Take That… it’s just a party

Did you see Take That on Jonathan Ross the other week? I have to say I’m a bit obsessed by the band and tune in every time they appear on the box and have never really got over that initial excitement I felt when I was first introduced to the lads.

I originally met them back in 1989 when they made a pa at my monthly gay night in Leeds. They were young, fun, chatty, very nice and obliging… and I have to say… not a bit like most demanding pa’s that appeared at the club. At the time they had no particular following and no recording contract… just a manager who believed in them and five lads who were prepared to work hard to achieve their dream. Since then I’ve met them on several occasions and every time it’s like the first time. Not that they’ve forgotten who I am (cheeky) but that they always take time out to chat and actually enjoy meeting up with old friends. Over the years they must have met literally thousands and thousands of people, certainly a damn sight more important than me, yet it’s like meeting up with your best mates whenever we bump into each other. After their last big concert I was back stage taking photos of the lads relaxing (if you can after such a brilliant show) and they just posed and larked about as they have always done. You can’t help but love the lads who, after everyone wrote them off, came back with a belter of a single (Patience) and have just gone on getting better. Hit after hit has followed and their standing in the pop field is just exceptional; note the success of Gary Barlow’s ascent of Kilimanjaro for charity. It was said that as soon as Gary called the others to take part… they all almost killed themselves to be part of it… because it was Gary and his profile is just too hot to ignore. I think if he’d called me I might have taken part… although… I probably would have blagged a helicopter to take me to the snowy peak… but don’t tell anyone.

I saw their last show and it was brilliant. I was left thinking that they could never top it for content and showmanship, and came away thinking that the only way for them to go now was… down. How wrong can a guy be? While some of those bands who reformed on the back of Take That’s success have either disappeared or are playing to small crowds, the guys have come up with Circus… and a live show that simply surpasses everything else that has gone before.
Take That are once again a pop phenomena and for some reason I couldn’t be happier. I’m off to see the Circus Live Tour (note the word ‘live’) soon and I can’t wait…