Why do the tabloids keep creating imaginary feuds between Robbie Williams and Take That?
When they did it in the summer I blogged it here
Now they're at it again.... apparently Robbie is planning a £150 million revenge tour *yawn*
Don't the tabloids realise what fools they make of themselves?...... if only they researched a little they'd discover Robbie's latest tour blew Take That's away..... not bad for someone who needs a comeback huh?
Dear tabloids..... Rob's been on a year long break, the only thing he's coming back from is his holidays.....
why Robbie Williams does not need revenge against Take That's success.....
The following quote is courtesy of Scotty from http://www.buzzjack.com
"Starting off with the massive hit that was Patience up against the massive flop that the single Rudebox apperently was.
Patience went #1 in 4 countries and top 5 in four more, Rudebox went #1 in 8 countries (twice more) and top 5 in a further nine.
Lovelight top 5 in 10 charts, Shine top 5 in four.
TT's latest single 'I'd Wait For Life' didn't go top 10 anywhere in the world, whilst She's Madonna was the biggest selling and most played track in all of Europe topping 3 charts, and going top 10 in a further 15 places.
Now lets compare the albums.
Rudebox, the album that got zero promo went to number one in 14 countries, BW, an album with more promo than any other I can ever remember, only did in one country (the UK).
Rudebox was the 18th best selling album worldwide of 2006 (and the biggest selling album by a solo artist outside the USA) whilst BW wasn't even top 50.
BW sold 2.2m copies worldwide, a little over 400,000 outside the UK, Rudebox sold over twice that amount worldwide (4.5m) and a massive ten times more copies outside the UK.
Now the tours........
1) In the UK TT will be playing 28 dates, 517,000 people to an average of 18,000 each night - Robbie played to 625,000 people, only having to put on nine dates, and an average of just under 70,000 people a night.
2) TT's European Tour - They are playing 15 dates, with an expected audience of 159,000 for all the dates combined, and an average of 10,600 people per night.
Robbie however, is in the Guinness Book Of Records for selling out all his tickets in record time. In Europe (not counting the UK), he played to a total of near 2 MILLION people over 30 dates, so an average attendence of 66,600 people.
A massive difference there yet again. And then of course outside Europe, where TT's album and singles did so badly they have'nt even bothered touring anywhere. Whilst Rob played to near 1 million people between Australia, South Africa, Mexico, South America and Dubai, breaking endless records on the way including having the most successful concert tour in the history of Australia (just under 500,000 people) as well as the biggest concert ever in Dubai."
2008 musical comeback for Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams is reportedly planning a huge musical comeback in 2008
The singer– who recently came to the end of his four-year recording deal with EMI - is said to be so jealous of his former Take That bandmates success he is plotting his revenge by planning a comeback of his own.
A source close to the singer said: “Things haven’t been going that well for Robbie recently and he’s been having a bit of a break from recording.
“His last album, ‘Rudebox’, was panned by critics, which was made worse by the fact Take That are doing so well, without him.
“Robbie has now decided enough is enough and it’s time to reclaim his crown. He is working on new material and he reckons this is the best stuff he has ever come up with. There could even be another hit like ‘Angels’.”
Robbie’s comeback plans come as Take That are reaching new heights with their reunion.
Their track ‘Rule The World’, written for the film ‘Stardust’, is hotly tipped to be nominated for Best songat the Oscars, while their album ‘Beautiful World’ is still in eighth position in the UK album charts – despite being released over a year ago.
Frontman Gary Barlow recently rubbished rumours Robbie – who quit the group in 1995 - would be rejoining the band for a one-off performance, saying: “There is no place for Robbie in Take That anymore.”
www.thecheers.org
Oh for the last time this year......... HE WAS ON A BREAK!!!!
Image courtesy of Nina Rudenko and BBC Stoke
Robbie Williams' 2007 in review
LA Vale's victory, meeting the stunning Ayda Fields, growing a beard, appearing on Mark Ronson's Version and Dean Martin's Forever, performing live in LA doesn't quite sound like a man on a break does it?
We assumed 2007 would be a quiet year for Robbie Williams since he finished a massive world tour at the end of 2006 and started 2007 by taking a huge, and brave step into rehab but he has still managed to top the charts, be the hottest male celeb for the journalists to drag out into their headlines whilst fitting in numerous gestures of charity.
What are your greatest Robbie moments of 2007?
Let us know here at www.purerobbie.com
Robbie Williams - Britains favourite guy!!!
A recent survey found Robbie Williams is Britain's favourite good guy!
Charlotte Church's boyfriend Gavin Henson has been named the nation's favourite bad boy. The 25-year-old Welsh international beat rocker Pete Doherty and I'm a Celebrity contestant Mark Bannerman in a poll of 2007's biggest Badfellas.
Henson and three friends have been summoned to court next month after allegedly getting drunk on a train. His club, the Ospreys, say he will deny charges of behaving in a disorderly manner. His singer girlfriend gave birth to their daughter Ruby in September.
Brad Pitt was voted the film star Badfella of the year and Labour trio Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and John Prescott took the top spots in politics.
The survey found Robbie Williams was Britain's favourite good guy.
Mel Gibson made a comeback to be named movie Goodfella of 2007 and David Beckham came top in sport. London Mayor Ken Livingstone won for politics and Sir Trevor McDonald was voted TV Goodfella.
© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.
Charitable Robbie Williams' Christmas gift
Robbie Williams spent Christmas day feeding the homeless in Los Angeles. The 33-year-old singer has volunteered to spend Christmas and Boxing Day serving food and singing Christmas carols at the Union Rescue Mission in the 'Skid Row' part of town. Raymond Terry, who first brought Williams to the refuge on San Pedro Street, said, "If it's better to give than to receive, then this is the most satisfying way to spend Christmas. Robbie does an awful lot of charity work. And this is really close to his heart. Everybody I've taken to 'Skid Row' is moved to tears." One of the homeless men said, "Most of the guys over here don't really know who Robbie is. But there's a lot of excitement in the air, because they've been told he is a big pop star in Europe."
Parkinson memories: Robbie Williams
Parkinson - The Final Show
Saturday 22 December 2007 10:15pm - 11:20pm on ITV1.
10th December 2005 part 1
part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BZO84Wc1A0
Robbie Williams - Beyond the Sea (Live @ Parkinson Show)
In the final of three specials that celebrate and conclude the final ever series of Parkinson, this show will be the last to be filmed after four decades of truly mesmerising chat.
Michael Parkinson will be in the studio taking a fond and poignant look back at all the truly great guests he's had on his show over the years. Personally picking all the clips himself, they'll show us why his chat show is littered with golden TV moments.
The guests read like a who's who of popular culture of the last thirty years, and many of the encounters have attained legendary status: Muhammad Ali, Fred Astaire, Richard Burton and Orson Welles, to name but a few.
Parkinson first became established as a regular fixture on Saturday night television in the early 1970s and during Michael's long tenure as Britain's premier talk show host he undertook thousands of interviews.
The show arrived at ITV in 2004 after over three decades at the BBC. Since then he's welcomed many of the world's biggest stars to the programme including Tom Cruise, Madonna, John Travolta, Tony Blair, Sir Elton John, Ricky Gervais, Robbie Williams, Lauren Bacall, Sir Paul McCartney, Bette Midler and Kate Winslet.
"The final show is a reminder of how lucky and privileged I have been to meet so many fascinatingly talented people. Fred Astaire to Nureyev, Ali to Ricky Hatton, Best to Beckham, Cagney to Cruise, Ingrid Bergmann to Cate Blanchett, Jack Benny to Billy Connolly. I shall miss it," says Michael Parkinson.
Director of Entertainment and Comedy Paul Jackson says: "As someone who worked with Michael in a very junior role in the 1970s and was involved in bringing him back to prime-time television in the 1990s, I have been delighted to work with him once again in these last three years at ITV.
"He has defined the talk show in British television and no-one has come near to equalling his record. His name is synonymous throughout the English speaking world as a benchmark for integrity and quality in the genre and being invited to appear on his show is a recognised landmark in any star's career."
Mark Wells, Executive Producer of Parkinson, says: "Truly, this is the end of an era. Michael Parkinson is one of the giants of broadcasting, his skills as a talk show host are quite simply the best in the world. The Parkinson show has been a part of the British Saturday night for so long, it's hard to imagine life without it."
Michael Parkinson is a true TV legend, and one who will be greatly missed by everyone, so sit back and enjoy one final time: Parkinson, the man, the conversation, the stars.
myparkblog.co.uk
Saturday 22 December 2007 10:15pm - 11:20pm on ITV1.
10th December 2005 part 1
part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BZO84Wc1A0
Robbie Williams - Beyond the Sea (Live @ Parkinson Show)
In the final of three specials that celebrate and conclude the final ever series of Parkinson, this show will be the last to be filmed after four decades of truly mesmerising chat.
Michael Parkinson will be in the studio taking a fond and poignant look back at all the truly great guests he's had on his show over the years. Personally picking all the clips himself, they'll show us why his chat show is littered with golden TV moments.
The guests read like a who's who of popular culture of the last thirty years, and many of the encounters have attained legendary status: Muhammad Ali, Fred Astaire, Richard Burton and Orson Welles, to name but a few.
Parkinson first became established as a regular fixture on Saturday night television in the early 1970s and during Michael's long tenure as Britain's premier talk show host he undertook thousands of interviews.
The show arrived at ITV in 2004 after over three decades at the BBC. Since then he's welcomed many of the world's biggest stars to the programme including Tom Cruise, Madonna, John Travolta, Tony Blair, Sir Elton John, Ricky Gervais, Robbie Williams, Lauren Bacall, Sir Paul McCartney, Bette Midler and Kate Winslet.
"The final show is a reminder of how lucky and privileged I have been to meet so many fascinatingly talented people. Fred Astaire to Nureyev, Ali to Ricky Hatton, Best to Beckham, Cagney to Cruise, Ingrid Bergmann to Cate Blanchett, Jack Benny to Billy Connolly. I shall miss it," says Michael Parkinson.
Director of Entertainment and Comedy Paul Jackson says: "As someone who worked with Michael in a very junior role in the 1970s and was involved in bringing him back to prime-time television in the 1990s, I have been delighted to work with him once again in these last three years at ITV.
"He has defined the talk show in British television and no-one has come near to equalling his record. His name is synonymous throughout the English speaking world as a benchmark for integrity and quality in the genre and being invited to appear on his show is a recognised landmark in any star's career."
Mark Wells, Executive Producer of Parkinson, says: "Truly, this is the end of an era. Michael Parkinson is one of the giants of broadcasting, his skills as a talk show host are quite simply the best in the world. The Parkinson show has been a part of the British Saturday night for so long, it's hard to imagine life without it."
Michael Parkinson is a true TV legend, and one who will be greatly missed by everyone, so sit back and enjoy one final time: Parkinson, the man, the conversation, the stars.
myparkblog.co.uk
Brand new Robbie Williams tunes for 2008
New Robbie Williams Song - In and out of love
New Robbie Williams song for 2008 - Break America
New Robbie Williams song for 2008 - Break America
A CHRISTMAS PRESENT FROM ROBBIE
Robbie Williams has given fans a special Christmas present this year - two brand new songs plus a new remix!Inner Sanctum members can download the three songs direct from the official site, and personally, I think they are well worth it !!
So, download today then come along to Pure Robbie and let us know what you think.
Robbie gets an apology from The Mirror!!!!
Several weeks ago the press was full of stories about how Robbie was supposidly conned out of thousands of pounds by two friends in order that they could set up their own business.
The majority of Robbie fans considered this to be a total fabrication, and it seems that we were right!!
The Mirror has now been forced to apologise to Robbie over the allegations (although it is a shame they couldn't put it on the front page).
They made the following statement today.
"In an article entitled 'Fleeced: Robbie hit by £200,000 con' (31/10/2007) we reported that Robbie had given money to friends after they begged for help in setting up a fashion label but they then blew the cash on partying. Whilst Robbie was asked for cash he never gave or contributed any money to friends or associates to assist them in establishing a fashion label. We are happy to set the record straight."
Family Christmas for Robbie
'IT WON'T BE A BOOZY BREAK WITH ROB'Most dads look forward to seeing their kids at Christmas, but for Pete Conway, right, it means jetting off to sunny Los Angeles.Robbie Williams' dad will be spending a Californian-style Christmas and New Year with him.
"I always look forward to spending Christmas with my son," he said.
"I'm flying out at the weekend and I'm spending Christmas and New Year in Los Angeles with Robbie.
"The weather is certainly a lot better there than it is here, but then the weather is better almost anywhere other than here. I like the snow, but I prefer the warm sunshine.
"I've been going over there at Christmas for a couple of years now, and I really enjoy it. We actually have a very quiet time - it's not what everyone imagines Christmas in Los Angeles to be like.
"Rob doesn't drink, so it certainly won't be a boozy Christmas.
"It will just be a nice family Christmas with my lad."
source
Robbie Williams spotted in LA
Robbie Williams headed out with pal Max Beesley do a spot of Christmas shopping at The Grove in LA yesterday, picking up items at Nordstrom and Abercrombie and Fitch.
For all the latest pictures of Robbie Williams check out this section of our main site www.purerobbie.com
Free Subscription needed for full access to our download, fiction and gossip sections.
For all the latest pictures of Robbie Williams check out this section of our main site www.purerobbie.com
Free Subscription needed for full access to our download, fiction and gossip sections.
Robbie Williams Art Auction
“A money can’t buy chromaline Robbie Williams artwork of “Intensive Care”
Wave 105 Whizz-Kidz is being held this Thursday 13th December from 8am on the UK radio station wave105.
The phone number for auction on the day will be 0844 850 1050. The auction for this Robbie Williams item will be open all day.
We hope fans from www.purerobbie.com will get involved to help raise money for charity.
Fans can listen in at http://www.wave105.com where hopefully you'll here a shoutout to Pure Robbie's fans from the auction hosts.
Happy bidding!
Time for Robbie Williams?
Tonight, 10pm (GMT) Sky One Robbie Williams live from the Albert Hall in HD
Never touch that switch remix: Robbie Williams
This is an advance promotion video for .Kota's upcoming full-time DJ Mix, "60 MINUTES."
http://www.divshare.com/download/2103...
Never Touch That Switch (Switch Remix) // Robbie Williams
Worry About it Later (Switch Remix - .Kota Edit) // The Futureheads
Motorcycle Wet (Clutch Short Edit) // Alex Gopher
Zdarlight Avenue // Eddy Grant VS. Digitalism
Clubmusica (.Kota Get Together Mix) // DJ Berdy
Testarossa (Sebastian Remix) // Kavinsky
Ah Ah (Shinichi Osawa Remix) // Anna Tsuchiya
D.A.N.C.E. Around the World (.Kota Mash) // Justice VS Nicky Van She
Robbie Williams v Nigel Martin Smith
Robbie Williams has apologised in the High Court and agreed to pay undisclosed damages to former Take That manager Nigel Martin Smith over an allegation in song lyrics suggesting he had stolen funds from the band.
David Sherborne, counsel for Mr Martin Smith, told Mr Justice Tugendhat, sitting in London: "Last year, it was reported in the Press that Robbie Williams had made a number of outrageous allegations about Nigel Martin Smith in the lyrics to one of his songs on his latest album, Rudebox.
"One of these allegations suggested that Nigel Martin Smith had stolen funds whilst managing Take That.
"Robbie Williams wishes to make it clear to his fans, and the public at large, that he did not intend these lyrics to be taken at face value or as a serious statement by him of the views which he holds of Nigel Martin Smith.
"Specifically, Robbie Williams did not intend to allege that Nigel Martin Smith has ever stolen any funds from Take That or anyone."
The judge was told that "Robbie has agreed to pay to Nigel damages and to discharge the costs to which he has been forced in relation to this publication".
The damages figure was not revealed in court.
Here's the missing lyrics
90's lyrics
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now i'm managed by a prick
& i'm 16 & chubby
Told me to lose 20lbs
or you're not Robbie
If i see you with a girl
you're gunna be sorry
if you dont sign this contract
get your bags from the lobby
He's such an evil man
I used to fantisize
i'd take a stanley knife
and go play with his eyes
I preyed to the lord
he didnt have any children,
he didn't spot Elvis leaving the building.
Either you’re a thief or you’re shit
which one will you admit?
Robbie Williams Milton Keynes Bowl 14/9/06
Watch it here
Discuss it here
David Sherborne, counsel for Mr Martin Smith, told Mr Justice Tugendhat, sitting in London: "Last year, it was reported in the Press that Robbie Williams had made a number of outrageous allegations about Nigel Martin Smith in the lyrics to one of his songs on his latest album, Rudebox.
"One of these allegations suggested that Nigel Martin Smith had stolen funds whilst managing Take That.
"Robbie Williams wishes to make it clear to his fans, and the public at large, that he did not intend these lyrics to be taken at face value or as a serious statement by him of the views which he holds of Nigel Martin Smith.
"Specifically, Robbie Williams did not intend to allege that Nigel Martin Smith has ever stolen any funds from Take That or anyone."
The judge was told that "Robbie has agreed to pay to Nigel damages and to discharge the costs to which he has been forced in relation to this publication".
The damages figure was not revealed in court.
Here's the missing lyrics
90's lyrics
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now i'm managed by a prick
& i'm 16 & chubby
Told me to lose 20lbs
or you're not Robbie
If i see you with a girl
you're gunna be sorry
if you dont sign this contract
get your bags from the lobby
He's such an evil man
I used to fantisize
i'd take a stanley knife
and go play with his eyes
I preyed to the lord
he didnt have any children,
he didn't spot Elvis leaving the building.
Either you’re a thief or you’re shit
which one will you admit?
Robbie Williams Milton Keynes Bowl 14/9/06
Watch it here
Discuss it here
10th Anniversary for Angels
1st December 2007 marked the 10th anniversary of the release of Angels.
This single release ensured that Robbie Williams, solo artist, was here to stay.
To celebrate the event, Pure Robbie have a special Angels edition of Pure Robbie World.
The magazine contains articles about Angels, a review of the Angels DVD and a comparison of the UK and US video's. There are also screen-caps of the two video's.
And we also have our first ever centrefold !!!!!
Pure Robbie are also celebrating the festive season with our exclusive feature "The Twelve Days Of Robbie".
We have started procedings with a fantastic fanfic competition, with an amazing prize - Robbie Williams Photos 1993-1999 by Fryderyk Gabowicz.
Keep checking in as there will be plenty more treats and competitions to follow as we count down to Christmas.
So come along to Pure Robbie - let Santa know if you have been naughty or nice, write your Christmas list, post a Christmas Card and show off your tree :D
Christmas shopping @ RobbieWilliams.com
It's Christmas time, and it's the season of giving, so that's just what we're doing... We are running not one but two special offers here on the Shop. First up we've got a fantastic 3 for £35 bargain on a great selection on Robbie T-shirts. Visit Special Offers below and choose from favourites such as the Diamante T-shirts (rrp £28), V-Neck T-shirts (rrp £30), more recent Close Encounters T-Shirts (rrp £20) and more. As if that wasn't enough, when you spend over £40 in the Shop - and that can include the fantastic 3 for 35 offer - you'll get a Secret Santa gift added to your purchase, complimentary of RobbieWilliams.com. So while you're busy Christmas shopping for your nearest and dearest, you're guaranteed a little something for yourself..!
UB40 VS Robbie Williams
One tripping, let us know what you think of it!
Just a reminder that the Pure Robbie Williams community is being upgraded today so they may be possible downtime.
Just a reminder that the Pure Robbie Williams community is being upgraded today so they may be possible downtime.
Robbie Williams Street Art
This artist appeared in town set up a frame, got out his box of paints, pressed a button and played a song, Robbie Williams I'm loving Angles and Elvis, Love me Tender.
By the time the songs had finished so had he to loud applause.
He never spoke a word and worked so fast and free
children laughed and stared in awe
LA Premier League XII All Stars
Now that the 12th season of the LA Premier League is officially over its time to hand out the awards. LA Vale, being season champions, its no surprise that a handful of awards were given out to the players:
Vale manager/coach/player extraordinaire, Dean Jacobs, received Honourable Mentions for Forward and the more prestigious Manager of the Year.
The No. 8 player from the midwest, Seth Modersohn, received the Midfield award, while striker Chris Roselli picked up the award for playing Forward.
Nick Emmerson picked up the award for Defense.
Last but certainly not least and probably most important to Vales success, the great LA Vale catchers, Rocco Santangelo, Connor Shilcock-Elliot and Adam Throop picked up the much deserved Golden Glove award for their gripping goalkeeper skills.
These awards are the perfect finale to LA Vale's phenomenal unbeaten first season success in the LA Premier League.
Full details of the awards can be seen here
report by RF4L, Pure Robbie LA Vale Reporter
Robbie's new voice ?
Its amazing what you can find on youtube, when you search for Robbie Williams. Here is a little gem of a montage that is sure to bring a smile to your face :D
Robbie Williams & Jonathan Wilkes
Robbie Williams and Jonathan Wilkes on S.M.T.V Singing Me & My Shadow.
To take away that Sunday boredom......
To take away that Sunday boredom......
Robbie Williams ex moves into the neighbourhood
Today's Mirror reveals the LA homes of the Spice Girls as they prepare for their upcoming tour. Suprisingly Geri Halliwell, who was rumoured to have had a fling with Robbie Williams at the turn of the millenium, opted for a mansion close to Rob's in LA.
From The Mirror: GERI
Where: Hollywood Hills; RENT: £10,500 a week; BEDROOMS: Five; BATHROOMS: Seven; NEIGHBOURS: Robbie Williams and Rod Stewart
Geri Halliwell, 35, takes the prize for the most opulent pad, boasting a master bedroom with a ceiling painted in the style of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel. Geri moved in last month with year-old daughter Bluebell Madonna. There is also a cinema and a games room.
Where: Hollywood Hills; RENT: £10,500 a week; BEDROOMS: Five; BATHROOMS: Seven; NEIGHBOURS: Robbie Williams and Rod Stewart
Geri Halliwell, 35, takes the prize for the most opulent pad, boasting a master bedroom with a ceiling painted in the style of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel. Geri moved in last month with year-old daughter Bluebell Madonna. There is also a cinema and a games room.
What with Paul Mckenna and Clare Staples moving around the corner from Rob in the near future Rob'll be in Little Britain again......
Just step away from the dressing up box Rob ;)
Pure Robbie reveals Robbie's new album?
As you can imagine, yesterdays news of Robbie Williams recording his latest album in a pyramid sent Pure Robbie members wild with excitement. We needed to know more!
So Pure Robbie members and Staff have been hunting high and low across the globe to find more information on this unique venture. Thanks to our member and Robbie Reporter Susanna, Pure Robbie can now exclusively reveal details of Robbie's new project.
It seems the photoshoot has already been completed and the track listing finalised. It looks like it could be out in time for Christmas so we all know what we will now be asking Santa for!
Another Pure Robbie exclusive - You read it here first!
Come and discuss this here with other fans
source
So Pure Robbie members and Staff have been hunting high and low across the globe to find more information on this unique venture. Thanks to our member and Robbie Reporter Susanna, Pure Robbie can now exclusively reveal details of Robbie's new project.
It seems the photoshoot has already been completed and the track listing finalised. It looks like it could be out in time for Christmas so we all know what we will now be asking Santa for!
Another Pure Robbie exclusive - You read it here first!
Come and discuss this here with other fans
source
ROBBIE WILLIAMS TO RECORD NEW ALBUM IN A PYRAMID?
Don't you just love the Sunday tabloids....... this made us laugh out loud
Sunday people:
TUTANKHAMUNDONE ROBBIE TO RECORD NEW ALBUM IN A PYRAMID
NO, HE WON'T TAKE HIS MUMMY WITH HIM..
By Alice Walker & Emma Donnan
Pop pharaoh ROBBIE WILLIAMS is planning to record part of his next album inside an ancient Egyptian PYRAMID. Experts told the singer the acoustics in the 4,500-year-old monuments are amazing. And Robbie, 33 - whose hits include Angels, Millennium and Come Undone - is ready to jet off to Cairo in a fortnight for a test run at the Great Pyramid of Giza. If it works out, the album could put Tutankhamun's world-famous golden treasures in the shade. A source told ViP: "Robbie has heard the chamber of the Great Pyramid has the best acoustics in the world. "He's going to go and sing a few notes in there to see if the sound is as impressive as expected. He wants to use it as a temporary studio. And he reckons it really will make him Tut of the Pops." The source added: "The plan will go into full swing if he likes what he hears. "But he already reckons the exotic location combined with the history is the way forward. "And the video for the first single may even be made there too." The Robster is currently working on the new album in Los Angeles with ace producer MARK RONSON. His old songwriting partner GUY CHAMBERS - who he ditched in 2002 in a row about money - is also helping out after the pair buried the hatchet earlier this year. But the source told us: "Robbie wants to take it that step further by adding a personal touch to the recording - something that no one else has done before."
To help you get started, Robbie, here's a few of your old hits to get you in the mood...
TOP SAND DUNES
1 SHEBA'S THE ONE
2 MILLENNIUMUMMY
3 ANCIENT BEFORE I DIE
4 LET ME EMBALM YOU
5 SPHINX WHEN YOU'RE WINNING
Discuss this and add your mummified photoshop pictures of Rob here with other fans
first entry. Kamel Killer
Robbie Williams' tour pay proves he's still on top of his game
Robbie Williams earned an incredible £32,200,163 in just NINE MONTHS from his world tour. His music business - The In Good Company Co Limited - made the payment to him for the period March 31 to December 31 2006. During those nine months Robbie, 33, sang at 44 gigs in 14 countries to 2.6million fans - a schedule that left him hooked on anti-depressants and checking into rehab. He later confessed: "I'm not built for it." But documents at Companies House prove the concerts netted the LA-based star nearly as much as he earned over the previous four years.
Former Take That star Robbie has now pocketed £67,811,209 from his business since it was set up in March 2002 after he signed with the EMI record label.One industry insider said: "People often say that Robbie is on the way out, especially after his last album Rudebox was panned by the critics."But this just proves that he's still got what it takes to earn big money."
Robbie Williams with Ayda Field & new beard
Great to see Robbie Williams around and about again, and lovely to see Ayda Field by his side once more.
What's with the beard though Rob? We're still undecided about it....
Read the full article here and let us know what you think of his hairiness
Spotted: Robbie Williams
If things wern't spooky enough around PureRobbie.com since Hallowilliams we seem to have solved the 'where's Robbie' puzzle.
Apparently he teamed up with The Mirror's 3am witches to perform Better Man in a working mens club somewhere in Rotherham....
Be warned.... not for the faint hearted!
Kinda wishing he teamed up with Piers Morgan and Lois Walsh on Guy Fawlkes night ;)
Robbie Swings In High Definition
The official Robbie Williams site has announced that Live At The Albert, Robbie's fantastic Swing show at the Albert Hall in 2001, is being re-released in High Definition.
The Blu-ray/HD DVD will contain over 100 minutes of footage, including the Albert Hall show in its entirety. It will also come with a 12-page booklet giving details of the DVD content.
The original DVD sold in excess of 1 million copies, making it one of the biggest selling DVD's ever.
Live At The Albert is available from Monday 3 December 2007 in HD DVD and Blu-ray.
Here is a little reminder of how good Rob is at swing, courtesey of Sly7 on youtube.
See http://www.robbiewilliams.com/ for more information.
Robbie Williams' LA Vale has NOT been disbanded
You couldn't open a newspaper or celebrity gossip site without hearing how Robbie Williams had 'supposed' to have been conned by some of his LA Vale team players and 'scoops' stating the soccer team is no more......
Well that's really odd considering they played their final match of the season a few days ago, and a good few days after this 'tale' emerged. The same season they've come top of the league for......
Plus we've heard from the teams coach, Dean Jacobs, that he's not heard anything of the sort!
The moral of the story........... don't believe the tabloids or digital media........ it's fabricated, mainly negative and not worth the space it's printed on.
Instead of saying how good his team's done they have to put a negative spin on it........ Kinda siding with Heather Mills...... people should not encourage our tabloids...... bring back good old fashioned, well written, well researched journalism!
Well that's really odd considering they played their final match of the season a few days ago, and a good few days after this 'tale' emerged. The same season they've come top of the league for......
Plus we've heard from the teams coach, Dean Jacobs, that he's not heard anything of the sort!
The moral of the story........... don't believe the tabloids or digital media........ it's fabricated, mainly negative and not worth the space it's printed on.
Instead of saying how good his team's done they have to put a negative spin on it........ Kinda siding with Heather Mills...... people should not encourage our tabloids...... bring back good old fashioned, well written, well researched journalism!
EMI use 'threat' tactics: Robbie Williams
The music giant behind Robbie Williams has warned it will drop artists who don't work hard enough.
Robbie is one of EMI's biggest stars but EMI has reportedly threatened to withdraw stars' lucrative advances if record sales are disappointing.
Have your say here
It's Official - Robbie William's LA Vale have won the LAPL!!!
A CHAMPION IS CROWNED FOR LAPL XII - LA VALE 2007
LA Vale waltzed into their last season game needing only to preserve their 20 point season goal differential advantage to snatch the crown.
Although Avanti won the match 2-1, Vale can walk away as the undisputed champs of LAPL XII based on their season long dominance. They join an elite group of teams that can say they have hoisted the famed LAPL crown.
Congratulations to the team from everyone at Pure Robbie
To celebrate LA Vale's victory, members of Pure Robbie have made slideshows of the team's successful season.
Thanks to Louise1823
and thanks to Bonesey
header image courtesey of Susanna
news source
Halloween hotties Brits would most like to bite
With Halloween in mind, The National Lottery ® carried out a survey to see which celebrities the British public would most like to bite or be bitten by :D
Scottish Women would like to bite into:
1. Ewan McGregor
2. Sean Connery
3. Ant and Dec
4. Jonny Wilkinson
5. Tom Jones
Scottish Men would like to bite into:
1. Victoria Beckham
2. Katherine Jenkins
3. Madonna
4. Cheryl Cole
5. Sharon Osbourne
Scottish Women would like to be bitten by:
1. Ewan McGregor
2. David Beckham
3. Colin Firth
4. Robbie Williams
5. Lewis Hamilton
Scottish Men would like to be bitten by:
1. Keira Knightley
2. Kelly Brook
3. Cat Deeley
4. Charlotte Church
5. Kate Moss
The poll of over 2,000 Brits also found throughout the UK that women most want to get bitten by Robbie Williams followed by Ewan McGregor and sexy Mr Darcy – Colin Firth. While men would like Strictly Come Dancing star Kelly Brook to sink her teeth into them, with second choice Keira Knightley and third was Cat Deeley.
thanks to TRWS
source
Robbie Williams' Intensive Care remembered
Two years ago today Intensive Care, Robbie's 6th solo album went straight to the top spot in the UK charts. It proved to be his fastest selling album to date, selling a massive 373,832 copies in its first week of release in the UK alone!The album topped the charts in 20 countries, and was the best selling album in Europe for 2005. It only made it to number 3 for the Uk Albums of 2005, but considering that it was only released in October that is a pretty impressive position.
Intensive Care was co-written with Stephen Duffy and it has proved to be Robbie's biggest international success, having sold over 8 million copies worldwide to date.
Intensive Care was show-cased in Germany with a live show at the Berlin Velodrome, which was broadcasted simultaniously to various cinema's and theatre's worldwide.
The show kicked off with the fantastic Ghosts which you can watch again now :)
Robbie Williams has 5 albums in the fast selling list
Thanks to Buzzjacks & TRWS
Robbie Williams has 5, yes 5, of his albums in the top 15 fastest selling albums ever list.
First week album sales.
Here is a list of the fastest selling albums ever. (source wikipedia).
Artist Album Sales
Oasis Be Here Now 695,761*
Coldplay X&Y 464,471
Dido Life for Rent 400,351
Robbie Williams Intensive Care 373,832
Arctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not 363,735
Oasis (What's the Story) Morning Glory? 347,000
Robbie Williams Greatest Hits 320,081
The Beatles 1 319,126
Robbie Williams Sing When You're Winning 313,585
Oasis Standing on the Shoulder of Giants 311,000
Hear'Say Popstars 306,631
Robbie Williams Swing When You're Winning 295,024
George Michael Patience 274,816
Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head 273,924
Robbie Williams Escapology 264,104
G4 G4 244,671
Oasis Don't Believe the Truth 237,865
Norah Jones Feels Like Home 235,890
Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare 227,922
Britney Spears Greatest Hits: My Prerogative 225,000
Keane Under the Iron Sea 222,297
Madonna Confessions on a Dancefloor 217,610
Westlife Face to Face 216,879
Journey South Journey South 216,847
Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium 202,499
Michael Jackson Dangerous 201,841
Shayne Ward Shayne Ward 201,266
Robbie Williams has 5, yes 5, of his albums in the top 15 fastest selling albums ever list.
First week album sales.
Here is a list of the fastest selling albums ever. (source wikipedia).
Artist Album Sales
Oasis Be Here Now 695,761*
Coldplay X&Y 464,471
Dido Life for Rent 400,351
Robbie Williams Intensive Care 373,832
Arctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not 363,735
Oasis (What's the Story) Morning Glory? 347,000
Robbie Williams Greatest Hits 320,081
The Beatles 1 319,126
Robbie Williams Sing When You're Winning 313,585
Oasis Standing on the Shoulder of Giants 311,000
Hear'Say Popstars 306,631
Robbie Williams Swing When You're Winning 295,024
George Michael Patience 274,816
Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head 273,924
Robbie Williams Escapology 264,104
G4 G4 244,671
Oasis Don't Believe the Truth 237,865
Norah Jones Feels Like Home 235,890
Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare 227,922
Britney Spears Greatest Hits: My Prerogative 225,000
Keane Under the Iron Sea 222,297
Madonna Confessions on a Dancefloor 217,610
Westlife Face to Face 216,879
Journey South Journey South 216,847
Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium 202,499
Michael Jackson Dangerous 201,841
Shayne Ward Shayne Ward 201,266
Robbie Williams' LA Vale - OR We are the Champions!
News in from David Copeland-Smith from LA Vale (The Robbie Williams soccer team)
WE WON THE LEAGUE!!!
Hi Guys
Avanti lost last night to the Cock and Bull, which means that we have won the LA Premier League :)
The only way that we can lose is if Avanti beats us 20-0 :)
Apparently last nights game was a feisty one with a huge brawl breaking out which meant that the referee stopped the game mid way throught the second half with the score 2-0 to C'n'B!!!
Champions LA Vale!!!
I just wanted to say thanks for your support, and that i'm so proud to play for this team that is chock full of good people and a phenomenal chairman!!!
thanks for tuning in :)
David Copeland-Smith
more news...apparently, Haramble have been booted out of the Super Metro for fighting as well. So it looks like we are on course to win that league as well :)
________________________________________
Congratulations to you all, with love, PureRobbie.com
WE WON THE LEAGUE!!!
Hi Guys
Avanti lost last night to the Cock and Bull, which means that we have won the LA Premier League :)
The only way that we can lose is if Avanti beats us 20-0 :)
Apparently last nights game was a feisty one with a huge brawl breaking out which meant that the referee stopped the game mid way throught the second half with the score 2-0 to C'n'B!!!
Champions LA Vale!!!
I just wanted to say thanks for your support, and that i'm so proud to play for this team that is chock full of good people and a phenomenal chairman!!!
thanks for tuning in :)
David Copeland-Smith
more news...apparently, Haramble have been booted out of the Super Metro for fighting as well. So it looks like we are on course to win that league as well :)
________________________________________
Congratulations to you all, with love, PureRobbie.com
Robbie Williams covers
Here at www.purerobbie.com we like nothing better than surfing through youtube.com for people's recordings of Robbie Williams classics. Today we were not disappointed. MadPog18 is a new member over there and this was his first upload........
A lovely version of Robbie Williams' Better man.
A lovely version of Robbie Williams' Better man.
Robbie Williams Wins Luna del Auditorio award
Robbie Williams won a Luna del Auditorio award for the best live Performance of pop in a foreign language, for his live presentations made in Mexico City in October 2006 that were part of his Close Encounter TourHe was nominated with artists such as Air Supply, Black Eyed Peas, Hilary Duff, Il Divo, James Blunt, Nelly Furtado, Pet Shop Boys, Toto, among othersThe winners are selected as a result of a poll made all across the country to the general audience about the concerts made in México, taking in count the talent and the artistic quality; with the results of this poll the winners are selected by a group of 350 specialists related to arts and the entertaining business, like promoters, producers and press.In 2002 Mexico City’s Auditorio Nacional created the Luna del Auditorio Award. These awards, presented by Auditorio Nacional, acknowledge the best live performances that took place within Mexican territory during the year. The Lunas del Auditorio Awards are today the most important acknowledgement in Mexico’s entertainment industry.
by: ~*Giovana*~
www.purerobbie.com is first class fansite
http://www.purerobbie.com/ the latest fansite devoted to the life and career of Robbie Williams has been voted as the 16th best unofficial fansite on the internet in the BT Digital music awards 2007.
Open a mere 18 months the site recieves about 40,000 visitors and 7,000 members every month who have made a whopping 770,000 posts, articles, interviews and reviews.
The site's also had lots of exclusive interviews with Rob's management, band members and collaborators such as Mark Ronson since it opened its doors last year and I hear alot more is to come in the future too ;)
Fans of Robbie Williams will find all the latest news, gossip, pictures, footie results, articles, interviews, video clips and reviews way before it hits the news stands, and you'll find the truth behind those tabloid tales, so it's the place to be if you love Robbie.
Here's BT's top 200 fansites on the web, check them out, there's some other great Robbie Williams fansites on the list too.
let us know what you think of http://www.purerobbie.com/ by emailing info@purerobbie.com
Big up to the team of staff and reporters who've done Rob proud and one for the members who are the warmest, funniest, crazy bunch of loons I've ever had the pleasure to meet :D
Best Unofficial Music Site Top 200
1. Stop Crying Your Heart Out
1. Stop Crying Your Heart Out
4. Coldplayzone
6. SOADFans
10. Beyonce World
11. Coldplaying.com
12. BlocParty.net
13. the Nin hotline
14. SoaDpage
15. Hey Britney.com
16. Pure Robbie
19. BenMillsOnline
22. Devoted
23. MJ News Online
25. LinkinPark:br
27. Linkin Theory
30. Mariah Turkiye
31. SadeceBritney32. duranplanet.com33. MJTKOP.COM - Michael Jackson The King Of Pop34. Robbie Williams Live35. McFly Wonderland - Brazilian Street Team36. Madonna-ConneXion37. Darius Music38. Robbie Williams Italia39. Monkey King's Book of Amazing Facts! (James Blunt40. Musewiki41. http://www.idontfeellikedancin.com/42. SoulBruva43. God Save The Sex Pistols44. Il Divo Fan Club45. Texas in Demand46. Look What The Zombies Dragged In From The Grave!47. Tori Amos  Undented48. Leona Lewis Fansite49. JC Source50. Fancy Reba Online :: Your Reba Infotainment Source51. Fans Supreme - Robbie Williams Fanclub52. McFLY Addiction53. Green Day Turkey54. Live4ever55. PANIC! AT THE DISCO BRAZIL - P!ATDBR56. Madonna Confessions57. Unofficialorson58. Blind Melon Forum59. Dougie-Poynter.com60. RBD World61. Metal Symphony Website62. Robbie Williams Italy63. Unofficial mika fan club64. KoRn Mex65. Citizen Muse66. Hurricane Game67. Michael Jackson Database68. Ultimate Rihanna69. MUSEabuse70. McFly Unofficial71. Jay Sean Fans72. MadonnaTurk73. Ultimate Shayne Ward74. The Older Fans75. Painful Convictions76. Arctic Monkeys Fansite77. Dreamscape78. world of justin79. myspace80. Duran Duran Italy Web Site81. Jonathan-Ansell82. Polish Trivium Fansite83. http://www.myspace.com/kidklasha/84. LeToyaOnline.com85. Def Leppard UK86. Take That Appreciation Pages87. Deluxes Britney88. Savage Attitude89. take that por siempre jamas90. http://www.myspace.com/jamielews/91. Idioteque92. Just Enrique93. McFly Online94. InternetDJ.com95. BreatheOnBritney.It96. Linkin Park China Clan97. keane argentina98. Amy Lee Brasil99. Linkin Park Club100. Corner Of Beyonce101. WestlifeFanaticVIP102. Hercules - Elton John Fan Club103. SpiceGirlsFanatic.org104. danny's myspace105. +44 Online106. Sugababes Music107. Exit Music - un sitio de Fans de Radiohead108. UziSuicide109. Take That Fanclub110. FergieBR.com - Fergie Fansite111. Muse4fans112. UsherForever.com113. The Linkin Park Projekt114. Barry Manilow115. PCDweb116. beyonce : The diva Of RNB117. Beyond Beautiful Jennifer Lopez118. TokioHotelFanTR119. The Milk Carton120. Foreverbrett121. Sugababes UK122. TimberlakeFan123. Starlight124. -ESCO-125. Britneyhere126. Funeral for a Friend Brazil (fan website)127. Myspace Of LiVEO128. Ronan Keating World Team129. Comunidad Floydiana Argentina130. Ultimate Kelly Clarkson131. GEORGE MICHAEL FRANCE FORUMS132. PCDworld133. Mariah Connection134. Thalia Online135. Nick Lachey Fansite136. Kylie Minogue Poland137. Mcfly Vip Area138. Shorty B's Myspace139. Bert McCracken Brasil140. Madonna BG141. DEE.FM / LONDON MEDIA142. McFLY holland143. blink-182 Media144. GoodBadQueen.net145. Ciara-Harris.net146. prince.org147. Phead148. AVAEmpire - The Best Angels & Airwaves Fan Site149. DURAN DURAN EUROPE150. The Rasmus Hellofasite151. ItwoFS152. Blurcentral153. Ev News154. westlife xrated155. AllHopeDeleted156. Tabby Callaghan Fansite157. BilliePiper.com.ar158. The View Are On Fire159. Flyleaf Fan Station160. Maiden Forum161. HipHopSiX162. Nicole-Scherzinger.us163. Rihanna Fenty Online164. ABBAinter.net165. GPG garethpaulgates.net166. Live-RBD.com167. Mariah Carey Philippines168. From Despair To Here169. Neil's Butterflies170. Lisa Theunissen171. Debbie's IL DIVO website172. Duran Duran Slovakia173. MJEurope174. Panic! at the Disco Fan175. Marilyn Manson Finland176. Astronaut.it177. Lonely Britney.com178. Holly Valance Planet179. Evanescence-Fan180. Forfeit the Game: A Linkin Park Fansite181. alexanderoneal.net182. WestlifeFrance183. LinkinParkCrimea.com184. ABBA World185. http://www.raysgigs.com/186. Justin's-Future-Exes.org187. Taz-Man188. Slicer VMP189. MuseRock190. Be Coldplay191. Fans-rwu192. Shayne Ward UK193. Baby Bling's Myspace194. the real michael jackson tribute page195. TigerBeat.nl196. ABBA on TV197. eltonjohnfan.de198. mohairfans.com199. Thalia Sodi Latin200. BritneyImages
By: Anonymous Member
Featured Artist: Laura Critchley
Laura Critchley is a 23 year old Liverpool, UK singer/songwriter, of pop, country and soul music. She has myspace to thank for a large part of her success. She went into banking to please her father but continued to write songs and melodies and spend weekends and evenings sending her demos to record companies. She used her holiday time to visit the companies and convince the secretaries to let her see the top A & R. After several encouraging meetings, she quit the banking business and moved to London.Shortly after setting up her myspace page she was approached by Andrew Gemmell, head of Big Print Music, to play at their 10th anniversary party. At the celebration was Jeremy Marsh, the man behind the careers of Take That and Annie Lennox, to name a couple. He convinced Andrew to sign her immediately.
Myspace continues to be a big help to her career, she used to exchange tips with Mika before he hit it big and Steve Power, Robbie Williams' producer, agreed to produce her cd after listening to the four tracks on her profile.Not only can Laura count Robbie Williams as a fan. “I love Sometimes I!”but also Jamie Foxx, "‘She’s the most natural talent I’ve heard since getting Natalie Imbruglia’s demo of ‘Torn’,Jeremy Marsh "I really like Laura, and I know she'll end up doing really well...she's got a fabulous voice, writes great songs, and she's totally gorgeous. Oh and great fun...bloody annoying eh??!!"And Ronan Keating, "What do we do is a huge song!"(abridged and paraphrased from Laura Critchley’s myspace profile.)
I initially contacted Laura’s manager via her website and on a whim asked for an interview. When I saw he was logged on to Pure Robbie I sent a pm and asked again, including a few more details about myself and the site. He pmed me back and said “Do you want to do a phone interview my number is -------“Yes”, I said and waited for him to get back to me. I waited about three or four hours and decided to call, as I am not very patient, Andrew said they were on their way to a radio interview why don’t I call back in about an hour. An hour, I had nothing prepared! I quickly reread her myspace and listened to her music and wrote down some quick questions. Then he calls back and said the interview ended early could I call back in 20 minutes. Yes the panic set in as I told him I have never interviewed anyone and he assured me she was easy to talk to and would lead me along. Andrew was right she is lovely and very easy to talk to. When the phones weren’t cutting out due to bad reception we had a nice conversation, less an interview, more a chat.
Laura’s influences include Karen Carpenter, who her parents played a lot when she was younger. Laura said, “Karen had the same low voice and the songs are easy to sing along with”. Laura has written the song “Superstar” about Karen. Other influences are Carole King and Leanne Rimes. She also likes early Mariah Carey. We thought it was interesting most of her influences were American and most of my favorites are British.Laura writes her own songs but often works with a co-writer. She has worked with David Whitmey a fellow song writer and keyboard player for the “Sugababes”. Laura toured with the Sugababes from April to May of this year. Laura plays some guitar as well.She has meetings with some US record labels including Sony/BMG and Azoff Management. “Azoff want to put me forward to a Nashville record for my American signing as my music has a country edge.” Her debut cd will be released on October 29th. Unfortunately only in the UK at this time, but itunes will have it as well. My favorite song on her myspace is “What Do We Do”. Laura says, “I love “What Do We Do”, it is my favorite track I just love it. It starts small and builds and builds just like Angels. Steve Power actually said that it’s my Angels.
Laura met Robbie through her manager Andrew Gemmell who knows Simon Niblett, Robbie’s tour photographer. Simon was taking her pictures and asked if she would like to meet Robbie. Andrew, Simon, Laura and Robbie had dinner in LA last year and hung out for hours talking. She and Robbie hit it off and exchanged emails and have been in contact since. When she was recently in LA she used Rob’s photographer and Rob invited her to have pictures taken at his home. I asked what he was like and she said, “Very approachable, normal but with a bigger house.” She said he was a “typical northern lad, watched football.” “He is not very show biz.” I told her I had “met” Robbie in Iowa and she asked what I thought of him. Who’s interviewing who? I said he seemed very approachable and ‘normal’ considering his status.Laura says, “Rob and I are very similar. We both have the same humour. Probably because we’re both northerners?”
I asked if she saw any LA Vale games, “Yes, he’s had 21 games won 19 and drew twice this season!”
I asked how she has managed not to be linked with Rob in the press and Laura said there was a big article about them in one of the British tabloids. I wanted to know if it scares you at all that this may happen to you as you become more famous. “Yes it does. I think fame is sometimes millions of people thinking they know who you are and most of the time they don’t as most people have a different persona for stage and real life. Trouble with fame is it kinda makes you public property?”
Another big fan of Laura’s is Jeff Arch the screen writer for “Sleepless in Seattle”. He had found her music on myspace. He contacted her and flew to London and took her and Andrew to dinner. He changed his travel plans and extended his stay in London so he could see her perform live. Laura was opening for the group Decan Blue. Jeff has written a new screenplay “The Chelsea Story” which will star John Cusack and Naomi Watts, he has included a part for Laura and hopes to incorporate some of her music. She stayed in Santa Barbara with Jeff on her recent trip to the US. He lives in a house on stilts, on the beach. While they were walking on the beach he was talking to a dark haired woman, very casually and when they got back to the house he showed Laura a DVD with her picture on it. It was Julia Louis-Dryfus of “Sienfeld” fame.
On her most recent trip she was shopping in Santa Barbara with her friends when Robbie called and asked if she would like to do backing vocals on his cd. Of course she said yes but just then the battery died on her phone. She thought Robbie would think she had hung up on him. I said what girl would do that. Laura agreed. She had trouble finding a battery for her UK phone but did finally find one, plugged in and called him back. He asked her if she hadn’t gotten any of her texts and she said no, none. Funny thing when she landed at Heathrow, in London she got them all at once. Her text messaging doesn’t work in the US. Laura asked Rob if he would be in her video for the song “And What Do We Do”. She said “she would have LA Vale tattooed on her arse if he said yes.” He would have played her love interest that she was breaking up with; he would walk around miserable and gloomy in the background. Unfortunately he was busy and was unable to do it. She hopes he can do one in the future.I asked how it was to record with Rob, I have read he hates to rehearse and pictured him unfocused, so did Laura but he was the opposite. He sat in a chair as she sang her backing vocals and when she had finished the bridge he said to take out his voice and let her sing it alone.
Laura’s vocals will be included on the second cd due to be released by Robbie, the next being a cd of covers. “I am not 100% certain but I think EMI want him to do another Covers album and it could be swing. She wasn’t sure if they will be released around the same time or not.
Another funny story Laura told me was “the laugh she and Rob had over the fact she was touring with a Rob look a like, Ray Quinn the runner on the tv show “X-Factor.”Laura’s favorite Robbie Williams songs are “Sexed Up” and “Better Man” which she sang a small bit of it to me over the phone.
She has an incredible voice even over the ocean and two cell phones. Laura also likes “Heaven From Here” and “Make Me Pure.” She has been a fan since his “Take That” days. She has seen him perform in “Take That” and as a solo artist. She thinks he is an amazing entertainer, and doesn’t think he know the effect he has on people, and just sees a wall of people. I asked Laura if she had any future plans with Robbie, a duet perhaps. “I would love to duet with Robbie if he’d have me share the stage with him. I’m gonna have to keep my fingers crossed for that one though because that would be unbelievable! I can’t even imagine it!”You were telling me that you don’t think Rob realizes the effect he has on the audiences, can you explain, that he just sees a wall of people. I just don’t see how he can’t see the effect he has on people. Laura says, “As a performer, you go out there and sing, it’s not until you come off the stage and think…wow…what went on there? It may be different for Rob, but I know for me I’m in the zone.”
We briefly discussed “Rudebox”. She liked the songs “The 80’s” and “The 90’s” and described them as a “diary of his times.” She preferred to hear songs with him singing. She hadn’t heard “Lola” yet and was looking forward to hearing it, “I’m on the road and have trouble downloading.” I assured she would love it and showed another side of Robbie’s versatile singing ability. I wanted to know how amazing it was working with artists that recorded “Angels” with Robbie. Where they band members or studio artists? “These were all studio artists. It was amazing. But not all of them had actually met Rob so I was telling them about him! Mad!?”Laura is a lovely woman with an amazing career ahead of her. She has the support of some high profile people in music and film which she well deserves.
I enjoyed talking to her and she was very gracious and helpful, considering it was my first interview. She made me feel part of a conversation not just an interview. I thought it was funny when she asked where I was “based”, in my home of course, but for someone in her field that travels a lot and moves for their careers, I am sure it is a normal question. She was talking to a fan, a mom, a wife not a reporter. I said I have one more question, strictly a fan question. I told her I was asked this repeatedly when I got back from the celebrity match in Iowa, “how does Robbie smell?” She repeated the question back to me and she the guys in the van were having a laugh. She said “he is very clean, and always in the shower. Playing footie so often he is straight to the showers after the practices and games.” So she said he smells “like after a shower-clean, not that I am sniffing him” she said. Of course we had to know how Andrew and Laura discovered Pure Robbie, Laura has google alerts and Pure Robbie popped and “intrigued me!”I thanked her for taking the time to talk to me and being patient with me. I for one look forward to hearing her new cd, “Sometimes I” and her collaborations’ with Robbie.Laura has generously offered a signed cd for use as a prize on Pure Robbie. Thanks again to Laura and Andrew.
Be sure to preorder Laura's cd "Sometimes I" on Amazon.co.uk and play.comLet's help her enter in the top 10!!
Interview by Pure Robbie Staff Member, Nicetolookat.
Discuss this with other fans here
Robbie Williams live on stage 3rd October 2007
Robbie Williams made a surprise appearance alongside Mark Ronson last night in L.A.
Robbie took the stage to the joy of the unexpecting crowd to perform a pumped-up version of The Charlatans' 'The Only One I Know'.
For the full story and discussion click here
There's already clips on youtube
New interview with Robbie Williams
But I'm not going in goal
Phil Hogan
Sunday September 30, 2007
The Observer
There's still plenty of heat in the afternoon as my taxi makes the so-called 'short' journey up the spiralling road into the Hollywood Hills, and eventually - after countless twisting miles of Mulholland Drive - plonks me in a cloud of dust outside what I hope is Robbie Williams's house. I say 'hope' because we've already been to two that weren't. But, no, this is it. From the top of the path come shouts, and I see balls being hoofed around, and yellow shirts moving against the blue of the sky and the synthetic green of a five-a-side football pitch.
This is Robbie's team - LA Vale, baptised in the name of his beloved Port Vale, the team he has followed since boyhood - loosening up for this evening's game. It's a fair old gathering - players, knots of friends and family relaxing, someone on crutches. It takes a moment to spot Chairman Williams, as his website calls him, sitting against the fence, in yellow, too, and wearing aviator shades as he confers with his lieutenants. I'm still queasy from the car and feeling white as a wuss amid all this tanned muscle and controlled energy. It would be a shame, after coming all this way, to announce my arrival by throwing up.
Robbie gives me a friendly 'Hi', and says he'll catch me later, and Josie, his personal manager, gets me some water and sets me off to wander palely with my notebook. I meet Robbie's dad, a genial one-time seaside comedian who likes golf and keeps me talking while the first XI are rounded up for a team picture. He has been on holiday here for a month, he says, enjoying the sun, keeping up with the USPGA Championship on telly. I talk to Robbie's 'personal security', Decca, a steely ex-commando type from Sunderland. He's likable, too, and direct, with the quiet authority of someone you can imagine killing a man in a single practised movement. Decca goes everywhere with Robbie: he lives in the house, he drives him around, he goes hiking with him in the mountains every day (Robbie's training). And no, he courteously tells me in reply to the first question that comes into my head, he didn't get his nickname because he goes round 'decking' people. It's short for Derek.
Josie hands Robbie a towel and he takes me to the garage at the top end of the garden that he's planning to convert into a clubhouse with a video screen, sofas and a coffee bar. We admire the bare walls for a minute, then go to watch his players darting about and doing tricks with the ball. They look alarmingly chiselled, I say, for Sunday league footballers. That's Californian genes, Robbie says, though half the squad are UK expats and other foreigners.
I ask how the team got started. Right here, two years ago, he says. The pitch used to be a tennis court where he and a bunch of friends had a kickaround once or twice a week. 'It was nothing but a concrete surface and literally jumpers for goalposts. I knew a few people that played for Bafta, who have a team out here. It was just a lot of fun.' At the time he was renting this house while his own was being refashioned, but afterwards, when it came up for sale, he bought it, dug up the concrete and built this pitch.
It's the sort of thing a football-mad kid would do if he had the money, I say. 'I am a kid,' he says. 'I built what the kid in me wants.'
He tells me how he started to arrange five-a-side friendlies, then joined a seven-a-side league before finally going 11-a-side this year in the over-30s LA Premier League. Most of the players are friends, or friends of friends that he 'auditioned' for the team. This season they're also playing in the tougher Los Angeles Super Metro League. At the moment they're sitting on top of both. 'We've got a pretty good side,' he says.
It's time to go to his other house (because, of course, he now has two), so everyone piles into their cars. It's only five minutes away (though I've heard that before). I get in with Robbie and his dad, while Decca is behind the wheel. As we pass next door, Robbie tells me about his neighbour Joe Pesci, who most famously played the psycho mafia killer in Goodfellas and once came out to complain that Robbie's friend Sean Maguire - who used to be in EastEnders - had blocked him in with his car. Obviously Pesci is not a real mafia killer, but some days later - by this time, Robbie had put up a 'don't park here' sign - an Italian bloke approached him in a coffee shop and said (one imagines here the 'friendly' sotto voce of mob persuaders) that Robbie had done a nice thing vis à vis the Pesci affair ...
'Joe's a great guy, actually,' Robbie says, looking around with mock nervousness. His dad laughs.
From up here, high in the hills, there's a wide, hazy view across the city. 'That's the marine layer,' Robbie says. 'Or fog, as we call it in England.'
We cruise down the hill, a nice breeze coming through climate control. Robbie starts singing 'Miss You' by the Rolling Stones. His dad treats us to a golfing joke about the Rock Hudson putt -'looks straight but isn't'.
Do the Vale have a team song? 'We did when we went to Iowa [for a pre-season friendly] but it was shit. Do you know "Lady in Red"? You lose your voice singing it and you have to be drunk to enjoy it, so I'm waiting to introduce it on a tournament trip when everyone is drunk on the bus. But there are other songs I've got tucked away. Good terrace chants.'
Just look at us. How laid-back we are! I find myself trying to square this Robbie Williams with the other one - the one I've seen on TV, gurning for the media or standing in front of an ocean of fans at Glastonbury or Knebworth, or picking up one of those innumerable Brit awards. Can this - this amiable boy-bloke in yellow with the flat vowels and nice dad and tattoos and posse of mates - be the same slick maestro of song and dance who carried off that audacious show at the Albert Hall dressed as Frank Sinatra, doing those old songs our parents liked, winking at the orchestra and the girls; winking at the world?
At the age of 33, he has been famous half his life. He has had his booze-and-drugs hell. He knows the Eltons and the Bonos and they know him. He has sold more than 50 million albums. When his world tour was announced last year, they shifted £m worth of tickets in a day. He sang to nearly three million people in 44 shows. How do you follow that? By kicking a ball around, obviously.
Down at the house, the team have already been let in and are lolling around the big open kitchen and sunken sitting room beyond, with nibbles and drinks out of the fridge, while Robbie's three dogs - an alsatian, a bull mastiff and a wolf, for God's sake - go panting here and there, wagging their great tails. Giant TVs are on. I ask some of the team what they do. Some work in local industries - films, telly, 'viral' advertising, websites. One is an accountant. Another sells industrial packaging. Two or three teach sports. There's a Geordie and an Irishman, a Frenchman and a Spaniard, and plenty of Americans. Jamie - English - is an unlikely mixture of builder and theatre producer. Matthew, a college athlete from Oregon, says he got into soccer because he wasn't built for football (ie the other sort) and was not tall enough for basketball. 'Football coaches used to make fun of you if you did soccer. Now all the kids are playing soccer.' He says companies such as Nike are pumping millions into US soccer programmes, and that was before David Beckham arrived to make the game even more cool.
I ask if Robbie - or Rob, as everyone here calls him - is a taskmaster. I'm trying to whip up a little mischief, but it's no good. They love him to bits. Not because he's a pop star - no one here even thinks of him as a pop star (he's not big in the US). And if you half-close your eyes he just blends in among these other youngish guys - one yellow shirt among many, sometimes bantering, but mainly quiet and watchful, like a guest in his own house. Certainly there's none of the swagger and exaggerated emotion familiar to observers of that heated other life of his.
I feel like moving in myself. Perhaps this easy comradeship of Diet Coke and cookies and telly is all you need to get a team going. But no, says Fred, another American, Robbie has inspiring qualities, too. 'Everyone plays harder when he's on the field. No one wants to disappoint him.' Someone else says Rob's worth another 10 per cent. Even when he's not playing, Fred says, 'he's on his feet the whole time'.
One of the players has an unusually wild beard. He turns out to be Santiago Cabrera, star of the hit TV series Heroes (he's the tortured junkie artist who averts world catastrophes by painting the future). Santiago is Chilean but was brought up in the UK and once played in the Ryman League - one of the major semi-pro leagues, based around London and the south-east - which is what I call heroic. But is that a real beard? He grew it for a part, he says, but he's not allowed to say what he's filming. He tells me he got to know Robbie through an actor friend, Sean Maguire. Hey, I say, didn't he used to be in EastEnders?
After a while Robbie comes in from the sitting room and stands at the window with a tub of popcorn. Everyone seems at home, I say. 'Yeah, the house is quite big and a bit grand, but it's comfortable and people feel they can put their feet up and chill out, which is good for me.'
Across the garden, inflatable toys are scattered under a tree. I ask if he has children up here.
'Um... not in a Michael Jackson way,' he says.
It's getting on for four and time to leave. 'We're the only team who are in both leagues and have their own bus,' he says. It's a huge, gleaming black-and-chrome monster. I'm not usually keen on buses because of my rare travel-sickness condition (well, rare for anyone over 11), but this one has fold-down screens showing clips from the 1974 World Cup.
I sit at the back with Robbie's dad and Robbie. Robbie's dad tells me there was an earthquake last night that almost tipped him out of bed. He marvels at the houses on stilts that somehow just cling to the hillsides round here. Robbie is revealing his pre-match hopes on camera to Scott, who will be capturing events for the team's website: 'This will be a big test for us,' Robbie is saying. 'We're due for a dip in form so we need to raise our game. It might be a banana skin.' On all the little screens a gangling Cruyff is loping past defenders, showcasing that famous 'turn' that bears his name. There's a nice air of anticipation. It occurs to me that I haven't been on a team bus since 1968.
I ask Robbie about tonight's opposition, LA United SC. He says all the sides are good at this level. A lot of players are 'college standard' (ie very good, all sports scholarships - even soccer - being ferociously competitive out here). Some teams even have ex-pros from Brazil. The problem with this league - the Super Metro - is that the referees are rubbish, he says, and biased, and take the fun out of everything - 'no leeway, no humour, very authoritarian. At the end of the day, it's a kickabout, isn't it?' Last week someone got sent off for peeing in the bushes.
So who are the refs biased against? 'Probably white Caucasian,' says one of the players in front, meaning non-Hispanic. 'The refs are Mexican,' Robbie explains, and the fixture list bristles with names such as Deportivo Oaxaca, San Pedro, Guadalupano. 'Instead of reffing the game they try to balance it out.' Robbie says he prefers the over-30s LA Premier League that they're playing in tomorrow night. 'It's just more fun,' he says.
We arrive at the ground - a topiaried space in the quasi-Renaissance arcadia of the UCLA campus. Robbie has come to an arrangement with the university (ie he gives them money) to use this as the Vale's home ground. The pitch is like a bowling green. Everything looks like it was built yesterday. Chelsea trained here during their pre-season US tour. That's how posh it is.
Robbie warms up with the others, but won't be playing. He is recovering from knee and groin injuries, but for a full-back he looks (as they say) comfortable on the ball. He can do that thing where you flick it up and balance it on your head.
He and player-coach Dean gather the boys for some rousing words, and we soon have kick-off, with Robbie patrolling the touchline, bellowing instructions. 'Good talking, Chris'; 'Head on it, yellow'; 'Great chasing down'; 'Keep thinking'. The pace is quick and there's skill on both sides, but Vale have the best of the play and win a free-kick, 20 yards out. Someone (don't ask me who) steps up and - whump! - curls a lovely one round the wall and, blimey, it's in the net! A perfect strike, hitting the inside of the post and in off the back of the goalie's head. The crowd (such as we are) go wild. But no, the ref has blown for offside! Is he mad? Much protest follows, earning one of our guys a yellow. Deano's fuming. 'Leave it Deano,' Robbie is shouting. 'It's gone.'
Two more go in the book for something and nothing. The ref has the look of someone who knows he's crap but has all the guns. Robbie shouts for calm, but gets into trouble for standing too near the pitch. At half time, Deano's talk is about everyone keeping their heads in the face of malfeasant refereeing. 'He's looking to give everything to them,' he says. 'And the more we shout, the more biased they're going to be. Let's be positive. Let's play our game.'
But things are worse in the second half. The ref continues to blow for silly offsides and fouls that aren't fouls, and throws go to the wrong side. One of their players is shown a second yellow, but unaccountably doesn't get sent off. Robbie calls to Decca for a cigarette. 'And a valium ...' he adds glumly.
Robbie smokes like a chimney. On the plate between us on the bench his stubbed-out butts sit amid the half-sucked orange segments. Robbie takes Fred off, and puts on his Gallic weapon, Patrice - who scores almost immediately, with a belting header from a corner. One-nil. Hooray!
That's the final score and there are high fives and a quick pitchside huddle that erupts in one of those communal grunts on the count of three designed to make pigeons take off: 'VALE!' On the bus there are high spirits and a cheer for Patrice. Robbie joins in then is quiet.
Back at the house we sit in his study - wooden floor, leather-and-chrome chairs, a gold record on the wall - where he gives Scott his post-match comments. He praises the opposition and castigates the ref, not least for letting one of their guys spit at one of ours. 'My boys were fucking ace in the face of adversity,' he concludes. Satisfied, Scott goes off with his camera.
I say I'm surprised at how popular football is out here, the level of skill, the sheer numbers of registered teams. 'Yeah, there's hundreds, every Sunday and every night of the week. And it is a great standard, but all the best teams fragment. I've been thinking, given the quality of the refereeing, to approach all the best teams in the best leagues and make a super league of some sort. That would be interesting. And I'm looking to get a stadium, a pitch, that is, with some bleachers, as they call them here - like we saw today at UCLA, a similar set up.'
What's the aim - Major League Soccer?
'No, that would be too serious. I'd have to distance myself from the players and I want to be one of them. The minute you start trying to get into the MLS or anything like that there's an awful lot of red tape and emotionally a lot of distance between you and the grassroots, the people you want to be with. I don't think I want to do that. I want to be the best team at this level in California. Or America. That's the aim. And if I do go out and do this super league idea, then that's going to be the best league to be in. Get some structure. Get another league below us, have some teams relegated, others promoted. Because that doesn't happen here. Everyone just plays in the same league again the next season.'
Has he seen Beckham since he came to LA? 'I saw him a few months ago. I was concerned for him, because the football isn't as good as in Europe. But he said all the guys here were just brilliant. He was genuinely enjoying himself. It was nice to see him so happy.' Maybe he'll sign for Vale when he's done with Galaxy, I say. 'Ha. I doubt it. At one time, though, I was thinking of bringing a few players over from England, but the side's so good at the moment I don't need to.'
He's always had what he calls a 'parallel life' in football. He has played in testimonials and in the charity match for Soccer Aid last year at Old Trafford. 'I've always knocked around with a lot of real footballers,' he says. Has he had any Premier League players up here for a kickabout? 'A few but I can't mention them because they come and play with me off-season, and they're not supposed to. I don't want to get them into trouble.'
Just give me their names, I say. I won't tell ...
He laughs, and I dig out a book I bought at the airport for him - David Peace's The Damned Utd, a fictional account of Brian Clough's disastrous 44 days at Leeds, a must-read for aspiring managers. He's been meaning to get this one, he says. He looks at the cover, Cloughie leading the team out at Wembley for the 1974 Charity Shield. 'They hated him, didn't they?'
They did. Unlike Robbie's team, who strike me as something of a band of brothers. (They're out in the Jacuzzi right now, except Alex the Spaniard. Robbie says: 'It's far too homoerotic for him.') It must be nice having a bunch of friends around, I say, being up here in the hills on your own. 'I suppose so. I've always wanted to be a member of a gang. So, really, I've bought a gang. I've been fortunate because we've been together quite a while now. There's no nails sticking out that need hammering down. They're all fond of me and I'm fond of them. At the beginning, some new lads came in and they started complaining about the amount of time they were getting on the field. But, you know, I didn't put this thing together for conflict, so I got rid of them.'
Football might seem like an odd way of avoiding conflict, but it's his way of stepping out of himself - a refuge from the 'Robbie Williams' who has sold those 50 million albums and from the daily madness that attends that sort of success. Last year's world tour - 44 concerts in 14 countries - left him exhausted and mentally wrecked: he became hooked on antidepressants and ended up in rehab. I ask whether he'd think twice before doing it again. 'I definitely wouldn't go on a tour that was more than about a month. I'm just not built for it. Some people are and I'm not.'
This, then, might be described as his gap year - and LA Vale is what he is doing in it. Is it working out? Is happiness football-shaped? 'Well I'm back to where I was before I went on tour. My life was amazing. I was just really laid-back, loving life. And, yeah, I suppose football gives me a bit of balance. But you can see how deeply I felt today - I'm only just coming out of it - about the fun being taken out of it because of the referees. At half time the game was over for me and the final score didn't matter, because of the bias. It means an awful lot to me that the fun's there. We won today, but I felt like shit on the coach back.'
Reading the official Robbie biography on the plane (Chris Heath's excellent Feel), I was struck by his capacity to dwell on injustices - personal slights, hurtful gossip, the debilitating antics of the paparazzi - and a difficulty in letting things lie. I ask if that's a fair observation. 'I find things hard to shake off. I find the lack of integrity in some people to be a bigger problem than it should be. It's not so much the things that people write about per se. It's like ... I go past Britney Spears's house every day on the way to my hike and there's 30 cars outside, and I just want to get out and kill them. You know, for some it's like water off a duck's back but for me it's an injustice. And an injustice happened today and it upset me. It's just how I'm built. I'm not saying I'm topped up with the world's biggest heap of integrity myself, but I have a basic sense of what's right and wrong, and how you should treat people. We were treated poorly today.'
One of the advantages of not being big in America is that hardly anyone bothers him when he's out and about. It's why he decided to settle in Los Angeles five years ago and it's why he has been ambivalent about putting any sustained effort into succeeding here.
'I get a lot of nice film offers, TV shows, that are very flattering to receive, but I turn them all down. I love the fact that I don't want anything from this town and everybody else here does. I take almost a perverse joy in saying "no thanks" to things. I moved here because it's the perfect place to live. At the football there'll be paparazzi, but I don't mind that. I've made it public on my website that this is what I'm doing now. I want my team to be known. I want it to be an attractive team to play for. I want there to be a buzz around it. So I don't mind who turns up. All the matches are on the internet. So I kind of encourage it.' Is he trying to crack America by other means? He laughs. 'No that's not happening. This is genuine. It's not what I'm doing it for. Anyway, tomorrow you'll see a happier game. A load of fans turn up for the over-30s league. The atmosphere's better, the referee's amazing - a Russian. He keeps all the games ticking over.'
He's right. The next night's game - an 8.30pm start against O'Brien's, played on a school pitch in Santa Monica - is different. As promised, there's a crowd of women on the bleachers next to ours cheering and shaking tambourines and maracas at Robbie's splendid tattoos. It's a frenetic game. Robbie puts himself on for 20 minutes or so and it's his clearance that's pounced on by our No 10, Oliver, at the other end to tuck it away for the first goal. Vale snatch another and then another, but in the second half O'Brien's somehow pull level, setting up a perfect Hollywood ending as Vale captain Seth scores the winner with minutes to go. It's 4-3 and a cracking match.
Everybody climbs on the bus. There's a ripple of excitement when Decca comes to the back to say there's a woman out there with a message that Zinedine Zidane is coming over to LA and might be interested in playing. She seems genuine. 'Fuck!' Robbie says. 'Get her number.'
There's much laughter about the dramatic comeback. Robbie talks about character and spirit. 'I thought it was a really good performance, considering we had a war yesterday.' He could mention the way they nearly let it slip, but doesn't. 'The main thing about this team is there isn't any negativity. I don't want anyone shouting at each other or giving each other a hard time. I can't deal with that shit. I didn't like it when I was a kid. I don't respond to it very well now - grown men shouting at each other. I wanted to steer it away from that macho, "we're fucking hard", "fuck off" etcetera. We want to win, play fairly, and get along with each other.'
It seems a different game here. Less muddy somehow. 'It isn't as physical as in England,' he says. 'In the first couple of years if I put in a tackle or a shoulder that's perfectly acceptable, they'd be "Man, we don't do that here!"'
It's about 10.30. Robbie is singing The Kinks' 'Lola' to himself. Some of the players have to work in the morning, while others are sleepy, having gone out into the desert last night to see a meteor shower and talk about UFOs. I ask whether Robbie has any rules about going to deserts or having sex or drinking before games. 'Well we've got a few drinkers. [He no longer drinks himself.] The Sunday before last, at eight in the morning, all of them were pissed. But far be it for me to tell people not to drink before a game. Anyway, they play well even when they're hungover.'
A hardcore of us go back to the house for ribs and fries. Robbie plays Scrabble with his dad. The dogs are out there watching us eat through the windows. Robbie finishes my chips, then shows me around the house - up in the lift (an absurdity he never gets tired of) to see his world-class collection of shoes (600 pairs, 596 of them trainers), his guitars and drums, his gym, then down in the lift to see his E-type Jag from the days of George Best. We don't linger in the bedroom, where if I was any kind of journalist I would be forced to ask about his sex life rather than, say, admire the huge TV that takes up a whole wall.
He watches all the Premier League matches and prefers TV to live games. 'Football is a sort of poor man's meditation,' he says. 'I hate to come over all Californian, but when you're watching, you're in the moment. After a while I can zone out and it washes over me - the sounds, the crowds, the commentator's voice ... Anyway, I don't like crowds. I don't like having to get to the ground. It's always a Krypton Factor course full of dickheads who are pissed or on their way to being pissed, angry, upset or wondering what the fuck you're doing there.'
We emerge in the hall. There's a vintage motorbike parked here and a road sign on the wall reading: 'No God for 2 miles'. Robbie collects art, too: a set of Warhol cows up the staircase, a couple of Banksys, a Roy Lichtenstein. There's a huge Haywain that he had painted because his nan used to have one. He was close to his nan. There's an old black-and-white photo of her on his sideboard, along with her school certificate he has had framed, from 1924. She looks like him, and his dad, both of them reminders of the journey he has made - from Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, where he was born; from Port Vale FC, where there is now a Robbie Williams banqueting suite.
It's gone midnight. My taxi's due. What will he do, I ask, if Zidane does come over? He grins. 'I don't know if he'd get in. It's a bit tight in midfield.'
· For more details on the progress of Robbie's team, visit robbiewilliams.com/lavale
Phil Hogan
Sunday September 30, 2007
The Observer
There's still plenty of heat in the afternoon as my taxi makes the so-called 'short' journey up the spiralling road into the Hollywood Hills, and eventually - after countless twisting miles of Mulholland Drive - plonks me in a cloud of dust outside what I hope is Robbie Williams's house. I say 'hope' because we've already been to two that weren't. But, no, this is it. From the top of the path come shouts, and I see balls being hoofed around, and yellow shirts moving against the blue of the sky and the synthetic green of a five-a-side football pitch.
This is Robbie's team - LA Vale, baptised in the name of his beloved Port Vale, the team he has followed since boyhood - loosening up for this evening's game. It's a fair old gathering - players, knots of friends and family relaxing, someone on crutches. It takes a moment to spot Chairman Williams, as his website calls him, sitting against the fence, in yellow, too, and wearing aviator shades as he confers with his lieutenants. I'm still queasy from the car and feeling white as a wuss amid all this tanned muscle and controlled energy. It would be a shame, after coming all this way, to announce my arrival by throwing up.
Robbie gives me a friendly 'Hi', and says he'll catch me later, and Josie, his personal manager, gets me some water and sets me off to wander palely with my notebook. I meet Robbie's dad, a genial one-time seaside comedian who likes golf and keeps me talking while the first XI are rounded up for a team picture. He has been on holiday here for a month, he says, enjoying the sun, keeping up with the USPGA Championship on telly. I talk to Robbie's 'personal security', Decca, a steely ex-commando type from Sunderland. He's likable, too, and direct, with the quiet authority of someone you can imagine killing a man in a single practised movement. Decca goes everywhere with Robbie: he lives in the house, he drives him around, he goes hiking with him in the mountains every day (Robbie's training). And no, he courteously tells me in reply to the first question that comes into my head, he didn't get his nickname because he goes round 'decking' people. It's short for Derek.
Josie hands Robbie a towel and he takes me to the garage at the top end of the garden that he's planning to convert into a clubhouse with a video screen, sofas and a coffee bar. We admire the bare walls for a minute, then go to watch his players darting about and doing tricks with the ball. They look alarmingly chiselled, I say, for Sunday league footballers. That's Californian genes, Robbie says, though half the squad are UK expats and other foreigners.
I ask how the team got started. Right here, two years ago, he says. The pitch used to be a tennis court where he and a bunch of friends had a kickaround once or twice a week. 'It was nothing but a concrete surface and literally jumpers for goalposts. I knew a few people that played for Bafta, who have a team out here. It was just a lot of fun.' At the time he was renting this house while his own was being refashioned, but afterwards, when it came up for sale, he bought it, dug up the concrete and built this pitch.
It's the sort of thing a football-mad kid would do if he had the money, I say. 'I am a kid,' he says. 'I built what the kid in me wants.'
He tells me how he started to arrange five-a-side friendlies, then joined a seven-a-side league before finally going 11-a-side this year in the over-30s LA Premier League. Most of the players are friends, or friends of friends that he 'auditioned' for the team. This season they're also playing in the tougher Los Angeles Super Metro League. At the moment they're sitting on top of both. 'We've got a pretty good side,' he says.
It's time to go to his other house (because, of course, he now has two), so everyone piles into their cars. It's only five minutes away (though I've heard that before). I get in with Robbie and his dad, while Decca is behind the wheel. As we pass next door, Robbie tells me about his neighbour Joe Pesci, who most famously played the psycho mafia killer in Goodfellas and once came out to complain that Robbie's friend Sean Maguire - who used to be in EastEnders - had blocked him in with his car. Obviously Pesci is not a real mafia killer, but some days later - by this time, Robbie had put up a 'don't park here' sign - an Italian bloke approached him in a coffee shop and said (one imagines here the 'friendly' sotto voce of mob persuaders) that Robbie had done a nice thing vis à vis the Pesci affair ...
'Joe's a great guy, actually,' Robbie says, looking around with mock nervousness. His dad laughs.
From up here, high in the hills, there's a wide, hazy view across the city. 'That's the marine layer,' Robbie says. 'Or fog, as we call it in England.'
We cruise down the hill, a nice breeze coming through climate control. Robbie starts singing 'Miss You' by the Rolling Stones. His dad treats us to a golfing joke about the Rock Hudson putt -'looks straight but isn't'.
Do the Vale have a team song? 'We did when we went to Iowa [for a pre-season friendly] but it was shit. Do you know "Lady in Red"? You lose your voice singing it and you have to be drunk to enjoy it, so I'm waiting to introduce it on a tournament trip when everyone is drunk on the bus. But there are other songs I've got tucked away. Good terrace chants.'
Just look at us. How laid-back we are! I find myself trying to square this Robbie Williams with the other one - the one I've seen on TV, gurning for the media or standing in front of an ocean of fans at Glastonbury or Knebworth, or picking up one of those innumerable Brit awards. Can this - this amiable boy-bloke in yellow with the flat vowels and nice dad and tattoos and posse of mates - be the same slick maestro of song and dance who carried off that audacious show at the Albert Hall dressed as Frank Sinatra, doing those old songs our parents liked, winking at the orchestra and the girls; winking at the world?
At the age of 33, he has been famous half his life. He has had his booze-and-drugs hell. He knows the Eltons and the Bonos and they know him. He has sold more than 50 million albums. When his world tour was announced last year, they shifted £m worth of tickets in a day. He sang to nearly three million people in 44 shows. How do you follow that? By kicking a ball around, obviously.
Down at the house, the team have already been let in and are lolling around the big open kitchen and sunken sitting room beyond, with nibbles and drinks out of the fridge, while Robbie's three dogs - an alsatian, a bull mastiff and a wolf, for God's sake - go panting here and there, wagging their great tails. Giant TVs are on. I ask some of the team what they do. Some work in local industries - films, telly, 'viral' advertising, websites. One is an accountant. Another sells industrial packaging. Two or three teach sports. There's a Geordie and an Irishman, a Frenchman and a Spaniard, and plenty of Americans. Jamie - English - is an unlikely mixture of builder and theatre producer. Matthew, a college athlete from Oregon, says he got into soccer because he wasn't built for football (ie the other sort) and was not tall enough for basketball. 'Football coaches used to make fun of you if you did soccer. Now all the kids are playing soccer.' He says companies such as Nike are pumping millions into US soccer programmes, and that was before David Beckham arrived to make the game even more cool.
I ask if Robbie - or Rob, as everyone here calls him - is a taskmaster. I'm trying to whip up a little mischief, but it's no good. They love him to bits. Not because he's a pop star - no one here even thinks of him as a pop star (he's not big in the US). And if you half-close your eyes he just blends in among these other youngish guys - one yellow shirt among many, sometimes bantering, but mainly quiet and watchful, like a guest in his own house. Certainly there's none of the swagger and exaggerated emotion familiar to observers of that heated other life of his.
I feel like moving in myself. Perhaps this easy comradeship of Diet Coke and cookies and telly is all you need to get a team going. But no, says Fred, another American, Robbie has inspiring qualities, too. 'Everyone plays harder when he's on the field. No one wants to disappoint him.' Someone else says Rob's worth another 10 per cent. Even when he's not playing, Fred says, 'he's on his feet the whole time'.
One of the players has an unusually wild beard. He turns out to be Santiago Cabrera, star of the hit TV series Heroes (he's the tortured junkie artist who averts world catastrophes by painting the future). Santiago is Chilean but was brought up in the UK and once played in the Ryman League - one of the major semi-pro leagues, based around London and the south-east - which is what I call heroic. But is that a real beard? He grew it for a part, he says, but he's not allowed to say what he's filming. He tells me he got to know Robbie through an actor friend, Sean Maguire. Hey, I say, didn't he used to be in EastEnders?
After a while Robbie comes in from the sitting room and stands at the window with a tub of popcorn. Everyone seems at home, I say. 'Yeah, the house is quite big and a bit grand, but it's comfortable and people feel they can put their feet up and chill out, which is good for me.'
Across the garden, inflatable toys are scattered under a tree. I ask if he has children up here.
'Um... not in a Michael Jackson way,' he says.
It's getting on for four and time to leave. 'We're the only team who are in both leagues and have their own bus,' he says. It's a huge, gleaming black-and-chrome monster. I'm not usually keen on buses because of my rare travel-sickness condition (well, rare for anyone over 11), but this one has fold-down screens showing clips from the 1974 World Cup.
I sit at the back with Robbie's dad and Robbie. Robbie's dad tells me there was an earthquake last night that almost tipped him out of bed. He marvels at the houses on stilts that somehow just cling to the hillsides round here. Robbie is revealing his pre-match hopes on camera to Scott, who will be capturing events for the team's website: 'This will be a big test for us,' Robbie is saying. 'We're due for a dip in form so we need to raise our game. It might be a banana skin.' On all the little screens a gangling Cruyff is loping past defenders, showcasing that famous 'turn' that bears his name. There's a nice air of anticipation. It occurs to me that I haven't been on a team bus since 1968.
I ask Robbie about tonight's opposition, LA United SC. He says all the sides are good at this level. A lot of players are 'college standard' (ie very good, all sports scholarships - even soccer - being ferociously competitive out here). Some teams even have ex-pros from Brazil. The problem with this league - the Super Metro - is that the referees are rubbish, he says, and biased, and take the fun out of everything - 'no leeway, no humour, very authoritarian. At the end of the day, it's a kickabout, isn't it?' Last week someone got sent off for peeing in the bushes.
So who are the refs biased against? 'Probably white Caucasian,' says one of the players in front, meaning non-Hispanic. 'The refs are Mexican,' Robbie explains, and the fixture list bristles with names such as Deportivo Oaxaca, San Pedro, Guadalupano. 'Instead of reffing the game they try to balance it out.' Robbie says he prefers the over-30s LA Premier League that they're playing in tomorrow night. 'It's just more fun,' he says.
We arrive at the ground - a topiaried space in the quasi-Renaissance arcadia of the UCLA campus. Robbie has come to an arrangement with the university (ie he gives them money) to use this as the Vale's home ground. The pitch is like a bowling green. Everything looks like it was built yesterday. Chelsea trained here during their pre-season US tour. That's how posh it is.
Robbie warms up with the others, but won't be playing. He is recovering from knee and groin injuries, but for a full-back he looks (as they say) comfortable on the ball. He can do that thing where you flick it up and balance it on your head.
He and player-coach Dean gather the boys for some rousing words, and we soon have kick-off, with Robbie patrolling the touchline, bellowing instructions. 'Good talking, Chris'; 'Head on it, yellow'; 'Great chasing down'; 'Keep thinking'. The pace is quick and there's skill on both sides, but Vale have the best of the play and win a free-kick, 20 yards out. Someone (don't ask me who) steps up and - whump! - curls a lovely one round the wall and, blimey, it's in the net! A perfect strike, hitting the inside of the post and in off the back of the goalie's head. The crowd (such as we are) go wild. But no, the ref has blown for offside! Is he mad? Much protest follows, earning one of our guys a yellow. Deano's fuming. 'Leave it Deano,' Robbie is shouting. 'It's gone.'
Two more go in the book for something and nothing. The ref has the look of someone who knows he's crap but has all the guns. Robbie shouts for calm, but gets into trouble for standing too near the pitch. At half time, Deano's talk is about everyone keeping their heads in the face of malfeasant refereeing. 'He's looking to give everything to them,' he says. 'And the more we shout, the more biased they're going to be. Let's be positive. Let's play our game.'
But things are worse in the second half. The ref continues to blow for silly offsides and fouls that aren't fouls, and throws go to the wrong side. One of their players is shown a second yellow, but unaccountably doesn't get sent off. Robbie calls to Decca for a cigarette. 'And a valium ...' he adds glumly.
Robbie smokes like a chimney. On the plate between us on the bench his stubbed-out butts sit amid the half-sucked orange segments. Robbie takes Fred off, and puts on his Gallic weapon, Patrice - who scores almost immediately, with a belting header from a corner. One-nil. Hooray!
That's the final score and there are high fives and a quick pitchside huddle that erupts in one of those communal grunts on the count of three designed to make pigeons take off: 'VALE!' On the bus there are high spirits and a cheer for Patrice. Robbie joins in then is quiet.
Back at the house we sit in his study - wooden floor, leather-and-chrome chairs, a gold record on the wall - where he gives Scott his post-match comments. He praises the opposition and castigates the ref, not least for letting one of their guys spit at one of ours. 'My boys were fucking ace in the face of adversity,' he concludes. Satisfied, Scott goes off with his camera.
I say I'm surprised at how popular football is out here, the level of skill, the sheer numbers of registered teams. 'Yeah, there's hundreds, every Sunday and every night of the week. And it is a great standard, but all the best teams fragment. I've been thinking, given the quality of the refereeing, to approach all the best teams in the best leagues and make a super league of some sort. That would be interesting. And I'm looking to get a stadium, a pitch, that is, with some bleachers, as they call them here - like we saw today at UCLA, a similar set up.'
What's the aim - Major League Soccer?
'No, that would be too serious. I'd have to distance myself from the players and I want to be one of them. The minute you start trying to get into the MLS or anything like that there's an awful lot of red tape and emotionally a lot of distance between you and the grassroots, the people you want to be with. I don't think I want to do that. I want to be the best team at this level in California. Or America. That's the aim. And if I do go out and do this super league idea, then that's going to be the best league to be in. Get some structure. Get another league below us, have some teams relegated, others promoted. Because that doesn't happen here. Everyone just plays in the same league again the next season.'
Has he seen Beckham since he came to LA? 'I saw him a few months ago. I was concerned for him, because the football isn't as good as in Europe. But he said all the guys here were just brilliant. He was genuinely enjoying himself. It was nice to see him so happy.' Maybe he'll sign for Vale when he's done with Galaxy, I say. 'Ha. I doubt it. At one time, though, I was thinking of bringing a few players over from England, but the side's so good at the moment I don't need to.'
He's always had what he calls a 'parallel life' in football. He has played in testimonials and in the charity match for Soccer Aid last year at Old Trafford. 'I've always knocked around with a lot of real footballers,' he says. Has he had any Premier League players up here for a kickabout? 'A few but I can't mention them because they come and play with me off-season, and they're not supposed to. I don't want to get them into trouble.'
Just give me their names, I say. I won't tell ...
He laughs, and I dig out a book I bought at the airport for him - David Peace's The Damned Utd, a fictional account of Brian Clough's disastrous 44 days at Leeds, a must-read for aspiring managers. He's been meaning to get this one, he says. He looks at the cover, Cloughie leading the team out at Wembley for the 1974 Charity Shield. 'They hated him, didn't they?'
They did. Unlike Robbie's team, who strike me as something of a band of brothers. (They're out in the Jacuzzi right now, except Alex the Spaniard. Robbie says: 'It's far too homoerotic for him.') It must be nice having a bunch of friends around, I say, being up here in the hills on your own. 'I suppose so. I've always wanted to be a member of a gang. So, really, I've bought a gang. I've been fortunate because we've been together quite a while now. There's no nails sticking out that need hammering down. They're all fond of me and I'm fond of them. At the beginning, some new lads came in and they started complaining about the amount of time they were getting on the field. But, you know, I didn't put this thing together for conflict, so I got rid of them.'
Football might seem like an odd way of avoiding conflict, but it's his way of stepping out of himself - a refuge from the 'Robbie Williams' who has sold those 50 million albums and from the daily madness that attends that sort of success. Last year's world tour - 44 concerts in 14 countries - left him exhausted and mentally wrecked: he became hooked on antidepressants and ended up in rehab. I ask whether he'd think twice before doing it again. 'I definitely wouldn't go on a tour that was more than about a month. I'm just not built for it. Some people are and I'm not.'
This, then, might be described as his gap year - and LA Vale is what he is doing in it. Is it working out? Is happiness football-shaped? 'Well I'm back to where I was before I went on tour. My life was amazing. I was just really laid-back, loving life. And, yeah, I suppose football gives me a bit of balance. But you can see how deeply I felt today - I'm only just coming out of it - about the fun being taken out of it because of the referees. At half time the game was over for me and the final score didn't matter, because of the bias. It means an awful lot to me that the fun's there. We won today, but I felt like shit on the coach back.'
Reading the official Robbie biography on the plane (Chris Heath's excellent Feel), I was struck by his capacity to dwell on injustices - personal slights, hurtful gossip, the debilitating antics of the paparazzi - and a difficulty in letting things lie. I ask if that's a fair observation. 'I find things hard to shake off. I find the lack of integrity in some people to be a bigger problem than it should be. It's not so much the things that people write about per se. It's like ... I go past Britney Spears's house every day on the way to my hike and there's 30 cars outside, and I just want to get out and kill them. You know, for some it's like water off a duck's back but for me it's an injustice. And an injustice happened today and it upset me. It's just how I'm built. I'm not saying I'm topped up with the world's biggest heap of integrity myself, but I have a basic sense of what's right and wrong, and how you should treat people. We were treated poorly today.'
One of the advantages of not being big in America is that hardly anyone bothers him when he's out and about. It's why he decided to settle in Los Angeles five years ago and it's why he has been ambivalent about putting any sustained effort into succeeding here.
'I get a lot of nice film offers, TV shows, that are very flattering to receive, but I turn them all down. I love the fact that I don't want anything from this town and everybody else here does. I take almost a perverse joy in saying "no thanks" to things. I moved here because it's the perfect place to live. At the football there'll be paparazzi, but I don't mind that. I've made it public on my website that this is what I'm doing now. I want my team to be known. I want it to be an attractive team to play for. I want there to be a buzz around it. So I don't mind who turns up. All the matches are on the internet. So I kind of encourage it.' Is he trying to crack America by other means? He laughs. 'No that's not happening. This is genuine. It's not what I'm doing it for. Anyway, tomorrow you'll see a happier game. A load of fans turn up for the over-30s league. The atmosphere's better, the referee's amazing - a Russian. He keeps all the games ticking over.'
He's right. The next night's game - an 8.30pm start against O'Brien's, played on a school pitch in Santa Monica - is different. As promised, there's a crowd of women on the bleachers next to ours cheering and shaking tambourines and maracas at Robbie's splendid tattoos. It's a frenetic game. Robbie puts himself on for 20 minutes or so and it's his clearance that's pounced on by our No 10, Oliver, at the other end to tuck it away for the first goal. Vale snatch another and then another, but in the second half O'Brien's somehow pull level, setting up a perfect Hollywood ending as Vale captain Seth scores the winner with minutes to go. It's 4-3 and a cracking match.
Everybody climbs on the bus. There's a ripple of excitement when Decca comes to the back to say there's a woman out there with a message that Zinedine Zidane is coming over to LA and might be interested in playing. She seems genuine. 'Fuck!' Robbie says. 'Get her number.'
There's much laughter about the dramatic comeback. Robbie talks about character and spirit. 'I thought it was a really good performance, considering we had a war yesterday.' He could mention the way they nearly let it slip, but doesn't. 'The main thing about this team is there isn't any negativity. I don't want anyone shouting at each other or giving each other a hard time. I can't deal with that shit. I didn't like it when I was a kid. I don't respond to it very well now - grown men shouting at each other. I wanted to steer it away from that macho, "we're fucking hard", "fuck off" etcetera. We want to win, play fairly, and get along with each other.'
It seems a different game here. Less muddy somehow. 'It isn't as physical as in England,' he says. 'In the first couple of years if I put in a tackle or a shoulder that's perfectly acceptable, they'd be "Man, we don't do that here!"'
It's about 10.30. Robbie is singing The Kinks' 'Lola' to himself. Some of the players have to work in the morning, while others are sleepy, having gone out into the desert last night to see a meteor shower and talk about UFOs. I ask whether Robbie has any rules about going to deserts or having sex or drinking before games. 'Well we've got a few drinkers. [He no longer drinks himself.] The Sunday before last, at eight in the morning, all of them were pissed. But far be it for me to tell people not to drink before a game. Anyway, they play well even when they're hungover.'
A hardcore of us go back to the house for ribs and fries. Robbie plays Scrabble with his dad. The dogs are out there watching us eat through the windows. Robbie finishes my chips, then shows me around the house - up in the lift (an absurdity he never gets tired of) to see his world-class collection of shoes (600 pairs, 596 of them trainers), his guitars and drums, his gym, then down in the lift to see his E-type Jag from the days of George Best. We don't linger in the bedroom, where if I was any kind of journalist I would be forced to ask about his sex life rather than, say, admire the huge TV that takes up a whole wall.
He watches all the Premier League matches and prefers TV to live games. 'Football is a sort of poor man's meditation,' he says. 'I hate to come over all Californian, but when you're watching, you're in the moment. After a while I can zone out and it washes over me - the sounds, the crowds, the commentator's voice ... Anyway, I don't like crowds. I don't like having to get to the ground. It's always a Krypton Factor course full of dickheads who are pissed or on their way to being pissed, angry, upset or wondering what the fuck you're doing there.'
We emerge in the hall. There's a vintage motorbike parked here and a road sign on the wall reading: 'No God for 2 miles'. Robbie collects art, too: a set of Warhol cows up the staircase, a couple of Banksys, a Roy Lichtenstein. There's a huge Haywain that he had painted because his nan used to have one. He was close to his nan. There's an old black-and-white photo of her on his sideboard, along with her school certificate he has had framed, from 1924. She looks like him, and his dad, both of them reminders of the journey he has made - from Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, where he was born; from Port Vale FC, where there is now a Robbie Williams banqueting suite.
It's gone midnight. My taxi's due. What will he do, I ask, if Zidane does come over? He grins. 'I don't know if he'd get in. It's a bit tight in midfield.'
· For more details on the progress of Robbie's team, visit robbiewilliams.com/lavale
For scans of the original magazine article and more stories and discussions on this new interview click here
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