*Blue Cheeze* Interviews

Summer Love?!
The summer sun seemed to be playing tricks with the pop stars' minds last month when Hear'say and Blue were on the show. Certainly the Blue boys appeared to be suffering from cabin fever! As soon as they escaped their sweltering dressing room they made a beeline for anyone who would listen and began nattering at record-breaking speed!
On spotting Myleene, Antony left the rest of the lads deep in conversation and dashed over to beg her for a quick photo! "Oh, go on. Please, Myleene, you know you want to!" he smarmed. However it seemed Myleene had other ideas, as she brushed him off with a blase,"Maybe later!" and strolled coolly back to her dressing room.
But two minutes later we spotted an impish Myleene back and ready to pose for some snaps. Not only that, she gingerly produced a Hear'Say love heart to spice things up! "Blimey, Myleene!" gasped Ant on eyeing the red heart. "The papers will be saying we're going out with each other if they see this!" "Don't be daft," she insisted,"It's just a bit of fun!"
Looking as pleased as punch, Antony propped himself up against the nearest wall to admire our snapper's handiwork. "Wicked picture, mate. How did you sort that out?" asked a clearly impressed Duncan. "Dunno, mate," chirped a grinning Antony. "She just bowled up and said she was desperate for a picture. What was I supposed to do?!" Hmm, boys will be boys!

FEELING BLUE
The tears, the sadness and the saucy movies! TOTP discovers the deeper side of Blue
When was the last time you cried?
Simon: I don't remember the last time. I don't really cry all that easily.
Lee: Well, I did when I watched 101 Dalmatians! I always cry at films and I happily admit that. If it makes you cry, then it shows it's a good film.
Antony: The only time I've ever had a lump in my throat was probably when I saw Titanic, but I didn't cry,
Dunc: Well, I did. I'm like Lee - we're the blubbers of the band!
Antony: I remember when my mum dropped me off at schol on my first day. I didn't want to go there cos I didn't know anyone. So she dropped me off and I started crying, at 11 years old, with all the other kids just standing around staring at me. How embarrassing!

What memory makes you feel sad?
Lee: When my parents split up. That was a really upsetting time for me cos my dad was never around.
Dunc: I lost my grandparents a while ago and I get really sad when I think about them so I try not to think about it too much. I was really close to them cos they brought me up and were more like parents, really. It's coming up to to two years now and, although it still hurts, I can talk about it now without getting too upset.

Is there a movie you watch which automatically makes you feel better?
Antony: It has to be Grease cos it's such an uplifting film. It gets you singing, get you dancing - you can't beat Grease.
Dunc: I always watch The Fifth Element with Milla Jovovich and Bruce Willis. I've got it on video and I must have watched it about 30 times - I just love it! Everytime I feel a bit down, I put it on and have the best laugh.
Simon: Any comedy is really good. Something like The Nutty Professor is just perfect.
Lee: Whenever I'm in a bad mood I put Boyz II Men on and belt it out. That always makes me feel better.

Which song's a big no-no when you're feeling down?
Lee: I actually like really depressing songs!
Dunc: Without you by Harry Nilsson gets me really down. I can just sit and bawl away to that one!
Antony: Well, Groovy Kind Of Love by Phil Collins brings back good memories and sad memories. It's a bit of a strange one really.

In times of need, whose shoulder do you cry on?
Simon: It has to be your mum, doesn't it?
Lee: Mums always know!
Simon: What is it about mums and the way they wash your clothes? Like handwashing and stuff. I still can't do that.
Antony: They just know everything, like how long it takes for clothes to dry. If ask my mum how long it will take, she'll say ,'Oh, they'll be done around three o'clock, darling.' And they are, and I'm just like,'How do you know that?!'
Lee: They also give the best advice and encouragement. My mum always told me, 'The world is your oyster', and I've always stuck to that. My mum's been the biggest support in my life and she's helped me through a lot of stuff.

Have you ever watched a blue movie?
All: (Cue fits of giggles) Never! (Somehow we don't believe them!)
Lee: Only once and by accident. I wandered into one of those shops thinking it was a sweet shop, but it was in Soho and i was wrong!

Is it true that men have a time of the month just like girls do?
Simon: I think that we do definitely cos I always get spots and bad moods at the same time of the month.
Dunc: When Simon gets his period, look out!
Antony: I'm definitely a summer person, so I get a bit down when the weather's miserable.
Lee: Everyone's in better moods in the summer.
Simon: When the sun's shining people are just happier and more friendly.

Are you big believers in retail therapy?
Simon: I'm a proper shopaholic. I've got a real thing about hats and trainers. I must have about 20 pairs cos I never ever throw them away!
Dunc: I go out shopping but as soon as I hit the shops I just want to go home cos there are too many people and I can never find what I want and I just get really ratty cos it does my head in.
Simon: I don't actually like the shopping part, but I always know what I want so I'm just in and out. I never go shopping with other people. I don't know how girls can make a day of shopping, but I guess that's why they have such good calves!

Finally: 'When I'm feeling Blue I...'
Antony: Listen to All Rise, which is available in all good record shops right now! (we'll excuse the shameless plug this one time, lads!)

BLUE
Blue who?
Blue are Lee Ryan (17), Antony Costa (19), Simon Webbe (21) and Duncan "Dunc" James (21). Get ready for these gorgeous lads to start your body grooving and your pulse a-racing!

And how will they do that!?
With their smooth R'n'B vocals and their pop-pin-up good looks, of course! It's no surprise that the lads have been likened to Another level, and it doesn't upset them one bit! "It's nice people are comparing us with bands who are so great. It's a compliment," smiles Lee. "But we have our own sound as well. We're more soul than Another Level were."

So how did four soulful guys like these get it together?
"We met about a year-and-a-half ago," explains Antony. "Me, Lee and Dunc kind of knew each other from the audition circuit and then Lee introduced us to Simon." In fact, Blue gelled so well together they've never had an argument. Well, not yet!

And these boys are no strangers to fame, either!
Take a close look and you might recognise Antony and Lee from bit parts in Holby City, The Bill and Grange Hill. In fact, Antony aspires to return to acting one day - perhaps with a role in Eastenders. "I could be Beppe's little brother," he chuckles.

Fancy footwork
All of the members of Blue can cut a mean figure on the dance floor but Simon's footwork earns him just as much respect on a footy pitch! At the tender age of ten he played football for Port Vale alongside Robbie's bezzie mate, Jonathan Wilkes!

We hear you've been working with some big-time producers
"Yeah, we've recorded some tracks with Jonny Douglas, who has worked with All Saints and George Michael," says Lee,"and we've also been in the studio with Quiet Money, the produced on some of Dane Bower's records.

So why so blue?
We went through loads of different names :Yellow, Green then finally Blue. It doesn't mean anything," jokes Simon, "it's more of a vibe." "Yeah," agrees Duncan, "Blue is just chilled. We've got a cool vibe that should be checked out!" So would you please all rise for the cool, fresh sound of Blue!

LOTTERY WITH BLUE
Will BLUE see red when faced with our Yikes! questions or will SIMON and LEE All Rise to the occasion? Release the balls - it's time to find out!
Be honest, did you go out and buy copies of your first single?
Lee: I would have been too embarrassed. My mum did though. I can remember coming back home and on the table there were about 14 copies!
Simon: I didn't buy any but I went to look at it - but I pretended I was looking at the videos!

Have you had to change the way you look and how you dress to be in Blue?
Simon; No, not at all. I got my mate in to do our styling, ha-ha! It's a dream come true cos I'm well into fashion!
Lee: When Simon came down to London I was a shirt-and-shoes south London bloke. Now when we go shopping he points out things I wouldn't usually think of wearing. I sometimes miss my shirts and shoes so I might go back to my south London ways!

Will you use your fame to pull the girls?
Simon: I don't want to get the girls just because I'm famous. I'd never say: 'Do you know who I am?' But some girls just love it!
Lee: Yeah, when I go to clubs now, some girls just flock around. I can't stand it though; it's only cos I've got a bit of fame - they don't care what I'm really like. A famous person could be horrible to them and they'd still want to be seen with them. It's mad!

What were you most scared of when you were little?
Lee: I was never scared of spooks or the bogeyman. I was more scared that real people would break into our house cos we lived in a rough area!
Simon: I was petrified of spiders and I still am! I can touch toy spiders now - if I hold my breath and do it really quickly - but there's no way I could touch a real one. Would I try hypnosis to cure my fear? No way! I might end up thinking I'm a spider and climb up the wall or something!

Has anyone ever broken your heart?
Lee: I always get heartbroken. Girls complain that I don't let them know how I feel and then they think I don't care about them - but I do! When I split up with them I write loads of songs!
Simon: I've been heartbroken twice! The pain doesn't last forever, but for a time you don't eat and you feel sick and stuff. It's terrible.

How far would you go on a first date?
Simon: As far as she'd let me, ha-ha! Nah, I wouldn't force anything. I always prefer the girl to make the first move cos I hate being blown out! But you just have to go with whatever feels natural I suppose.
Lee: If you're in a club and you're dancing with a girl and you grab hold of them - I suppose that's alright! But I've just got this idea about a proper first date where you take her out for a nice meal and it's all done properly. It shows that you've got respect for a girl.

What's your beauty regime?
Simon: I have all the products! I've got loads of eau de toilette and skin supplements - face scrubs, moisturisers for face and body, post-shave creams - everything! Though I'm still rough and rugged, ha-ha!
Lee: I get changed about three or four times before I go out - because I'm a tart! But I do spend the most time on my hair cos I put everything on it - wax, the lot. It can sometimes get really manky!

When was the last time you threw up?
Simon: In 1998, when I used to be a bingo caller. It was New Year and we had a free bar at work. At the end of the night I threw up on the street and then in the toilet at home. But I hardly every throw up now. I know my limits!
Lee: For me it was probably when I went to Tenerife with the lads and everyone got a bug. I was throwing up and I had the squits as well. That was nasty!

What's the worst job you've ever had?
Lee: I had to rake gardens once. I only got a fiver per garden and it took me ages.
Simon: I've always liked my jobs, even being a bingo caller because I've always worked with my mates so it's a laugh. I remember once I turned up to work drunk and called out ,'All the three's, 66.' The crowd just turned round and shouted back, 'No, it's 33!' Ha-ha!

What's the most romantic thing you've ever done for a girl?
Lee: I'm a soppy bloke. I'll buy them chocolates, flowers - anything!
Simon: I once took a girlfriend to Mexico. I'll give them breakfast in bed and leave flowers in the bed and stuff like that. It makes me feel good when I see a girl smiling because of me.
Lee: Ahhh!

What's your biggest turn-on?
Lee: I like to talk about life, I'm very open-minded and I like open-minded girls. I can't stand talking about politics. I'd rather talk about aliens or something!
Simon: I like girls who look after themselves - hands and feet! It's a good sign if they look after little things like that!

What's the most trouble you were ever in at school?
Simon: I suppose I had a slick mouth! But I was more scared of my mum than any teacher!
Lee: I was expelled three times! The teacher told me not to hang off the ceiling pipes in the classroom but I used to hang there until they shouted at me to get out! I once put a drawing pin on the seat of this fat teacher's chair. She sat down and didn't even feel it, ha-ha!

Have you ever been to see a strip show?
Simon: I'm a guy so yeah - you gotta take a peek, you know, ha-ha! If someone says,'Do you wanna go?' I won't say no, but I'd never suggest it. And I wouldn't go along to one on my own - I'm not a perv!
Lee: I've been to a couple. They make me laugh; it's funny. But I wouldn't put money in their pants!

Did you ever fancy any of your teachers?
Lee: Nah, half of them stank of coffee and fags! Teachers can smell nasty!
Simon: I did. I fancied my history teacher, Miss Hayton! She was young and beautiful with a great figure! She used to say things to me like ,'Aren't your eyelashes long?' and I used to think that meant she fancied me! I'd think about it for weeks. I'm not joking: I still think about it now, ha-ha!

POP THERAPY
�PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS THICK�
Everyone finds schoolwork hard sometimes, but for LEE BLUE dyslexia made reading and writing even more of a struggle
When did you realize you were dyslexic?
When I was five they said I had really bad dyslexia. I didn�t have to move classes but they made me go back through the younger books. That hurt me and I used to cry cos I just couldn�t do the work. But the real problems started when I was in secondary school. The headteachers said they�d help me out with my dyslexia but I don�t think any of my class teachers knew about it. At 13 years old I wasn�t going to tell them, so they just didn�t know!

So did you fall behind with your schoolwork?
Yeah. They used to have a go at me cos I wouldn�t do the work. They thought I was being naughty so I�d always get detention or be suspended. I was only there for a year before I decided to go to drama school.

How did that work out?
It was a struggle for my mum cos she couldn�t really afford it. I�d always loved singing and acting so I enjoyed it at first, but eventually it was the same old thing

Oh what did you do next?
I had gained more confidence cos I was doing something I was good at: singing. But I had the same problems in the other lessons. I found English the hardest. In the end I gave up with my GCSEs, which is a shame but I�ve turned out alright. Richard Branson doesn�t have any either and he�s done alright! (That�s true, but they definitely give you a head start.)

So what could people have done to help you at school?
If people had understood that I needed more time. That would have helped. You van get more time in exams and stuff like that. Also you have to recognize the signs � and a teacher should see them. It�s their job! I saw my teachers like mechanics who had a car to fix but this car needs a lot of work.

How can readers tell if they have dyslexia?
Dyslexia doesn�t have any physical symptoms � you just can�t read. For me, it�s like the words kind of jump out and swap around. It�s hard to explain. I get bored cos I end up reading the same thing all the time. But it isn�t anything to be ashamed of, and dyslexic people can be more imaginative and talented in other areas, like with my singing.

Did you have to work harder to succeed?
I�ve had to work a bit harder because I�ve been through a lot of emotional stuff. But I only felt different from the rest of the class when they started telling me I was. I remember when I was in junior school, I had to sit outside at playtime and read a book while everyone else was playing. Everyone was coming over and chucking grass at me and calling me thick.

That�s awful. Did that happen a lot?
Yeah, but it was the teachers� fault. Once in class, I was reading a book that was two years below my level and this boy started saying, �Thicky, thicky, thicky�, and the teacher didn�t do anything to stop him. I hit him and then I got suspended! I should have tried to explain to them what was happening.

Did you ever think you deserved to be treated like that?
Yes, I really believed I was naughty. When you get pulled into the office every day and told that you�re really bad, it gets you down.

What advice do you want to give to someone who might be going through a similar situation?
I couldn�t tell anyone what I was going through but you should try to tell your parents and teachers. Most of all, you have to be strong and believe in yourself. If you�ve got dyslexia, you shouldn�t see it as a bad thing. I may not be as good as everyone else at English but I�m good at other stuff. Everyone has problems that they have to get over. This is no different. If you want something in life, the world�s your oyster.

IF YOU�RE DYSLEXIC
- If you�re finding reading and writing too difficult and think you might be dyslexic, tell a teacher, parent or guardian exactly what�s happening so you can get the help and understand you deserve.
- For more practical help and advice, try contacting the British Dyslexia Association on 0188 966 8271, 10-12.45 am and 2-4.45 pm Monday to Friday. Or visit the website at www.bda_dyslexia.org.uk .
- Id you�re being bullied, don�t suffer in silence. Try talking to a best friend, sibling, parent or teacher. Or if you�d rather talk to someone anonymously, call ChildLine on 0800 1111.
- Having dyslexia can make doing schoolwork very frustrating but don�t let it ruin your confidence � you�re not stupid. Make the most of the talents you have rather than dwelling on what you find most difficult.