A WORLD WIDE WEB OF FAN FANATICS
Fanaticism and boy bands go back a long time. Elvis
won the hearts of millions of screaming girls, likewise the Beatles. With the
advent of modern technology, particularly the internet, pop fanaticism has
reached new heights.
Ten years ago girls would have put pictures of
their favourite band on their bedroom wall. Now they put it on their own
website, dedicated to their pop idols.
Westlife have more than their fair share of fan websites, some even a match for
their own official site. And each member of the band also has his own following,
with great attention to detail and some outstanding site designs on show.
The names in particular run from the sensible to the sublime. The Bryan McFadden fan could visit BopBopBrian or McFadden Heaven, or how about the KianKingdom or Kian Egan Picture Paradise. Not to feel left out Mark has his Fans United site and Nicky, a site referred to as SexyMrByrne. Some of the best sites are dedicated to Shane Filan, AffectionShane being a particularly personal one.
Of course, while all Westlife fans have a favourite member, it is the band which produces the most fansites. From foreign sites like El Mundo De Westlife and All for Westlife Brazil, to sites inspired by the bands’ hits, including Flying Without Wings: A Westlife Zone, I Lay My Love On Westlife, Unbreakable Westlife and more. Most of the sites are standard enough in content.: information gleaned from magazines, pictures of them performing all over the world, mixed with profiles, discographys and lyrics.
Some go that little bit further. Among the strangest I visited was Angel’s Wings: A Westlife Soap Opera. This site tells the fictional tale of the band, creating a soap opera in text form if you like. Updated episodes are regularly posted on the site, which is very, very popular, regularly getting hits from fans eager to read the latest plot twist. Fortunately none of them have been murdered, had a baby or found out they’re gay yet. The strangeness continues at Westlife Real Fans Fight Back, a site which takes no prisoners for those who dare to diss the lads.
Many sites offer forums for the fans to discuss the band, their music and other stuff, but some go further, setting up pen-pal networks between fans in different countries. A word of warning though, recent international news has pointed out the dangers of meeting via the internet so use your common sense.
It is the international flavour of these Westlife sites which is truly the most extraordinary aspect. Almost every country in the world is represented on the web through the medium of Westlife Their dedicated followers can be seen online. The Middle East and Asia have become massive markets for Westlife and with the internet so readily accessible in countries like Japan, it seems almost every Westlife fanatic has their own site.