Boyzone album a tribute to Gately

BOYZONE will release a new album featuring Stephen Gately as a tribute to the late singer, the band said.

The group said Gately was “so excited” about making the album, and the remaining four band members will take comfort in being together as they complete it.

During their first interview as a “four-piece”, Ronan Keating told Sky News: “When we’re together we feel Stephen’s here, so as much as possible we feel the four of us want to be together. We just want to really get our teeth into this album, get moving on it and get it made.”

Gately died of natural causes due to a pulmonary oedema on October 10 at his holiday home on the island of Majorca.

The remaining band members – Keating, Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch – have decided to continue in his memory but say it will not be easy.

“We have decided that what we do now is we’re going to make the next album for Stephen,” said Keating. “We want to stick together because we find comfort in being together at the moment.”

Keating added: “We have a couple of songs with Stephen’s vocal on it so that’s a saving grace.

“Thank God we have that, that’s very important to all of us and we know the fans would really appreciate that too.”

During the interview, the band speak about bringing Gately’s body home and making funeral arrangements. They also talk about the night before the funeral which they spent in sleeping bags next to his coffin in St Laurence O’Toole Church, Dublin.

Keating described it as “our last night together as a five piece”.

“It was just about spending time with Steo and we knew Steo well, he didn’t like the dark, he didn’t like being on his own,” he added.