I was in a HUGE 90s boyband but ditched music to appear in Star Wars – now the group’s making a comeback after 28yrs
ONCE a fifth of the huge 90s boyband MN8, singer Dee Tails was one of the UK’s most in-demand musicians and travelled the world performing with the R&B group.
But he quit music before the millennium and and hasn’t released a single track since, opting to forge an exciting career in the film industry instead.
Despite landing roles in the Star Wars franchise, as well as Batman Begins and Captain Phillips, he’s been keen to get back behind the mic and has finally persuaded his old band mates to join him.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun, 47-year-old Dee let slip he’s been writing brand new tracks with KG and G-Man for their big return – minus Kule T, who has decided not to take part.
It marks 28 years since the realise of their debut hit, I’ve Got a Little Something for You, which was remixed by P. Diddy.
The Bad Boy Records founder isn’t the only name he has to drop, having toured with Janet Jackson and rubbed shoulders with Madonna during his time in MN8.
The London-native was full of praise for Janet, revealing he had to pinch himself after growing up with her posters on his wall.
He gushed, “She was absolutely amazing. She’s the most sweetest, loving person. She introduced us to her mum. We met Jackie Jackson too and Jimmy Jam.
“One time, we bumped into Elton John at a studio in-between recording some stuff and sang with him at the piano.
“Our lives were just moving so fast. I remember it was 100 miles an hour and our tour manager had to tell [our label] Sony to put a lunch break into our schedule because there wasn’t one.”
Reminiscing on the group’s heyday, he told how the boys even used to sneak fans into their hotels and give them free concerts whilst touring.
Dee laughed, “They used to get jobs as maids just to see us! They’d leave a note asking us to sign something so we’d invite them to one of our rooms and have a party.
“We just wanted to give them that experience and a story to tell.
“It was like a ninja operation. We would only invite about four but then they would tell their friends, so everyone turned up.
“By the time we were at out peak, our security knew we needed half an hour just to get to our tour bus or our car because we spent so much time with the fans.
“I mean, I hear about it on Instagram to this day. People say, ‘Oh you you really did help me and really did inspire me.'”
MN8’s supporters were so enthusiastic, the band found themselves banned from performing at outdoor events after one memorable incident.
“By accident, we’d done our gig on one of these outdoor events and then then M People went up on stage.
“The fans saw us at the side and started screaming and it wasn’t good as it took the spotlight away from M People.
“It was a lesson in being respectful to the other artists around you, but it was pretty crazy.”
While Dee insists he never had a relationship with an admirer, he admitted G-Man may have had some “encounters” at the height of their fame.
But it wasn’t all glitz and glam as, after being dropped in 1996, MN8 struggled to recreate their initial success.
They may have bagged three top 10 hits – including their most recognisable tune, I’ve Got a Little Something for You – but when the work dried up, they all went their separate ways.
Dee thrived as a stylist, putting his good fashion sense to use for the likes of Avril Lavigne and Shania Twain.
While he often didn’t charge for his services, the Canadian superstar left a lasting impression with one act of kindness.
He said, “I did some promotionals with Shania, when she was the biggest female artist in the world.
“I’d brought some Oliver Peoples’ sunglasses and jewellery up to her hotel in Marble Arch somewhere. I was about to leave and her manager Richard Beck said, ‘No, no, wait a second.’
“He came back downstairs and put a ton of money in my hand saying, ‘She knows you were doing it for free and wants you to have this.’
“Just these personal, individual moments you get out of somebody can be so valuable. They tell you so much about other people who are not like that.”
These days, he works as a film extra and has notably appeared in The Force Awakens, Rogue One, The Last Jedi and Solo, all part of the Star Wars franchise.
It was through a 2004 panto gig in Dick Whittington that he made a valuable contact in Ian Liston, who played Wes Jensen in the Star Wars classic, Empire Strikes Back.
While he isn’t recognised in public for his musical talents, Dee is spotted by sci-fi lovers all the time and they’ve even been known to sneak him into Star Wars conventions.
The creature performer’s love of film extends behind the camera too, as he writes film scripts every day about AI and other futuristic topics.
He said, “There’s no plan for them to come out, but it’s that creative process just to plug into something and finish it. I’ve never pitched one to a production company.”
When it comes to his personal life, Dee’s currently single and lives with his mother in the capital.
Ever the doting son, he’s helping her fix up their house after a team of cowboy builders cruelly swindled her during the pandemic.
Dee said, “They came in and took her for her life savings so my priority really has been rebuilding the house.
“I was doing a bit more painting and stuff for her yesterday because we don’t have much family.”
When asked whether he would like to start his own, he replied, “I have no intentions of getting married, I have no intentions of having kids. It’s just me and my mum.”