(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Gary Barlow has admitted stealing lyrics in the early days of Take That as he was so short on inspiration.

Despite having a string of writing successes with the British group, Gary revealed that when they first started out he could never think of anything original to make into a song. He didnt feel confident enough to pen tracks about his own experiences, so often found himself borrowing from other people.

Throughout the 90s I didnt have any views. I always felt lyrics were a weak point for me and I was often a copier of lyrics, the 40-year-old revealed.

Gary admitted he rarely wrote from his heart, crediting his earlier inspiration from conversations with friends. Take That comprising Gary, Mark Owen, Howard Donald, Jason Orange and newly-returned member Robbie Williams are vying for the Best British Group and Mastercard Album Of The Year at the BRIT Awards this year, and he cant believe how far hes come.

The star credits his mother with helping him find his own voice, revealing if hes ever suffering from writers block she can always aid him.

I would use other peoples emotions. Id listen to conversations and talk to friends and always stole my lyrics from people around me, he explained to British newspaper The Sun.

I very seldom looked inside myself to write. Thats something Ive acquired this time round.

One of my best tricks is that every now and again I go and see my mum for a few days. I leave a keyboard there and I set it up in front of the window, overlooking the fields. Suddenly Im in a whole different situation. Its a new environment.

After Robbie Williams recent reunion with the group Gary admitted the song-writing dynamic has shifted. Im sat there thinking, OK, Im a writer, Marks a writer, Robbies a writer. Now, listen, on a three-minute single how much of each individual can you get on? he laughed. (C) Cover Media