-championship/
Celebrity Diary: Shane Lynch
29th December 2009
I've spent the past week in the studio in London with the Boyzone lads working on our next album, our first one without Stephen.
We have been locked in 24-7 for most of the past few weeks and it is hard on your head as you become so immersed in the process. We have done most of it and the end is now in sight, thank God.
None of us wrote the songs ourselves because as this is our comeback album, we shopped it out to all of the best writers to make it as good as we possibly could, so I think it's going to be amazing.
I would describe it as having a live band sound, kind of like Coldplay meets U2.
Obviously we all had to adjust to going back into a studio without Steo (Stephen Gately) as his voice lent a particular sound to Boyzone and we have missed him so much.
We don't want to change our style too much but in one respect, we have no choice because he's gone.
I wouldn't say it's weird recording it without him but when you have different harmonies in a song and he's not here anymore to do them, you miss him for that reason and we have all had to get used to that.
Nostalgic
This is our first Christmas without him and although we never spent it all together, as we're always with our own families, it is a time when you do reflect on those who you have lost. It's a nostalgic time of year and there's no getting around that.
We hope to have all the vocals laid down by next Wednesday and expect the first single to go to radio in January, with the follow-up album in March.
We do have a particular deadline but I haven't really felt under pressure with it. Things have been going very well in the studio, it has all come together.
For a couple of months, everything went a little bit slow because we didn't know what to do with Steo's passing. Ronan dedicated his solo album to him but as a band, we know he would have wanted us to keep going and finish our album without him so that's what we're doing.
I managed to escape for a while on Wednesday night and went up to Manchester to see Keith (Duffy) performing in Corrie. He's getting on brilliantly and it was a great break for me.
He took me out with a couple of the cast and crew members and introduced me to everyone down the local pub.
I used to watch it when he was on the programme years ago and it's like he has never left, he knows them all so well at this stage.
It was a nice social occasion and it's important to get stuck in and support each other at times like this.
This Sunday, it's going to be the screening of the Dublin auditions for The All-Ireland Talent Show, where viewers will see me trying to pick my final eight acts to send through.
Daithi O Se is definitely the man to beat again this year. I'm absolutely loving being on the programme, it's going very well. There's no pressure on me at all -- the contestants have all the hard work.
I can't speak for the rest of the judges but Dublin people really came out in force and did a great job.
This year, I can reveal that I have a couple of singers, a couple of comedians and a drag act, who is absolutely hilarious.
It does mean though that we'll all be spending New Year's Eve in Ardmore Studios in Bray.
That's our first live show so we're filming at 6.30pm and then coming back at 11.35pm when the first act in the semi-final will be revealed so we will be ringing in 2010 on set. I'm having a blast doing the programme and I feel it has really hit the ground running and seems to be going down really well with all the fans.
Before then, I have the daunting task of cooking Christmas dinner for all my family.
Cooking
Some of my sisters and brothers and in-laws are coming over to England and spending the day with us. It's my little girl Billy Rae's second Christmas this year.
She's nearly 14 months old now and she's doing great. She started walking when she was 10 months old so she's absolutely thriving, she never stops going.
I'm really looking forward to getting a few days off for Christmas and just chilling out with all my family and friends.
Having said that, I have been given the task of cooking for them all. I don't mind at all -- a glass of wine in your hand and you can't go wrong.
http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/celebrity-diary-shane-lynch-1980908.html
I've spent the past week in the studio in London with the Boyzone lads working on our next album, our first one without Stephen.
We have been locked in 24-7 for most of the past few weeks and it is hard on your head as you become so immersed in the process. We have done most of it and the end is now in sight, thank God.
None of us wrote the songs ourselves because as this is our comeback album, we shopped it out to all of the best writers to make it as good as we possibly could, so I think it's going to be amazing.
I would describe it as having a live band sound, kind of like Coldplay meets U2.
Obviously we all had to adjust to going back into a studio without Steo (Stephen Gately) as his voice lent a particular sound to Boyzone and we have missed him so much.
We don't want to change our style too much but in one respect, we have no choice because he's gone.
I wouldn't say it's weird recording it without him but when you have different harmonies in a song and he's not here anymore to do them, you miss him for that reason and we have all had to get used to that.
Nostalgic
This is our first Christmas without him and although we never spent it all together, as we're always with our own families, it is a time when you do reflect on those who you have lost. It's a nostalgic time of year and there's no getting around that.
We hope to have all the vocals laid down by next Wednesday and expect the first single to go to radio in January, with the follow-up album in March.
We do have a particular deadline but I haven't really felt under pressure with it. Things have been going very well in the studio, it has all come together.
For a couple of months, everything went a little bit slow because we didn't know what to do with Steo's passing. Ronan dedicated his solo album to him but as a band, we know he would have wanted us to keep going and finish our album without him so that's what we're doing.
I managed to escape for a while on Wednesday night and went up to Manchester to see Keith (Duffy) performing in Corrie. He's getting on brilliantly and it was a great break for me.
He took me out with a couple of the cast and crew members and introduced me to everyone down the local pub.
I used to watch it when he was on the programme years ago and it's like he has never left, he knows them all so well at this stage.
It was a nice social occasion and it's important to get stuck in and support each other at times like this.
This Sunday, it's going to be the screening of the Dublin auditions for The All-Ireland Talent Show, where viewers will see me trying to pick my final eight acts to send through.
Daithi O Se is definitely the man to beat again this year. I'm absolutely loving being on the programme, it's going very well. There's no pressure on me at all -- the contestants have all the hard work.
I can't speak for the rest of the judges but Dublin people really came out in force and did a great job.
This year, I can reveal that I have a couple of singers, a couple of comedians and a drag act, who is absolutely hilarious.
It does mean though that we'll all be spending New Year's Eve in Ardmore Studios in Bray.
That's our first live show so we're filming at 6.30pm and then coming back at 11.35pm when the first act in the semi-final will be revealed so we will be ringing in 2010 on set. I'm having a blast doing the programme and I feel it has really hit the ground running and seems to be going down really well with all the fans.
Before then, I have the daunting task of cooking Christmas dinner for all my family.
Cooking
Some of my sisters and brothers and in-laws are coming over to England and spending the day with us. It's my little girl Billy Rae's second Christmas this year.
She's nearly 14 months old now and she's doing great. She started walking when she was 10 months old so she's absolutely thriving, she never stops going.
I'm really looking forward to getting a few days off for Christmas and just chilling out with all my family and friends.
Having said that, I have been given the task of cooking for them all. I don't mind at all -- a glass of wine in your hand and you can't go wrong.
http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/celebrity-diary-shane-lynch-1980908.html
Shane on the tour
June 1st 2009
It was just fantastic to be back playing to all our fans in Wembley over the weekend and it was even more special for me as my daughter Billy Rae saw her first ever boyzone concert. We had to find her special earphones to protect her ears but my wife Sheena said she was smiling and clapping her hands to the music! We’re playing Cardiff tonight and now are well and truly on the road now with shows all over the UK until the end of June. Hope to see you all there!
Love Shane.x
http://www.boyzone.net/2009/06/shane-on-the-tour/
It was just fantastic to be back playing to all our fans in Wembley over the weekend and it was even more special for me as my daughter Billy Rae saw her first ever boyzone concert. We had to find her special earphones to protect her ears but my wife Sheena said she was smiling and clapping her hands to the music! We’re playing Cardiff tonight and now are well and truly on the road now with shows all over the UK until the end of June. Hope to see you all there!
Love Shane.x
http://www.boyzone.net/2009/06/shane-on-the-tour/
Talent show job's convinced me that it's time to return home for good
February 13th 2009
After years of performing on stage with Boyzone, assessing other people's performances as a judge on the All Ireland Talent Show comes as a welcome relief!
I guess my biggest news this week is that after spending so much time in Dublin filming the new show, I'm convinced that it's now time for me to make Ireland my permanent base again.
I'll be spending every weekend until the middle of next month making the RTE programme and with everything that's going on with Boyzone, it just makes sense. We're going to start rehearsals for the new tour in late March so moving back from Surrey seems like a natural thing. My wife Sheena has always said 'if you ever want to go back, we'll do it'. So, I'm planning to move back into my family's home on the northside very soon, maybe as early as next week.
Competition
After just one live edition of the All Ireland Talent Show last Sunday, I can already see that there's going to be some serious game plans put into action over the coming weeks -- especially from my fellow judge Dana.
I have to say, I'm 100pc delighted with all my entrants and without wanting to sound overly confident, I was very surprised that my act Raw Edge Crew didn't make it through. I was very disappointed that they were the first act to leave the competition. But you win some, you lose some.
We would obviously all like to win this show yet I was a bit amused by the voting tactics. And you get a fair idea of why the judges make certain decisions, as in trying to figure out who would be the most competition for their acts. I think we would all love to win but some people more than others. When it came to the crunch time and Dana had to decide between the two remaining acts, she went for Donna Marie over The Raw Edge Crew, as did Daithi O'Se who had the deciding vote.
She claimed that she just didn't get the whole hip-hop thing, but the thing is, she had a dance act from Belfast in her own top group. In that respect, I feel my guys should have gone through. I reckon Dana knew my act were better than hers and that's why she chose to evict them.
I have to say, I was very impressed with the standard of talent that I saw in Dublin. We had all kinds of weird and wonderful acts coming through the doors to audition for us -- some miles better than others -- but at the end of the day, if people want to be entertained, then this is the show for them.
I'm spending every weekend in Dublin so it's nice to go back home to my little girl Billie Rae (3 months) and my wife Sheena. I've been travelling all my life so I don't mind the flying back and forth. It's really nice to be home in Dublin as I don't spend that much time there. My little girl is great, I absolutely love being a dad. She's coming along in leaps and bounds, and when I come back after going away, she's always a little different.
Passion
Apart from performing, my other passion is race cars so I spent last Tuesday trying to finalise the build for a new drift car. I was up in Sligo recently for the Irish stage of the World Rally Championship and that was brilliant.
It is a dangerous sport but I adore it. Sheena doesn't worry too much about me either. The engineering involved in the cars now is fantastic and people don't really get mashed up that badly anymore.
On Wednesday, I was the knight in shining armour for my lovely neighbour Philomena from Galway. She's in her late 70s and she needed her dog brought to the vet. The roads were very icy around our area so I offered to do it for her, it's nice to look after your neighbours if you can.
Yesterday, I had my first photoshoot for VIP magazine. It was one of those 'at home' features so they came over and set everything up and took some gorgeous pics of the new baby with me and Sheena.
This morning saw me packing my bags and heading over to Ireland to meet up with Keith Duffy and Mikey Graham. We're going out to see Louis Walsh get his Mayo Man of the Year Award so we're all going out to cheer him on at a bash in City West tonight.
Tomorrow night I'm presenting an award at the Irish Film and TV awards with Blathnaid ni Chofaigh so that will be good fun but I can't have too late a night as we're filming the next day.
I'm afraid I'll be spending Valentine's Day away from my lovely wife. Billie Rae's still too young to be left on her own so she's more than happy to look after her at home. Having said that, the baby's getting her first passport next week and things are so hectic for me right now, she'll probably become a total jet-setter in a few weeks time!
http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/talent-show-jobs-convinced-me-that-its-time-to-return-home-for-good-1638895.html
After years of performing on stage with Boyzone, assessing other people's performances as a judge on the All Ireland Talent Show comes as a welcome relief!
I guess my biggest news this week is that after spending so much time in Dublin filming the new show, I'm convinced that it's now time for me to make Ireland my permanent base again.
I'll be spending every weekend until the middle of next month making the RTE programme and with everything that's going on with Boyzone, it just makes sense. We're going to start rehearsals for the new tour in late March so moving back from Surrey seems like a natural thing. My wife Sheena has always said 'if you ever want to go back, we'll do it'. So, I'm planning to move back into my family's home on the northside very soon, maybe as early as next week.
Competition
After just one live edition of the All Ireland Talent Show last Sunday, I can already see that there's going to be some serious game plans put into action over the coming weeks -- especially from my fellow judge Dana.
I have to say, I'm 100pc delighted with all my entrants and without wanting to sound overly confident, I was very surprised that my act Raw Edge Crew didn't make it through. I was very disappointed that they were the first act to leave the competition. But you win some, you lose some.
We would obviously all like to win this show yet I was a bit amused by the voting tactics. And you get a fair idea of why the judges make certain decisions, as in trying to figure out who would be the most competition for their acts. I think we would all love to win but some people more than others. When it came to the crunch time and Dana had to decide between the two remaining acts, she went for Donna Marie over The Raw Edge Crew, as did Daithi O'Se who had the deciding vote.
She claimed that she just didn't get the whole hip-hop thing, but the thing is, she had a dance act from Belfast in her own top group. In that respect, I feel my guys should have gone through. I reckon Dana knew my act were better than hers and that's why she chose to evict them.
I have to say, I was very impressed with the standard of talent that I saw in Dublin. We had all kinds of weird and wonderful acts coming through the doors to audition for us -- some miles better than others -- but at the end of the day, if people want to be entertained, then this is the show for them.
I'm spending every weekend in Dublin so it's nice to go back home to my little girl Billie Rae (3 months) and my wife Sheena. I've been travelling all my life so I don't mind the flying back and forth. It's really nice to be home in Dublin as I don't spend that much time there. My little girl is great, I absolutely love being a dad. She's coming along in leaps and bounds, and when I come back after going away, she's always a little different.
Passion
Apart from performing, my other passion is race cars so I spent last Tuesday trying to finalise the build for a new drift car. I was up in Sligo recently for the Irish stage of the World Rally Championship and that was brilliant.
It is a dangerous sport but I adore it. Sheena doesn't worry too much about me either. The engineering involved in the cars now is fantastic and people don't really get mashed up that badly anymore.
On Wednesday, I was the knight in shining armour for my lovely neighbour Philomena from Galway. She's in her late 70s and she needed her dog brought to the vet. The roads were very icy around our area so I offered to do it for her, it's nice to look after your neighbours if you can.
Yesterday, I had my first photoshoot for VIP magazine. It was one of those 'at home' features so they came over and set everything up and took some gorgeous pics of the new baby with me and Sheena.
This morning saw me packing my bags and heading over to Ireland to meet up with Keith Duffy and Mikey Graham. We're going out to see Louis Walsh get his Mayo Man of the Year Award so we're all going out to cheer him on at a bash in City West tonight.
Tomorrow night I'm presenting an award at the Irish Film and TV awards with Blathnaid ni Chofaigh so that will be good fun but I can't have too late a night as we're filming the next day.
I'm afraid I'll be spending Valentine's Day away from my lovely wife. Billie Rae's still too young to be left on her own so she's more than happy to look after her at home. Having said that, the baby's getting her first passport next week and things are so hectic for me right now, she'll probably become a total jet-setter in a few weeks time!
http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/talent-show-jobs-convinced-me-that-its-time-to-return-home-for-good-1638895.html
A message from Shane
23rd January 2009
Happy New Year and thanks for all your support so far. I’m really looking forward to hopefully seeing you all again on tour and getting stuck in to making an even better boyzone album this year!
Shane’s resolution:
“To get more sleep”
http://www.boyzone.net/category/boyz/shane/page/3/
Happy New Year and thanks for all your support so far. I’m really looking forward to hopefully seeing you all again on tour and getting stuck in to making an even better boyzone album this year!
Shane’s resolution:
“To get more sleep”
http://www.boyzone.net/category/boyz/shane/page/3/
Shane’s excited about the new album
20th January 2009
The boyz have started working on their new album before they start to prepare for this year’s boyzone tour and Shane told us how much he’s been looking forward to it.
“I’m really excited about starting the new Boyzone album.Its been a long time coming as we had a really busy year last year and so were only able to release a couple of new singles. I’m really looking forward to getting into the studio with the other Boyz and making the best Boyzone album yet.”
http://www.boyzone.net/2009/01/shanes-excited-about-the-new-album/
The boyz have started working on their new album before they start to prepare for this year’s boyzone tour and Shane told us how much he’s been looking forward to it.
“I’m really excited about starting the new Boyzone album.Its been a long time coming as we had a really busy year last year and so were only able to release a couple of new singles. I’m really looking forward to getting into the studio with the other Boyz and making the best Boyzone album yet.”
http://www.boyzone.net/2009/01/shanes-excited-about-the-new-album/
Baby joy for Boyzone's Shane
28th October 2008
BOYZONE singer Shane Lynch has welcomed his first daughter, Billie Rae, with wife Sheena White.
The star says 7lb Billie was born on Saturday night and is said to be doing "very well".
Shane, who is "over the moon", and Sheena got married last August after a brief engagement - and the singer has made no secret of his desire to start a family.
After announcing Sheena was pregnant in June, Shane claimed he was too happy about the impending arrival to worry about how it would change his life.
He said at the time: "I don't feel nervous about it - I'm just very excited. I've wanted to be a dad since I was 20. It was all I ever wanted, and now it's happening I couldn't be happier."
The 32-year-old singer also revealed his plans to have an idyllic family, adding he has always wanted lots of children.
He said: "I have a dream of a house with a white picket fence and children running around. I'd definitely like more than one child, but that's not up to me. We'll have to see how the labour goes!"
http://www.ok.co.uk/celebnews/view/4602/Baby-joy-for-Boyzone-s-Shane/
BOYZONE singer Shane Lynch has welcomed his first daughter, Billie Rae, with wife Sheena White.
The star says 7lb Billie was born on Saturday night and is said to be doing "very well".
Shane, who is "over the moon", and Sheena got married last August after a brief engagement - and the singer has made no secret of his desire to start a family.
After announcing Sheena was pregnant in June, Shane claimed he was too happy about the impending arrival to worry about how it would change his life.
He said at the time: "I don't feel nervous about it - I'm just very excited. I've wanted to be a dad since I was 20. It was all I ever wanted, and now it's happening I couldn't be happier."
The 32-year-old singer also revealed his plans to have an idyllic family, adding he has always wanted lots of children.
He said: "I have a dream of a house with a white picket fence and children running around. I'd definitely like more than one child, but that's not up to me. We'll have to see how the labour goes!"
http://www.ok.co.uk/celebnews/view/4602/Baby-joy-for-Boyzone-s-Shane/
Shane chats to ilikemusic
October 25th 2008
After an appearance on Children In Need in November 2007, Boyzone announced, to the delight of many fans, that they would be re-forming. What followed was a huge sell out arena tour and now, a brand new single, Love You Anyway, taken from their latest album Back Again....No Matter What.
After forming in 1994, Boyzone became part of the iconic boy band status and image of the 90's. With 16 consecutive top five hits in the UK singles charts, six number one singles, four number one albums and total sales exceeding a staggering fifteen million, the boys certainly have something to smile about.
With their new release available now and their Better 09 tour around the corner, ilikemusic caught up with Shane Lynch to chat about making a come back, how it feels to be part of such a successful boy band and the music that he likes.
"I Like Music because… it allows you to express yourself. It allows you to go to a different place within the mind. Lyrically you hear songs and you can visualise yourself within them. It allows you to go to many different places. Music is a powerful thing." SHANE LYNCH, BOYZONE
ILM: How does it feel to be back together again?
Shane: Absolutely fantastic. Me and the boys are very, very excited. We love our new record and we have had great feedback about it, but, obviously we are still nervous about it. This is our first time back. We don't know how it is going to go. We came off the back of a very successful, sell out arena tour, but a record is a different thing. But, it is an honour to get a second chance and we are very, very thankful.
ILM: How did you find being back in the studio?
Shane: To be honest it was a lot easier. As we have all grown in the industry we have learnt who we are and what our voices are like. Instead of what we thought we were supposed to sound like back in the day. It was an easy process going into the studio and laying down vocals and a pleasurable one. We can all get together and sit and reminisce and encourage each other, build moral within the group.
ILM: So as well as looking back, looking forward?
Shane: Absolutley. The journey at the moment is going forward. We sang on Children In Need in November last year and that was the beginning of our reunion. We came back for a charity, which was a very good reason, that then led to a tour which then led to a new record! The new record led to an album and then a brand new tour!
ILM: What can fans expect from the 2009 Boyzone tour?
Shane: It is called Better. We came back this year and had an incredible impact, but we know we are going to be able to beat that! One thing we can't over look is the songs. Everyone goes through their problems in everyday life so to be able to go back to songs that remind you of being a teenager, when you had almost no cares in the world, is one of the reasons fans like to come and see us! That's one of the things that music does. People have a lot of stories and memories, wedding songs etc, to do with Boyzone. It's great to see couples in the audience as well! That is what the tour is about. The music and the songs. We don't cut corners, we do it full on and flat out. We proved that this year! We want people to come, see the show and think 'Yeah, that was well worth the money!'
ILM: You are part of one of the biggest boy bands ever. Do you still wake up in the morning and think 'Wow, I can't believe this all happened to me!'
Shane: I'm a lucky guy. I got kicked out of school at the age of 15. I was living the life of a car mechanic, which was a great life, but I never expected to be in a successful music band. I took a chance, I took an opportunity, I said yes to an audition and I went along. Was I the most talented guy in the world? Most definitely not, but it worked out for me. I do wake up in the morning and appreciate that a lot. I don't believe I'm beyond my position. I will have a go. That's one of the reasons I've done a lot of reality shows. Who am I to turn them down? I feel honoured when I get asked to do them. They are experiences in life that I really enjoy.
ILM: Do you have one particular moment that stands out when you look back over your career?
Shane: That's a difficult question! The beginning of Boyzone was a wow factor, becuase I had made the audition! Then we had our first front cover on a magazine which was an amazing achievement, then we had a number one album, then a number one single, then a sell out tour! It grew and grew and grew for Boyzone. Incredible obstacles stood in our way and we over came them. There is no defining moment. It has been an incredible journey.
ILM: You've done some fantastic collaborations throughout your career. Do you have any planned for the future?
Shane: It was a pleasure to work with many a great, great artist in our day. From Pavarotti, to being on the same stage as Mariah Carey. If Boyzone carry on we are planning to do a studio album for 2009. We would like to have some collaborations on there. In terms of who? I have absolutely no idea! It's early days, we need to get over the first hurdle, which is the release of Love You Anyway.
ILM: The video is wonderful! Did you have fun making it?
Shane: We did, for the first time I think! The process of Boyzone coming back is a lot easier than it used to be. We are interested in being in the industry. It's like a new beginning. You know when you have that thing in your head where you go 'I'd love to go back to my school days, but with this head and with this body?' Well, it's like that! It's that concept of the mind. We understand each others levels, we know what to expect of this world.
ILM: What is one of the main things that you've taken from your past success and brought with you now?
Shane: I've taken on board what I lacked back then. What I dis-respected back then, which was simply the fact that I was in a band. At this point in life I realise I was a lucky, lucky guy. It's hard out there. It doesn't matter who you are. It's not an easy life. The Boyzone situation has a foundation, it has a following, it has a fanbase, it has the potential to sell tours and records. It is nice stepping into that with a little bit of back up. It is lovely to feel comfortable with that.
ILM: When did you first get into music and realise it was what you wanted to do?
Shane: My first recollection of music is of New Kids On The Block! I have five sisters. The girls were into the boy band thing, so I grew up in that family where they had the records and the posters on the wall. The first record I brought was Vanilla Ice! I don't mind saying that, it was a good record back in the day! Then I swiftly moved on to Hip Hop. Things like K-OS one and NWA. My musical interests have varied throughout the years. I began to appreciate pop, rather than rebelling against it. I also love Irish folk music. I have a wide scope of music that I like and what my interests are.
ILM: You were part of the iconic boyband image. How will that differ this time around?
Shane: I feel a lot more relaxed with the fact that I'm in a boyband. It is easier to accept now that I'm a lot older than when I was a kid. We were never going to be an Oasis, although we had some fantastic records. But I think that as a youngster, as a youth, you will always want to be more than what you seem to be. I realise as an adult now that we are called Boyzone. It's pop music. It does what it says on the tin. It is what it is. You either love it or hate it. There's a bit of marmite going on there! We enjoy what we do, that is most important. That way other people can enjoy it.
ILM: What are you listening to right now?
Shane: Hmmm. What's in my car right now?! There's a Michael Jackson Hits album that I brought at a service station the other day! The quality of the actual CD is brutal! It sounds rubbish and tinny! We did a medley on our tour, so I've got back into that! Generally speaking I listen to the radio. I don't play many CDs. I don't have an MP3 player. I do a lot of driving across the UK, radio is a big friend of mine!
http://www.ilikemusic.com/interviews/Boyzo...ne_Lynch-5787/8
After an appearance on Children In Need in November 2007, Boyzone announced, to the delight of many fans, that they would be re-forming. What followed was a huge sell out arena tour and now, a brand new single, Love You Anyway, taken from their latest album Back Again....No Matter What.
After forming in 1994, Boyzone became part of the iconic boy band status and image of the 90's. With 16 consecutive top five hits in the UK singles charts, six number one singles, four number one albums and total sales exceeding a staggering fifteen million, the boys certainly have something to smile about.
With their new release available now and their Better 09 tour around the corner, ilikemusic caught up with Shane Lynch to chat about making a come back, how it feels to be part of such a successful boy band and the music that he likes.
"I Like Music because… it allows you to express yourself. It allows you to go to a different place within the mind. Lyrically you hear songs and you can visualise yourself within them. It allows you to go to many different places. Music is a powerful thing." SHANE LYNCH, BOYZONE
ILM: How does it feel to be back together again?
Shane: Absolutely fantastic. Me and the boys are very, very excited. We love our new record and we have had great feedback about it, but, obviously we are still nervous about it. This is our first time back. We don't know how it is going to go. We came off the back of a very successful, sell out arena tour, but a record is a different thing. But, it is an honour to get a second chance and we are very, very thankful.
ILM: How did you find being back in the studio?
Shane: To be honest it was a lot easier. As we have all grown in the industry we have learnt who we are and what our voices are like. Instead of what we thought we were supposed to sound like back in the day. It was an easy process going into the studio and laying down vocals and a pleasurable one. We can all get together and sit and reminisce and encourage each other, build moral within the group.
ILM: So as well as looking back, looking forward?
Shane: Absolutley. The journey at the moment is going forward. We sang on Children In Need in November last year and that was the beginning of our reunion. We came back for a charity, which was a very good reason, that then led to a tour which then led to a new record! The new record led to an album and then a brand new tour!
ILM: What can fans expect from the 2009 Boyzone tour?
Shane: It is called Better. We came back this year and had an incredible impact, but we know we are going to be able to beat that! One thing we can't over look is the songs. Everyone goes through their problems in everyday life so to be able to go back to songs that remind you of being a teenager, when you had almost no cares in the world, is one of the reasons fans like to come and see us! That's one of the things that music does. People have a lot of stories and memories, wedding songs etc, to do with Boyzone. It's great to see couples in the audience as well! That is what the tour is about. The music and the songs. We don't cut corners, we do it full on and flat out. We proved that this year! We want people to come, see the show and think 'Yeah, that was well worth the money!'
ILM: You are part of one of the biggest boy bands ever. Do you still wake up in the morning and think 'Wow, I can't believe this all happened to me!'
Shane: I'm a lucky guy. I got kicked out of school at the age of 15. I was living the life of a car mechanic, which was a great life, but I never expected to be in a successful music band. I took a chance, I took an opportunity, I said yes to an audition and I went along. Was I the most talented guy in the world? Most definitely not, but it worked out for me. I do wake up in the morning and appreciate that a lot. I don't believe I'm beyond my position. I will have a go. That's one of the reasons I've done a lot of reality shows. Who am I to turn them down? I feel honoured when I get asked to do them. They are experiences in life that I really enjoy.
ILM: Do you have one particular moment that stands out when you look back over your career?
Shane: That's a difficult question! The beginning of Boyzone was a wow factor, becuase I had made the audition! Then we had our first front cover on a magazine which was an amazing achievement, then we had a number one album, then a number one single, then a sell out tour! It grew and grew and grew for Boyzone. Incredible obstacles stood in our way and we over came them. There is no defining moment. It has been an incredible journey.
ILM: You've done some fantastic collaborations throughout your career. Do you have any planned for the future?
Shane: It was a pleasure to work with many a great, great artist in our day. From Pavarotti, to being on the same stage as Mariah Carey. If Boyzone carry on we are planning to do a studio album for 2009. We would like to have some collaborations on there. In terms of who? I have absolutely no idea! It's early days, we need to get over the first hurdle, which is the release of Love You Anyway.
ILM: The video is wonderful! Did you have fun making it?
Shane: We did, for the first time I think! The process of Boyzone coming back is a lot easier than it used to be. We are interested in being in the industry. It's like a new beginning. You know when you have that thing in your head where you go 'I'd love to go back to my school days, but with this head and with this body?' Well, it's like that! It's that concept of the mind. We understand each others levels, we know what to expect of this world.
ILM: What is one of the main things that you've taken from your past success and brought with you now?
Shane: I've taken on board what I lacked back then. What I dis-respected back then, which was simply the fact that I was in a band. At this point in life I realise I was a lucky, lucky guy. It's hard out there. It doesn't matter who you are. It's not an easy life. The Boyzone situation has a foundation, it has a following, it has a fanbase, it has the potential to sell tours and records. It is nice stepping into that with a little bit of back up. It is lovely to feel comfortable with that.
ILM: When did you first get into music and realise it was what you wanted to do?
Shane: My first recollection of music is of New Kids On The Block! I have five sisters. The girls were into the boy band thing, so I grew up in that family where they had the records and the posters on the wall. The first record I brought was Vanilla Ice! I don't mind saying that, it was a good record back in the day! Then I swiftly moved on to Hip Hop. Things like K-OS one and NWA. My musical interests have varied throughout the years. I began to appreciate pop, rather than rebelling against it. I also love Irish folk music. I have a wide scope of music that I like and what my interests are.
ILM: You were part of the iconic boyband image. How will that differ this time around?
Shane: I feel a lot more relaxed with the fact that I'm in a boyband. It is easier to accept now that I'm a lot older than when I was a kid. We were never going to be an Oasis, although we had some fantastic records. But I think that as a youngster, as a youth, you will always want to be more than what you seem to be. I realise as an adult now that we are called Boyzone. It's pop music. It does what it says on the tin. It is what it is. You either love it or hate it. There's a bit of marmite going on there! We enjoy what we do, that is most important. That way other people can enjoy it.
ILM: What are you listening to right now?
Shane: Hmmm. What's in my car right now?! There's a Michael Jackson Hits album that I brought at a service station the other day! The quality of the actual CD is brutal! It sounds rubbish and tinny! We did a medley on our tour, so I've got back into that! Generally speaking I listen to the radio. I don't play many CDs. I don't have an MP3 player. I do a lot of driving across the UK, radio is a big friend of mine!
http://www.ilikemusic.com/interviews/Boyzo...ne_Lynch-5787/8
Wednesday 14 July 2010
Church Times interview
7th July 2008
Boyzone is back in all of its glory. We’re on tour from 25 May in Belfast, and then Wembley, and then all around the UK in June, and then in July and August we’re playing at various festivals.
It’s great to be back — to get together in a fresh-minded way. We’d kept in touch for about eight years, and talked about getting back together, but it has taken two years to wind up the solo things we were doing.
This is our singles tour — our greatest hits. My favourite is “Isn’t it a wonder?” which we made back in 1996 — just because it was our first video and we made it in a place called Broken Hill, in Australia. It was one of the most pleasurable times I had with the band.
It’s amazing that I’m able to bring out a book — The Chancer — today. I was a no-hoper at school. I was written off. Believe me, I did try, but I didn’t understand it.
I took a chance — that’s how my life has been. I didn’t sing, dance, or play an instrument, but I was just invited to be in this band. I took a chance. I suppose I cheated my way through the system. It’s been amazing.
I’ve made enough money not to have to work again. Most definitely I’ve been very blessed. Do I deserve it?
I shouldn’t be in such a position — but then I took a chance. I was the guy that got off the sofa. . .
My father is probably the biggest influence in my life. I had a good upbringing. He never stood in my way. He was very supportive of my decision to be in a band. I suppose he might have said: “Why are you giving up a good job?”
My father was into racing cars, and I grew up around engines. I was working as a motor mechanic, but was offered the opportunity to drive with some celebrities in a race, and finished up with a podium position. After that I’ve never looked back.
I’ve raced with some amazing teams. I never expected it to happen.
I’ve had my fair share of accidents. A racing car is 2000 nuts and bolts waiting to go wrong.
I was born and raised a Catholic, but it wasn’t part of my lifestyle. I was just a regular kid.
I understood there was a spiritual realm, the dark side. In the late ’90s I spent a lot of time getting involved with the occult. So I understood there had to be a light side. When life became too much, I got down on my knees and asked God for help. It blew my mind that he answered me.
I had all the money I could want, but you can’t buy God. You have to build that relationship. I served that ball up to him, and he hit it back to me with full force.
I got baptised four years ago. I’m happiest when I’m with my wife, or being in church. I go to a big, Charismatic, uplifting church.
I don’t find it difficult being a Christian — except perhaps in relations with the female situation. I’m glad to say I’m a happily married man now.
I regret absolutely nothing. I can only apologise for mistakes I’ve made in the past, but they are ones I won’t make again.
I have 50 hours of tattooing on my body, and most of them represent my life’s journey. My favourite part of the Bible is Psalm 88, verses 1-13, which is about the transition from dark to light. I have that tattooed all down my back.
I’m not really an angry guy. I take life in my stride.
I haven’t got a clue what I’d like to be remembered for. Do I want to be remembered? Do I have that choice? If I make an impact on the world, I just hope it’s a pleasant one.
I don’t read.
Fairtrade? I don’t do any shopping. My wife would probably know.
I don’t waste God’s time. My prayers are very direct. If there’s something, I ask him once, and I believe he does it. That’s what my belief is like.
I’d most like to get locked in a church with the devil, so I could wring his neck and show him what God’s about.
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=57243
Boyzone is back in all of its glory. We’re on tour from 25 May in Belfast, and then Wembley, and then all around the UK in June, and then in July and August we’re playing at various festivals.
It’s great to be back — to get together in a fresh-minded way. We’d kept in touch for about eight years, and talked about getting back together, but it has taken two years to wind up the solo things we were doing.
This is our singles tour — our greatest hits. My favourite is “Isn’t it a wonder?” which we made back in 1996 — just because it was our first video and we made it in a place called Broken Hill, in Australia. It was one of the most pleasurable times I had with the band.
It’s amazing that I’m able to bring out a book — The Chancer — today. I was a no-hoper at school. I was written off. Believe me, I did try, but I didn’t understand it.
I took a chance — that’s how my life has been. I didn’t sing, dance, or play an instrument, but I was just invited to be in this band. I took a chance. I suppose I cheated my way through the system. It’s been amazing.
I’ve made enough money not to have to work again. Most definitely I’ve been very blessed. Do I deserve it?
I shouldn’t be in such a position — but then I took a chance. I was the guy that got off the sofa. . .
My father is probably the biggest influence in my life. I had a good upbringing. He never stood in my way. He was very supportive of my decision to be in a band. I suppose he might have said: “Why are you giving up a good job?”
My father was into racing cars, and I grew up around engines. I was working as a motor mechanic, but was offered the opportunity to drive with some celebrities in a race, and finished up with a podium position. After that I’ve never looked back.
I’ve raced with some amazing teams. I never expected it to happen.
I’ve had my fair share of accidents. A racing car is 2000 nuts and bolts waiting to go wrong.
I was born and raised a Catholic, but it wasn’t part of my lifestyle. I was just a regular kid.
I understood there was a spiritual realm, the dark side. In the late ’90s I spent a lot of time getting involved with the occult. So I understood there had to be a light side. When life became too much, I got down on my knees and asked God for help. It blew my mind that he answered me.
I had all the money I could want, but you can’t buy God. You have to build that relationship. I served that ball up to him, and he hit it back to me with full force.
I got baptised four years ago. I’m happiest when I’m with my wife, or being in church. I go to a big, Charismatic, uplifting church.
I don’t find it difficult being a Christian — except perhaps in relations with the female situation. I’m glad to say I’m a happily married man now.
I regret absolutely nothing. I can only apologise for mistakes I’ve made in the past, but they are ones I won’t make again.
I have 50 hours of tattooing on my body, and most of them represent my life’s journey. My favourite part of the Bible is Psalm 88, verses 1-13, which is about the transition from dark to light. I have that tattooed all down my back.
I’m not really an angry guy. I take life in my stride.
I haven’t got a clue what I’d like to be remembered for. Do I want to be remembered? Do I have that choice? If I make an impact on the world, I just hope it’s a pleasant one.
I don’t read.
Fairtrade? I don’t do any shopping. My wife would probably know.
I don’t waste God’s time. My prayers are very direct. If there’s something, I ask him once, and I believe he does it. That’s what my belief is like.
I’d most like to get locked in a church with the devil, so I could wring his neck and show him what God’s about.
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=57243
Shane leaves name game to wife Sheena
2nd July 2008
SHANE Lynch has no intention of coming up with a bizarre celebrity name for his firstborn. In fact, the Boyzone singer -- as well known for his tattoos and Christian faith as he is for his singing -- isn't planning on coming with with any name at all.
The buff popstar is leaving the decision up to his wife Sheena White and he's confident she'll choose the perfect name for their bundle of joy. Speaking to the Herald he explained: "She's five months gone and it's all going well. It's very exciting for us."
excited
But as excited as he is, he is leaving the tricky business of picking a name to his partner.
"That's totally up to herself, as long as she doesn't come up with something stupid, I don't mind," said Shane, who has penned an autobiography called The Chancer. She's a sensible girl and I'm sure she'll come up with something beautiful."
So it appears that Shane will follow the lead of fellow Boyz in the children's names stakes. Ronan Keating's children have the eminently sensible names of Jack, Marie and Ali, while Keith Duffy's pair can also hold their heads up high with the names Jordan and Mia. Their level-headed approach to naming their children contrasts starkly with other stars.
Michael Jackson called his children Prince Michael, Paris and Prince Michael II. Coldplay singer Chris Martin and actress wife Gwyneth Paltrow called their daughter and son Apple and Moses.
Model Jordan and husband Peter Andre named their two children Junior and Princess, while Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's children are called Maddox, Pax, Zahara and Shiloh.
Meanwhile, it's been a busy week for Shane. Last weekend, he wowed 25,000 fans in Boyzone's comeback gig in the RDS.
Shane said the Dublin performance was one of the highlights of his career.
"It was awesome. We thought the sound might get lost in the open-air stadium, but the fans were awesome," he enthused. "It was the icing on the cake for us."
We have another ten shows until the end of August and then we'll look at our options."
Asked what he was up to next, Shane said that, apart from his anxious wait for the new baby, the band were trying to co-ordinate their diaries to make a video for the new single.
"We want a greatest hits album for Christmas and another new single. Then we're hoping to tour next year as well.
"That's the general plan but there will be a lot of cogs that have to fall into place for all that to happen," he added.
He also denied reports that he will be appearing in panto in the UK this Christmas
http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-...na-1425465.html
SHANE Lynch has no intention of coming up with a bizarre celebrity name for his firstborn. In fact, the Boyzone singer -- as well known for his tattoos and Christian faith as he is for his singing -- isn't planning on coming with with any name at all.
The buff popstar is leaving the decision up to his wife Sheena White and he's confident she'll choose the perfect name for their bundle of joy. Speaking to the Herald he explained: "She's five months gone and it's all going well. It's very exciting for us."
excited
But as excited as he is, he is leaving the tricky business of picking a name to his partner.
"That's totally up to herself, as long as she doesn't come up with something stupid, I don't mind," said Shane, who has penned an autobiography called The Chancer. She's a sensible girl and I'm sure she'll come up with something beautiful."
So it appears that Shane will follow the lead of fellow Boyz in the children's names stakes. Ronan Keating's children have the eminently sensible names of Jack, Marie and Ali, while Keith Duffy's pair can also hold their heads up high with the names Jordan and Mia. Their level-headed approach to naming their children contrasts starkly with other stars.
Michael Jackson called his children Prince Michael, Paris and Prince Michael II. Coldplay singer Chris Martin and actress wife Gwyneth Paltrow called their daughter and son Apple and Moses.
Model Jordan and husband Peter Andre named their two children Junior and Princess, while Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's children are called Maddox, Pax, Zahara and Shiloh.
Meanwhile, it's been a busy week for Shane. Last weekend, he wowed 25,000 fans in Boyzone's comeback gig in the RDS.
Shane said the Dublin performance was one of the highlights of his career.
"It was awesome. We thought the sound might get lost in the open-air stadium, but the fans were awesome," he enthused. "It was the icing on the cake for us."
We have another ten shows until the end of August and then we'll look at our options."
Asked what he was up to next, Shane said that, apart from his anxious wait for the new baby, the band were trying to co-ordinate their diaries to make a video for the new single.
"We want a greatest hits album for Christmas and another new single. Then we're hoping to tour next year as well.
"That's the general plan but there will be a lot of cogs that have to fall into place for all that to happen," he added.
He also denied reports that he will be appearing in panto in the UK this Christmas
http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-...na-1425465.html
Belfast Telegraph - ‘I had everything money can buy but wasn’t happy’
‘I had everything money can buy but wasn’t happy’
June 27th 2008
Kicked out of school at 14, Shane Lynch was a real problem child. But he proved his critics wrong by rising to fame with Boyzone.
To the outside world Shane Lynch had it all — everything and anything money could buy. At the height of his success with Boyzone, he should've been the happiest man alive with a string of No 1 singles, albums and sell-out tours. But, he wasn't. On the inside, his life was a daily battle of self-destructive behaviour.
"Many scenarios led me to the point of trouble. I had everything in terms of materialistic things — £1m house, a Mercedes, a Porsche. I had everything money could buy, but I wasn't happy. I was quite lonely and I was searching for something else. It's true what they say, money can't buy you happiness," he admits.
With his moody, dark looks and multiple tattoos, Shane didn't quite fit the band's clean cut image. One could be forgiven for mistaking him for a gangsta-rapper with his individual style of dress. Indeed, it seemed that throughout his years in the band the former mechanic was intent on rebelling against conformity. It was this type of behaviour that led to Shane's expletive filled outburst at the 1999 MTV Europe Music Awards in Dublin where his fellow band members, Ronan Keating, Stephen Gately, Mikey Graham and Keith Duffy looked mortified at his drunken rant on how the band wasn't splitting up.
"Every time I spoke I had no respect for myself or anyone else. What I was saying or how I was behaving had no reflection on any of the boys," he explains. "I was a very angry individual and I was lost in the world. "
Shane decided to tell his story of how he eventually found God and turned his life around in his new autobiography 'The Chancer' in a bid "to encourage others to make the most of the opportunities life presents them with".
"It's plain to see around us that there are so many people searching for comfort and happiness. That's why there are so many turning to drink and drugs," he explains: "But I'm no-one to tell anyone how to live their life. I'm simply telling them about mine."
Shane's problems escalated in the late Nineties when he received visitations from demons appearing in his troubled, fitful sleep which he blames on dabbling in witchcraft and the occult.
When Boyzone took a break in 2000, after seven years of non-stop touring, he found himself with too much time on his hands to dwell on things. His marriage to Easther Bennett, the lead singer in now defunct girl band Eternal, crumbled as Lynch became withdrawn, moody and in his own words " an extremely, angry man." The pair split up in 2002.
"Around that time I proceeded to write a book. I wrote it in anger and I wrote things that I didn't really mean. It was more or less like a therapy session for me," he explains. "People turn their nose up at therapy, but they shouldn't. By the time I talked about it, I realised I didn't feel that way anymore and I didn't publish it."
However, it was when he confided in a friend and was advised to turn to God that Lynch finally turned his life around. In November 2003, he was baptised a born-again Christian and now tours the UK telling his story. "I turned to God and asked for His help and He gave it to me," he says.
The completion of his new book marks a turning point in Lynch's life and comes after numerous requests for him to tell his story. Kicked out of school at 14, he cheated his way through his exams having never got to grips with reading and writing.
"That's part of the reason I wanted to tell my story," he says. " I was written off as a child, not for being dyslexic, but as a problem child not getting on in life or with the school system. However, not being able to read or write did not stop me from being successful. I had to take a chance on things and I chanced my way through school by cheating in my exams and using my charm. That's where the title of the book comes from as."
The 31-year-old believes that others should make the most of their life's experiences, rather than get hung up on material things.
"When you die, all that is written on your gravestone is the day you were born and the day you die. There's nothing about the stuff in the middle — the decisions you make and the consequences you have to deal with."
Now, life couldn't be better for the former school drop-out. Last August he married his long-term girlfriend Sheena White, a former backing singer for Westlife. They met at church and temporarily split in 2006 when Shane took cold feet regarding their future. He went on to star in the reality TV show love Island but left after five weeks to try and make amends with Sheena. The couple married last August at Kinnitty Castle, Co Offaly and are expecting the pitter patter of tiny feet later this year.
"We're completely over the moon. At the end of the day, that is why we got married — to try and start a family."
Personal life aside, he is currently back on stage touring with Boyzone on their Back Again — No Matter What tour. "(Ex-manager) Louis Walsh did always say that it would happen. We have such loyal fans and it's bigger and better than it ever was."
The Chancer by Shane Lynch with Steve Legg, Canaan Press, £14.99
June 27th 2008
Kicked out of school at 14, Shane Lynch was a real problem child. But he proved his critics wrong by rising to fame with Boyzone.
To the outside world Shane Lynch had it all — everything and anything money could buy. At the height of his success with Boyzone, he should've been the happiest man alive with a string of No 1 singles, albums and sell-out tours. But, he wasn't. On the inside, his life was a daily battle of self-destructive behaviour.
"Many scenarios led me to the point of trouble. I had everything in terms of materialistic things — £1m house, a Mercedes, a Porsche. I had everything money could buy, but I wasn't happy. I was quite lonely and I was searching for something else. It's true what they say, money can't buy you happiness," he admits.
With his moody, dark looks and multiple tattoos, Shane didn't quite fit the band's clean cut image. One could be forgiven for mistaking him for a gangsta-rapper with his individual style of dress. Indeed, it seemed that throughout his years in the band the former mechanic was intent on rebelling against conformity. It was this type of behaviour that led to Shane's expletive filled outburst at the 1999 MTV Europe Music Awards in Dublin where his fellow band members, Ronan Keating, Stephen Gately, Mikey Graham and Keith Duffy looked mortified at his drunken rant on how the band wasn't splitting up.
"Every time I spoke I had no respect for myself or anyone else. What I was saying or how I was behaving had no reflection on any of the boys," he explains. "I was a very angry individual and I was lost in the world. "
Shane decided to tell his story of how he eventually found God and turned his life around in his new autobiography 'The Chancer' in a bid "to encourage others to make the most of the opportunities life presents them with".
"It's plain to see around us that there are so many people searching for comfort and happiness. That's why there are so many turning to drink and drugs," he explains: "But I'm no-one to tell anyone how to live their life. I'm simply telling them about mine."
Shane's problems escalated in the late Nineties when he received visitations from demons appearing in his troubled, fitful sleep which he blames on dabbling in witchcraft and the occult.
When Boyzone took a break in 2000, after seven years of non-stop touring, he found himself with too much time on his hands to dwell on things. His marriage to Easther Bennett, the lead singer in now defunct girl band Eternal, crumbled as Lynch became withdrawn, moody and in his own words " an extremely, angry man." The pair split up in 2002.
"Around that time I proceeded to write a book. I wrote it in anger and I wrote things that I didn't really mean. It was more or less like a therapy session for me," he explains. "People turn their nose up at therapy, but they shouldn't. By the time I talked about it, I realised I didn't feel that way anymore and I didn't publish it."
However, it was when he confided in a friend and was advised to turn to God that Lynch finally turned his life around. In November 2003, he was baptised a born-again Christian and now tours the UK telling his story. "I turned to God and asked for His help and He gave it to me," he says.
The completion of his new book marks a turning point in Lynch's life and comes after numerous requests for him to tell his story. Kicked out of school at 14, he cheated his way through his exams having never got to grips with reading and writing.
"That's part of the reason I wanted to tell my story," he says. " I was written off as a child, not for being dyslexic, but as a problem child not getting on in life or with the school system. However, not being able to read or write did not stop me from being successful. I had to take a chance on things and I chanced my way through school by cheating in my exams and using my charm. That's where the title of the book comes from as."
The 31-year-old believes that others should make the most of their life's experiences, rather than get hung up on material things.
"When you die, all that is written on your gravestone is the day you were born and the day you die. There's nothing about the stuff in the middle — the decisions you make and the consequences you have to deal with."
Now, life couldn't be better for the former school drop-out. Last August he married his long-term girlfriend Sheena White, a former backing singer for Westlife. They met at church and temporarily split in 2006 when Shane took cold feet regarding their future. He went on to star in the reality TV show love Island but left after five weeks to try and make amends with Sheena. The couple married last August at Kinnitty Castle, Co Offaly and are expecting the pitter patter of tiny feet later this year.
"We're completely over the moon. At the end of the day, that is why we got married — to try and start a family."
Personal life aside, he is currently back on stage touring with Boyzone on their Back Again — No Matter What tour. "(Ex-manager) Louis Walsh did always say that it would happen. We have such loyal fans and it's bigger and better than it ever was."
The Chancer by Shane Lynch with Steve Legg, Canaan Press, £14.99
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