Finding Heaven

Part 7: A Million Love Songs.

"No. 15 – we're going in the wrong direction lads!" Nigel barked as the Chart entry was announced on the Sunday chart radio show.

"I knew those writers were shoddy – last time we use them!" He continued to grumble, talking to know one in particularly. That was until he suddenly spun around in Gary's direction and fixed him with determined eyes, "Duncan will pick one of yours from the album for the next release Gary", he stated, "if we plan it well, we can get two more singles out by Christmas!"

Gary struggled to hide his joy. So the single had dipped, but things were going well – Take That & Party was now sitting at number 2 in the charts and with an album in the charts, they were now very much officially 'a thing'! – there were photoshoots to attend every other day, talk shows, TV spots and radio interviews to do, magazine covers, performances on studio stages rather than streets, and fan mail – lots of it! More for some than others. Gary couldn't quite believe they'd gone from Nigel re-mortgaging to fund the outrageous Do What You Like video (with the sole purpose of getting it banned), to playing their no.7 hit on Top of The Pops, and eventually landing a signing with RCA Records; and now a debut album riding high in the charts! It was all he'd ever dreamed about.

That hadn't been at all easy, however. They'd fallen out with the previous producer, Levine; and then before the album was due to be finalised, Nigel and Duncan, the new producer; had approached Gary to double check the song choices. They recorded new songs and had explained that by keeping a certain track on there, namely the one where Robbie had written a little rap for; Gary couldn't claim it was written by just him and would have to change the credits on the album from original songs by Gary Barlow, to songs by Take That.

"But it's just one song! It's not right, especially since some of the songs on it, I wrote ages ago – before I was even in Take That!" Gary had argued, "Besides Robbie hasn't even a publisher!"

"It doesn't matter, it's just how it is – or.... I mean, you could just take that song off?" Nigel carefully suggested with a hidden gleam of a smile.

Gary had needed much convincing, all those songs versus a small rap intro; he swiftly removed the song from the album. He was the one who'd been tirelessly writing, who had spent many a sleepless night fretting over it all, and so many nights in practically locked in the studio while the other lads went out partying. He'd worked since he was 13 years old trying to get to this point; while all Robbie had done was be in a school play and then have his mum answer an Ad. In fact the more Gary thought on it, the easier the decision had become.

When Robbie discovered the song had been removed however, it wasn't so easy. To say he was less than pleased was an understatement. He once again accused Gary of wanting all the limelight. For his part, Gary knew that was half-right – he didn't care who sung the songs, but he did want his name out there as a proper songwriter. After so many years of working every God-given hour trying to get his music heard, finally here it was; Take That & Party, his debut as a professional songwriter.

Robbie had refused to let the matter drop, and would continue to use it to bait Gary, who merely tried his best to ignore the lad. Eventually Nigel took the matter into his own hands and had a chat with Robbie. After that Robbie refused to talk about the album much at all.

Gary was more comfortable with Robbie ignoring him. Especially since lately, all other interactions with the youngest member of the band, just left him plain confused with a funny feeling inside, but he didn't know why.

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