Bbc sounds music radio podcasts, I'm laura the van and this is the desert island discs. Podcast. Every week I ask my guest to choose the eight tracks book and luxury they want to take with them if they were castaway to a desert island. This is extended vision of the original radio full broadcast and for rights reasons. The music is shorter than the original broadcast out. You enjoy listening. I. The I cast away this week is one of britain's best loved entertainers that might sound like quite an old school term, but I think it's warning light and to fight with, as he once put it caught me and I

bleed, sparkly, shirts and piano solos entertainment, has always been at the heart of his work and Gary Barlow cut his teeth, the hard way as a team yeah. He played gigs at working, men's clubs every night and by the age of twenty one he had made. It is part of the hot boy banned in Britain, a group initially built around his some writing talent, pray Think changes back for good take. That's got hit after hit and to their two thousand and five reboot reached Even greater heights life hasn't all been spotlights and unclosed, though his wilderness years after the band split up or painful, featuring writers block a public feud with Robbie Williams and a battle disordered eating. He found his way back. to the piano eventually and these days if you're looking to put on a show, whether it's a musical theatre production, a gig to celebrate the queen's diamond, jubilee or prime time tv talent show gary Barlow is the person you call. He says I like to play

How would I do say? I don't take it too seriously, but it's a solid lie. I think really seriously doesn't nothing more exciting, nothing, then the field, when a song starts to reveal itself Gary boyd welcome to desert island discs, but there's nothing to say if you said you've said the all so brilliantly. Well, don't worry. We've got quite a lot to cover still so with over a dozen number one hits and six ivor novello awards so far. You know enough about writing, hits to state that anybody who tells you they know how to do. It is lying. So with that in mind, how do you do it Do you know what I I constantly wake with the fear that that little bit of luck that seems to have followed me around for thirty years is as now vanished, because I never actually feel like. I really know I just sit or play, and sometimes I get something good and sometimes I sit all day and get nothing so There is no secret. I love the

process of it. I mean the challenge of sitting in coming up with something brown you that no one's ever come up with before is terrifically, exciting and then imagine in thousands of people singing it back to you. It's incredible bill asked me how I do I have no idea, and that moment, when is some starts to reveal itself. As you put it what's that lie counties that feel, I think that's all most the most citing par actually because it's like you give him a little piece of gold dust and once you ve been given that little bit, then I believe you at your skill to it than its that the solving of the proposal, the making the pieces fit you know how you want to perform me how you want to speak. What this music and these lyrics arts to the audience It's an amazing process is still amazes me now that you go through these levels of study in this. You know she would take a second off here and all of a sudden it out into the world and then becomes part of your life

bizarrely, a part of a lot of other people's lives as well europeans. We brought in your clear about not just wanted to write songs but to write hates. I wonder what the difference is fully funny. I don't I don't I a think about it, so crudely of 'em, if I'm honest, but you know I when I listen to the radio on a hear something that catches mice, I sing all tat. I just think he's clever. I think it's clever that you couldn't get into someone's head and I love it when people say, new sung, the yours, a haiti. I can't stop throwing it it s like. Yes, we did it and when and where did some ideas come to you most easily? I think if described it as a discipline rather than a kind of emotional experience. For you a thing the initial arrival of a song is an emotional thing, because I can get it when I'm in the car and get it when I'm sorry, by myself in a restaurant comes in me a ridiculous time, but then the

the sit sitting and working out the sort of science of it. I guess that's almost, easy bit, but the bit of catching the butterfly. That's the truth, ace always like a say whenever something unique and special comes to me. It's always feels like a blessing and never something which had just expect to happen and, of course he finds it. Yes as a solo artist, and with take that to does performing in each capacity have a different feel. It actually has a completely different. especially the live performance when I'm with we call on my brothers, but when we're together is, I don't know, there's less pressure. I always feel I'm a spoken in a wheel when you buy yourself the soda, two hours of everyone, just looking at you feels very different. It's The show, I think by myself, but always as enjoyable. I love performing lived, not first

life performances. When I was eleven, so I've spent years and years on a stage and love it, and is there a place. Music in your life that is directly connected to your work. Do you listen for pleasure? I think, when you're in music, to the place rebel. Listening experience becomes a challenge because you can ever just let the accept sense of what you hear him wash over you, you ve, always gotta, go up. What was that in the right hand, speak you can't help but starts dissected and think clever. How did they do that? But there are deaf Thirdly times I think we're going to do. Today, where I can sit in june I appreciate the beauty and the art history of of the people have made these songs. Cs amnesia than gary barlow. Tell me about your first. This today wavy chosen this my first day today, came into my life when, on my fourth christmas, for a record from father christmas.

and in my stocking came A song tat I loved up. I must have been here on the radio, or is it just at court, my ear, and it was my stockings and, of course, for the next three or four months. It was, I played, and whenever I hear it it takes me back. that christmas in my home town of fraud, Schuman, our little house christmassy feeling- and I love it Glen, campbell and rhinestone cowboy

we followed you what's known in music circles as again hound, that is a collector of music and production equipment, so basically a nerd right. I mean what lovely little worse thing. What level of nursery we talk in here, I need to know how big this collection is. Well. Most of my studio is a life time of collecting equipment actually solve. Things from when the wall came down in germany bore a lot of my your phones and things that were available to the outside world and I've got old shouldn't compressors and I've got all of my old since from the eighties, when all I did was go to to earn money to buy sense deck. Seven do no one o six jupiter, I may I've got all those still lamp industry, and defend myself here, because it can already feel people georgina me. I really believe that to do what I do to the extent I want to do it god. I love it. You ve, gotta, be obsessed by give got to be passionate to the degree that people

we'll go really. He go that far because I wanted To be great, I want people to listen to ngo someone's really thought about the senate is a tendency that shared among many of the great something I know that you chatted mike's with prince of genoa side more than mike's. I swear when I met prince I mean I was fascinated that it was prince, bore, I don't know why I threw like a key question. I am an honest to god. I couldn't get rid of him. I honestly couldn't anne, and there were people trying to. aid on the conversation very quickly, just turn their backs and walked off. I couldn't show em off, he was taking it a whole new level that even I was disgusted with a farm house stick. It was like to guy throw in modern each other eight was brilliant now I know that recently, you've been at lending your considerable focus to what you called chilling. The beep out

for the music. What do you enjoy doing I love being at home. I just of being at home, I race back there. Daily and love spending power. The kids, I love being with my wife, was on our second version of who we are because dinar kids grow. It was time to get our own selves Now I m were enjoying off, so the second marriage is lovely. That's what I've spent my time fighting to get out, because I'm away from home a lot. So whenever I can get back there, that's our chill and our find my feet and my center again quite a bit of yoga as well. I think I do yoga. I love yoga when in a flow, and it's usually when I'm on tour, find that life can be very balanced until because, unlike the rest of the year, I know em stage. Eight thirty- and I know I'm gonna- have my launcher one and I'm going to have my dinner at five and a no

I can do my YO grew in the morning. I get time to do it and when I do it, I'm actually earth but much nicer. person to be around and it sounds like you're, a sensational cook these days to cocoa law I think you'd have to ask the people a cook for on on the results, but I'm not bad, I'm not bad. I do trying cook every day I love to cook back to the basic. Then Gary bother tell me about your second choice: wages in some well, this secular song was a light old moment for me as a child who watched top of the pot religiously every thursday, all of us nah. I turn on the tv and the first act is a group called to patch mode. playing music, which all of a sudden really connected with. May I loved the sound of it. I loved the brightness, I loved the the modern feel, as I just loved in very, was vince clark playing a synthesis. Just look like the most

I Emily is like watching god doing some thousand. How do why be him? I want to be that man right that in not group play those notes, and so it was the it was a lightbulb moment for me. I all of a sudden knew where I wanted to be, and it was on that state. The depeche mode's just can't get enough garriga

to pass mood. Taking you back to your first keyboard. Did you love of music? Surprise, your family? I mean to what extent was music already a part of family life trace the connection with music and it did run through the family, my dad's next door, neighbours grandma, play the piano The nearest link we had my mom plays a little bit, but it wasn't somethin passed down in the family; definitely no, but it was definitely incur You know what it really was encourage and I have to thank my mom and dad eternally for that- one of the biggest things that my mom and dad did was that when I needed a keyboard, that was more challenging. To take my skills on, I think I was about eleven the time is this? Your second yamaha, if what I had a tiny walnuts, a tiny keyboard to start with the christmas, which have many notes and within sort of forty eight hours I was playing carols and everything just soda from ear. Using

left and right hand. and then about three months later, I took my dad too a music shop to see. Go. What what's now You know- and this guy showed is this- like to manual with basic an organ like a yamaha organ, my dad- ask the price of it and I saw his face drop. I think it was four hundred pounds a he sold all his time off. Work to pay for this organ, And really that was the turning point, because once I got that and then thought all this. This is easy disease that little thing it took me soda six months to really get the grasp of the once I had that I knew had a career that, because, when I play the name is coming people at clap at the end and people of be happy, and for, if I can do this in a bedroom, I can do this for an audience. So

important. Is it to you that your kids of music in their lives is that something that you ve been came to them to learn? You know I've never pushed it of let them sort of go. Often sk over their own musical tastes, but you know that of them said to me? I wanna do music. What can I say, particularly remember that conversation, my mom she wanted me to always go to music skill and- and I remember saying, but I can't I'm gonna be a pop star and for her did not laugh in my face sort of says it already. There always supportive to the fact that I knew what I wanted to do and the idea that you are self taught does that give you were a kind of different perspective, a different approach, bands yeah the agenda was self tool for the soda first twelve months, I did then go to town on music. I learned to read music. It was important to me that I really wanted to know

give me the rules of music because once anew the rules of music, then as a writer, I knew how to break them his song writings about doing something. Different doing knows that on in the scale making a chain the reason in the relative core, it's about breaking the rules. I actually spent years when I felt like wasn't ever using the skills I was told when I was back at twelve and its full You know, because came a moment sort of six years ago. When I started to write musicals where I was. starting to recall the things I was told you when you write me vehicles all of a sudden, the cable grows. All of a sudden. I've got eighty eight note so I really felt blast that had the time to divide. as a musician as a right around a singer.

For me have in those years of being in a bedroom and being able to make mistakes and not been being judged its crew? It was crucial for me time for some music. Then tell me about your third disk today. Family, will absolutely curse at this next song shows only because, when you learn into play an organ which is too manuals and base keys on the floor, the song that you first learn. Is this next track? I'm gonna play because the baseline literally just descends from sea down the scale. So when you learning he laughed fought to play me, physical. Now, it's all you gotta do is move about three centimetres to the left, to be able to play the song please enjoy a whitewash

p s. I went away frugal harmon and a white ass, a sheet of paper, Gary Barlow, Take us back then, to your first experiences on stage in front of an audience. As I mentioned, you started off played workingmen clubs in wales and cheshire. What sort of audiences did you have there, what an amazing play to working for me as an eleven year old?

how do you up stage? The bing so how'd you make them enjoy the hour between the first game of bengal in the second? That was the challenge. And you know, as a cable player, I think I did about four or five years of sort of live work before I even started to sing, and it was just about building this, Rapid swore of these standards in classics? So I was like in under the bonnie learning the inner workings of how these things were being created. The cord runs the structure and what was into making these big huge universal hit records. He was so young at that time. Nominee must really have very much been a boy in a man's world yet and Fourteen am I moved into a cabaret club which men I was part a trio with a base plan, a drama charged, the piano playing play behind knots, comedians like

manning Jim David said and bob mom cows, candour they'd, be the act and we play them on and off the stage. Yeah for years these sort of fifty role- guys were my friends then so I was you know. I joined the band nineteen. I was this Incredibly old minded. Nineteen year old, coming face to face with these young cool guys it was like all my goodness. Where have I been for the last eight years? It was incredible hanging out with candid. Obviously exactly kept you on your toes. I think he did. He really did what ken's set was it was about nine hours of comedy, but in, middle less somewhere, sing happiness, He'd say something ridiculous. Like you know, when I tell a joke about standing on my head in a kilt and said how's that for a shuttlecock message, then you come in with the intro of the song, though he goes

stage and you sat there with the music and you waiting for this line about shuttlecock and an hour goes by and and then another hour goes buying a you. Please wait to start the song anything I need a drink, and just at the point where you reach back for you drink, you go and how's that for standing on a short cut, an ear in and you play in the song and then there's another seven hours before the next, and so a really did others on our toes. You were, peisly, very focused in very dedicated your plane, seven knights and more martini awake at this point, and I think you said that you so asleep walked through school. A little bit saw. It sounds like everything outside music seemed on rail. To some extent, I was absolutely obsessed by the open the morning play music command gonna go to school bang. the school home at lunchtime play music, sometimes at play gigs and the beef from seven to one. In the morning I get home one in morning. Headphones gone play for another hour.

loved it I loved it made me feel fantastic. Finding songs, which are I couldn't play in working out until I could play them just like of music, and you've described. Your parents has been incredibly supportive, but do you think that I mean as a parent yourself? They have the kind of thought. I hope I will. we get some other interests outside this music thing? You know already well known it, therefore, never because they saw how which I loved it and of course, I always told about making it. How am I gonna make it The one thing my dad said from quite early on is that we'd we'd invite some of the neighbors round or something- and I played something. It was quite a difficult piece and I played it, got to be ended at a digital data and everyone went wow gray and they all cheered and remember. very vividly murdered, saying if you can do that, you ve got a job for life. I thought you know, even if I don't make here, I think I'll be able to always get living out of this.

Let's have some more music now Gary Bala. What's your fourth disk go debate today and why I came to london when I was sixteen a guy who become my mentor over the past year, called bob how's how the studio and the affair, reliable studio time which he used to give me for. Nothing was, of course, from one in the morning to eight in the morning. So of course I grabbed it with both hands. Be student railcar com, to london, and am I make songs and the engineer would, if a boy mcdonald's each day and one I remember him saying she. We listened to something that too just sort of fine, the bar of where we ve gotta get towns are absolutely put it on. Wherever you put on, I know I can match it and very sadly, this song came on and it was the most incredible piece of audio I'd ever heard it was cute and both poles were incredible. It was like list.

Took the work of a genius, and I said who is this. I was feeling ale of this boy who made that pose a guy called trevor horn and, of course that was the start of mice. Obsession with Travis work but us very quickly realized the water Doing wasn't good enough and I needed to seriously up my game and I have to say this song forgiven me of an enormous kick up the bone and propelling me

hopefully into a world which I could get better, Yes, and of unruly heart, I was going to say yes as well, but about I'm not a concept. Yes,

so gary Barlow take that formed in nineteen nineteen. You went along to an audition for manager, Nigel Martin smith. What was looking for, we actually all at the end of eighty nine, which is why next year's all thirtieth anniversary. It was a very end of the year, but we all met for the first time and it will it wasn't like modern day auditions where two thousand people turn up there was Actually, six of us now I know you're not as impress now by me finding my place in that ban board. It was weird he kind of hand, picked them from people's reza maize in march. Was a child ass to how it was a model? Jason was on the hit mountain her the time robbie was a child act. He kind of the situation here. He'd he'd worked out. This could make a group here. telling us how big was gonna, be he was saying in a way that you couldn't help but believe it and we all believed it. I need

would come into this experience with a very singular and determined vision of your own. I mean that could be a recipe for four friction. You know you ve got you ve got guys in the mixed with an eye, love self belief under a very clear idea of where they want to get. It might not be the same place necessarily well I nigella a point where I was writing music and seriously making demos. I was spending the money. I was earning gigs to pay to go studios and make these things, and so when I first gave Nigel a tape, he gave me these eyes. Like a thousand people give me hey. You know. Why would listen to this and I purposely I remember him- go into to hold the tape and I kept hold of it. And I caught his eye and said gotta, listen to this I think it shocked him because he was not. Who is this guy? but it made him listen to it and pretty from the time when I left him at their prison drove home,

got home when there was about six messages on the answer phone of his office. Saying Nigel wants it big deal, a cold amy was like. I just want to screw about this cosette, I've listened to it bore whose the old, an assembly I have said with great who, whose helped you then Nobody that this is made Can you hear me the keyboard playin, the drum programming the engineer. It's all for my bedroom he's that we need speak again and I think that He felt right, I've got songs here. I'm gonna build the group around this guy now enemy. it worked by ninety ninety three, you how'd you first number one single and album pray and everything changes and by the mid nineties, you'd received for Ivan available would see we're just twenty five new had fully arrived. I was it amazing of

yeah I was get into play. Music live always get into right for records, songs of mine in the charts I got to sing, I gotta be in a band with four great. People which we were laughing constantly enjoy? the trappings of being a group that was You know well known all around the world. We were landing in countries that we could. even pronounce that we'd never even knew where they were, and we being met by thousands of girls at the airport. I mean it was on believable. It is everything I thought it was gonna be have, and disappointed in any way shape or form ninety five was a golden year for, as we were big book once back a good came out. It took it to a whole new level with found success in them. Erica, We were on radio all around the world. We reached the pinnacle of. Take that

this time round, so you and one of those stars who makes it and then is horrified by you know the pressure and the loss of anonymity and all that you were just love in it. There was definitely soft bits around it, but we were having the best time. Don't don't let anyone tell you anything different, we were loving it and how would you do skype, the dynamics within the bands back then I often comes up a lot this book it's always from my perspective. I must have had four in incredibly patient band members with me because I was definitely someone on a mission- all a train in all my years in clubs, aid for someone who add one direction and everyone else needed to follow I often wonder what it was like for everyone else, but they happily stayed in the with me,

period anyway. I never ever felt like anyone was restricting what I wanted to do. I always felt supports and I've asked to this day even sometimes over, don't say I feel every time I see you and I thank them for that and what we see relationship with robbie like at that point, he was the first thing to go you know I don't wanna, be I don't want to do your story anymore. I wanna do my own and although it felt like someone turning their back on us at the time, I understand it now completely understand it and so yo and we all came back to the table again. One of the first things that we needed to pour into places for adults star in on this second journey of the band was?

you're, eighteen and coming up with this version together, because that's one thing we hadn't experienced the first time round in the first incarnation of take that you have been very honest about the size of your own ego at the time and obviously you're a young man to you know- and this is your twenty five year old, looking back Can you see where that started to become a bit of a problem for evil. Well, there was an opportunity that you know you could have grown up and can, if maybe didn't I, We believe it was a problem from the start we have fixed, I dont forget became a problem. was just on a mission are really I wanted to get their regardless too, to the thought. and feelings of any one else, So when I look back at the demise of it c is something that needs to happen. It was a actually a healthy thing that it happened for me in the law. Long term, because,

when I see the lessons and the amount of growing that I did it wasn't nice and it wasn't easy, bore it so needed so need to happen, and, thank goodness it happen, because I look at all good times. I look at the good music and I look at the the amazing life have now is because of that I can sit. You know, enjoy an almost laugh at the crazy stupid thing, those to think and feel that the blame on the other, the very very dark times during that period. Thank goodness, it happened it's time for your face the disk today, Gary boyd, what's gonna being wavy chosen, this Love music. That helps me that helps me either celebrate or feel even sadder or feel even happier there was a day when I lost my right

deal and it was the dream having a record deal. It was a very big deal for me when that disappeared and iran, but the phone call remember putting the phone down in the radio be. In turn back on and all of a sudden music spoke to me. I was listening to the words and music of Peter Gabriel and Kate, ocean. This song just spoke to me and it said don't give up. We do need to Peter Gabriel and kate- push don't give up

we followed the early two. Thousands were very difficult time for you. You're well documented difficulties with Robbie had begun and his star was on the rise, but unexpectedly, yours wasn't. No. The smart money had been on you as a successful solo artist. What happened cruel to ask such what happened. What happened I in a nutshell- I lost a confidence. I very clear view of war was good and bad all. Through the nineties. I was often the person who would even tell us the record labels. No, it's not that one is that one that that's the one we should go for. Full of really knew what was right for me. for the first time so late. Ninety ninety- I remember a couple of

People get into my head. Oh, that's, not very good thought You could do better and worse in the past that have gone now, it's all right thanks, I'm alright, without though they start to get in there. damn. I just lost my confidence, and so I made a record my solo out and twelve months in eleven days. A maiden record by committee. The worst Then you can ever do because when everybody's happy but he's happy Damn. It was a very very blunt version of where I was at the time, and I think that people forgive many things you know artists, behaviour things. You say things you do in your private life. blonde music. You can never forgiven for that and yeah. You know All of a sudden I found myself

alone in the room feeling like. there is nobody cared and were in your studio. I think a lot of the time sitting at the piano and in the past every time you sat down that piano, you'd written something often hates, but then thought just stopped for a while That was your right is block, I think going back to confidence I never really realised how important as a creative conflict, really was, and I always like in its were football team. You know forward I am confident they win. And then they went, and then you get some more look, so they win again. I'm it's like that when you're an artist, you sit a piano, and you you don't have to give it. Much though, because you in you can trust what your hearts telling you, what your heads to it so important it so important,

a particularly hate music reviews, because it's such a bad thing for an artist to be told. what's right and wrong. I don't think it's necessary, I think be all, and make that decision, people never find it again. Sadly, but the the climbing back and the building up your creative being again takes years and, alongside all of this food, it become a problem for you as well. Do you think you had an eating disorder or both I actually, I still believe, not still do to be honest, but it's a hell. the eating disorders. There is war, yeah. You know me. A was was something I realised through my life is something I've always turn to whether its

in good times or body it almost in a similar way that I turned to music and its and it's something that's that's been very present. It is been often the answer, two things and also not been the answer. It's not the right answer, so I have a strange relationship with food and I have to say it evolves. I can't tell you today that I mean the perfect place: I find it evolves. How bad things back then. Was there a specific low point. There was definitely again a light bulb moment for me where I realise this is as bad as I wanna. Let it get involved a trip to the doktor who informed me of my weight and that I was in a bad place. no tired young kids at the time, and it fell highly irresponsible to be in the shape I was in.

It was definitely something that my health wasn't benefiting from. It just didn't sue me where I was act, I friends who are the large people and they where it so well and that its almost part of personality it never suited me again crushed the confidence of the. Person in the music confidence ago now the person comfort it's gone. The personal confidence in and it didn't feel right and so on I needed to change that. have some music Gary ball. What's your sick today This song was kind of its like a mantra to me, this piece of music only the artists, but the song. It's an incredible piece of meat, tickle genius. It's an incredible piece of lyrical genius as well the time where it came from nowhere and people were wondering what is this a whip who is this person? Is it america?

just didn't feel british. It felt like An international vote it's an artist, a piece of music and it's the thing, definitely Let me to a piano. Happy to say from a friend of mine and its meaning

credible song called your song in maybe now that it's down down down down Elton John and you sound and gary borrow a track by a friend he resolved for you. He was one of the people who did stick around when things are difficult. A computer

we count them on one hand, actually and he's a back very big finger on my he. He was an amazing to me and actually is to so many people in such a people's person I'll. I do look up to and then and try and emulate. What he's given and worry continues to give two to the world music really take, not reform In two thousand and five there first, it was as a for peace and then in twenty ten robbie williams was back with the bonn to reached even great heights second time around. How would you describe that? Second chapter how's it different from the first It- could have been a different band, really mean it just felt entirely different and it fell different because. before adults, making music together decisions. charge an audience which, didn't just come back. I e they all

two ordered us back. We felt just so unbelievably loved that pay reared and wanted, and all the things we haven't felt the so long, and will you also able to really enjoy it much more this time around, it sounds like you are coming back to us with a very different mindset. It is the one main regret for me in the nineties, which are still say all the time is spent the whole time worried about we need to enjoy a wanted to be in the band and so one of the very first questions was Gaza. You can produce it was. I know I want to be produced. I want, go with you at the end of the day, not besought their backing up the files the pope with you law at the end of the day, and so much said what I'm going to enjoy this and that I can honestly tell you does not been a concern, the eye

stood on stage and gone wrong when who enjoy this tuna, and I have enjoyed it now. Huge command so successful you in this time, but also very tens periods and within that you suffered to enormous losses. First, it are too, passed away in two thousand and nine and then in twenty twelve, when you were due to poor but the london olympics closing ceremony, you dont pop he was still born and obviously an experience that nobody should have to go through how on earth did you cope with us well for anyone who's been through anything like this. I think it's something you works you're gonna be dealing with the rest of your life. Really an annex in a strange way. You don't want it to end because it's one of the few things you have to remind you of the person. That's that's not there

so in some ways the did. The the pain in the grief becomes and you clothes it am. I can't really, explain its it's. It's the simplest way of saying how it feels I know that you have written about poppy both an with some. Let me go in and in your book is while. Why did you choose to do that and was that a difficult decision to take because a decision that it is not mine is so something that, because he happened to me and my wife is some them. We talked about endlessly, especially the book side of things. yeah, it's something that term I haven't about the haven't, talked about it interviews. In fact, we used to you know before interviews, I'd, have someone would say don't talk about. That is something I didn't want to talk about, but definitely in the last I felt like this problem. We time unclear

important actually fell into. to me as a man, As a as a forty seven year old man to talk about something bad that's happened now it made me feel and thank goodness, how how its whole change now, I think people love to read about people's securities and how people of with things in, especially as man. For some reason, I think you do you. pick up several magazines and know how we and deal with things and learn from how other people that experience than for some reason, men don't talk about those things, so I think it fell for me, as a man to talk about that union

I don't have been together for over twenty years now, given everything that life is thrown at you, but also everything that's just involved in a pop stars life. I mean the ego the time upon the whole kitten caboodle. What's your secret so eager that we love each other the mean immensely she's my best friend she's, my yeah she's, everything and anything as you will, as you walk through life with a partner, Have these experiences were its having children having a comeback having a middle I've crisis you experience them together and me. Those milestones, and things may be stronger than never been something this pushed the it's. It's me

even more important to be there for that person than them be there for you now, but also she's, not afraid to tell you what you really thinks. I mean the great thing about my wife is that, for instance, where I got home today- and you know what my back down read that asylum for what a day she'll say something like what must be done. I will talk about yourself all day. I mean that's the kind of comments I get an and thank goodness, let's say that, thank goodness that at the end of my day, because I wouldn't have it any other way, let's have some music, gary butter. What's your seventh disk today this takes me back to an extreme, the crucial time of my my writing evolution my mentor. Bob house mentioned earlier and in the show. I remember going to him with a problem where

not my songs in the early nineties. The label we're getting excited about china crack this problem of what why one easy, that's Why is it so elusive? thing called here. Why I'm not getting there? and then I went to see bob and I told him this thing in and he said play something now and an unwanted finishes. I want you to tell me what hit you about this peace you don't mind. I think we should play tell you after the track. What happened, let's play now nimrod

the

part of it wood, elgar's nimrod, performed by the BBC symphony orchestra, conducted by leonard Bernstein, gary barlow special piece of music view and to euro significant lesson Yes, so when they pc he's again did, I said, I think the answer you looking for is it's so simple and I know, there's very intricate part to it. But you know you about the main theme of what that is it so unbelievably simple, and that's what I left who at that time, I thought you know what I've been put in. Mine, a major savants mental sick, demolished. Twelve I've gotta find some simplicity and- and the very interesting thing was through the simplicity, gave me

a whole new landscape to build melody and lyric on top off. An eight was rate was honestly the key to the door of me Finding this elusive way of of making it records you ve, been. Public eye for over twenty five years. Now. During that time, you very rarely been the subjective, serious press criticism put in twenty fourteen. There were all sorts of negative headlines when the press reported on your legal tax avoidance, accounting how'd, you look back. That time now, oh awful brute, receive really really awful on its own important for me to say I take full responsibility for that. I signed the forms. You know you each I and do these things under the guidance of other people. I dont know a thing about accounts. I never want to its of no interest to me. I signed

Those things it's my responsibilities are all I could do it. That point was just say hold your hands up, say I'm sorry and whatever I owe whatever it just pay back immediately and get on with your life. In the last few years you ve coup written the scores of three musicals, finding neverland calendar girls and the band. I think that might be Another idea in the pipeline is well knew Volta, judged on the x factor and let it shine on tv. You ve just published a second autobiography you're about to go on to you all. A serious all round now, which rolled gives you the most pleasure over many that you play they all sort of serve a different purpose really, and what, where I mean, the musical theatre thing was completely by accident, I think it's the most collapse motive, situation. I've ever been in its its literally a hundred pete

DR a and an when everyone's on their game, the fee enough. Success is incredible: and I loved watching an audience react to my music was brilliant. Now I would love to do more in the future They all gave you a different story. Thrill. Really I mean I love, I hope to always be on a stage. Is a live artist. I would love to be able to do that forever and I love being studio. So they all give me something different and another really play of courses as it adapts to Daniel Emily and daisy. What kind of father a terrible war in their words, actually I don't know homework account infractions, I'm always late for pickup there. Amongst those your criticisms older than that too bad tell me about your age. the disk today this They delight, especially that were finishing on this

You follow I'll go as a day of his whole. There's only one way. This is it I was in the northwest trying to figure out how to make. I was doing trips to london to record companies too and to work out. How do I get from the social clubs into the charts. meanwhile this year, guy that didn't live? who far away from where I left off also doing the clubs. and he was on north northwest singing. This song that wasn't only good. It was incredible- and I thought that's. What I want to do the music as well? This guy's got a great voice these from the north west. There is hope So I am now going to introduce my final. This rick astley, never gonna, give

you up- god recast Lee and never could he give you up time to cast you away then to our beautiful island, gary Barlow you'll have to catch harvest and cook your own food have do you feel about that? A car kill animals. I've never been able to do that. So? Have I gotta catch fish

you don't have to. If you don't want him in the b cocoanuts over too much probably kill a fish of a most of em hongry. Only just beginning, take a bit of effort, okay, how we survival skills other than catching your dinner. I don't think I'd be too, but I'm not bought in the kitchen. You know the sunday night conundrum when you look in the fridge and there's this A few lonely virgin still live. I'm broke do good suit with that and make it into something. Ainsley harriott style in a whip it up and make a show out of it? Yeah yep effect, I'm going to give you the bible and the complete works of shakespeare to read while you're on the island. You can also have a book of your own. What would you like that to be is an amazing book which I often by people as christmas presents. Actually, every time. I really. I learn something new. It's cold. recording the beatles. You can have a luxury item to what you fancy for that. I would take a piano I actually still unemployed

to say this, because I still love music in to without writing, without being paid to perform. I still sit down and often have an hour a piano. I love it. Fine may. I wish to ask you to choose just one of your age discs to save, which would you like to be have to be Nimrod. I think it's possibly the most beautiful piece of meat. If I've ever heard, and so it's it's that special to me that I want to. I wanna keep that one nimrod, it's all yours Gary barlow. Thank you very much for sharing your desert island discs with us. Thank you has been a pleasure. oh enjoyed my interview with Gary. He mentioned what a great friend out and John has been to him well way back in nineteen, eighty six. He cast away by some Michael parkinson. Do not much later that. Are you I

Then thou, but I became an extra work because a teenage years? I found that I was. I was whereas overweight, quite a bit strict up and I was not really learned how to japan above bike or a pair hush puppies? Can you believe it This dialogue is regularly medicines. The real problem, when you see I was never allowed to have it around about by my success, happened in my twenty m. I lit my teenage years from my twenty. I would cut do exactly what I want to do for the first time in my life and consequently, if I wanted to wear and outrageous piece of clothing, I did but again wasn't plan most enjoy myself very fortunate, because what happened on a large scale, I went to america and played a troubadour club in nineteen seventy one elton john out and was released and it was a revolutionary miasmas fires that springs never been used by that out before they been used in funky arrangements that was done by my ankle poor, but master and it revolutionized string writing on liquids as far as pop music concern

very well produced album, as the first album I ever did with gus dudgeon. I subsequently did seventeen albums and have done my recent album with him as well. And I went to american painted smoke up called the troubadour club and it was MC records who I was calling for hyped in. I was full of three hundred people up from the business, but they'd heard the album neil diamond introduced me onstage, which was a tremendous thing for him to do. because he liked the record and they thought, because the elton John album ca was very dark and do me that I was going to come out and look like randy newman. In fact, I came out with shorts on and flying boots and mickey mouse ears and played Rock'N'Roll even want this, and I had a review from Robert hilburn in the los angeles times, and the music critic was a full page review and it broke me in america when that's in front of three hundred people who wasn't even paid to come, see me so it was kind of fluke. What's been your every uniform over the I've got them all here that she's adele and never throw anything away. I've got a mild stage cause I go and look at them and nothing my

god, I'm in the market during the muppet show a few years ago. Luckily I was quite slim. None as well, because I tend to put 'em went miss it. We want all your old costumes nights and I'm not gonna wait a minute. I had to go through them all, and some of them were so heavy and I used to wear them for three hours. There was one called the giant chicken outfit wishes and maybe they're like torso thing, which is all chicken feathers, Well, there was the outfit that was all black, but it had black elastic on it and colored fluorescent bowls shine under white light, and I had a head huge headdress with spikes coming up, so that when I came on all you could see with these bolt on his head dress, because I used to come in and play and isis removing any cods colored balls going like a sweat and people think what is this load of old, bull yeah and the hat It's a nice open with a song called fin friend, love lies. Bleeding is quite long and by the time I finished my these hats on and also a pair of glasses. There was one electric paragraphs is the first. I think I can remember

edwin using state, but they were so heavy that my name is quite well tat. The end some hanging like men and my ears, but then here Quite honestly, I just consider them normal things at the time, but looking back on it, I must have been out of my mind your colorful massacres, the one and only elton john There's an amazing collection of sing, a song writers in the desert, island discs, back catalogue, Noel Gallagher, randy, newman, bruce Springsteen, Annie, lennox and lily island, to name but a few, you can find over two thousand other editions of desert island discs on BBC sands next time my guest will be the economist, Marianna mazzolato do join us I hate hello to before you stop listening. You can't started with hay, hello, winnowing, California, get ready, gharra hello, I'm remnants over an entrepreneur and all of it

We are launching a new podcast. It is about entrepreneurs, for everyone is called a disruptive feature, the story These are found, as people have started, businesses how they did, what they did and all the challenges and ups and downs they went through together plenty of dot moments. Plenty of inspirational stories, told by the people who experience subscribe to the disrupts, on BBC sounds.