He is part of one of the world’s biggest boy bands but Mark Owen is also a successful solo artist who has had a number of top ten singles including Child and Four Minute Warning.

At the moment he is being kept busy with the release of his new album and a tour. Speaking of which, we caught up with him for a good old chinwag ahead of his performance at the Olympia Theatre next week.

                                               

Mark, we love the new single Stars. What was the inspiration behind it?

It comes from many, many places. It included all these little fragments of life, beliefs, thoughts and questions. I think a big part of it is about people and how amazing life can be. Sometimes I know I can get bogged down with things and so lost in the world of form but this song reminds me that I can always take that all away and appreciate moments like us sitting here and talking. It really is about how wonderful people and life can be.

Now I know it isn’t wonderful for everybody all of the time but there’s a magic to the fact that we’re in this space and on this planet and sometimes we can take all the shit away for two minutes. I realise that most of the time you’re pulling your hair out but just now and again you can go ‘wow’. Probably having children has done that for me because I see their wonderment in it all. I don’t know where we lose that because it doesn’t change. It’s still all amazing. It’s just sometimes you forget to notice.

The official Stars music video.

Can you tell us about your new album The Art Of Doing Nothing?

Well there are ten songs and the whole idea behind it is to do it differently to the Take That record. This time I got to work with lots of creative people and came at it from many different angles. I wanted to do things slightly differently to how I normally would work. That included working with a wonderful singer called Ren Harvieu. She’s an absolutely stunning vocal singer, and she came in and sang a song with me. That was probably one of the highlights of my career. She was so wonderful. I also got to work with a new unsigned artist called Jake Emlyn who just has so much energy. Being able to have the chance to work with all these wonderful creative people was great.

In keeping with the name of the record, what do you enjoy doing when you have a day off?

I like writing songs and doing what I do. I’m very fortunate in that way. So when somebody says to me you’ve got a couple of days off to do nothing, I’ll go into the studio to make noise. I’ll try to do something creative so either paint something or write something or sit at the piano... or make love all day (he laughs). I’m joking. I wish I could do that!

(Sounds like a good day off to us!)

Mark with the Take That lads on their Progress tour. 

You said you wanted the album to be different to Take That but how is it different to what you’ve done before as a solo artist?

I think it’s massively different from my other solo stuff. The first one was when I was hanging out on the road and I wasn’t probably ready for taking it all on and being a solo artist. Back then I don’t think I was ready for walking to the front of the stage and standing there for an hour but I’ve been learning that over the years and you’re still always learning that in many ways. I’m grateful for all those moments including being dropped, and signed again, and dropped again, and then with Take That. All those experiences, those ups and downs through life, are all on this record.

And how to you feel about going back on the road by yourself?

If you asked me this question six weeks ago, I was really a bit off. Doing interviews and taking pictures felt unnatural because I haven’t really done it for two years. I’ve just been trying to be myself and be a good dad so it was strange. As time has gone on, I’ve gotten back into the swing. It takes time.

The singer has been spent the last few years at home with his family. 

Do you like performing in front of an Irish crowd?

The Irish crowd has always been amazing for us. I get bored of saying it because I say it every time I come. Just how supportive they’ve been over the years and probably the best audience for us. When I think about Italy and Spain, they’re crazy and loud and beautiful but I do think there’s nothing quite like hearing the Irish singing your songs. They just have sweet voices and a lot of passion.

(Oh Mark, you’re too kind.)

We’ve got to ask, can we expect a Take That reunion soon?

I think so. It changes and it depends on four or five guys, depending on what year, so you never quite know. I think there are plans for us to go back into the studio next year to start writing. I don’t know if everybody will still be up for that but at the moment that’s the plan.

Is there anything else left that you want to do or have you done it all?

I haven’t done it all. I’m over 40 now and I’ve always been interested in directing so that’s something that I'd love to try, if I get the opportunity, in the next few years. Every year I enrol myself for a film school but I haven’t been there so at some point I’d quite like to do that but who knows?

Mark’s new album The Art Of Doing Nothing is out now and tickets for his gig at the Olympic Theatre on Wednesday June 19th are on sale from Ticketmaster.