Rage Against The Freeloaders
Ex-Blizzards mainman and Voice of Ireland mentor Bressie has extremely forthright views on the way musicians are taken for granted – and on subject of free music downloading.
Stuart Clark, 05 Mar 2012
Well, that’s well and truly put Simon Cowell in his place! Nervous or not, Bressie has turned out to be a TV natural who’s not afraid to lock horns with his fellow mentors. So much so, in fact, that one newspaper spoke of his “scarcely hidden contempt for Kian Egan.”
“Let’s set the record straight,” he resumes. “I wasn’t sure that I would, but I absolutely get on with Kian, who – believe it or not – is a massive Metallica and Megadeth fan. We have completely different ideas as to what we’re looking for and clash all the time on camera, but there’s no personal animosity.
“I’ve never put myself in the same category as Westlife. I did the toilet tours of the UK and Ireland in a Hiace, five of us sleeping in the same hotel room – that’s if we could afford a hotel! I’m not saying that makes us any better than them, but boy bands and rock bands are in totally different industries. Kian would be the first person to tell you that Westlife are in the entertainment game.
“He’s a smart guy who along with his band mates has stuck to the script for 13 years; built up a huge fan base; been really well managed by Louis Walsh and in June will be playing two massive sell-out shows in Croke Park. Shane and Mark also happen to be two of the best male pop vocalists this country has ever produced – I’ve heard them on their own and Jesus Christ, they can sing. People assume because they’re so big that Westlife are egotistical but they’re actually quite shy and unassuming. I’ve a lot of mutual respect for them.”
Bressie did threaten to break Mr. Egan’s fingers though.
“Oh, that was mortifying!” he groans. “I said it in relation to him nicking some of my chips, but they edited it into an argument we were having over a singer. I came across like a meathead bouncer, which is just not me!”
Bressie plays the Music Show in the RDS, Dublin on Saturday, February 25. His new ‘Breaking My Fall’ single, from his debut album Colourblind Stereo, is out now.
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