ronan-keating.com
November 2009 part2
Ronan Keating Suffering Panic Attacks Following Stephen Gately’s Death…
Ronan Keating has revealed that he’s been so distraught since the death of his pal, and bandmate, Stephen Gately that he’s been suffering from panic attacks.
Talking about the attacks Ronan explained:
"You can't breathe, you feel like your chest is collapsing, the walls are coming in on top of you.
"My brain doesn't work. My heart's broken. You just feel crushed. It's been horrible. We've all been feeling the same way since Stephen passed. Mentally I'm absolutely exhausted."
Keating admits that after losing Stephen at such a young age (33), he’s understandably been questioning his faith.
"I've had moments where I've questioned. I didn't understand. I don't understand. I'm angry. I'm upset. My friend's gone."
Meanwhile the Boyzone star has a new solo album out tomorrow called Winter, and we caught up with him performing a few tracks from the new project last night in Düsseldorf in Germany at the UNESCO Charity Gala, where we also spotted Jermaine Jackson and Forrest Whitaker
From: Mrpaparazzi
(Click on the link to see new Ronan photos)
17 november 2009
Keating suffering panic attacks since Gately’s death
London (ANI): Boyzone star Ronan Keating is suffering crippling panic attacks since the tragic death of bandmate Stephen Gately. The ‘Love Me For A Reason’ hitmaker said he’s devastated after his best friend died from natural causes last month.
Buzz up!"You can't breathe, you feel like your chest is collapsing, the walls are coming in on top of you. My brain doesn't work. My heart's broken,” the Daily Star quoted Keating as saying. “You just feel crushed. It's been horrible. We've all been feeling the same way since Stephen passed. Mentally I''m absolutely exhausted," he added.
Keating flew out to Majorca, Spain to escort Gately's body back to his native Ireland, and acted as pallbearer at his funeral.
From: One India
16 november 2009
Ronan Keating 'kept final Gately text'
Ronan Keating has said that he kept the last ever text he received from his late friend and Boyzone bandmate Stephen Gately.
The singer told The Sun that he had not deleted the final communication he had from Gately.
Keating said: "I've still got the last text he sent me on that Friday night. It said, 'Got the new songs. Love them pal. Really excited about the new album. Love you straw balls'. That's what he called me.
"I sent him back a stupid text then he went out that night - then he was gone."
He added that he and the surviving members of Boyzone had stayed with Gately's body the night before it was buried in Dublin.
Keating explained: "We didn't want him to be alone in the church and nor did his mum Margaret. He was also afraid of the dark.
"So we said, 'Margaret, don't worry we'll be with him' and we got four sleeping bags and laid with him. It was the most moving experience of my life. It was beautiful. We sat on the pews and we sat on the floor."
From: Digital spy
16 november 2009
I can't sleep.. I've no tears left
EXCLUSIVE: RONAN KEATING'S GRIEF FOR HIS BEST FRIEND STEPHEN GATELY
Ronan Keating greets me with a ghost of a smile that doesn't quite manage to reach his eyes.
His face is painfully drawn and he looks like he hasn't slept for days. It turns out he hasn't.
Not since his best friend and Boyzone bandmate Stephen Gately died tragically - and unexpectedly - five weeks ago.
"I feel wrecked," he confesses, passing a weary hand through his hair.
"I haven't slept at all in the last few weeks, I'm worn out and anxious. I have never suffered from insomnia in my life and now I can't sleep. I just lie there, staring at the ceiling."
During those lonely hours before dawn, Ronan, haunted by grief and anger, even finds himself questioning his faith in God.
"I just don't understand it. Why has he gone, why was he taken? I question my faith constantly but I'm a believer so I try to think there must be some sort of logic behind it, that God wanted him."
It is clear that losing "Steo" is still searingly raw for Ronan, who is struggling to come to terms with his untimely death from pulmonary oedema - a buildup of fluid on the lungs - while on holiday with husband Andrew Cowles in Majorca last month. He was just 33.
"I don't think I will ever get over this," he says quietly. "I miss him every day."
"I've never cried so much in my life. All I wanted to do was crawl into a ball. I've got no tears left. I'm totally drained of all emotion. I am numb. I've never known anything like this, not even the death of my own mother."
He is so unashamedly honest about his feelings for Stephen that, at times, I feel hot tears prick my own eyes. But Ronan manages to keep his composure so I dare not lose mine.
CRYING
And his obvious love and respect for his friend of 15 years is deeply touching, especially when he recalls the first time he saw Stephen's body at rest and their final night together as a five-piece, watching over his coffin in a Dublin church.
The band - Ronan, Shane Lynch, Mikey Graham and Keith Duffy - had wanted to view Stephen in Spain but were not allowed to do so and had to wait several days until he was flown home to Ireland
"I didn't see his body until we got back to Dublin. The first time we saw him was in the funeral home. That was very hard, the hardest thing I've ever done," says Ronan, 32, his voice barely audible.
"I knew I had to see him. Everybody has their own way but I knew I had to say goodbye.
"We went in together with our wives and partners and I spoke to him. I was shaking. I almost collapsed. I had to hold on to the wall. What I said is between me and Steo but I said my goodbye.
"That night we brought him down to the church and we carried him in and the priest said a few words and then everybody left and the four of us spent the night in sleeping bags on the floor beside him.
"He didn't like the dark and his mum didn't want him being in the church on his own so we said we'd spend the night with him. It was our last night as a fivepiece. I got about an hour and a half's sleep. We sat up talking and laughing and crying and telling stories and every so often, someone would call out, 'Yeah, Steo - what do you think of that?'"
Ronan's frankness is deeply moving but there is also an overwhelming sense that he finds it cathartic to talk about his beloved Stephen, especially when it comes to righting some wrongs.
There has been much hurtful speculation about the presence of Bulgarian Georgi Dochev in their apartment, with some reports insinuating they picked him up at a nightclub and he and Andrew were in the bedroom together while Stephen lay dying on the sofa in the living room
"I don't know him but he was a friend of Stephen and Andrew's. They had known him for a while. There was absolutely nothing going on between him and Andrew," he says adamantly.
Ronan is also determined to emphasise that Stephen was neither a bingedrinker nor drugtaker - both labels he has been tarred with since his death. "Steo was one of the healthiest guys I knew. He had a drink - we all had a drink - but he wasn't one of those people who would binge drink or drink all the time. It was a freak accident."
We meet at London's May Fair hotel and Ronan cuts a slight figure, his struggle to deal with the tragedy written all over his gaunt face.
He had been in Chicago for just three hours - due to run a marathon in aid of his late mother Marie's charity - when he received the heart-breaking news from the band's lawyer Gerald Kean.
"I'll never forget that call. He said, 'Hello Ronan, I have some bad news. Stephen's passed away.' Not for one second did I imagine it was Steo. So I said, 'Stephen who?' And he said, 'Stephen Gately.'
"I was in hysterics and I couldn't calm myself down. I called Andrew straight away. I said, 'Please tell me it's not true,' and he said, 'I'm sorry, it's not good.'
"I called my wife Yvonne and then the three boys. I didn't want them to hear it from anyone else. Every time I rang the lads and said the words I just broke down again. I was devastated..."
Ronan raced back to his hotel and headed straight to the airport to get the last plane back to London. Once reunited he and the rest of the band headed to Biggin Hill airport where they flew by private jet to Majorca.
"We needed to be together and to be with Andrew. We went straight to the apartment and just sat with Andrew and listened to him as he told us basically what had happened.
"And then, after all the tears, we started to talk about getting him home." Desperate not to turn his death into a circus, the boys left their manager to deal with the legalities and flew to Dublin to see Stephen's devastated parents, who asked them to organise his funeral.
"It helped me greatly and gave me a focus," says Ronan. I knew what Stephen wanted and I tried to make that happen." The boys then flew back to Majorca for a second time to bring his body home. "We all knew what we had to do and that was bring Stephen back. We didn't want him to be on his own."
Ronan admits he is haunted by regrets about the band's split in 2000, which plunged Stephen into depression, but is thankful they reunited three years ago.
"I struggle with the fact we were apart for those seven years and we didn't talk as much and I blame myself, but I'm so grateful we had those three years when the band was back together. It meant so much to Steo so that is a saving grace."
He has kept the final text message Stephen sent on the night he died: "Love the new songs, pal. Can't wait for the new record. Love you, straw balls. Speak later."
Ronan reluctantly agreed to this interview to promote his new album Winter Songs but only because it features the vocals of Stephen on Little Drummer Boy.
"Three weeks ago I had no interest in going back to work and promoting this record but that's one of the reasons I have come back because I know he's on the record and I want people to hear. It's his last proper studio recording," he explains.
"I've listened to it a thousand times since he passed away." Boyzone are also planning to release a new album in March - Stephen's voice will feature on three songs - but Ronan does not know if they will ever tour again.
"All we can do now is try and show him the greatest respect by making the record he wanted us to make and let his memory live on in what we do."
"Touring without him would be difficult, though. He was the colour in the band. The energy he brought to the show was incredible.
"I just keep thinking of the times we laughed. Those are the memories that keep me going. He was my best friend, my wing-man, the light in the room... "
Ronan's new single Stay, from his album Winter Songs, is available digitally from today. His annual Emerald & Ivy Ball in aid of the Marie Keating Foundation will take place on Saturday.
From: Mirror
16 november 2009
Ronan Keating admits he is crushed by his grief for Boyzone bandmate Stephen Gately
Ronan Keating has barely slept since Stephen Gately died.
The Boyzone singer was “completely heartbroken” when his bandmate died last month. Five weeks later, his grief is still so “crushing” he has trouble breathing and sleeping.
“I just feel worn out,” the 32-year-old star said. “I haven't slept. My brain doesn't work. My heart's broken. You just feel crushed. I've had good days and bad days. The bad days are horrible. You can't breathe, you feel like your chest is collapsing, the walls are coming in on top of you. Anxiety I think is what they call it.
“I haven't been sleeping at all lately. It's been horrible. We've all been feeling the same way since Stephen passed. Mentally I'm absolutely exhausted.”
Keating has been so profoundly upset by Stephen’s death, he is considering seeking counselling. It’s something he never ever thought about when his mother died of breast cancer 11 years ago.
“I've never before thought about going to get help with counsellors,” he said. “For the first time ever I think I should. When I lost my mum it was the hardest thing at the time I'd ever known in my life but because she was sick for two years and we were told three months before she died that she had three months left, subconsciously you build a wall, your defence mechanism goes up and you prepare yourself for that.
"Whereas with Stephen, there was nothing, just this wall of devastation, shock. I don't think it has hit any of us properly. There's times when you feel like you can't breathe, you know, when you're panicking and I'm not like that. I've always been on a level.”
Despite his grief, Keating was determined not to turn to alcohol, as he did when his mother died. Instead, he is trying to piece his life back together with the help of his wife Yvonne, and their children Jack, 10, Missy, eight, and four-year-old Ali.
He told Britain’s Observer newspaper: “I wasn't going to let that overpower me. I wasn't going to let anything control me. I was going to control it – I'm talking about drink. I'm all right so far. As I say, I'm worn out, exhausted, but that's just from emotions, from travelling, just dealing with it all.”
Gately died of acute pulmonary oedema on the Spanish island of Majorca
From: Heraldsun
16 november 2009
Yusuf Islam at the O2 Dublin, review
Part about Ronan:
There was a particular treat for the Dublin audience when Ronan Keating joined him for a duet on "Father and Son" – Boyzone enjoyed a huge hit with an anaemic cover of the song in 1995. It was Keating's first public performance since the death of band mate, Stephen Gatley, who grew up on a street just around the corner from the O2 venue.
From: Telegraph
(To read the whole review click on the link)
16 november 2009
Ronan’s kept his tragic pal’s final message
BOYZONE star Ronan Keating has revealed the last text message he got from Stephen Gately - on the night of his tragic death.
And touchingly, Ronan, who regarded his beloved bandmate as a brother, has even memorised the words.
He said: "I've still got the last text he sent me on that Friday night. It said, 'Got the new songs. Love them pal. Really excited about the new album. Love you straw balls.' That's what he called me.
"I sent him back a stupid text then he went out that night - then he was gone."
Stephen - who Ronan affectionately refers to as Steo - died aged 33 in the early hours of Saturday, October 10, in Majorca.
Ronan was in Chicago preparing to run the city's marathon when he heard the terrible news.
He said: "I'd just gone out for a big bowl of pasta at a restaurant with the running team.
"As I'm sitting at the table my phone rang and it was our lawyer. He said, 'Stephen's passed away'.
"I had two or three Stephens in my head - but not Stephen Gately. When he said who it was I dropped everything on the floor and ran outside. I completely lost it. The first thing I did was ring Stephen's husband Andrew to say, 'Please tell me it's not true.' He said, 'It's not good'.
"I was in a bad way. I rang my wife, Yvonne, then the rest of the lads and Louis Walsh. I didn't want them to hear it from anyone else. I was in hysterics.
"I went straight to the airport and got on the next flight. Me and the lads went to the apartment to see Andrew, trying to figure out what happened.
"Then the four of us went back to the hotel and just cried and laughed until the early hours of the morning, trying to make sense of it.
"We stayed in the same room because no one wanted to be apart or be on their own."
It may seem strange to outsiders, but the night before the funeral in Dublin last month the bandmates - Ronan, Shane Lynch, Keith Duffy and Mikey Graham - decided to stay together again.
But this time it was in a church - with Stephen's coffin. They wanted to be united as a band for the last time.
Ronan, 32, said: "We didn't want him to be alone in the church and nor did his mum Margaret. He was also afraid of the dark.
So we said, 'Margaret, don't worry we'll be with him' and we got four sleeping bags and laid with him. It was the most moving experience of my life. It was beautiful. We sat on the pews and we sat on the floor.
"At one point the priest came out and said, 'Lads, won't you lie up on the altar there. At least it's got carpet down'.
"But we wouldn't go up there. It was the only time we'd ever had stage fright!"
Before Stephen died he recorded backing vocals for the song Little Drummer Boy for Ronan's new Christmas album and his pal says "he sounds like an angel".
It is clear the Boyzone frontman still hasn't come to terms with his death. He said: "It was a freak accident which I still can't fathom. I just can't explain it.
"What makes it more shocking was that Stephen was in the best shape of his life.
"He went to the gym every other day and he was really into his detox shakes and juices."
Stephen was found dead in the Port Andratx holiday apartment he owned with "husband" Andrew Cowles by Bulgarian Georgi Dochev, who had stayed over. The three had been out drinking the night before.
A post-mortem exam revealed Stephen had suffered a rapid build-up of fluid on the lungs.
Ronan said: "It is the single saddest thing that has ever happened to me.
"When my mum died we had known she only had a few months to live. So, subconsciously, your defence mechanism goes up and you prepare yourself.
"With Steo we had none of that. It was just absolute, definite and devastating. I miss my best mate every day. I still think he's going to walk through the door or ring me or text me. I am still completely raw. All I know is that I'm hugging my kids that bit tighter.
"All I want now is to see them grow up. It has shown me how fragile and delicate life is."
Ronan and wife Yvonne, 35, have three children, Jack, ten, Marie, eight, and Ali, four.
I meet the star in a central London hotel for the moving interview - the first time he has been back to Stephen's adopted home city since his death.
He said: "Everywhere I look I see him and hear him. I associate London with Steo so this is really tough. He was always the first person I'd call when I arrived here.
"He knew all the cool places to eat so he'd sort out The Ivy or Nobu or somewhere like that."
Ronan is angry that people don't realise how in love Stephen and Andrew were. He said: "Andrew's having good days and bad days. He's thrown himself into arranging a memorial. We don't know what that will be yet.
"But people have to understand Stephen and Andrew were totally in love. The week before he died me and Stephen spoke at length about Andrew.
"He told me how lucky he was to have met him and how lucky he was to have him by his side. There is no question they were in love. Absolutely genuinely. I know Andrew and we all go out with him regularly. He's one of us now."
After the funeral the Boyzone boys went to LA together to decide their future as a group. They pledged to finish the album they had been working on when Stephen died.
The first single will be a track called Gave It All Away, which was written by pop star Mika.
Ronan said: "About two years ago we were given this song which was written by Mika. We loved it so we recorded it for our greatest hits. At the last minute Mika pulled the song and took it back.
"But Stephen had loved it so much we asked whether we could get permission to use it.
"We were in Los Angeles at the time - and then the weirdest thing happened. The hotel lift doors opened and there was Mika! I'm thinking, 'This is really messed up. It must be fate'.
"Mika said, 'I know what you are going to say - the song is yours'.
"So we are going to complete the record and that will be the first single. There are two other songs with Stephen's vocals on them."
But Ronan thinks it's unlikely Boyzone will perform live without their beloved Steo any time soon.
He said: "It's just really hard at this stage to imagine singing without Steo. We've even been offered the chance to go on The X Factor but I'm not sure we could do it. It's too early."
Another person who is struggling to cope with Stephen's loss is Louis Walsh - the man who put Boyzone together back in 1993.
Ronan said: "Louis has taken it very badly. He's very shook up and I don't think it's hit him properly. The pair of them were very close and went out in London together."
Stephen's voice still lives on with Ronan's new Christmas album, Winter Songs, which is out today.
And the star is proud that Stephen performs backing vocals on Little Drummer Boy.
He said: "He sounds like an angel on it. We always saw each other over Christmas. So this year is going to be especially tough without him."
From: The Sun
(Click on the link to see a new Ronan photo)
16 november 2009
Ronan Keating moved by vigil
Ronan Keating says spending the evening in church with his Boyzone bandmates and Stephen Gately's body was the most ''moving'' night of his life.
Ronan Keating says spending the night with Stephen Gately's body was a "beautiful" experience.
The Boyzone star and his bandmates - Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch - spent the evening before the singer's funeral last month at a Dublin church because they wanted to be together for one last time.
Ronan said: "We didn't want him to be alone in the church and nor did his mother Margaret because he was afraid of the dark.
"We got four sleeping bags and laid with him. It was the most moving experience of my life. It was beautiful. We sat on the pews and we sat on the floor."
The four singers were determined to stay as close to their late bandmate as possible, and even shunned comforts offered by the priest.
Ronan explained to Britain's The Sun newspaper: "At one point the priest came up and said, 'Lads, won't you lie up on the alter? At least it's got carpet down.
"But we wouldn't go up there. It was the only time we'd ever had stage fright."
Ronan - a devout Catholic - admits Stephen's sudden death has caused him to question his religious beliefs.
He said: "I just don't understand t. Where has he gone, why was he taken? I question my faith constantly but I'm a believer so I try to think there must be some sort of logic behind it, that God wanted him."
Stephen died aged 33 from an acute pulmonary oedema, a build-up of fluid in the lungs, at his holiday home in Majorca on October 10.
From: China Dialy
16 november 2009
Ronan Keating: I've been having panic attacks since death of Boyzone pal Stephen Gately
BOYZONE star Ronan Keating has been having panic attacks since the death of bandmate Stephen Gately.
Keating admitted he is struggling to come to terms with his loss and said he plans to see a counsellor to help him cope.
The star also said his friend's death had shaken his Catholic faith.
He said: "I haven't been sleeping at all lately. It's been horrible. You feel like your chest is collapsing, the walls are coming in on top of you.
"There's times when you feel like you can't breathe, you know when you're panicking.
"I just feel worn out. My brain doesn't work. My heart's broken. You just feel crushed.
"I've never before thought about going to get help with counsellors. For the first time ever, I think I should."
Gately, 33, died on holiday in Majorca last month from pulmonary oedema - an accumulation of fluid on the lungs.
Dad-of-three Keating, 32, lost his mum Marie to breast cancer 11 years ago - but said the sudden nature of his friend's death had hit him harder.
He added: "When I lost my mum, it was the hardest thing, at the time, I'd ever known in my life.
"But because she was sick for two years, subconsciously you build a wall and you prepare.
"With Steo, there was nothing, just this wall of devastation. I don't think it's hit any of us properly."
Keating admitted Stephen's death had shaken his faith - but he said he believed his friend was still with him in spirit.
Keating added: "I've had moments where I've questioned. I didn't understand - I don't understand. I'm angry. I'm upset. My friend's gone.
"Stephen's with me, he's protecting us. I speak to him before I sing, before I go on stage. He's with me.
"I'm a believer. It's just hard."
Keating was a year younger than Stephen, but always thought of him as a wee brother.
He added: "We always felt we had to look after him. He never grew up. He had so much to give - always happy, always glowing. He was healthy in every sense. There's just no sense to it."
From: Dialy Record
16 november 2009
The 9 0'Clock News – Mon 16 Nov
Ronan talks about his grief for Stephen Gately
Ronan Keating has talked about how he's coping with Stephen Gately's death for the first time, admitting it's the "single saddest thing" that's ever happened to him. Ronan remembers when he got the call telling him the tragic news, saying, "I completely lost it. I was in hysterics." Ronan says he received a text from Stephen just a few hours before he died, which read, "Got the new songs. Love them pal. Really excited about the new album. Love you straw balls." Straw balls was the nickname he called Ronan. Talking about spending the night in the church with Stephen's coffin, Ronan says, "It was the most moving experience of my life. It was beautiful." The Boyzone singer admits he's still "completely raw" about the tragedy, saying sadly, "It's just really hard to imagine singing without Steo. It's too early."
From: Heatworld
16 november 2009
RONAN KEATING - KEATING'S SLEEP STRUGGLE SINCE GATELY'S DEATH
KEATING'S SLEEP STRUGGLE SINCE GATELY'S DEATHRONAN KEATING is still struggling to sleep following the untimely death of his BOYZONE bandmate STEPHEN GATELY, branding the tragedy worse than the passing of his own mother.
The singer has been suffering crippling panic attacks since his best friend passed away from natural causes last month (Oct09) at the age of 33.
And now, more than five weeks after Gately's death, Keating is still finding it hard to sleep at night and is constantly exhausted from his grief.
He says, "I feel wrecked. I haven't slept at all in the last few weeks, I'm worn out and anxious. I have never suffered from insomnia in my life and now I can't sleep. I just lie there, staring at the ceiling.
"I don't think I will ever get over this. I miss him every day. I've never cried so much in my life. All I wanted to do is crawl into a ball. I've got no tears left. I'm totally drained of all emotion. I am numb."
And the death of his closest pal has affected Keating more severely than the passing of his mum Marie in 1998. He adds: "I've never known anything like this, not even the death of my own mother
From: contact music
(Click on the link to see photos of Ronan leaving GMTV studios)
16 november 2009
Ronan Keating's grief attacks
Ronan Keating has suffered anxiety attacks since Stephen Gately's death.
The Boyzone singer has been devastated since his bandmate passed away last month and admits he is still struggling to come to terms with his grief and has been left emotionally exhausted by the tragedy.
He said: "I just feel worn out. I haven't slept. My brain doesn't work. My heart's broken. You just feel crushed. I've had good days and bad days.
"The bad days are horrible, it's like the walls are coming in on top of you. Anxiety I think is what they call it.
"I haven't been sleeping at all lately. It's been horrible. We've all been feeling the same way since Stephen passed. Mentally I'm absolutely exhausted.
"There's times when you feel like you can't breathe, you know, when you're panicking and I'm not like that. I've always been on a level."
Ronan - whose mother Marie died of cancer in 1998 - admits he is even considering having therapy to help him through his grief.
He added to Britain's Observer newspaper: "I've never before thought about going to get help with counsellors. For the first time ever I think I should.
"When I lost my mum it was the hardest thing at the time I'd ever known in my life but because she was sick for two years and we were told three months before she died that she had three months left, subconsciously you build a wall, your defence mechanism goes up and you prepare yourself for that.
"Whereas with Steo, there was nothing, just this wall of devastation, shock. I don't think it has hit any of us properly."
Stephen died aged 33 from an acute pulmonary oedema, a build-up of fluid in the lungs, at his holiday home in Majorca on October 10
From: My Park Magazine
16 november 2009
Boyzone's Ronan Keating Is 'Crushed' Band Mate's Death
Since the death of band mate Stephen Gately last month, Ronan Keating has barely slept and feels 'crushed' by grief.
Gately died suddenly of acute pulmonary oedema on the Spanish island of Majorca whilst holidaying with his partner.
In an intimate interview with Britain's Observer Newspaper, the Boyzone singer admitted to being 'completely heartbroken' and 'worn out'.
The 32 year old singer revealed "I haven't been sleeping at all lately. It's been horrible. We've all been feeling the same way since Stephen passed. Mentally I'm absolutely exhausted."
Despite the singer's grief, he's determined not to hit the bottle like he did after his mother's death. "I wasn't going to let that overpower me. I wasn't going to let anything control me. I was going to control it -- I'm talking about drink. I'm all right so far. As I say, I'm worn out, exhausted, but that's just from emotions, from travelling, just dealing with it all."
From: The Hot Hits
16 november 2009
Keating 'exhausted' after Gately's death
Ronan Keating has admitted that he is finding it hard to deal with the death of Stephen Gately.
In an interview with The Observer, Keating explained that he is considering having counselling to help him cope.
"I just feel worn out," he said. "I haven't slept. My brain doesn't work. My heart's broken. You just feel crushed. I've had good days and bad days."
Asked what the "bad days" are like, he said: "Horrible, you can't breathe, you feel like your chest is collapsing, the walls are coming in on top of you. Anxiety, I think is what they call it. I haven't been sleeping at all lately. It's been horrible. We've all been feeling the same way since Stephen died. Mentally, I'm absolutely exhausted."
He continued: "I've never before thought about going to get help with counsellors. For the first time ever I think I should... [When Stephen died] there was nothing, just this wall of devastation, shock.
"I don't think it has hit any of us properly. There's times when you feel like you can't breathe, you know, when you're panicking, and I'm not like that. I've always been on a level."
Keating added that he was in a restaurant when he heard the news that Gately had died.
"I bawled my eyes out," he said. "Screamed down the phone, 'What are you saying?' I couldn't take it in. When the guy on the phone said, 'Stephen's passed away', I said, 'Stephen who?' because I thought he was talking about someone else.
"I just didn't think it would be Steo. I'll never f**king forget it. I ran out of the restaurant, my sister ran after me with my coat [saying], 'What's wrong? What's wrong?' I told her. And then I had to call the three guys [from Boyzone]. Bloody hell, what a call. Horrendous. The most horrendous hour of my life. Horrific."
Keating also admitted that he has questioned his Catholic faith since Gately's death.
"I didn't understand," he said. "I don't understand. I'm angry. I'm upset. Stephen's with me, he's protecting us, I speak to him before I sing, before I go on stage. He's with me. I'm a believer. It's just hard, that's all. It's hard to come to terms with."
From: Digital Spy
15 november 2009
Stephen Gately’s last song was The Little Drummer Boy with Ronan Keating
It has emerged that the last time the late Stephen Gately sang in a recording studio, was when he recorded backing vocals for his pal Ronan Keating.
Keating releases his album ‘Winter Songs’ tomorrow and the track ‘The Little Drummer Boy’ features Stephen Gately.
Ronan told The News Of The World: “What keeps me going is that Stephen is on this album.
“His vocal on Little Drummer Boy is one of the most beautiful recordings.
“He is almost angelic – which is truly fitting as I believe my friend is an angel now.”
A source said that the friends had “great fun” while recording the track at Sarm studios in central London.
The insider added: “Ronan wanted Stephen to do the backing vocals because he thought his voice would be perfect for it.
“They were so pleased to be recording together again and the end result was great. Stephen was in good spirits and kept saying how excited he was for Ronan’s album. You would never have believed it would be the last time he sang in a studio.”
From: Unreality primetime
(Click on the link to here the song)
15 november 2009
Ronan Keating: 'I still feel crushed by Stephen's death'
Singer tells of his panic attacks and hits out at Jan Moir's 'insensitive' column
Ronan Keating has spoken for the first time about the extent of his "devastation" at the death of his former Boyzone bandmate, Stephen Gately.
In his first full-length interview since Gately's death last month, Keating, 32, revealed that he was struggling to come to terms with his loss and was considering going to a counsellor to help him cope with regular anxiety attacks.
Gately, 33, died while on holiday in Majorca with his civil partner, Andrew Cowles. A post mortem examination found that the cause of death was pulmonary oedema, an accumulation of fluid in the lungs.
Keating said he had been unable to sleep since Gately's death and that he was experiencing bouts of panic where "you can't breathe, you feel like your chest is collapsing, the walls are coming in on top of you". He added: "My brain doesn't work. My heart's broken. You just feel crushed... It's been horrible. We've all been feeling the same way since Stephen passed. Mentally I'm absolutely exhausted."
Keating also made his first public comments on the furore caused by the Daily Mail journalist Jan Moir, who wrote a column in which she appeared to insinuate that Gately's lifestyle had contributed to the "sleazy" circumstances around his death. The article provoked outrage and accusations of homophobia, with more than 22,000 people contacting the Press Complaints Commission and furious reaction on the internet.
A week later Moir published another column saying that she regretted "any affront caused". Keating said that Moir's column was "incredibly insensitive".
"I think it's disgusting," he added. "It was just wrong; one, for her to write it, and two, for the paper to print it. It shouldn't have been allowed. It was wrong. It looked to me like someone trying to make a name for themselves out of a terrible situation, a devastating situation.
"And what was worse was the apology – the alleged apology that was written a week later was her defending herself. It's just disgraceful. Again, for her to do it and for the paper to allow it. I'm dumbfounded. It's bizarre. But anyway, again, I wouldn't dwell on it. I wouldn't want to give her any publicity for that. He was a human being. A human being with feelings; a husband, a family that have feelings. At what point do people cross that line?"
A lifelong Catholic, Keating acknowledged that Gately's death had shaken his faith in God. "I've had moments where I've questioned," he said. "I didn't understand. I don't understand. I'm angry. I'm upset. My friend's gone."
Keating said Gately's death had been more difficult to deal with than the loss of his mother, Marie, from breast cancer 11 years ago.
"When I lost my Mum it was the hardest thing at the time I'd ever known in my life, but because she was sick for two years, and we were told three months before she died that she had three months [left], subconsciously you build a wall, your defence mechanism goes up and you prepare yourself for that. Whereas with Steo, there was nothing, just this wall of devastation, shock."
He revealed that he has yet to erase Gately's number from his mobile phone and that he still speaks to his former bandmate every time he performs.
Keating was 16 when he joined Boyzone in 1993 after an open audition in his home city of Dublin. He and the four other members – Gately, Shane Lynch, Mikey Graham and Keith Duffy – went on to become one of the most successful boybands of all time, selling 20 million records. They split up in 2000 but re-formed two years ago and were working on an album when Gately died.
Gately was one of the first male pop stars to talk publicly about their homosexuality when he decided to come out in a newspaper interview in 1999. "It was the bravest thing I've ever seen anyone do," Keating said
From: The Guardian
(Click on the link to see a Ronan photo!)
15 november 2009
New album booklet:
Photos scanned by Cindy
13 november 2009
Late Late Show
Ronan will be appearing on the Late Late Show tonight where he will be interviewwed and will also perform 'Stay' on the show
13 november 2009
Boyzone singer to join Tubridy on LLS
Ronan Keating will be joining Ryan Tubridy on tonight's Late Late Show, as will an international radio star plus a popular Irish radio comedian.
Keating will be talking about the tragic death of Stephen Gately and the devastating effect it has had on him, his family and the rest of Boyzone. Louis Walsh's X Factor advisor will also share his views on Jedward and perform his new single 'Stay'.
From: RTE
(To read the whole article click on the link)
13 november 2009
Ronan Keating - New Album Released Monday Called 'Winter Songs'
The eagerly awaited new release of Ronan Keating's new album is set to hit the shops on Monday the 16th of November. The album called 'Winter songs' is expected to be a huge success.
Ronan has been working on this solo project for some time. His last project was with Boyzone earlier this year called 'songs for my mother'. Its the first album he has released since the tragic death of Boyzone band member Stephen Gately.
The Boyzone star has worked on several solo projects over the years. His new album contains backing vocals from Stephen Gately who sadly passed away last month.
After the death of Stephen Gately, as a mark of respect Ronan postponed all promotion of his new album, obviously Ronan took the death of the fellow band member as a huge blow.
Ronan Keating has been in the music scene for 13 years now, he has sold over 20 million records and has released 9 albums. He has also made appearances in the Guinness Book of Records.
He is expected to be touring in 2010 and many dates have been released. However it is relatively unknown when he will be back performing with Boyzone at the moment. Although there have been talks of Boyzone appearing on X-Factor - It's been said that it would be a fitting tribute to Stephen Gately's death.
Ronan Keating fan Melanie Roberts from lancashire is excited about the latest news too
From: realease news
13 november 2009
Boyzone united by Stephen’s spirit
Ronan Keating says he and his Boyzone bandmates are spending a lot of time together because it makes it feel like Stephen Gately is still with them.
Boyzone are spending a lot of time together because it feels like Stephen Gately is still with them.
The Irish group – Ronan Keating, Shane Lynch, Keith Duffy and Mikey Graham – are still mourning the loss of their bandmate, who died of natural causes last month, but are focusing on their work as it makes them miss the singer less.
Ronan told UK TV show ‘GMTV’: “The four of us are sticking together a lot because when we are together we feel like he is in the room almost.”
The singer also spoke about the group’s decision to release a new album, insisting is what their friend would have wanted and believes it is an appropriate tribute to the late star.
He added: “We are going to make a record. There were two songs Stephen had already put vocals on, so we are going to release it for Ste-o. I think it will be out in the first quarter next year.
“More than anything we are so excited about making the record for Stephen, for the fans.”
His bandmate Keith said: "It's not about Boyzone - we're putting it out for him because we know he would have wanted that and we think people are really going to like it”
Keith also admitted he broke down in tears the first time he heard the material they are working on.
He said: "I listened to it for the first time with my mum and we ended up bawling.”
Stephen died aged 33 from an acute pulmonary oedema, a build-up of fluid in the lungs, at his holiday home in Majorca on October 10.
From: NZ City
12 november 2009
Diversity join forces with Ronan Keating to beat cancer
Britain's Got Talent winners Diversity are the first act to be announced to perform at Ronan Keating’s fourth annual Emerald’s & Ivy Ball, in aid of Cancer Research UK.
The eleven-strong dance troupe from Essex will perform in front of a star-studded audience at the event, which takes place at Battersea Evolution on Saturday 21st November, to help Cancer Research UK beat cancer.
Last year’s event was attended by a host of stars from the world of entertainment, sport and fashion, including Westlife, Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster Stewart, Sir Steven Redgrave and Henry Holland, along with Strictly Come Dancing favourites Matthew Cutler, Lilia Kopylova and Darren Bennett.
This year's guests will be welcomed onto a green carpet which offers a path into a stunning Secret Garden themed venue for an evening of visual and musical delights. In addition to Diversity, Ronan will also take to the stage performing a selection of songs from his new album, Songs for my Mother, which will be especially poignant as his mother Marie died from breast cancer and is his inspiration for the event. The evening will finish on a high as guests are treated to a set by Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills. Additional performances will be announced soon.
Magic FM’s Neil Fox returns to host the exclusive live auction, offering a range of unique lots to the highest bidder. Items up for auction include a striking creation by one of the fashion pack’s favourite milliners, Stephen Jones, an exclusive ‘Catch & Cook’ fishing day with celeb chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, plus the chance to bid for a VIP London Fashion Week experience at the prestigious May Fair Hotel. Guests will also be treated to a goody bag that includes gorgeous products from Elemis and more!
Ronan Keating said: “Emerald’s & Ivy is a fantastic event raising money for a really important cause which affects so many people today. That’s why we’re back again with a bigger and better event and aiming to beat last year’s fundraising record. It’s great to have Diversity on board – it’s going to be really special to see them performing live, and I hope the evening will inspire people to dig deep to help Cancer Research UK continue its amazing work.”
To date the event, in association with the Marie Keating Foundation, has raised over £1.6 million in funding towards Cancer Research UK’s two mobile cancer awareness units. The units tour the UK bringing information and highly trained nurses into communities, helping to promote prevention and early diagnosis as important ways to beat cancer. Since they were launched in 2006, over 80,000 people have stepped on board the units to find out more about how to reduce their risk of developing cancer and how to spot early signs of the disease.
From: cancer research UK
12 november 2009
GMG Radio raises £200k for heroes
An 18-hour on-air appeal to raise money for the Help for Heroes charity has brought in almost £200,000.
Help for Heroes Day was heard on all 13 radio stations owned by GMG; Real Radio, Smooth Radio and Rock Radio on Tuesday 10th November.
The day featured guests including Simon Cowell, Spandau Ballet, Ronan Keating, The Soldiers, Michael Ball, Mica Paris and the return of The Chris Tarrant Show which - for the first time in the group’s history – was broadcast live across the entire GMG network.
Money from online and text message donations will be handed over to the Help for Heroes charity which is aiming to build a network of recovery centres for injured troops across the UK.
John Simons, Group Programme Director for GMG Radio said; “Altogether the day was an outstanding success and our listeners embraced the event totally. To be able to help such a worthy cause on such a grand scale, raising nearly £200,000, is simply phenomenal and a testament to the whole team across GMG Radio but, most of all, highlights the generosity of our listeners.”
Picture: Stuart Taylor (CEO GMG Radio) Bryn Parry (Co-founder and chief executive of Help For Heroes) and Ronan Keating.
From: radiotoday
(Click on the link to see a Ronan photo)
12 november 2009