Post by carol on Mar 17, 2014 20:37:51 GMT
This a great interview with Gareth. Enjoy. 
love Carol xxx
HomeStage
gareth gates
‘I sold 5 million records…now it’s my chance to be a recording artist again’. Gareth Gates on life after Pop Idol
Alex Exeter 17 Mar 2014 Stage 0
12 years after his Pop Idol win, Gareth Gates is still in the spotlight, albeit minus those perfectly formed spikes. Gareth sat down with us to talk ice skating, musical theatre and stammer awareness. He’s lovely.
So So Gay: Firstly, views on the Dancing on Ice result?
Gareth: Yeah, I think Ray [Quinn] was the best skater and I think we are all a bit relieved that he won. Sometimes on these shows, especially when it’s a public vote, not the right people win.
Are you quite good mates with Ray? You seem to have started your career in the same way…
Yeah! I’ve known him for quite a while, and have got to know him a lot more on the series. He’s a really great guy and a well-footed talented dancer. That has served him really well for the show.
Was it nice to get back on the ice or do you lose it if you don’t keep it up? We’re like Bambi on ice…
Fake tan and lycra - what more can you want?
Fake tan and lycra – what more can you want?
Well I was Bambi on ice too when I first did the show back in 2008. I’ve really enjoyed learning a brand new skill. After the show finished I then did the tour, and I haven’t skated since at all since then. I was a bit rusty when I came back, but it was nice to be back and to be at a really good standard.
Was it as competitive an atmosphere as the public would expect, given everyone had been on the show before? Or was everyone weirdly friendly?
Massively competitive. Everyone wanted to be the champion of champions, but for me, I didn’t really have that competitive element, which surprised me as I always want to win whatever I’m involved in. I kind of knew that I wasn’t the best by far, and came fourth on the series that I was involved in, but I was the last non-champion left in the competition.
And you’re going on tour starting in Manchester later in the month – have you been in skating rehearsals since the show ended?
Yes, we open in Manchester on the 28 March and the tour goes right through to the 27 April, finishing in Leeds. It’s a nice length of time, and great to be back on tour, doing something out of my comfort zone, so it’s nice to tour with something completely different.
Is it different touring with a musical to Dancing On Ice?
It’s very physically demanding, so whereas I would finish a gig late at night in a club or theatre and then head out for drinks and so on, the Dancing on Ice tour is not as much on the social side. Knowing you have to be on the ice in the morning lifting your partner. It’s more disciplined.
5th story. Matching outfits.
5th story. Matching outfits.
You must be a busy man at the moment. You’re currently starring on the Big Reunion as part of a group 5th Story – what’s it like being back on the music scene again?
It’s nice. For the past four/five years I have been in musical theatre so being a popstar again is nice. My first thoughts in forming a band were very skeptical and in my head I decided I didn’t want to do it, but I met the lads and we hit it off. Making brand new versions of songs has been a great experience. We had our first gig a couple of weeks back.
Does it gel given that you are five solo acts brought together? Are there any divas or do you all get on pretty well?
We were all a bit worried about that but it’s worked out. We haven’t had any issues and are all on the same page.
Is the plan to stay together after the show?
We’re not sure whether it will be big, small or will take off at all; we’re just open-minded at the moment.
Oh how time has flied, you’re 30 in July – does your life since being on Pop Idol just feel like a huge, 12 year whirlwind?
There’s loads of things that have happened; lots of success as a recording artist, having sold five million records, and had five number ones and so on. Then I went into theatre and played some massive roles in some big shows – Les Miserables, Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Legally Blonde amongst others. Now this time around it’s given me another chance to be a recording artist again. I’m just looking forward to seeing how that goes. I always know what I’m going to do over the next year.
Bad hair day?
Bad hair day?
People sometimes criticise talent shows, and the idea that people get put in boxes artistically. Do you feel like you were a bit pigeon holed?
The honest answer is that I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I was only 17 and loved music; I had this terrible stammer so the only form of expression was music. I didn’t know what genre of music I wanted to make so I was fine with the likes of Simon Cowell telling me what to do. I look back at some of the songs and think ‘I wouldn’t sing that now’, but I was 17 years old…
And you’ve also talked quite openly about your stammer and do a lot of awareness work around that – you must be humbled when people with stammers write lovely messages to you…
Yes massively. It’s a constant battle with me. Certainly now my speech isn’t in its best place, but I’m too busy and haven’t had the chance or determination to really make it work. It’s hard at times but I love the work that I do and raising awareness.
Dancing On Ice – The Final Tour is touring in cities across the UK. For more information click here.
love Carol xxx
HomeStage
gareth gates
‘I sold 5 million records…now it’s my chance to be a recording artist again’. Gareth Gates on life after Pop Idol
Alex Exeter 17 Mar 2014 Stage 0
12 years after his Pop Idol win, Gareth Gates is still in the spotlight, albeit minus those perfectly formed spikes. Gareth sat down with us to talk ice skating, musical theatre and stammer awareness. He’s lovely.
So So Gay: Firstly, views on the Dancing on Ice result?
Gareth: Yeah, I think Ray [Quinn] was the best skater and I think we are all a bit relieved that he won. Sometimes on these shows, especially when it’s a public vote, not the right people win.
Are you quite good mates with Ray? You seem to have started your career in the same way…
Yeah! I’ve known him for quite a while, and have got to know him a lot more on the series. He’s a really great guy and a well-footed talented dancer. That has served him really well for the show.
Was it nice to get back on the ice or do you lose it if you don’t keep it up? We’re like Bambi on ice…
Fake tan and lycra - what more can you want?
Fake tan and lycra – what more can you want?
Well I was Bambi on ice too when I first did the show back in 2008. I’ve really enjoyed learning a brand new skill. After the show finished I then did the tour, and I haven’t skated since at all since then. I was a bit rusty when I came back, but it was nice to be back and to be at a really good standard.
Was it as competitive an atmosphere as the public would expect, given everyone had been on the show before? Or was everyone weirdly friendly?
Massively competitive. Everyone wanted to be the champion of champions, but for me, I didn’t really have that competitive element, which surprised me as I always want to win whatever I’m involved in. I kind of knew that I wasn’t the best by far, and came fourth on the series that I was involved in, but I was the last non-champion left in the competition.
And you’re going on tour starting in Manchester later in the month – have you been in skating rehearsals since the show ended?
Yes, we open in Manchester on the 28 March and the tour goes right through to the 27 April, finishing in Leeds. It’s a nice length of time, and great to be back on tour, doing something out of my comfort zone, so it’s nice to tour with something completely different.
Is it different touring with a musical to Dancing On Ice?
It’s very physically demanding, so whereas I would finish a gig late at night in a club or theatre and then head out for drinks and so on, the Dancing on Ice tour is not as much on the social side. Knowing you have to be on the ice in the morning lifting your partner. It’s more disciplined.
5th story. Matching outfits.
5th story. Matching outfits.
You must be a busy man at the moment. You’re currently starring on the Big Reunion as part of a group 5th Story – what’s it like being back on the music scene again?
It’s nice. For the past four/five years I have been in musical theatre so being a popstar again is nice. My first thoughts in forming a band were very skeptical and in my head I decided I didn’t want to do it, but I met the lads and we hit it off. Making brand new versions of songs has been a great experience. We had our first gig a couple of weeks back.
Does it gel given that you are five solo acts brought together? Are there any divas or do you all get on pretty well?
We were all a bit worried about that but it’s worked out. We haven’t had any issues and are all on the same page.
Is the plan to stay together after the show?
We’re not sure whether it will be big, small or will take off at all; we’re just open-minded at the moment.
Oh how time has flied, you’re 30 in July – does your life since being on Pop Idol just feel like a huge, 12 year whirlwind?
There’s loads of things that have happened; lots of success as a recording artist, having sold five million records, and had five number ones and so on. Then I went into theatre and played some massive roles in some big shows – Les Miserables, Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Legally Blonde amongst others. Now this time around it’s given me another chance to be a recording artist again. I’m just looking forward to seeing how that goes. I always know what I’m going to do over the next year.
Bad hair day?
Bad hair day?
People sometimes criticise talent shows, and the idea that people get put in boxes artistically. Do you feel like you were a bit pigeon holed?
The honest answer is that I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I was only 17 and loved music; I had this terrible stammer so the only form of expression was music. I didn’t know what genre of music I wanted to make so I was fine with the likes of Simon Cowell telling me what to do. I look back at some of the songs and think ‘I wouldn’t sing that now’, but I was 17 years old…
And you’ve also talked quite openly about your stammer and do a lot of awareness work around that – you must be humbled when people with stammers write lovely messages to you…
Yes massively. It’s a constant battle with me. Certainly now my speech isn’t in its best place, but I’m too busy and haven’t had the chance or determination to really make it work. It’s hard at times but I love the work that I do and raising awareness.
Dancing On Ice – The Final Tour is touring in cities across the UK. For more information click here.
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