February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Eileen Murphy
Irish soccer fans will have a gleam in their eyes and a song in their hearts this year when the boys in green take the field in Korea for World Cup play this year. Actually, make that a NEW song in their hearts. Dublin band A House has been chosen to pen the official Republic of Irish football anthem, using their hit song, “Here Come the Good Times,” as a starting point. The band’s front man, David Course, will write new lyrics for the song live on the air when he appears on an RTE radio show this week. Callers will be able to phone in with suggestions for lyrics.
The finished product will be recorded next weekend by a host of celebrities, including Irish team manager Mick McCarthy, Westlife cutie Nicky Byrne, singer Christy Dignan and, the biggest star of all, Dustin the Turkey. Proceeds from the single will benefit Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children.
More ‘greatest’ from U2
Assuming that their studio has not been yet flattened by a wrecking ball as part of the Dublin Docklands redevelopment plan, U2 is hard at work choosing tracks for their forthcoming “Greatest Hits: 1991-2000” album, which will be released this year.
In addition to favorites from “Achtung Baby,” “Zooropa” and “Pop” and “All That the album will feature some new material as well, according to longtime producer Daniel Lanois.
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“[They’re] probably looking to pepper” the album with “a new track or two,” revealed the soundboard maverick. This will be a bonus for U2 fans, who are always hungry for fresh meat. The band has gone on record (heehee!) with plans for an album of new material, which probably won’t see daylight before next year.
Rumors regarding the final track listing are already rampant on the internet. Here’s the most credible lineup we’ve seen:
The Fly
Mysterious Ways
One
Even Better Than the Real Thing
Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
Lemon
Stay
Discotheque
Staring At the Sun
Please
If God Will Send His Angels
Mofo
Sweetest Thing
Beautiful Day
Stuck in A Moment
Elevation
Walk On
Of course, if we had our way, we’d get rid of “Wild Horses,” “Staring at the Sun” and “Mofo,” and substitute “Ultraviolet,” “Zooropa,” and “Wake Up Dead Man,” but that’s just quibbling. It’s also a safe bet to assume that odds and ends like “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me,” “Miss Sarajevo,” and their cover of “Everlasting Love” will earn a spot on the new record.
This will mark the second of the three greatest hits albums they’re scheduled to deliver. The smart money is on the third album featuring live performances.
Ronan has ‘cheek’ sez Keith
They say that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, but “they” have obviously not spent much time with former Boyzone star Keith Duffy. The hunky former pop star is ragin’ over recent disparaging remarks made by his ex-bandmate, to the effect that boy bands are just “glorified karaoke.”
“Who the hell does he think he is, saying things like that?” snarled Keith.
“Doesn’t he remember that Boyzone were the original manufactured band? I think he has some cheek going around saying things like that.”
Duffy’s ire is due to the fact that he now manages a boy band called Broken Hill. The quintet differs from Boyzone and Westlife in that they play their own instruments, sing like angels and have faces like smacked arses. (Oh, only kidding about that last one.)
“If it was down to sheer talent then these boys will be number one all over the place,” said Keith.
“I truly believe they have what it takes,” he continued. “I wouldn’t waste my time on them if I didn’t.”
But back to Ronan. In Keith’s eyes, the toothy blond singer thinks who he is, as they say.
“Ronan makes me so mad,” said his one-time pal.
“All he is interested in is himself. He doesn’t care about anyone else,” said Keith, who’s still annoyed at Ro’s refusal to do a Boyzone reunion tour.
“In fact, if you’re not a superstar then Ronan doesn’t really want to know you,” Keith added.
Well, live and let live. Keith can take solace in his continuing friendship with fellow former ‘Zoners Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately, and his blossoming television career. And Broken Hill could make him the next Louis Walsh, right?
More of Aidan to love
Well, everybody made a big fuss when Minnie Driver and Renee Zellweger packed on the pounds for their roles in “Circle of Friends” and “Bridget Jones,” respectively. So we expect a comparable hue and cry over Aidan Quinn’s beer belly, recently acquired in the name of art.
The normally trim blue-eyed hottie — we mean, actor — had to fatten up for his role in the movie “Stolen Summer.” In the film, Quinn plays a short-tempered, middle-aged Irish American fireman. So did he have special diet counselors helping him gain weight? Perish the thought!
“It’s easy to put weight on,” laughed the actor. “I just started saying yes to desserts, bread and beer.” But when filming was over, Aidan gave lie to the old adage, “A minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips.”
“I lost it, thank God,” he laughed.
Quinn’s been spending a lot of his time working in Ireland these past few months. He recently completed “Evelyn,” which also stars Pierce Brosnan and Julianna Margulies. He returns in a few weeks to start work on a TV movie about the life of Benedict Arnold.
Briefings
Just a reminder: the Irish Arts Center’s smash hit show, “Kings of the Kilburn High Road,” won’t be around forever — in fact, these are last two weeks in which to catch it. Call (212) 757-3318 for tickets to see the show that’s been a magnet for celebs like Woody Harrelson, Bob Dylan and legions of theater lovers.