"Every good band starts out on the Smash Hits tour!"

There's one last step on the road to fame THE SMASH HITS TOUR! With the new bash jus' round the corner, we asked Shane Westlife to explain why our tour's so vital

> First Steps
"The Samsh Hits tour Tour is sooo important, especially for bands that are just starting off. For a start, the tour covers the whole of England, so it's a good judge of whether people will like you in the future. If you get a good reaction then you know that the following year's going to be good! You also get to meet other bands and see how the gigs work. Every good band starts off on the Smash Hits Tour, for instance all the bands that were with us last year have done well this year."

> The BIG Step
"Winning the Best New Act award was just amazing, unbelievable. All the other bands that have won it have done really well, I mean we're talking Boyzone and the Backstreet Boys! We just wanted to it so much because we knew if would be a stepping stone into this year, to be known as the new band of '99. It was a confidence booster, it proved we'd done well. I thinkg it was a great help for our career. If we hadn't won it I don't know what would have happened!"

> Stepping Out
"We had such a laugh last year, every night everyone gets together and tehre's a big party! It's funny because everyone thinks there's really bad competition between the bands up for Best New Act, but last year we all got together and had a laugh! Although this year, I think we'll probably enjoy it even more year 'cos last year it was all new and pretty nerve-wracking. The most amazing thing is, last year Five were the really big band on the tour but this year we're up there with them! I can't wait!"

AND WHAT DO SOME OF THIS YEAR'S OTHERS STARS THINK

Nicky 'Life: "You can't get bigger then Smash Hits!"

Kian 'Life: "Winning the Best New Tour Act award has been a real career highlight."

Bryan 'Life: "We were at the airport when we found out we'd won. We were jumping and screaming roudn the airport - people must have thought we were going mad."

[Quelle: Smash Hits 22/09/1999]

BANDWATCH

FLY WESTLIFE

> The Oirish lads are well known for their elaborate vids, but they've really taken off for their news single! The guys filmed the video for their third single (another gorgeous balld) in a studio in Middlesex and our spies tell us it has quite a futuristic fell to it. It also heavily features the London Gospel Choir and loads of extras haging from the ceiling! The reason? The single's called Flying Without Wings, of course! Very clever lads. The single is out late October and we'll look forward to seeing the vid soon!

[Quelle: Smash Hits 22/09/1999]
Thanx 2 Franzi