Gary has said repeatedly that his first priority is TT and he wants the band to continue. I agree he is very ambitious and enjoys challenges. I guess this stems partly from his time in the wilderness but also from the inception of the band. Gary virtually worked non stop on the songwriting and production side in the early days in a way the others didn't.

 

He has an incredibly strong work ethic; remember he's worked since the age of around 12 or 13, so I don't see his multiple projects being too much of a problem, other than a lack of time for promotion. The projects he's involved in recently have probably stemmed from the long period they took off and his need to be ' doing something.' I think there may be another album at the end of this year and a possible tour next year. I can't see them taking another hiatus simply due to their ages - if they took another 3 or 4 years off Howard would be pushing 50!!!

 

As for LITS - as I've said I doubt he's too worried about its lack of success, but I think that goes for the other to. Outside of the first single they've never appeared overly worried about singles and their promotional campaigns have always bordered on shambolic - so no change there. I never buy the single version unless there's a B side - some of their most enjoyable songs have been the B sides but they don't seem to be in vogue any more which is a bit of a shame.

I'd have much preferred HUAL to have been released instead of Up All Night. Imagine if they had done that around Xmas time, could have been one of those Xmas recurrents on radio. It's also Mark's best song vocally imo.

 

Kath's right. No excuse for it not to have got top 75 especially with such a big platform to promote it on.

 

I'm a bit disheartened by the lack of promo for the album or the singles. Compared to Gary when he promoted SISYL everywhere. Is it accurate to draw comparisons to Gary focusing on America (in this case Broadway and Finding Neverland) and forgetting about the UK? A bit familiar to 1998/9?

Edited March 11, 201510 yr by jay727

 

I can understand your disenchantment with the promo Jay, but I don't think its accurate to draw comparisons with 1998. This time around the band went on a break for three plus years- probably because of Jay's reluctance to commit. I wouldn't expect Gary, Mark or Howard to sit back twiddling their thumbs while waiting for Jay's decision.

 

Presumably Gary was offered projects and accepted them - should he have turned them down? He's committed to TT as far as I can tell. Other artists are allowed to try out other markets; why should it be any different for Gary, or the others for that matter? I rarely see any criticism of Rob or Mark when they go off to do solo projects. Howard also has his DJ stints and completed two seasons on a German dance show, so I find it strange when Gary's singled out for having the temerity to follow his interests.

 

 

 

 

I'm a bit disheartened by the lack of promo for the album or the singles. Compared to Gary when he promoted SISYL everywhere. Is it accurate to draw comparisons to Gary focusing on America (in this case Broadway and Finding Neverland) and forgetting about the UK? A bit familiar to 1998/9?

 

I think it may have vague echoes of that first split - but the difference now is Gary appreciates Take That - or at least knows that he needs to be seen to appreciate Take That. This is unlike 1998/9 - when in a later interview (I think with either GQ or Q) he believed that Take That was just a sort of stepping stone and when he left he was going on to 'greater things'. He was rapidly brought down several pegs by his total failure in the States (or for that matter as a solo artist anywhere) and that's why I think he needs to hold on to Take That as a sort of insurance policy. In reality though - now that he has been omnipresent over the last few years and the press keep insisting he is a 'national treasure' he probably DOESN'T need the others now.

Edited March 11, 201510 yr by Kath

 

You may be right , Kath. However,I do think the boys have a genuine appreciation for each other that they didn't have the first time around and I don't think its an act on Gary's part. He isn't stupid and must be acutely aware that the resurgence in his popularity is the result of TT's comeback. It's hard to imagine he would have achieved that level of interest if he'd come back as a solo artist.

 

I have no doubt Gary will continue to branch out further into musicals but I think TT will remain his main concern, at least for the next five years. At some point they will have to consider their future as I cannot see them continuing into their 50's regardless of what they say. Branching out into musical theatre is a canny move on Gary's part and is something he can do after TT ends. Mark will continue his song writing and tour on a small scale,but realistically Rob's the only one I see touring on a large scale for the foreseeable future.

I just wish they put more time and effort behind the promotion of this album. It's a shame that they have just put it out there and that's it

Edited March 12, 201510 yr by jay727

I agree with dylandog about everything.

 

Take That and Gary were never big on promoting anything beside the lead single. The only reason Gary had a bit of promotion for his 2nd and 3rd singles was because he had some documentaries and appearances where they were showing bits of the songs. But, after the scandal last year, Take That can't afford to be seen everywhere and draw people's wrath. On long term, as frustrating as it may be now, it could be a smart move: they're trying to lay down for a while in UK, at the cost of their singles flopping, while people are warming up to them again. The album is still doing alright, which is the most important thing.

 

As for Gary being involved in other projects, it has never hindered his commitment to Take That or to his music. Even when he was on XF, he still found time for his fans and for music. I can't think of many people who would fly from LA to London, not sleep for 48 hours and do a gig for the fans a couple of hours after he landed.

I don't think it's right to compare what's going on now with what was happening in the 90s. Gary was still pretty much a kid back then and he had his ambitions, like any young man. He has grown up - beautifully, I'd say - and he has learnt from his mistakes, which is the most important thing. He now values TT and his friendship with the other boys.

 

And this! Kath, I think you are absolutely right. That line ("pleasing a few hundreds of Mark's fans") is just so arrogant it's almost funny :rolleyes:

 

I don't think it's arrogant if it's true. Maybe not hundreds literally, but very few is very accurate. Mark admitted himself, during his solo tour, that he barely sold a few copies of TAODN. And he practically had to give away for free the tickets to his tour.

You may not like it being put out there this bluntly, but it's the truth and it has to be taken into account when making decisions for TT.

 

 

The fan base for Marks solo career is small, it may not be hundreds but only a few thousand at most. The appetite from the music buying public and support is low and there is not much interest in Marks solo career. For Mark it is seen as a pass time or hobby for the want of a better word and he enjoys it, and his solo music is very much removed from his Take That music. The Take That part of his career is what really helps pay for his solo outings as i would believe his solo career would run at a loss, bare or the bare amount to wipe its own face.

I know that Gary many times has said that TT is his main priority. I think he has also said, not too long ago, that when he is working with TT he clears his diary from everything else. I’m sure he meant it when he said it, but situations can change, which I think they maybe are about to do now. This is not meant as criticism, not at all. I have no problem with Gary, or anyone else, having other er projects going on outside of TT. I’m just being realistic, if you have a very big workload you have to prioritize. Not even a Superman like Gary can be everywhere, or be fully committed, to 100 things at the same time ;) . I don’t know how far he has come with the other projects he has going on, like music for Eddie The Eagle, Around The World In Eighty Days, etc etc, but I imagine that all these projects are very time consuming and since these things are new territory for Gary I think that maybe they are more interesting and challenging than TT, and therfore prioritized. But this is just my personal view, and again, not meant as criticism.

 

I don't think it's arrogant if it's true. Maybe not hundreds literally, but very few is very accurate. Mark admitted himself, during his solo tour, that he barely sold a few copies of TAODN. And he practically had to give away for free the tickets to his tour.

You may not like it being put out there this bluntly, but it's the truth and it has to be taken into account when making decisions for TT.

 

The reason I found your comment arrogant was not becasue you said that Mark has a small fanbase. I know that. I'm not stupid or blind enough to imagine that he has a larger following than he has.

 

Maybe I read too much into your comment, but I found it quite disrespectful and sort of diminishing (I don't know if that is the correct word to use in English?). It's like the only reason for Mark, since we are talking about him, to get permission to take a step forward from the role as one of Gary's backing singers, is to please "a few hundred fans", and not becasue he actually has something to offer.

Edited March 13, 201510 yr by Cat62

The reason I found your comment arrogant was not becasue you said that Mark has a small fanbase. I know that. I'm not stupid or blind enough to imagine that he has a larger following than he has.

 

Maybe I read too much into your comment, but I found it quite disrespectful and sort of diminishing (I don't know if that is the correct word to use in English?). It's like the only reason for Mark, since we are talking about him, to get permission to take a step forward from the role as one of Gary's backing singers, is to please "a few hundred fans", and not becasue he actually has anything to offer.

 

My comment was not meant as a dig at Mark. Like I said, I do understand that he has his fanbase and that his fans have the right to be pleased, just like Gary's fans. I mentioned it in another post: I was speaking from a strictly commercial, objective point of view, which is why it may have come across a bit too harsh.

Any news on LITS? Still top 100??

Let in the Sun does not appear to be top 100 at all. Certainly will now be their lowest charting official single.

Three is number 24 in the new mid weeks released today.

Depressing, but good to see III hanging on in there

'Let In The Sun' was midweek #193 on Friday. :o 'These Days' is outselling it, at midweek #111.

 

Presumably 'LITS' won't end up re-entering the chart this week (it entered and peaked at #161 on 1st March).

I've made my peace with LITS not making top 100. At least the radio stations are playing it, which is ultimately the most important thing - getting your music out there.

As for the album, I think it's doing well for now, hanging in top 30, even if the sales are low. But, considering Madonna has barely sold 30k during her first week and Rebel heart will plummet in the next weeks, I think we should be grateful that TT have managed to sell over 400k. The only acts outselling them by far are Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran and their hype will eventually die down.

 

PS: Kath, in hindsight, it seems I didn't underestimate the public's reaction at all :)

Edited March 14, 201510 yr by milly

I can only get a couple of radio stations on my car radio so it not a good indicator, but the only TT song I've heard the stations play in the past few weeks is These Days. Not once have I heard LITS. Someone said that Capital play it regularly. Not an avid listener of that station but not heard it on there either.

 

LITS has had no impact on the buying public and there's no getting away from the fact that its chart position is truly dire. Undoubtedly the wrong single choice but even so..

 

The mistake with lll was not arranging a TV special as they have done in the past. The diehard fans bought the album in the first week, the problem was a lack of momentum after that. The backlash from their financial affairs has hit TT very hard. No other pubic figures have experienced such a sustained attack on them personally, and on media sites last night Gary was frequently mentioned in relation to Comic Relief, and not in a good way.

 

 

No other pubic figures have experienced such a sustained attack on them personally, and on media sites last night Gary was frequently mentioned in relation to Comic Relief, and not in a good way.

I noticed it too :( I don't understand why people react so badly to Gary, when there were people on tv last night who did the same as Gary and even worse things and got to walk it off. It's the only thing they can hold against Gary and they're blowing it out of proportions, like nothing I've ever seen. Gary can be with Mar, Howard and Robbie on the same stage and the only one to get all the hatred would be Gary.

I don't like to play this card too often, but, in this case, I guess it's plain, nasty jealousy. Gary is practically what every man should be like and, because they can't be like him, they attack him and try to diminish him. And women who don't like him are plainly weird ... or with some weird male specimens at home :P Sorry for the rant, had to get it off my chest, cause I was a bit enraged after some comments I've seen.