When Blue turns Gold

In the beginning, they went "backstreet."

Then, a few others went "west," got "in sync," and even turned "natural." Now, they’re even coming out in different hues. You’ve got to hand it the boybands. Like burgers, they keep coming out in different shapes and sizes – never mind if they look all-meat, but offer nothing more than a quick sizzle. The burger equation becomes even clearer with the one common denominator: cheese!

But despite the flak, boybands have helped keep the record industry afloat in these perilous times. Believe it or not, even the more obscure ones manage to pull off astonishing chart-climbing feats, thanks in part to clockwork concert tours and heavy radio promotion.

Such is the case of Blue, the UK-based boyband whose debut single, All Rise, entered the UK chart at no. 4 They followed that with two no. 1 singles, Too Close and If You Come Back and an album, All Rise, which entered the chart at no. 2.

The group is currently promoting its fourth single, Fly By.

Blue started out when North London boys Antony Costa and Duncan James met at a pool hall and recognized each other from the audition circuit. After swapping mutual interests, the duo decided to form a group, and ended up with the Blackheath-bred Lee Ryan and the Manchester-born Simon Webbe.

Fusing their penchant for smooth R&B and cool pop, the group inked a contract with Virgin Records and became an instant hit. They narrowly missed out on last year’s Record of the Year title by four votes to S Club 7 but made up for it by picking up the Best Newcomers award at the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party.

Now completing their second Asian tour (their first one was late January covering Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand), the group was in Indonesia when EMI Philippines arranged for a short phone interview with one of Blue boys: Antony Costa.

Surprisingly, prior to his boyband initiation, Antony was already doing bit parts in such UK-based sitcoms as Grange Hill and The Bill. He also played the lead part in the BBC sitcom Chalk. "A few fans recognize me from my earlier TV work," he admits diffidently. "In fact, yes, I do want to pursue sitcom roles. I’m the natural comic in the group."

Antony disclosed that it’s been a blessing how they’ve managed to work with some world-class producers: Norway-based Stargate, as well as Jonny Douglas, Quiet Money, Elliott Kennedy and singer/songwriter Ray Ruffin, son of Motown legend Jimmy Ruffin.

Unlike their counterparts who boast of their instrumental prowess aside from flaunting their charms and their fancy crooning, Blue relies on their regular rhythm section that they use for studio work as well as the grueling concert tours. "I used to play guitar," laments the George Michael fan. "Duncan plays piano and guitar."

And unlike most teenage guys predisposed to jarring rock and heavy metal, Antony hates anything loud. In fact, his Motown leanings proved even more uncanny. "I love Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Temptations. Music comes around in a circle. We want to create a different sound from lots of influences."

A name like theirs would surely raise some speculation, especially among the queer. "It doesn’t really mean anything," Antony clarifies. "We’re just striving for that bit of an edge… of coolness. It was Simon who came up with the name."

Perhaps the group’s staunch defender of the anti-boyband cliché, Antony quickly points out that, "There have always been boybands, from the Beatles, Monkees, Osmonds, Jackson Five to Take That, and there will always be boybands so long as there’s a market for them. It doesn’t matter what music they play or how they look."

This year, Blue plans to consolidate their massive success with a bigger worldwide concert tour. "We want to do set pieces, with acting, dancers… the lot," says Antony. "I think it’s really important that performers put on a good show. That’s why I always go and see Robbie Williams ‘coz he’s such a showman."

Bizarre fan encounters and the weirdest fan mail stories always make for good chat, and Antony had lots of them. "I actually got an invitation to my wedding, would you believe?!" he chuckles. "I was in Belgium at the time, so I’m sorry for the girl who sent it to me. She’s probably still there at the church waiting.

"One of Duncan’s Japanese fans sent him 172 tiny origami stars that probably took weeks to fold. That was really sweet!."

In the meantime, the boys are locked in on their R&B sound in the thick of promotions for their fourth single, Fly By. Composed by Stargate, the song could very well be the anthem of a bunch of guys having a good time. "The music we do is all about stuff we relate to everyday, like relationships," explains Antony. "Like, If You Come Back is about being dumped. Anyone can relate to that."

If plans push through, the group might come to Manila this August. So, boyband fans, take your cue. Hold your breath – ’til you turn blue!