Robbie Williams |
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Thu. April 10.2003 12:00 AM EDT |
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Robbie Williams: Madcap Across the WaterSelf-confessed "lazy" superstar wants to see Kid Rock kiss a man and have sick videos illustrate his latest tunes. by Heather Stas and C. Bottomley |
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Robbie Williams (Publicity) |
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Robbie Williams knows hes famous in America for two things. First theres the unforgettable Rock DJ video, where the strapping singer stripped off his clothes, then his skin, and finally his flesh until there was nothing but a skeleton left. Then
When Williams left the massive Brit boy band Take That in 1995, he was the singer/dancer most likely to wind up behind a chip shop counter. He drank with Oasis and cut a fumbling cover of George Michaels Freedom 90. Then in '97, he released the ballad Angels. Suddenly everyone was asking, Take Who? To get an idea of Williams popularity in the rest of the world, you have to put him next to folks by the name of Justin and Britney. Hes a celebrity who has his every burp scrutinized by the British tabloids. Where Williams differs from our U.S. pop gods is in his readiness to play the stardom game on its own terms. His albums frequently blur his images of bad boy and beloved entertainer. The balance could become maddening if it wasnt for Williams' sense of humor; the singer flaunts his self-depreciatory sense of cheek. Regardless of the million-dollar record contracts, the famous girlfriends - and hes even been linked to Nicole Kidman - and endless partying, you feel like youd actually like the guy. Listen to three VH1 exclusive live performances, "Angels", "Feel" and "Come Undone". And Williams really wants to be liked, which is why hes bringing his devilish grin across the pond. His label signed him to a $100 million contract in the hopes that the new Escapology album turns him into the next Elton John, and it just might. The singer's inviting voice oozes conviction on love ballads like Feel, but hes evidently having a chuckle on Monsoon, where he confesses Ive sung some songs that were lame/ Ive slept with girls on the game." Ditto for the shameless Song 3, where he winks Gotta love L.A. Californi-a! USA, baby! Williams may be too much of a scamp to give the Timberlakes of this world much to worry about, but its going to be fun watching him try to claim whatever throne is available. He spoke to VH1 about convincing Kid Rock to go gay, his admiration for Kelly Osbourne, and why its good to make a sick video every now and then. VH1: Youre probably best known in the United States for your Rock DJ video and appearance on Cribs. Robbie Williams: People do know me from the "Rock DJ" video where I pull my stomach open and get my innards out for the ladies. And after Cribs most people thought I was a realtor! VH1: Has anybody ever tried to pull your skin off? Williams: Yeah! I was sat in a Chinese restaurant in L.A. and Pauly Shore came up to me and started ripping at my skin. I couldnt understand why he was doing it, and it freaked me out. Then I realized, Oh, its because of Rock DJ. VH1: Does that lack of recognition in America bother you? Williams: I dont know if I am bothered, but I think my ego is. Still, I spend a lot of time in Los Angeles, and theres also the guy in me that goes, Look, youve got a great thing going here. You can go to L.A. where the sun shines and walk your dogs and be Joe Nobody, and then you can go to the rest of the world and be this pop star. I dont know where I stand. VH1: Whats the plan to crack America? Williams: I think the way for me to win Americas heart is to perform, and if I really was concerned about breaking big then thered be a tour [set up]. As it stands, were releasing Feel, and Ill see how it does. If it does well, then Ill put a tour in. If it doesnt, Ill pack my guitar into the suitcase and go and walk my dogs. Im a bit hesitant to do anything because Im actually kind of lazy and Id like an easier life from now on. The worlds a massive place with lots of early mornings and late starts when youre working. Im pretty much thinking at an early age, Why stress yourself out if you dont have to? VH1: Tell me what the story is behind Feel. Williams: Its one of those celebrity moaning songs that Good Charlotte sing about on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. [Sings] All they do is piss and moan, inside the Rolling Stone & I was suffering with a dark cloud above my head. The song has a very simple message - that if I fall in love with somebody my world will be correct. I dont think that is necessarily the truth, but we shall see! VH1: The whole Escapology album seems about love redeeming you from the perils of stardom, particularly on songs like Come Undone, Monsoon, and Handsome Man. Williams: Songs like Handsome Man where Im pontificating about how great I am are misread completely. I really dont mean it! Im writing about who people think I think I am. Im quite obviously not the worlds most handsome man - Im the second worlds most handsome man! Half of [the album] is written from the standpoint of Look, this is really me with my tears of a clown. Do they love me or hate me? The rest of it is about somebody that I have I think I am to get up onstage. Because little me wouldnt get up there [on my own]. Its too scary! VH1: Youve described the next single Come Undone as your favorite tune on the album. Williams: Im getting bored with saying its my favorite Robbie Williams song, but it is, I think. Come Undone is where I go, Look, this is what I am. Dont say nasty things. It really hurts. But at the end of the day, its not a case of what people say about you. Its the old adage about loving yourself and all that bullsh*t. I wish I wasnt a man that cared so much, but perhaps thats what makes it a good record. VH1: The video is pretty weird. What were you and director Jonas Akerlund thinking? Williams: Feel was the first single and had what I call a beauty video. It was man wants woman, woman wants man, man gets woman, woman gets man. But I thought that the next video should be something a bit sick. It cant all be beauty shots. There have to be bits where snakes are coming out of peoples skirts and Im sleeping with them! VH1: But with all the drugs, nudity and the orgy-ing going on, you cant even watch it on TV! Williams: Yeah. Its been banned nearly everywhere apart from European countries, where theyve got more sense. Its always good to get a video banned, people want to see it more. Thats how it works. Mind you, it is a bit disturbing. I dont think Id let me watch it if I was seven years old. The videos very graphic. I have sex with two girls and then it looks like Im having sex with men. I wanted to put the man thing in. An awful lot of gay pop stars pretend to be straight. Im going to start a movement of straight pop stars pretending to be gay. Thats very important in this day and age. VH1: Who else is part of this movement? Williams: Well, just me, to tell you the truth. But it would be great to see somebody like Kid Rock kissing a man. But Im sure that he wouldnt like the prospect of it put to him, and I wont even go there with Eminem. VH1: Youre turning 30 next year. Do you think your next album will be more introspective? Williams: I hope not, because Ive done too much of it. Im a self-obsessed son-of-a-bitch, really. Hopefully it makes for good records. People buy them, so I must be doing something right. But Id really love it if I had the creative power to write about other people. Like Bono can write Whos Gonna to Ride Your Wild Horses about the Edge. Hes my template for who I want to be when I grow up, and he writes about other people all the time. I wish I had a bit more of that about me. VH1: Its good to have someone like him as a role model. Williams: Yeah. U2 are one of those bands who would still be around whether they broke the States or not, but I do think that America is the gift that keeps on giving. Although theres been a lack of loyalty surrounding stars recently. I mean, who is going to stick around like Mick Jagger or Bono? Where are those bands? VH1: Are you interested in sticking around and being the next Mick Jagger? Williams: As a 29-year-old, the only thing that I can possibly think is that if Im still performing at 50, its because Ill have had disastrous marriages and I have to pay for them. I dont want to. I want to be interested in something different, but Ill probably get this interview read back to me then. Ill be backstage at this tiny dive bar in Northern England somewhere, going, I used to be big, you know! VH1: Kelly Osbourne is supporting you on your European gigs. Are you a fan? Williams: Yeah. Shes a great star. Shes interesting enough by herself without her mom and without her dad and without Jack. Personality is really lacking in the charts. Everybody gives the same interview! Its like, Why dont you say what you really think? People have got their filters turned up too much, and Kelly doesnt seem to have her filter working at all. She cant seem to stop saying what she immediately thinks. Thats interesting and entertaining in itself. Thats art happening right there. So good on Kelly! VH1: Well, the Dixie Chicks have spoken out against the war but are taking flak for it. Williams: Its so upsetting to hear about something like that, because this is supposed to be the land of the free, and what happened doesnt sound very free to me. Its amazing that her remarks dented their sales. That shouldnt happen to an artist like that. Its a shame that Natalie Maines had to retract what she said, but so would you if your career was on the line. Youve got a beautiful country with so many beautiful people and so many beautiful things happening and stuff like that lets it down. I feel sad for them. VH1: Does it make you think twice about adjusting your filter? Williams: Yeah. With the war and everything thats going on, unless youre Susan Sarandon, the best route is to keep your mouth shut. For me it is, anyway. I dont know whats going on! |
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