*Blue Cheeze* Interviews

DUNK�S JUNK
The chilled boy from Blue shows the �Hits his private parts

We arrive at Duncan�s bright and early on a cold rainy morning. He�s been up for hours and has already appeared on breakfast TV. But while we stifle our yawns, he bustles about in the kitchen making tea, slicing fresh melon and singing happily to himself.
At 22, he�s been living away from home for years, and sharing with friends obviously suits him. We find everything you�d expect from a bunch of mates sharing � compact discs scattered all over the place, games, piles of videos and lots of comfy cushions to lounge around on.
�So, you want to see my bedroom?� he grins. �c�mon then!�

Keyboard
�I have just bought this, but I�ve played the piano since the age of four. My granddad was a music teacher, so he taught me but I rebelled a bit when I got older and gave up at grade four � it�s one of my biggest regret actually. My problem is that I can�t read music. I play by ear, which I think is better. At the moment we�re so busy that I never get the chance to come home and write, but when things settle down I will. I can play the guitar as well.�

Silver disc
�We were given this when All Rise sold over 200,000 copies and went silver. It means more to me than any GCSE or A-Level I�ve got. It�s something I�ve always wanted to do, so for me it�s more of an achievement than anything academic.�

Star Trek video collection
�I watched Star Trek Voyager with my mate and became a huge fan. The manager of my last band bought me the first three series and since then I�ve collected all of them. Whenever I have a spare hour I�ll sit down, whack on a vide, get completely absorbed in it and forget everything else.�

Surfboard
�I lived by the sea for 18 years, so I have always been into water sports and I loved surfing. It is really, really, really hard, but once you have mastered getting your balance, you�re away. I really love being by the sea, it�s the thing miss most when I�m in London. When I was 17 my mates and me used to jump in my car and head down to Cornwall, where we would then camp out and surf. I�ve had some of the best times of my life when I�ve been there.�

Records
�I�m really into my retro �70s stuff and I love my Motown. My record player is a bit of a �70s number. I have collected my records over the years from charity shops and car boot sales. My favourites are the Motown Greatest Hits, Grease and Saturday Night Fever.�

Flares
�Like I said, I love retro stuff�I like little designer clothes shops that sell funky stuff, big shirts and stuff like that. I like my trousers to be boot cut or have a little flare at the bottom."

Five things I can�t live without�
1) My friends
�I live with three of my closest friends, one of which I have know for 14 years. We all come from the same area, so we are really, really close. I have a set of about ten best mates that are dotted al over the place. Being an only child they are like my brothers and sisters, so they mean an awful lot to me.�

2) My teddy bear
�I�ve had this since I was born, it was a christening present. I used to keep it at my gran�s house until she passed away. It�s really sentimental to me because I�ve always had it. It always stays close to me.�

3) My pillow
�When I was a kid I wouldn�t be able to sleep unless my mum or my gran put their head on my pillow and left their scent. My mum tells me that if they didn�t, I would cry and wouldn�t be able to sleep. It has kind of stuck with me and I take my pillow everywhere with me. It�s a feather pillow and I really hate the new spongy pillows which all the hotels have!�

4) My phones
�I have two � one is my work phone, the other is for my friends and people I want to give my private number to. I like to keep them separate, our manager and our record company need to be able to get through to us at all times so it is easier to have two different numbers.�

5) Harry Potter books
�I used to hate reading � I�d usually read a chapter and then give up. For some reason someone told me to read a Harry Potter book and I loved it. I�m on the fourth one now�they are brilliant!�

DON�T GIVE UP THE DAY JOB!
Pop stars claim to work hard but do they really know the meaning of the word? We challenged Simon Blue, Jessica Liberty and Coree Damage to try a new job for the day.

GET UR FRUIT ON: �I�ve got some lovely melons over �ere!� Simon Blue spends a day as a market trader�
It�s 10 am on a Thursday morning and business is quiet at London�s Berwick Street Market. But wait � a grey-haired woman has developed a sudden interest in the bananas and the stallholder. �Ooh, he looks like a model!� she coos at the lovely Simon Blue, who, it turns out, is an old hand at this fruit and veg lark.
�My first job was working on a stall � at Michael�s Fruit And Veg in Birmingham,� he says, �I got promoted from breaking boxes to serving the customers. I used to sweep the market, too. I�d brush one way and the wind would blow all the dirt back, so it was quite hard work.�
Today, Simon has a tough job finding customers, but he�s too shy to shout about his wares. �Shall I go out and reduce the prices?� he asks. He would, of course, give special discounts to any laydeez that take his fancy. �I�d ask a her to squeeze my lemons,� he laughs. �Actually, I fancied a girl in school and she came into where I worked and I was so embarrassed. I think I used a line about plums��
But it�s not all fn and frolics in the fruit and veg trade. �The worst bit about is just handling the fruit all day,� says Simon, with a look of disgust. �The smell of it drives you mad. You wash your hands, but you can�t get rid of it.�
Simon�s done more difficult jobs in his time, though. �I once worked in a gigantic fridge for eight hours a day stacking milk,� he says. �It was about minus eight degrees � I had to wear gloves but the cold went straight through them. I quit after two weeks.�
So, after a day selling celery and pedaling pomegranates, could Simon be tempted to return to the industry full-time? �No way. It�s not for me!� he says, firmly. �I�ve always wanted to be a singer. I remember when I was about ten and Michael Jackson�s Bad album came out. I looked at him and knew I had to be a singer.�
Could he hack it in the real world? Of course! Simon�s got the gift of the gab and the old ladies just can�t get enough of him. Top marks, fella!

Live, loud �n� large!
When four of the country�s hottest new stars invite you to an intimate gig, there�s no way you can refuse. That�s exactly what happened when Blue threw a gig for one hundred lucky fans. Of course, Smash Hits were top of their invite list�
BLUE Secret Competition winners gig
One hundred Blue fans father at Virgin records in London. They�ve all won their dream competition � the chance to attend a private Blue gig, followed by a barbecue and the chance to meet the band in person. The atmosphere is electric and as the lights are dimmed the cheers and screams begin.
It�s the biggest gig the lads have done to date. They�re performing five tracks, three of which the fans have never heard before, and they�ve been rehearsing for days. Backstage they�re warming up their voices with hot water and honey and listening to the hysteria mounting outside. They gather together for their pre-performance ritual, then burst onto stage singing their intro, a shortened a cappella version to Too Close.
The audience go mental, screaming, jumping up and down and trying to grab the boys as they work the stage. They launch straight into a new track, the up tempo, sing-a-long Fly By. As usual they share the lead vocals and Simon steps in to rap towards the end. This cool number kicks starts the grooving. By the end of the track everyone has caught on and joins in with the chorus chants of �fly by, fly by, fly by�.
Introductions are hardly necessary but Duncan steps up to thank all of us for coming and to introduce each member of the band, who all receive deafening rounds of applause.
Next up is their first No1, Too Close, which needs no introduction to most of the fans in the audience. On the day of the show it�s actually No1 and the lads are beaming as they perform � saucy dance moves and all.
After two energetic routines, it�s time to slow it down and the boys pull out some Westlife-style stools. �This is my favourite track on the album,� says Lee to a riot of cheers. �It�s a beautiful song called Longtime and I hope you like it as much as I do.� And with that he launches into the most amazing power ballad you�ll hear from a boyband. Eyes well up as the boys sing meaningfully to members of the audience and, when Lee hits a high not, there�s an audible gasp of amazement at his voice.
Their finale could be none other than their debut single All Rise, and again hysteria ensues. Antony thanks everyone once again, and they say goodbye rather unconvincingly. They�ve obviously got something up their sleeves.
After a few moments back stage to build up the momentum and whip the crow into a frenzy, they burst back to sing their smooch-tastic new single If You Come Back. One hundred fans sway along as the boys belt out, �I swear I�ll be right by your side�� And from the looks of adoration on the fans faces, it�s clear that�s exactly where they want to be.

A DEEPER SHADE OF BLUE
With ambitions of being bigger than Westlife, having babies and getting through all those groupies, Blue are living the dream and lovin� it�
They are the hottest young band of the moment. They have redefined the meaning of boyband and made it cool with their R�n�B vibe and straight-up attitudes. When we catch up with them they�re in New York to shoot their video, but the fantasy is about to be touched by reality on a scale which no one could have ever imagined. One day into the trip, the World Trade Centre is attacked and it�s less than half a mile away from where they are staying. We meet them just a day before the tragedy strikes. The boys are happy and carefree, as they should be, and buzzing with success.

Back to their roots
Being crammed in a bus on the way to our photoshoot with four larger-than-life characters is a deafening experience. Spirits are high � especially when they are in the company of attractive ladies � and with two gorgeous American make-up assistants at their beck and call, the boys are flirting outrageously while having their hair styled and lips glossed at every available opportunity.

While any of them would be hard to resist, Lee is the obvious heartthrob whose boyish good looks have attracted an entourage of devoted female fans. It�s something he admits he plays on. �I am the hyperactive one, �cos I�m the youngest,� he says, grinning mischievously. �It�s only because I�m the baby of the band and get the younger fans that people think I get the most female attention.�

Simon�s more of a strong, silent type. As the oldest, he is the anchor of the group, solid and dependable, �I should be called Cool Blue �cos I keep things to myself. A lot of people think I�m moody �cos I don�t smile, but I�m just taking it all in,� he grins.

Antony agrees when the rest of the boys say he is the joker. �I�m quite cheeky and like to crack jokes, but I can be serious too. Once I get down to work, I don�t like to muck about.� Meanwhile, Duncan is the softly-spoken sensitive one � the shoulder everyone can cry on. �If there is a problem, I think the boys look to me. I�m a goody-goody,� he smiles.

Each member has his own tale to tell about how he made it into the band. Lee�s is the classic stage school story, but unlike most impeccably-behaved young starlets he was frequently getting kicked out for being naughty. �I didn�t listen to everything the teachers said �cos some of it wasn�t relevant to what I wanted to know and I used to get into a bit of trouble for it,� he laughs. �I sat next to Billie in class,� he says, as if it�s the most normal thing in the world. �I grew up in an area where you have to be pretty streetwise, so I was pretty tough and it got me into trouble sometimes.�

Simon was on the road to becoming a football superstar after being hand-picked for the FA School of Excellence (which has spawned the likes of Michael Owen) before injury struck and he damaged ligaments in both ankles. �Hearing that I may never be a professional � especially when I used to eat, sleep, drink and breath football � was hard,� he admits. But soon his attentions turned to music. �Singing used to be something I did with friends. The others used to freestyle, but I can�t do that, so I would cheat,� he admits. �I�d go home and write rhymes and come back the next day and pretend I�d made them up on the spot.�

Duncan was inspired to follow his dream after his grandparents passed away. �It really hit me hard. � I haven�t got a dad, he left when I was a kid. When they died it made me more determined to do well. I love performing and they knew I always wanted to be in a band, so I moved to London. I wanted to get away from what had happened and started a new chapter in my life.�

Following his ambition to become a singer meant Antony had to endure years of bullying from his schoolmates � until he landed his big break with a part in Grange Hill. �But my first time on TV was on Surprise, Surprise,� he reveals. �I was out for a meal with my family and Cilla came in saying �Surprise, surprise! You�re going to sing with Sonia tonight!�

Love, life and laundry
Back at their super swanky hotel, they fill us in on their love lives over dinner. Just how do the boys match up in the romance stakes now they are mega-famous? Lee admits being in the band makes it hard to have a relationship. �I�m romantic. I�m courteous and I�m thoughtful because I�ve grown up with two women. But I haven�t got a girlfriend at the moment because I�m always working.�

�The girl I want to have a relationship with would be the type I want to marry,� says Duncan, tucking into a plate of oysters. �And I�m in love with the fairytale for having a big wedding with an exclusive deal for Hello! Magazine�� he laughs. After having his heart broken in the past, Simon is more reluctant when it comes to commitment. �Me and my girlfriend split up as soon as she found out I was in the band�I�m quite sensitive, I don�t trust women �cos I�ve been hurt in the past. I like a woman that I can connect with. Looks aren�t important�� We believe him until a sexy waitress walks in and he trails off mid-sentence, his jaw almost hitting the floor. �Will you look at her? She�s gorgeous.�

While the rest of the band claim to be die-hard romantics, Greek Adonis Antony is definitely more of an old-fashioned bloke. �I�m not one for candlelit dinners. Girls should accept you for who you are. I don�t like girls who expect. All this �2001 independent women� business gets on my nerves! Go and buy your own drink, luv.� Fair enough, then�

The boys admit being famous has its advantages in the pulling stakes. �One bird in Manchester flashed her boobs at us. I have had knickers thrown at me too. One pair said �I want Ant in my pants.� I liked that,� Antony smiles. Simon is hedging his bets, �I�m not gonna say I won�t start sleeping with loads of groupies or anything � never say never.�

On the surface they might seem your average, cocky, jack the lads, but underneath they are worryingly conventional. �I�m into real life. I want to get a nice house and watch my kids grow, be a full time daddy. I want to be there when they take their first steps, change the nappies, get up in the middle of the night�everything that a woman does,� says a defiant Simon.

And Lee agrees, �If I see kids or babies I get broody. I will definitely be a young father. I�m looking forward to earning as much money as possible from this and then living comfortably with my family.�

It�s tough at the top
Life in the fast lane means that Blue have been busy meeting their celebrity heroes. So what�s the verdict? �We really like Victoria Beckham. She�s cool, man,� says Lee, after a chance meeting with the Spice Girls at a TV studio. This is one pop band who aren�t about to start any juicy pop feuds � they even admire Hear�Say.
Simon�s amused by the suggestion that they�re celebrity schmoozers, but his list of showbiz pals is impressive. �I know Richard Blackwood and Dane (Bowers). I�ve a couple of mates who play football, like Giggsy (Ryan Giggs �Simon used to live with his brother) and David Beckham. I�ve been out with the Man United squad a few time�� Not at all showbiz then, lads�
The band�s determination to succeed means that they are now heading for world domination � Lee is widely tipped to be the next Robbie Williams. But he is already well aware of the pitfalls of fame after a tabloid newspaper picture him coming out of a club with a girl. �I don�t like parties, �cos I�m dangerous when I drink. I didn�t know I had to be aware of the press before.�
�All I know is at the moment it�s working for us but it could go the other way,� reflects Duncan. �But we are just very, very lucky. We all want to have a good laugh � that�s the most important thing.� As for Simon, his sights are set on becoming the biggest boyband on planet pop, although he knows it�s going to be tough.
�Westlife are gonna be hard to beat, man. Those guys are great. The best moment for us was getting signed. Since then it�s been all systems go. Having No1s has just been a bonus, the best thing has just been getting to do what I love with my mates.�

Who�s the most likely to�
Chat a girl on the street?
Duncan: Lee, he�d say something cheesy like, �You�re beautiful, can I take you for a drink?�
Ant: He�s so blatant, and it works too.

Have too much to drink and throw up?
Lee: Simon!
Simon: I�m not likely to throw up but I did the other Sunday.
Lee: He�s lagging after about two beers.

Do a runner from a restaurant?
Ant: Me, I did it a year ago.
Duncan: I can�t imagine you doing anything naughty.
Ant: Yeah, it was a really snooty place so we though, sod it. We ordered everything we could, ate it and legged it.
Simon: He�s proud of it, look!