It's here - Robbie Williams' new album! And the title, "The Heavy Entertainment Show," promises a whole lot of Robbie.
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Robbie Willams, always the entertainer
He kicked off his career in a boy band, but nearly drowned in drugs. Still, he's always managed to pick himself back up and reinvent himself. A super star around the world, here's Robbie's career in pictures.
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From snotty brat to pop crooner
Robbie Williams has been in the music business for over 27 years. He loved performing even as a kid, winning his first talent show at the age of three. Williams played around during his youth, didn't work hard in school, and took small jobs. Then, in 1990, he joined the boy band Take That at the age of 16.
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A skyrocket career
The United States had New Kids on the Block at the time. The boy band concept proved promising and Take That take the lead in Great Britain with Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen, Robbie Williams, Jason Orange (left to right). It worked in a big way. The five-year balance: 48 million records sold, 20 top-10 hits, 12 number-one hits, several platinum albums, and numerous awards.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/empics/N. Munns
Royal fans
That kind of success doesn't go unnoticed by The Royal Family. So the golden boys got their chance to shake hands with the Prince of Wales. Take That enjoyed their biggest success in 1995 when the single "Back for Good" topped the charts in 47 countries - even in the US. But it all became a bit too much for Robbie, who left the band in 1995. Take That dissolves the following year.
There's no party without Robbie. He made no mystery of his alcohol and drug consumption. And, Robbie no longer wanted to heed the strict requirements of the music management, who even tried to control his private life. When he left the band, he sent thousands upon thousands of female fans into a frenzy. Special support hotlines were set up to prevent disappointed fans from doing something stupid.
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A phoenix rises up from the ashes
After Robbie's departure from Take That, the tabloids focused only on the singer's partying. All the nitty-gritty details about club nights, the ensuing crashes, and his weight gain were reported. Robbie seemed to be at the end of his rope. But, that wasn't the case. Williams made a splash again in 1996 with his cover version of George Michael's "Freedom." This time around, he was thin and sober.
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'Life Thru a Lens'
Then, Robbie met his future co-author, Guy Chambers. The album "Life Thru a Lens" (1997) was only a mediocre success in the beginning. The right singles hadn't been figured out yet - that is, until just before Christmas, when the single "Angels" was released. It marked the beginning of one of the most successful solo careers ever. Robbie was now ready to take off. And that's just what he did.
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One hit after the next
From then on, Robbie could do whatever he wanted. His concerts became ever bigger events. He opened every show with "Let Me Entertain You" - and it remains a party classic to this day. "Millennium," "No Regrets" and "Strong" scooped the market, going platinum several times and topping numerous charts. Robbie Williams was filling stadiums and could make 60,000 people jump with a mere hand gesture.
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Bad boy
"Sing When You're Winning" was Robbie's third album to rock the market, with him crooning "Kids" with Kylie Minogue and making "Supreme" and "Rock DJ" mega hits. Then, Robbie decided to buck the music industry by recording a swing album in 2001 with classics by the "Rat Pack." His record label was floored.
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'Swing When You're Winning'
Despite all the prophecies of doom, the swing album became a global success. Robbie, not yet 30, sang the songs of his old heroes Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Junior and Dean Martin. Decked out in a tuxedo, he sang classics like "Mr. Bojangles" and "My Way" in front of a huge orchestra on the Royal Albert Hall stage. The DVD of this concert became one of the best-selling music DVDs ever.
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Leaving Guy Chambers
Robbie made his last album with Guy Chambers in 2002. Label EMI took on Robbie for some 127 million euros ($140 million) - an unheard of contract sum. Robbie's last super hit "Feel" was on the "Escapology" album. Following the break with Chambers, Robbie tried out different styles with various producers.
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World record
Even if the records that followed didn't cause the mass craze his former ones had, his live act was still a huge success. When advance tickets went on sale in the fall of 2005 for his world tour, he sold 1.6 million within a day, landing a Guinness World Record.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/B. Pedersen
Reunited
In 2005, Take That dropped a bombshell: They reunited. At first, it was without Robbie. He didn't join up with them again until four years later, when the five embarked on their second career, garnering precious medal and awards once again. Then, in 2011, the group took a break, with Robbie and the others each concentrating on their solo careers again.
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The father role suits him
Of course, there have always been women in Robbie's life. But the right one ended up being Ayda Field, whom he married in 2010. During that time, he stopped using drugs, and became a caring father. Daughter Theodora was born in 2012, son Charlie two years later. But the happy family life threw him a curve ball: He was no longer able to come up with any good songs.
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Once again in high gear!
Now the crisis seems to be over. He wants to prove himself again with the new album "The Heavy Entertainment Show." Reunited with Guy Chambers and joined by illustrious guests, he is releasing his 11th studio album, which reflects much of the musical experience of his career. Too much of a good thing? Opinions vary, but listeners can judge for themselves starting on November 4.
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A record deal worth millions with a major label: that's the stuff for a furioso Robbie Williams comeback. And that comeback banks on the famous attributes of the British pop star as a singer, entertainer and party master.
The video sneak preview offers a taste of what's to come and builds on the opulent clips of the past: Robbie as ceremony master, surrounded by countless beautiful women. "Party Like a Russian" is like many of the 16 new songs on Williams' new album, "The Heavy Entertainment Show" - nothing truly new, but fans get to enjoy a whole lot of the old Robbie.
The British superstar really went to town again for the album. Brilliantly bombastic songs such as the title track alternate with pop-rock numbers that sound familiar ("Motherfucker" and "Sensational").
In-between are a couple of painless dance numbers like "Sensitive" and "Pretty Woman." And, of course, he had to do a hymn, like "Angels." He liked that one so well, he had to do three more: "Marry Me," "David's Song," and "When You Know."
"Best Intentions" sounds a bit like his super hit "Feel." "Bruce Lee," on the other hand, comes across somewhat scratchy-raspy, but is still reminiscent of the Electric Light Orchestra of the 1970s. In "Hotel Crazy," Robbie brushes on his jazz-swing phase, purring along through the Big-Band pop song replete with wind instruments.
He left his band Take That in 1995. From left to right: Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen, Robbie Williams and Jason OrangeImage: picture-alliance/dpa/empics/N. Munns
Old friends
On the new album, the ex-Take That singer takes musical stock of his 20-year solo career.
Heavyweights Rufus Wainwright and Ed Sheeran helped him out, as well as his former producer and songwriter Guy Chambers - and that's maybe the reason why so many songs are so reminiscent of the old Robbie.
Chambers, namely, helped to catapult Williams' first five solo albums into mega hits. He contributed to super hits "Angels," "Feel," "Let Me Entertain You," and many more. Yet, growing apart musically, Chambers and Williams went their separate ways in 2002.
That wasn't necessarily a good move for Williams; his music suffered. Still, his albums continued to sell like hotcakes. It was as if his millions of fans would forgive him anything.
It wasn't until 10 years later that Chambers and Williams reunited, releasing "Swings Both Ways" and once again landing them way up in the charts together.
The Russian party problem
Guy Chambers was also the driving force behind the song "Party Like a Russian." He walked into the studio and said he had a song idea and that that should be the title. People had all sorts of associations with it. "It reminded me of Oktoberfest in Germany," Robbie said. "That's a hard-core party."
"It also made me think of the raves in England's clubs and pubs, where everyone thought we were the best at partying and drinking in the world," he said. "But that's nothing in comparison to a Russian party. Those people are truly hard-core."
Many Russians, however, don't think it's so funny to be depicted that way and have criticized the singer for relying on clichés and bringing him to the brink of being racist.
However, Robbie's personal favorite on the album is "Motherfucker," although he does like "Hotel Crazy," too. And "The Heavy Entertainment Show" isn't too bad either, he noted, when asked what his favorites were.
Forever an entertainer Robbie Williams, as long as his back hold outImage: picture-alliance/dpa/Kaiser
Back problems
Recently, there have been reports about Robbie's health. He himself told the British newspaper "Evening Standard" at the beginning of October that he had arthritis and couldn't even kick around a ball. And, just to make sure he didn't look like a "drunken father at a wedding" while dancing, he said was taking things a little slower on stage. "When I was younger, my stage performances sucked so much of my energy that I was at the end of my rope after the tours."
Nowadays, he's more relaxed about everything. "I dress up to the nines, try to be as charismatic as possible and give the best show I can without burning myself out." Fans can form their own opinion about Robbie's health when they see him perform on his big tour slated for 2017.
His kids have brought him down to earth
Robbie is married, has two kids, and seems as happy as ever. In his song "I Love My Life," he sings about his kids Teddy and Charlie. He never had as great a childhood as his kids have now, he said. He wanted to break through his own bad luck by giving his kids the best opportunities possible, and to give them a feeling of love and security. "My wife and I love each other, and we have a nice, safe home life. I truly hope that that helps our children to appreciate and love themselves."
And maybe Robbie means that about himself, too. He seems, at any rate, to have made peace with his past. No more drugs, no more self-doubt, also no more over-estimating himself. Robbie Williams is now fully in the here and now: "I am powerful. I am beautiful. I am free. I am wonderful. I am magical. I am me."
