15th July 1996
G.B.: It is so nice because I mean, if we'd have been here two years ago it would have been an unbareable experience and there's no doubt about it, life has calmed down a lot for me now, and it's very nice, I'm enjoying it very much
A.T.: What was the real story behind the split?
G.B.: Well, the blame was to be put on everyone's door, really. We sat in a hotel room in London. I think we'd all just about had enough, we'd been doing it for six years and we'd had a very uncomfortable six months and we just said, 'we've had enough'. I said, 'I've had enough, I'm a bit bored to be honest now, I feel we're doing the same thing over and over again', you know, there's an album to be done, a tour this year, etc etc and everyone said, 'I'm so glad you said that because we're feeling exactly the same.'
A.T.: But it could be said that there were some members that were more talented than others?
G.B.: I think its a matter of opinion that actually, because I know what part everybody played in it and everybody's, as far as I am concerned, entitled to the success they had. It was because of all five of us that we were so successful and I can understand as another member of the band why people did fall in love with each member. I can understand why people fall in love with Mark or Howard, I can understand it because I fell in love with them as people.
A.T.: Now the Robbie situation, it hurt everybody involved. How did it really effect the band, I mean you put a very brave face on, but it must have affected you a lot.
G.B.: It was a very upsetting time, not only for us but for Robbie as well, there is two sides to the story I can see that and also, forgetting us, I'm sure it was a very upsetting time for the fans as well who've supported a band like us for so long. I almost pity what Rob's been through and I'm sure I couldn't go through all that and come out of it with a solo career because he's been through a hell of a lot for a 22 year old lad. But I don't understand it at all, I don't understand how anybody can sit there after being so close to people for so long, and I thought we all looked after him in a way, and say the things he does. I don't understand it at all.
A.T.: And you know it'll not stop.
G.B.: (smiling) Probably won't.
A.T.: It'll come back.
G.B.: Yep, I'm sure it will (he says sadly), and almost in a way I think it's Rob's way of staying famous as well. Suddenly Robbie's bought up this competition between me and him and let's face it, when there was a poll to vote for your favourite member of Take That , I was the embarrassing fifth member. Robbie is ten times more popular than me, he always will be I'm sure, there is no competition. Robbie wins hands down, but let's hear these songs that are easy to write! (smug grin), I'm dying to hear them.
A.T.: Do you think you will be friends again?
G.B.: I hope so because I still see all the other members of the band so lets hope when Rob becomes Rob again, we'll meet up.
16th July 1996
A.T.: Your on this brink of a new adventure and even the album's called Open Road isn't it. So do you feel like you are on an Open Road?
G.B.: I definately do, I literally can go into a studio and create anything I want, it doesn't have to have a dance routine put to it, it doesn't have to include four other people on vocals, it can be anything I want it to be. I did Top of The Pops a couple of weeks ago and it was really the first time I had seen any of our fans since the split up because I've just been in the studio working away. I came on stage and I don't know, I was half expecting to to be booed or something. I don't know what I was expecting but I came on and as the song started everyone just cheered, it was just so brilliant, I couldn't stop smiling. I almost wanted to go round and thank everyone personally because it was such a nice feeling. I'm terribly nervous for this single as well and for the album, I'm just nervous for everything. I've developed this nervous.....it's not a twitch or anything..I'm not gonna start...(laughing)
A.T.: Will you be touring?
G.B.: There's nothing in black and white just yet but I really hope to do a UK tour before Christmas. I'm really trying to cram it in because to me it's the best, because you go out on stage and your face to face with your fans. There not watching you on the television, where there's millions of other people entitled to turn on or off. They are there at your concert, you talk to them, you can do things you can't do on TV or radio and it's a brilliant feeling, it really is.
A.T.: The whole business, the fans, they've bought you wealth, they've bought you all wealth, how did you cope with that? You haven't bought a Lamborgini have you!?
G.B.: No, I didn't do anything quite like that! I think probably because of my upbringing I do care about the value of money. I still do. I did a show for the record company in L.A and I went to Las Vegas for a couple of days and I thought 'right, I'm going to limit myself to $10', 'cos if I lose a fiver I feel ill! (laughing). So I put $10 in and I couldn't believe it, the machine did nothing! I couldn't believe I'd lost $10 and seen nothing, it just really upset me and I do keep very much in control. I spend money where I need to, for instance, I've got a lovely home. Also, I've bought me mum and dad a home and I've bought me brother a home and it sort of came to the time for me where it was now time to look after the people that made me. So I've sorted them out, I feel good about that.
A.T.: What about Dawn, I mean, you talk very openly about her, is she part of your new adventure?
G.B.: I always never wanted my job to make me miss out on anything in my life. I do want children and I do want to get married and I really hope I found the person to do that with and I don't want to miss out on that because of my job.
A.T.: Have you been in love before?
G.B.: I thought I had but I really now know I obviously never had and I couldn't even give you the reason why.
A.T.: Was there ever a policy in the band that you weren't to be seen to be attached?
G.B.: Whenever we did go out with girls we kept it very private. Which we all needed a private life of that kind then, but it's very different now. I think that's why we did it. There was never a policy where we all sat down and said, 'right, no girlfriends!'. But we were young 20 year old lads.
A.T.: (laughing) The thing is though, you kept it so private there were even rumours that your were gay!
G.B.: Yeah I know, there still is! Would you like to give a message to those fans because I know how important they are to you? It's not only me they're gonna follow, they'll follow all the boys, because at the end of the day, I think everyone is worth watching and everyone's got something to offer.
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