RIP Stephen Gately, the singer who rose to fame thanks to Boyzone, and who has died aged just 33. His solo career was not the soaring success he might have hoped when the Irish band split up – though three Top 20 singles is more than most of the rest of us will manage.
Indeed, it’s likely that Lib Dems will be among those most familiar with his work, for his debut solo track, New beginning, was adopted by the party as its theme tune for the 2001 general election (and used subsequently at many party conferences).
Lib Dem blogger Stephen Glenn pays fuller tribute here. Below is the TOTP video of New beginning:
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4 Comments
I’d forgotten how often I’ve heard New Beginning at conferences down the years. Somehow I’d forgotten that was Stephen as well until seeing it mentioned here.
It was a great song. Hearing it again reminds me of Torquay 2001, my first party conference and Charles Kennedy delivering a leader’s speech that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
I believe the version used at conference was a re-recording by a bunch of session musicians rather than Mr Gately’s version.
RIP Steven Gately, he was way too young