This is shocking and unfathomably sad. Growing up in the UK, at the time his boyband was at its biggest in the charts, this news is especially disturbing. According to reports from several major news outlets Stephen Gately, of chart-topping 90′s Irish boyband Boyzone, has been found dead.
Stephen Gately, 33, died in his sleep. According to The Daily Mail, he died while on holiday in Majorca. I went and researched this, as it at first appeared to be reported only in the News of the World, and we all know how they roll.
However, several other outlets and TV/ media cross-over sites have also picked up the story, so it seems to be true. I was in my early tweens when his band was in the charts with songs like Words and Let the Reason be Love. They were less-so my cup of tea than their leather-clad chart rivals, Take That, of which Robbie Williams was a member. However the boys had vocals, and I watched them both on the now defunct Top of the Pops, every other week.
Boyzone manager Louis Walsh said, “We’re all absolutely devastated. I’m in complete shock. I was only with him on Monday at an awards ceremony. We don’t know much about what’s happened yet. “I only heard after The X Factor and we will rally around each other this week. He was a great man.” All four remaining members of Boyzone – Ronan Keating, Keith Duffy, Shane Lynch and Mikey Graham – will be flying to Palma, Majorca tomorrow. (via The Times)
Boyzone star Stephen Gately has been found dead at the age of 33. The singer fell asleep after a night out while on holiday in Majorca yesterday and never woke up. (via The Daily Mail)
Videos of some of Stephen Gately (March 17, 1976 to October, 10 2009) and Boyzone’s hits, and six photos from 2008 to 2009 are under the cut.
[UPDATE: This news is 100% true, as it is being reported on both Stephen Gately's official website and Boyzone's official websites, already].
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