Take That refuse to guarantee band’s future as Gary Barlow admits new album marks end of a chapter
TAKE THAT have revealed releasing their new greatest hits album signals the end of a chapter for the band - and hint they may never return in their current form.
Speaking on my talkRADIO show this afternoon, GARY BARLOW admitted the boyband - who celebrate 30 years in pop next year - have “no idea” when they will perform together again or return to the studio following their 2019 tour which could end up being their big farewell.
The singer told me: "The nineties era for us felt like chapter one, I do also feel like this particular album feels like the end of chapter two and gives us the freedom to go now to wherever we want from this point. It means we wrap it up in a really nice way having celebrated all the music from the last 30 years but it then gives us a doorway to something different and something new in the future.
When I asked about their plans once the tour is over, he said: “It could be anything.
“We obviously did a big reunion with the five of us in 2011, so in some respect that’s part of chapter two, and listen, we’re not here telling you what chapter three is - we’ve no idea.
“I don’t think there will ever be an announcement again that Take That are splitting up, but if we came back to this again it would be something different with a new idea in mind."
Gary’s band-mate HOWARD DONALD also made no guarantees about their future, adding: “We don’t have to rush into anything and if we do comeback, it will be something completely new and fresh.”
The boyband - also featuring MARK OWEN - announced yesterday the release of new re-imagined greatest hits album Odyssey, plus their 2019 UK Arena and Stadium tour.
The album is a refreshing new take on their biggest hits, including their first No1 Pray which was released on streaming sites today, that have been reimagined and re-recorded.
Mark explains: “What we’ve tried to do is be respectful of the old songs.
“Pray, which is one of the songs we’ve reimagined, was our first No1 so we know that it holds a lot of memories for people.
“It’s the first song we attempted to do this with and what we found was we got the arrangements vocally, and Gaz re-sang his vocals, but what we then did which was a special moment was take the old vocals that we recorded back in ’93, then managed to make it work with our new arrangement.
“It was special to use as we felt like we were crossing those two time zones and bringing the old ones up to date and it was a real special moment when it worked.
“We all got very excited about it but it also informed us that we can make this record work so that’s the approach we’ve taken to the record.”
If Take That do return some time in the future, hopefully Brexit negotiations will have finally been completed.
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When I asked the band’s thoughts on the current mess, Gary said: “Stay positive kids, it's going to be good”.
While Howard still can’t get his head round it, adding: “I find it all very confusing, when apparently we’re going out of Europe and whatever this and whatever that and how slow it’s taking.
“I’ve just totally lost track of it all.”