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26-02-01 news EXCLUSIVE AILEEN O'REILLY
Louis Walsh's new Popstars...

The big news of the day was that Omero Mumba, the 11 year old baby brother of Irish pop princess Samantha Mumba was on his way to be screen tested for Stephen Speilberg's new movie the Time Machine. If Omero is successful he will be acting with his sister who has already won a role in the movie and will star opposite Guy Pearse and Jeremy Irons. But, music and not movies were the subject of Saturday for Louis Walsh in Dublin.

Louis Walsh at the auditions in the POD

The requirements were simple - you had to be aged 18 - 24, able to sing, play either drums, lead guitar, keyboards or bass - and it would help a great deal if you felt you were the new Bob Dylan, Jon Bon Jovi, Michael Hutchence or Jim Morrison....

In reply to Louis Walsh's request for talented contenders for his new five piece rock act, over 500 wannabe rock gods from Dublin to Detroit complete with regulation guitars, bongos, saxophones, black shades and attitude queued from early Saturday morning outside POD on Harcourt Street.

By 11 a.m. the venue had taken on the appearance of an indoor rock festival - the Chocolate Bar was overrun with leather clad teenagers singing and practicing guitar while a motley crew of musicians had taken over the mezzanine level and proceeded to serenade those below.

Inside the POD the set up resembled that of the recent Popstars TV spectacular with camera crews running around while nervous auditionees waited for their minute of fame to happen. "It's been very average so far" admitted Paul Lyttle of Music Maker, "but it's very hard to make an impression in such a short period of time. What we're all waiting for at this stage is for someone with real presence and talent to blow us all away".

"It's going to be a long day" admitted Louis Walsh with a laugh, "there is talent here today most definitely, it's just a matter of weeding it out. Basically we're looking at getting 60 guys worth calling back for next week - and that's when the really tough job begins".

Martin Howard, from Murlyn, the Swedish songwriting group who have written songs for the likes of Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and Christine Aguilera and will work with the band once it is formed, admitted: "We've seen one or two guys who have that spark, but we've a long way to go. Essentially we're looking at a cross between Bon Jovi, Savage Garden and INXS - five guys with star quality who can really entertain, perform and leave the women weak at the knees in the process. It's not so much to ask is it?".

"Everything is in place for this act - they've got a five figure album deal already set up, they've got the team they need ready and waiting to make it work - now it's just a matter of us finding the raw materials that we need to make this band a reality".

Popstars finalist, 21 year old Joseph Mclean from Belfasts, had also missed his breakfast in order to get to the auditions on time and admitted that, despite not making the final cut in Popstars, he was feeling quite lucky. "I was unfortunate in the Popstars auditions" he admitted, "there wasn't a problem with my singing or my dancing - or even the way I look. It was just that one of the judges didn't really take to me on the day for whatever reason. "I was talking to Louis afterwards and he told me to come along today" admitted the blond singer who had the words to Lionel Ritchie's "Hello" written on the palms of his hands.

"I had to do that just in case I get nervous up there and forget my lines" he smiled. "I reckoned that if I look like I'm doing some really expressive hand movements then they won't guess what I'm really up to". "There's nothing else in this world that I want to do. Singing and performing are the two things that I think about the minute I wake up in the morning - so I just want an excuse to do that all the time".

The day long session of auditions were also being filmed by Channel 4 and will be included in a new 8 part series which is due to air in June/July on the contemporary side of Irish life with the Celtic Tiger.

Call backs will be held next Saturday at Red Box. It was difficult for those up there. Especially when you've only got one verse and a chorus to impress Louis Walsh the brains behind Boyzone, Westlife and Samantha Mumba.