The tributes continue to pour in for Boyzone’s Stephen Gately who died over the weekend in Majorca.
“Stephen Gately was a gifted young man with a talent for singing, which brought him tremendous success as a member of Boyzone and also as a West End star," reflects the Minister for Arts, Tourism and Sport, Martin Cullen. “There was a joy about his music-making, and his death at such a young age is both a personal and professional loss. May he rest in peace.”
Those sentiments were echoed by broadcaster and photographer B.P. Fallon who documented Boyzone's 1997 tour of Asia.
“I'm fiercely saddened by the death of Stephen Gately,” Beep tells Hot Press. “So young… I always found Boyzone and Louis to be good people and equally not afraid of having a laugh. And Stephen in his quiet, unplanned way was a gay rights hero.”
Also reacting to the tragic news is HMV’s Gennaro Castaldo.
"The music community is shocked and saddened to learn of Stephen's untimely and tragic death," he says. “Boyzone are icons in Ireland and are much loved in the UK also, and as one of its frontmen, Stephen played his part in developing the band's warm and engaging appeal."
Castaldo also reflected on the impact that his death might have on the future of Boyzone.
"Boyzone had made a successful recent return following their spectacular success in the ‘90s, and, along with their solo projects, were looking well set to enjoy an ongoing career of occasional album releases and sell-out tours to family audiences. Sadly, the chances are that we'll be denied that now, as it's difficult to see the band carrying on without Stephen.
"In the meantime, however, as we tend to see whenever a much-loved artist dies, it's highly likely that there will be a surge in demand for the band's greatest hits album as well as for downloads of their most-loved songs. This could well propel Boyzone back into the charts, and in Ireland, there's every chance they could even end up being number one this Christmas."
As a mark of respect to Stephen and his family, MCD have announced the cancellation of My First Time at the Dublin Olympia from October 14 to 23, which was to have included his Boyzone bandmate Keith Duffy among the cast.