BOYS WITH NO

TIME FOR LOVE

Irelands latest boyband Area 4 area on the brink of stardom - but they admit that fame comes with a price.

While their pals are enjoying the thrills of relationships, the Area 4 lads say they've no time for love in their lives. Heart-throb Mark Cleary (17) from Dublim's Walkinstown tells Remix: "This can be a lonely old business."

It's not that the opportunities don't come their way - Area 4 have now built up a large female fan club, with thousands of girls checking out their website on the internet every week (www.stevemartyn.com). And they even have fans hanging around their homes.

But as they gear up to release an impressive single, It's Your Song, the lads are channelling all their energies into cracking the big time in pop.

Formed a year ago through auditions, Area 4 who also comprise Ian Colgan (Dalkey), John Collins (Drimnagh) and Roly Smithers (Kildare), have already caught the attention of the pop industry's power players.

Ian revealed: "Boyzone's manager Louis Walsh told us he was very impressed and he has given us alot of encouragement." Still wowing audiences in the Puss In Boots panto at the Olympia Theatre, Area 4 also performed to 150,000 people at last year's 2FM Beats On The Street.

And they thrilled a jam-packed Olympia Theatre before Christmas when they teamed up with Westlife for the Turkish earthquake relief concert.

Ian says: "We're confident from the reaction of people that we have what it takes to go all the way to the top in the music business. We write all our own songs and we can play instruments. Roly is a killer guitarist. But we are going to concentrate on the boy band style for a few years and, hopefully, we'll get a longer career by changing direction later on."

Apart from their singing talent, Area 4 are also sensational dancers. Both Ian and Mark hold several national hip hop dancing titles, while Mark also reached the world finals in Hungary two years ago.

They are set to make the music industry sit up and take notice with the new single, It's Your Song, a love ballad written by Garth Brooks.

The fact that it goes on release for Valentines Day is no coincidence. And while they may not have their own Valentines, you can bet that there's alot of love heading their way.