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SCMP Reporter

THE popular British band Take That clearly hopes to take Hong Kong by storm some day. The band's five members were in town recently on the first leg of a promotion tour in Asia.

    Although comparatively new to Hong Kong, the band is regarded back in the UK as among the best around.

  The lads got together four years ago, and decided on the name ''Take That'' because it was ''simple'' and ''easy to remember'', according to band member Jason Orange.

  The group's debut single, ''Do What You Like'', was released on the band's own label in July 1991. It made a strong impact, winning critical and popular acclaim, and attracted the attention of RCA. The musicians have since made four singles for RCA, eachan outstanding success.

  The most recent, Pray , is considered their best. ''Everything was mature,'' Jason says of the song.

  Pray came out last October and was on top of the UK Singles Charts for four weeks. It also hit the top of Hong Kong's English Singles on one occasion.

  Teenagers here instantly took to the five smart young men from Manchester.

  During the group's four-day visit, fans were seen hanging around the lobby of the Hotel Conrad where the band was staying, hoping to get a glimpse of the musicians.

   On the third day of their stay, the singers were invited to take part as guest performers in Hit Radio's Supreme Family Music Award Presentation Ceremony, held at the Hong Kong Coliseum.

   All five musicians said they liked Hong Kong very much.

  ''People are nice here,'' said Robbie Williams.

  They were also delighted to find they had so many Hong Kong fans, knowing well that competition was keen and that pop musicians had a tough fight to gain a following here.

            ''There is no threat if we are determined to stay at the top,'' said a confident Mark Owen.

  With so many bands in the UK and the US, what does Take That have that sets it apart from its rivals?   The answer: ''We are hard-working!''   Says Gary Barlow: ''We are not at all manufactured. I write and co-produce all our songs, and we do all our own vocals and choreography.''   What is more, ''we have personality'', said Howard Donald. ''We are trying to be one of the best.''   Besides the songs Gary has written, the group also performs songs like Barry Manilow's ''Could It Be Magic?''   ''It's a great piece. We turned it from a ballad to a pop number,'' Gary said. Take That also plans to try other styles, like blues or rap.

  The band is now in the throes of preparing a new album. Gary says he will continue to write songs for the group, and Howard too wants to write one for the album. ''Maybe we'll all be writing songs in the future,'' said Jason.

  The band's next stop on their Asian tour is Japan.

  ''We'll give a concert there and stay about a week, and then go back to England to rehearse for our world tour,'' Mark said. The tour is scheduled to to start in November.



Set to take HK by storm