YOU would think after spending 19 hours a day crammed in a studio together, the boys of One Direction might be sick of the sight of each other.
Not so – they insist it has brought them even closer together.
It’s their strong friendship and dedication to their craft which have resulted in Harry Styles, 18, Zayn Malik, 19, Niall Horan, 19, Liam Payne, 19, and Louis Tomlinson, 20, breaking recording history.
They are the first UK group to reach No1 in the US charts with their debut album, Up All Night, and are on the brink of superstardom with the release of new album Take Me Home, which is out today.
Louis laughs: “The other boys might not admit it but if we have a weekend off we do actually miss each other.”
For five boys brought together as part of The X Factor and who didn’t even know each other two years ago, that’s some admission. It was a painstaking recording process – and one which had the restless lads up to all kinds of mischief.
“When we were in the studio, there were fans outside and we couldn’t leave as it was a security risk,” explains Zayn. “So me and Louis snuck out the back and got up on to the roof. Our security were furious.”
Louis elaborates: “Liam and I got a bit bored. We managed to climb right to the top of the roof, which was really high.
“We were laughing and joking but then looked over the edge and realised there were people who worked there looking at us, absolutely furious that we might fall.”
Unlike other boy bands, the guys take an active role in the recording process.
Niall says: “I actually got to play guitar on this album, maybe six, or seven songs. I wanted to give it a go. It was good to be involved musically as well as vocally.”
The band explain that while the gruelling work schedule for their second album has made them more rounded musically, it has also added to their waistlines, too.
Harry reveals: “We ate loads of fast food while recording. I think we were in one studio for about two weeks and it was just a rotation of a certain Thai restaurant and Portuguese chicken restaurant over and over again.
“It’s very easy to get stuck in there – you end up with studio tan where you just go green because you’ve been inside for a week.”
The album gave the lads the chance to work with some of their heroes – and they are particularly enthusiastic about collaborations with Ed Sheeran and McFly.
Louis says: “Working with Ed was great, we’ve all got quite close to him. It’s nice to have friends in the industry, especially Ed. You listen to Ed and think, ‘I wish I’d thought of that lyric’.”
Zayn added: “Working with Ed is always fun, always cool. His studio is in the middle of nowhere in a field, so it’s a really chilled-out vibe.”
On working with McFly, the band says they remember being terrified in their presence – especially because they were such prolific writers.
Liam says: “Tom writes songs like Queen. Last time I was a bit scared, sat in the background and didn’t say much. But this time I joined in and asked if I could take a song home and work on it. I want to do a lot more writing.”
Louis admits that it is strange to be working with McFly as he was always a massive fan growing up.
He adds: “They were as young as us, maybe younger, when they started. I saw them when they supported Busted, so it’s quite weird to now be working alongside them.”
Making in-roads into the tough Stateside market has been particularly satisfying for the band, who have inspired almost Beatle-like mania in the US.
“A personal highlight was probably when we got a No1 in the UK and when the album went to No1 in America,” says Niall. “The top four that week was us, Adele, Guns N’ Roses and Bruce Springsteen. It was ridiculous seeing those names there.
“Being the first band from the UK and Ireland to go to America and debut at No1 is just unbelievable.”
Harry says: “You get moments all the time that kind of make you pinch yourself, some of them make you quite emotional.
“Winning a Brit was a big moment because we were so excited to just be at the awards in the first place.
“Selling out Madison Square Garden was pretty amazing too. Then we woke to the news that our UK tour was sold out. It was crazy.”
Harry remembers another career high, this time involving Coldplay.
He recalls: “I went to watch Coldplay in Florida and saw Chris Martin before they went on.
“He sang What Makes You Beautiful before the chorus of Yellow kicked in.
“That was so strange because he’s an inspiration for me. It was one of those where I kind of paused for a second, I didn’t quite believe it.
“You never expect something like that to happen.”
Harry has a reputation for liking older ladies following his fling with TV presenter Caroline Flack when he was 17 and she was 32.
He’s also been linked with married DJ Lucy Horobin, 32, and gorgeous singer Natalie Imbruglia, 37.
Asked how old is too old, he replies: “I used to say the age limit was any woman older than my mum – who is 43 – but...” before tailing off.
He adds: “Quite a lot of the girls I get photographed with are just friends and then, according to the papers, I have, like 7000 girlfriends.”
One Direction prickle at the suggestion their success comes easy to them – and point to the long hours and hard work they put in.
Liam says: “There are a lot of people who get paid a lot for doing not much at all – like socialites on reality shows. Or people who earn a million pounds a day working a couple of hours buying and selling shares.
“But what we earn we earn for doing an awful lot. We are constantly working.”
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