Ronan Keating Interview's on The TODAY 26.04.2011

Man on a mission


If life is a roller-coaster, then Ronan Keating is strapped in for the ride
by Christopher Toh
Apr 26, 2011

THE first time I met Ronan Patrick John Keating, he was in town promoting Boyzone's debut album Said And Done with the rest of the group. He was standing atop the swing outside Kinara Indian restaurant at Boat Quay, wondering if he could swing hard enough to muster enough momentum to land in the water.

It has been a long time since that day - almost 18 years, to be exact. In that time, Keating has emerged as one of the top pop singers from Ireland, with nine solo albums to his name - four of which hit the No 1 spot on the British charts.

He also performed at the 2006 FIFA World Cup opening party in Berlin; posed nude for the United Kingdom edition of Cosmopolitan's 10 Years Of Naked Centrefolds; done loads of charity work - including scaling Mount Kilimanjaro with celebrities like Gary Barlow and Cheryl Cole to raise £1.4 million (S$2.9 million) for Comic Relief; became the first international No 1-selling foreign artiste to perform a concert in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in 2007.

Back when he was still hanging off swings in Boat Quay, it seemed Keating wasn't terribly big on interviews, particularly personal interviews, preferring to talk about his music. "The music is important, don't you think?" he once told us. And that's one thing, it seems, that time hasn't changed.



His man-crush on Burt

When we got in touch with him to talk about his latest musical effort, When Ronan Met Burt, a collection of Burt Bacharach songs reworked by Keating, Bacharach and an orchestra, he gabbed about the songs and the making of the album, but was rather oblique about his personal life.

The album is the latest in a line of collaborative efforts that Keating has done. Previous offerings have included working with names like Elton John, Luciano Pavarotti, Brian McFadden, Guy Sebastian, LeAnn Rimes and Hayley Westerna.

"There are lots of people I would love to collaborate with. Bono would be great. Someone like Kanye West would be amazing. Then there're people like Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley - though they might not be so easy."

When Ronan Met Burt, which was also produced by Bacharach, contains some of the most recognisable songs in the American pop songbook. It includes Walk On By, The Look Of Love, I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself and What The World Needs Now. According to Keating, Bacharach had called him up and asked him for his thoughts on doing an album of his songs. Keating's answer was an immediate "Yes!".

"The recognition from Burt that he would choose me is incredible," said the 34-year-old Irishman. "I'm sure we've all heard these songs at some stage, and they're still being played on the radio today."

Keating also said it was "an inspiration" watching how the man, who for 50 years has helped shape American pop music, worked in the studio.

"I mean, he's 82 years of age and he's been writing these songs for over 50 years," said Keating. "And they're massive hits. He's a real professional and very meticulous about his work and what he does. He's full-on."

But re-recording these iconic songs wasn't easy for Keating. "It was a real challenge to make these songs my own. (They were originally recorded) by Dionne Warwick and Dusty Springfield, and they're the people we (associate the songs with), and they have incredible voices.

"To try and make these songs my own was a big challenge and a huge task for me. It was a lot of work but I loved it."

Interestingly, his favourite track is the title theme for the Dudley Moore movie that's been given a reboot by Russell Brand. "For me, my favourite track is Arthur's Theme. I love Arthur's Theme and my mum loved Dudley Moore and that movie, Arthur. And this song played a big part in that movie."

While no plans have yet been made to tour the album, Keating said that doing a series of shows with Bacharach would be "amazing".

"I hope I can do some shows with Burt. Maybe at the Royal Albert Hall or the Sydney Opera House with an orchestra. But it's not cheap to tour with an orchestra so I can't foresee a long-term tour. But some special dates would be amazing," he said.



From boyband to manband

While he's excited about his solo projects, like being a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor, there is one thing that's never too far from his mind: Boyzone.

There are some future Boyzone projects lined-up, said Keating, although nothing's been firmed up. Talk surrounding a new Boyzone album, he said, was just that at the moment: Talk.

"Well, we're talking about it," he said. "It's not legit yet, so we'll see."

Boyzone, however, did embark on a tour earlier this year, which Keating said was enjoyable. But doing a show without the late Stephen Gately, who passed away in 2009, was trying at first.

"It was emotional in the beginning - it was real tough. But we learned to move forward and do the best job that we could do on the tour," he said. "It was a great success, thank god."

It can't be easy for a "boyband" in their mid- to late-30s to keep up with the kids today. Which might explain the set of abs Keating is the proud owner of these days.

"I train hard, I look after myself, I watch what I eat," he said. And what keeps him looking good? "I guess hard work; I keep fit, I go to the gym regularly. Well, 45 minutes in the gym is all it takes - you don't need to spend hours. Just a quick session is fine. And drink a lot of water. My philosophy is: Your health is your wealth."

If that fitness regime seems a little excessive for an occupation like "singer", Keating is quick to remind you that going on tour isn't a smooth ride all the time.

"Tours are very tiring. They're full-on. It's a lot hard work and it's crazy," he said. "(You have to) understand that these people - your fans - have paid good money for the show and you've got to give them your 100 per cent."

The downside to all of this? "I love what I do and I'm lucky to do it. I guess being away from my family is the difficult side of it," he said of his three children and wife of 13 years, who he recently reconciled with after a brief split. "But getting to do what I do is a benefit. I don't have a time or age to retire, that's for sure."

Another upside: The "Spinal Tap moments" on tour with the boys. "One time, Keith (Duffy) fell into one of the trap doors. It was really hilarious," he recalled.

"No, we didn't stop the show - the show has to go on! You just have to try your best and find your feet and keep going. We did laugh throughout the song though. It was very funny!"



When Ronan Met Burt is out in stores now.