TV Hits Magazine, April 1996
T.V.: So you're going to be first out of the Take That starting blocks with a solo career - are you the most ambitious?
G.B.: I do have a lot of ambition, and probably more so for my own career that the band. It's funny, there'll probably be a bit of competition between us all, but it'll be friendly rivalry.
T.V.: Now that Take That's over, will we notice a difference in your music?
G.B.: I think the music'll probably sound the most like Take That out of all of us, because I sang most of the songs and wrote most of them. But we'll have to wait and see..
T.V.: Is your stuff going to be better?
G.B.: It's definately a move on from what I was writing eighteen months ago. I was lucky because we were just about to start recording a new Take That album, so I had 17 songs ready for that. Since the break up I've written 20 more, so I was faced with the problem of getting 37 songs down to 12!
T.V.: What's your next goal?
G.B.: To make an album on my own and to listen to it. Success for me isn't about sales, or people telling me how brilliant the music is. I'm doing my very best on this album and I just want to be happy with it when it's finished.
T.V.: Will you outsell Take That?
G.B.: No! I could never think of competing with the sales we've accomplished! It was extraordinary, wasn't it? Our presales (the number of copies ordered by shops before the record's been pressed), always broke records. I don't want that sort of thing - I'd really like things to cool down a bit.
T.V.: Does it add pressure when people say you're going to be the next George Michael?
G.B.: No - I think my songs are really good! I'm not meant to say that, but I'm very confident about the music I'm making.
T.V.: After Robbie left, what did Take That record - are there any unreleased classics waiting?
G.B.: The only song we recorded after Robbie left was How Deep Is Your Love and that's why it was our last single. We didn't have time to think after Robbie left, and between July and Christmas we didn't have time to think about the future. When we had a break over Christmas, we realised we wanted different things - we wanted more freedom and we realised that the future wasn't going to be Take That.
T.V.: Was the split a joint decision?
G.B.: Yeah. We've been doing this for six years now and we're ready for a break. To be honest, I always wanted a solo career, but I didn't expect it to happen this quickly! I think the record company were a bit nervous - they probably thought, 'Where are we going to get eight million albums from this year? But I'll show them!
T.V.: Why didn't you do one last concert?
G.B.: It's not that easy. We don't just stand on stage and play instruments. We have to do nine or ten weeks of rehearsals and before you know it, it's the middle of the year. We want to be remembered for the last tour we did, because we spent the most money and time rehearsing for it. We couldn't do that again.
T.V.: How has your music changed over the last five years?
G.B.: I think when we first started, we weren't that good at singing! I had to work at dancing, the lads had to work at their singing and we got it together. Now Mark and Howard can write songs, they can sing well - they'll do well from what they've learnt with Take That.
T.V.: Did Take That stop you from showing your full potential?
G.B.:No. I've always given Take That my best. I've been asked to write for other artists but I always saved my best for Take That.
T.V.: When did you start writing?
G.B.: I started writing when I was 15. I spent four years travelling up and down to London, but I found no interest whatsoever! Nigel was the first one who said to me, 'You have something that could be fantastic!'
T.V.: Can you see Take That in the new boy bands?
G.B.: The making of them is a lot different from us - there was a lot of talent behind our band. We've seen a lot fall by the wayside because they've no root talent. We write our own music, we sing live on stage and we don't have any backing vocals on tape. Maybe that's why we've stayed around for so long, 'cause we can cut it live like any other credible band.
T.V.: You're dating Dawn Andrews now. What's she like?
G.B.: She's lovely. Next question.....
T.V.: Ok! How do you cope with the fans?
G.B.: It's no problem. It didn't happen overnight! We didn't wake up one morning and find thousands of girls outside our hotel room! It was a very gradual thing. I'm most comfortable with it when we are on tour. When I'm inside a building with all our fans, we're communicating - it's fantastic!
T.V.: Would you like to get back together in ten years time?
G.B.: Oh, I don't know. We'd have to see how we felt. In ten years time we'll all have sore knees and bad backs - we won't be able to do this sort of show anymore.
T.V.: Do you think you will ever be on speaking terms with Robbie?
G.B.: I don't know, that's up to Robbie, really. Robbie's changed so much - none of us know him anymore.
T.V.: Do you think he'll be a good singer?
G.B.: Robbie's an excellent singer. He's got huge talent.
T.V.: Finally, looking back on it all, what was your favourite Take That song?
G.B.: Back For Good. I don't know why - it was an afterthought for our album. I was just really pleased with it...
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