Take That is just a hobby for us now, claims Gary Barlow - Daily Record - 06.12.08

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/showbiz-news/celebrity-interviews/2008/12/06/exclusive-take-that-is-just-a-hobby-for-us-now-claims-gary-barlow-86908-20949554/

THEY are Britain's biggest-selling act, but Gary Barlow says he and his bandmates work just two days a week.

Enjoying the fruits of the biggest comeback in British pop history, Barlow and the other band members have just announced a record-breaking series of British stadium dates, including a third show at Hampden Park, in Glasgow.

But despite the hysteria surrounding his band, Gary says the lads treat Take That as an enjoyable hobby and spend the rest of the time relaxing with friends and family.

"It's not a lot of work, a couple of days each week really," he said of his band duties. "The record company would like to have us working a lot harder, but we have learned from experience to start with a good record and the rest comes easily. If there is one thing that has changed a little bit, it's that we've got a little bit lazy in our old age."

The band - Gary, Jason Orange, Howard Donald and Mark Owen - have had a phenomenal year, with ticket sales for their next tour set to top one million.

Currently No.1 in the singles chart with Greatest Day, Take That are also on course for a No.1 album with The Circus when tomorrow's chart is announced.

But Gary says the band, originally managed by pop svengali Nigel Martin-Smith, have taken complete control and refuse to get caught up in the hype.

"It's definitely a hobby," he said. "I don't think you should ever take this business too seriously. If you see it is a hobby, then it's something you enjoy and indulge in and that's what we do. The day it becomes a job, we'll give it up. When we're making records, that's a proper day's work. That's a 12 to 14 hour day.

"When it comes to TV work, it seems we are doing more than we actually are doing. We can get away with doing two or three TV shows in the UK and one TV show in Germany.

"Interviews and TV shows are very laborious things to do and a lot of them are very false. You go on shows like Strictly Come Dancing and you are singing to a backing track.

"You haven't even got your band there. It's the least enjoyable bit about it. Us going out to play live, writing a song or recording are the key elements."

Gary says the working hours laid down by the band enable them to see friends and family more often.

He has two kids with wife Dawn, Daniel, one, and six-year-old Emily. The couple are expecting a third child in the new year. Mark and girlfriend Emma Ferguson have just had their second child, Willow Rose. Howard Donald has two kids - nine-year-old daughter Grace from a former relationship and three-year-old Lola with his girlfriend Marie-Christine Musswessels.

Gary said: "One of the things we all felt when we started spending time with each other again was how much we missed the whole boys club.

"It's like what everyone looks forward to every weekend, going out and seeing the lads and spending an evening in the pub with some friends.

"We have that on a regular basis. It's balanced with our home lives because three of us have children and families.

"We do that then our hobby is going out and being Take That at the weekend and doing a few TV shows and a concert here or there."

GARY, 37, admits there were times when he felt a Take That reunion as a fourpiece would never happen.

"It was impossible to believe in," he said. "I often considered getting back on stage but couldn't see a way forward.

"I couldn't see a logical way back. That is why the whole story has been so incredible and it is why people feel so good about it. Our great fans that have brought us back and supported us after all these years and still remember us, gave us a chance to entertain them. We feel so privileged. It's hard to say without sounding corny, but it really is a great story.

"What really shocked us about the last lot of shows was when we walked out and saw everybody there, older fans through to young kids. It seems that no matter what age you are, there is something you can find to like about Take That which is brilliant for us."

Formed in Manchester in 1990, Take That sold more than 30 million records before splitting in 1996, a year after Robbie Williams quit the group.

Gary said: "It's so much better second time around. We've seen every side of the business after 17 years of doing it.

"I've seen the good and the bad. When you are in a position like we are in at the moment, we are so aware that we can enjoy every day because it's not going to be like this forever.

"When bands are at their peaks like this, they've got to enjoy every moment."

According to Gary, the bond within the group has also become stronger than first time around.

He added: "There's a real security in Take That. The security comes from having your three friends with you.

"If we were to measure our success in any way, that's the starting point.

"We are great friends, the four of us. We look after each other and there is a security when I look down the line and see that it's not just me, I've got my three mates there with me.

"Then I know everything is going to be fine. That's why we can enjoy it so much.

"When people ask us what has been my best moment in the last two years, some of my favourite moments are when the four of us are at the back of a plane on our own and we're having a chat and having a laugh."

Meanwhile, their old pal Robbie could one day rejoin Take That, according to Gary.

The lads have been spending time in Los Angeles with their ex-bandmate, whose career is currently in the doldrums.

"I think we are rebuilding our friendship," Gary explained. "We've seen him infrequently over the last few years since we've been back together, but we went out to LA at the end of our album process to mix the songs and we spent a lot of time with him.

"It was just the five of us. The getting to know each other all over again has started now and I don't know where that is going to lead.

"To be honest, when the five of us are together, the last thing we talk about is music. I think we're on that process of rebuilding all our friendships and we are all at different levels as well.

"We're all in contact with him. At the end of the day, he started the band with us, so we do have a link that is always going to be there.

We do care about him. He is the youngest one and the most unpredictable one. When we read things about him in the paper, we all still care about him.

"We are in the process of rebuilding our friendship and it's really nice to be doing that.

"We would love Robbie to come and play a guest spot at these gigs with us, but I don't know if it will be this next tour, I really don't.

"But I would never rule it out for the future. That's definitely an option."


(They say Garys son Daniel is only one, my his big for his age!! Did you see the size of him at the footy match the other week with Gaz & Rob!?!? Clearly he is much much older than one!!!! I wish these papers would do their research and get the facts right!!! )

Leannesg1986 wrote:http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/showbiz-news/celebrity-interviews/2008/12/06/exclusive-take-that-is-just-a-hobby-for-us-now-claims-gary-barlow-86908-20949554/


(They say Garys son Daniel is only one, my his big for his age!! Did you see the size of him at the footy match the other week with Gaz & Rob!?!? Clearly he is much much older than one!!!! I wish these papers would do their research and get the facts right!!! )

LOL, why bother- not that anyone would notice, right?
NOT!!

Thanks for the post1
i just luuuuuurve reading what Gaz has to say

i love gary's facts in here and his comments on all this!!