Birthday wishes go out today to Robbie Williams, whose mere name incites passions both positive and negative - but never neutral - whenever it's spoken...
First coming to fame as one-fifth of 90s boy band Take That, prior to the advent of Justin Timberlake he was far and away the most successful performer to escape from the saccharine clutches of manufactured pop; alas, unlike his boy band brethren, Robbie never managed to break the US, whereas JT is huge on both sides of
Rock DJ - containing extensive sampling from Barry White's 1977 track It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me - originally appeared on Williams' fourth album, Sing When You're Winning, which was released in 2000; it became a huge hit in the UK in part because of Vaughan Arnell's award-winning video, which was heavily censored and therefore highly sought after.
*
share on: facebook
1 comment:
Despite his wittiness in interviews, his sense of humour and his obvious showmanship skills, I can't get away with Williams. His first solo singles flopped and he was turning into a bloated joke when 'Angels' was tacked onto the tragic death of Princess Diana.
My sisters have no taste in music, but they have most of his albums. As does pretty much every taxi-driver I've ever met. That says a lot to me.
And now, as his album sales crash in England and never take off in the States, he's coming back here with his annoying LA bird and he's going to rejoin Take That on the back of their comeback. Ugh.
Still, it's his birthday, and he loves his mam, so I'll cut him a break today.
Happy birthday, tubby dancer.
Post a Comment