A shorter post from me today as it’s the last day of the month and we haven’t yet made use of our National Trust for Scotland membership cards, received from DD as a Christmas present. Most castles and stately homes stay closed until April but the Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre near us is open, so we’ll head up there shortly. For those not in the know, it’s the site of the last pitched battle fought on British soil where the 1745 Jacobite Rising came to a tragic end. Lots of people from around the world come to visit now because of the popularity of the television drama Outlander and the show’s hero, Jamie Fraser, means that the stone marking where Clan Fraser fell is now surrounded by flowers and tributes. Anyway, we’re determined to visit at least one site per month this year so we’re just fitting in this first one before we get to February. I’ve shared quite a few songs from Outlander in this blog over the years but not yet set up a category for it on my sidebar. I’ll put that right forthwith!
But the dashing Jamie Fraser (played by Sam Heughan) is not who I’ve been thinking about this week. Oh no, this week has all been about those five boys from the North of England who formed the band Take That in 1990. Their 3-part Netflix documentary aired this week and I’ve already watched it twice (sneakily, once Mr WIAA has gone to bed). By coincidence this was also the week when former band member Robbie Williams found out he has now overtaken the Beatles in having achieved the most UK No. 1 albums. I don’t know how I feel about that but there is no doubt, once he broke free from the shackles of Take That, he went from strength to strength as an artist and certainly has had longevity.
Despite the fact I was in my early 30s when Take That came along, I have always been a fan and even bought their first album Take That & Party in cassette form when on honeymoon with Mr WIAA. The documentary covered every stage of their career, from the early days when they unbelievably played school assemblies, to Robbie leaving, the calling it a day, and then the journey from when they reformed in 2006 to the present day. There was a lot of never-before-seen footage and voice-overs from the various band members. All of them have had periods of depression, some whilst still in the band and others after they broke up. How indeed can you go back to a normal life after the pop stardom they achieved in the 90s? Howard for one contemplated suicide.
But on a happier note, they are now all older and wiser with families and responsibilities that make life that little bit more normal when they are not performing. The current 3-piece Take That have been going since 2014 after Jason Orange left, and that’s the longest period they’ve had the same line-up since they started. But here’s a reminder of their very first hit in the UK, a cover version of Tavares song It Only Takes A Minute. Gary felt like a failure as none of his self-penned songs had been a success but after this single they were on a roll with Gary writing all of their material from then on.
But this is not the only reason I am writing about Take That. I have a big birthday this year (although not at big as it should have been as I was born two months and one day too late to get my age-related remuneration from the state at 66, so I have to wait another three months) and for the next four years I’m going to pack in as many adventures as I can. God willing I’ll still be having adventures after that too, but looking around me you just never know so it’s all systems go. With that in mind I have already booked an Italian adventure for September which I will no doubt write about in due course, and many short breaks for later in the year. At the end of last year there was much hoopla surrounding the announcement that Take That would yet again be performing The Circus Live tour, based on their previous tour of the same name, in Summer 2026. I would have wanted to go last time as it looked so spectacular but I didn’t have that kind of lifestyle back in 2009 so this year we’re going. They will be 17 years older, with a fair bit of grey hair, but I hear they are all working on their fitness and unicycle skills so I am optimistic it will be just as good.
This was the first time I have ever tried to buy tickets from an online site where you have to be totally on the ball as soon as they go on sale, otherwise they can sell out before you even get to the checkout. Mr WIAA and I had done a few trial runs ahead of schedule to make sure we knew all the steps involved so at the appointed hour we dived in. I was the first to get to the checkout and amazingly got two tickets for the area right in front of the stage at Glasgow’s Hampden Park. I thought our friends might want to come with us so dived in again, madly clicking on all the boxes, and got two more tickets. I had thought they would sell out quickly so couldn’t believe I now had four tickets – then I discovered I’d booked them for the following night by mistake. No matter I thought, we’re bound to have friends or family who might want to buy them from us, so I dived in again and got another two tickets for the correct night.
As it turns out none of our friends and family do want our spare tickets and there are even ones still to be had on the booking site. Perhaps Take That’s Circus Tour is not as popular as I had thought it would be now that they, and their fans, are well into middle age. Whatever, I now have a four ticket surfeit so if any of my blogging buddies have an inkling to see what this tour is all about you know where to come. I suspect they are not every middle-aged music blogger’s cup of tea, but as long as I see Mark Owen’s lovely smile up there on stage I’ll be happy. He was always my favourite.
The lovely Mark Owen of Take That
Before I go I will mention another heartthrob from a boy band who has gone on to great things since going solo. I am taking my role seriously of updating my followers on changes at the top of the UK Singles Chart, and yesterday I found out that Harry Styles had gone straight in at No. 1 with the first single released from his new album. I don’t think it’s as strong as his previous chart singles but he does have legions of fans who will be playing it continuously I’m sure, thus it’s success. Here is Harry with Aperture.
Right, my NTS membership card is burning a hole in my pocket so I’m off to the battlefield. There will be plenty of images of Jamie Fraser in the gift shop I’m sure. Take That or Harry Styles – not so much.
Until next time…
Aperture Lyrics
(Song by Harry Styles, Kid Harpoon)
Take no prisoners for me
I’m told you’re elevating
Drinks go straight to my knees
I’m sold, I’m going on clean
I’m going on clean
I’ve no more tricks up my sleeve
Game called review the player
Time codes and Tokyo scenes
Bad boys, it’s complicated
It’s complicated
It’s best you know what you don’t
Aperture lets the light in
It’s best you know what you don’t
Aperture lets the light in
We belong together
It finally appears it’s only love
We belong together
We belong together
It finally appears it’s only love
We belong together
In no good state to receive
Go forth, ask questions later
Trap doors, you’re toying with me
Dance halls, another cadence
It’s best you know what you don’t
Aperture lets the light in
We belong together
It finally appears it’s only love
We belong together
It finally appears
We belong together
It finally appears it’s only love
We belong together
I won’t stray from it
I don’t know these spaces
Time won’t wait on me
I wanna know what safe is
I won’t stray from it
I don’t know these spaces
Time won’t wait on me
I won’t stray from it
I don’t know these spaces
Time won’t wait on me
I wanna know what safe is
I won’t stray from it
I don’t know these spaces
Time won’t wait on me
We belong together
It finally appears it’s only love
We belong together
It finally appears
We belong together
It finally appears it’s only love
We belong together
What's It All About? 
I’m somewhat embarrassed to say I’d never heard of Take That before!
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