No demons, just angels for Robbie

Fatherhood, marriage and a new business venture - life has changed significantly for pop superstar Robbie Williams. Source: News Limited

"SORRY, I can't make it tonight," I text my friend about our plans for the evening. "I'm interviewing Robbie Williams."

Her response comes back in two seconds flat. "What?! So jealous. Tell him I love him."

She promptly tells another friend, who tells another, who all text or tweet me something similar.

We are thirtysomething women but there's something about Robbie Williams that seems to send people, no matter their age, gender or natural cynicism, into a spin.

That night, I phone London and wait for Williams to come on the line. It's surreal to hear the Northern English voice that permeated my youth (I was a squealing teenage Take That fan in the '90s, a uni student dancing to Kids, and wooed by Angels by the man who became my husband) say, "Hello darlin'. Thanks very much for waiting for me."

The 39-year-old is taking a break from rehearsals for his current European tour to talk about his clothing range, Farrell, which launched in Britain last year and will hit select David Jones stores on July 6.

Named after his grandad, Jack Farrell, aka the Giant Killer, the range is archetypally British, featuring tailored camel-wool coats, velvet-collared Chesterfields, fine-stripe shirts and a collection of leather gloves, braces and belts.

"Grandad Jack was a working-class man with Irish heritage," Williams explains. "After the Second World War, when my mother was eight, her mother (Jack's wife) died. Grandad had three girls to look after. He was from a time where no matter how much money you had or hadn't got, you dressed immaculately. It's a time long forgotten.

"I'm trying to not follow fashion," he explains. "I don't even like the word. But I do like clothes, and I like nicely cut clothes that last and that are built to be worn for the next 30 years.

"I go into a lot of shops where a jacket costs 2500 quid ($3400). And I think, well, why? You're paying two grand for the name. I want to give my friends who I grew up with at home up north, in the pub, the chance to wear the same sort of tailoring and cloth, but at affordable prices."

The line is "devised" by Williams and the head of design is former Burberry design director Ben Dickens.

"When Rob's in London we work in the design studio, or when he's in LA I'll fly over and we'll work at the house," says Dickens.

"We'll discuss first ideas and concepts - books, magazines and, of course, inspirational vintage pieces. With my experience I'll take time to make these ideas and concepts come to life. We'll then work together to edit and perfect the collection, keeping in touch by email. Much like when Rob works with songwriters and producers to create great music, we do the same with clothes - it's a collaboration."

Robbie Williams credits his wife Ayda Field (on right) with helping him overcome his dark side. Source: News Limited

Of course, Williams' 'personal Robbie- ness' is entirely evident throughout the range; from the specialised chip fork to the 'stash pocket' in every jacket. "So you can stash anything you might want to," he says. "Maybe you have to keep something secret from the law." I can almost hear him raise one eyebrow. "Who knows?"

He admits his style hasn't always hit the mark. "I've had to make friends with an awful lot of bad fashion choices. But I've been to rehab twice and for a few months out of those years, my mind was not my own. That's my excuse!"

Williams has just embarked on a two- month stadium tour with the same name as his ninth album, Take the Crown, released last November. After three years away from the limelight I wonder if this name is somehow a statement of intent. Does he still feel pressure to be at the top of his game?

"I'm constantly doing new stuff and I want it to be received really well," he says. "Who knows what's ego, what's business, what's artistic. It all shifts on a day-to-day basis. But I want new hits to be added to my set list. So from a professional standpoint - business, ego, everything - it's really important to me. I'm human and I want to be loved just like everyone else does."

He writes regularly on his blog, often defending decisions behind certain tracks and commenting on forum threads. ("There are some people in the forums who are really bad for my confidence. It will be a battle to counteract some of the things I've read. I'll carry some of those words with me onstage.")

Perhaps unusually for someone who's been in the industry for more than 20 years, it appears he still takes people's comments and critiques very personally. "I think most people in my situation are quite good at biting their tongues and not saying anything or retaliating (to unkind comments), but then sometimes..." he breaks off.

"The 'I don't like (this song)' comments are kind of fine, but the vitriolic, rip-you- apart, being disgusting, upsets me," he says. "It's the f--king horrible vile sh-t, the 'You need to die and never make music again.' Things like that - ow." He sighs. "So have I grown a thicker skin? Maybe, but it's still balloon-thin."

Robbie Williams, second from right, strikes a pose with his Take That bandmates on the set of their first video for the single in 1991. Picture: Dave Hogan/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Source: Supplied

His blog is surprisingly candid, and refreshingly un-PR'd. ("Any quarter-decent three-chord knobheads could and did get a deal in the '90s... More hearts will genuinely race at a new 1D album than they ever have or will at any Suede album," he wrote recently on robbiewilliams.com.)

"A lot of stuff actually doesn't make it on," he smiles. "This week I was angry about something and it had me up all night. I wrote a stinging, horrendous attack to someone who had attacked me. My email heading (to my assistant) was, 'I expect this to be on my blog the minute I wake up.' Then the first thing I thought of when I woke up was, 'Sh-t - I hope that didn't go up!' And fortunately it didn't. I don't own the password. It would be interesting, but I'd cause so much trouble for myself."

Williams won't get to Australia this year, although there are plans for him to come Down Under in 2014. "I have a lot of memories of being there that I probably would be arrested if I mentioned. Or I wouldn't be allowed in the country."

He limits his schedule because he knows only too well what happens when he burns out. "I can't do this job like I did when I was in Take That or early in my solo career. It's unpleasant. You end up running in circles and ending up in rehab, burning yourself out, hating the world and hating yourself."

Things have changed significantly for Williams in the past seven years. In 2007, on his 33rd birthday, he was admitted to rehab once more for prescription-drug abuse. "The majority of the world can drink and do a little bit of drugs, and don't end up in rehab, f--king their careers and f--king their lives. Which I have a tendency to do," he says archly.

When he came out of rehab, he decided he'd retire. He'd sold 60 million records, was the best-selling British solo artist of all time and quite frankly, he'd had enough. He began to live a quiet life in LA, founded LA Vale football team and kept his head down.

"A lot of definites have changed in my life. I'd definitely retired, and now I definitely f*cking haven't," he laughs. "I definitely definitely didn't want to do pop music, and I definitely definitely do now. I definitely definitely wanted to derail everything and be more unpopular... I managed that. And I definitely definitely don't now! Time changes definites."

He married Turkish-American actress Ayda Field in 2006, and they became parents to Theodora, known as Teddy, last September. He credits the responsibility of becoming a husband and father with helping him keep his demons at bay.

"It makes me calmer," he says. "I indulged the fear before. I don't any more. It's scary to think there's a hundred-foot stage you have to fill and you have to project yourself to however many thousand people and give them their money's worth.

"It's a responsibility that's weighed heavily on me in the past. This time though, I'm loved up, I'm married, I've got a kid, the kid really needs me and loves me, and I really need and love the kid and the missus, too. I'm finding different ways to siphon the panic away."

Being father to baby Theodora has increased his motivation for staying sober, says Robbie Williams. Source: AP

He breaks off suddenly. "Talking of my beautiful wife, she's just this second come through the door." I can hear him grinning. "She looks so fit." He talks to her, "I love your hat, babe. Sit right there." Back to me, "Right, she's staying."

His chattiness cranks up a notch. "Teddy is absolutely rocking," he tells me. "She crawls now. I've been playing her my new songs and she bounces up and down. If I need an opinion (on a song) that isn't tarnished by the world, I'll play it to Teddy and see what her arms and legs do. She loves music."

Being a dad has increased his motivation for staying sober. "It has (changed my attitude)," he says. "I stopped smoking. For a while I was smoking three packs a day. That's gone. I'm more focused. There's a reason to do everything. Before there was just a reason to stay in bed and watch telly. Now there's a reason to be healthy and look after myself. We've got this most amazing life and I'd like us to have that for the rest of our lives."

Field also helps keep him on track. "Well, my lovely wife has ultimate say on 'no'..." he says. I can hear her chuckling in the background. "I can persuade, and lay down what I think is a law, then that law goes to the parliament of Ayda. She deals with the bureaucracy and quite often the law I'm passing comes back and it isn't a law any more. It's been overturned."

Robbie Williams performs at the ARIA Awards at Homebush in Sydney. Source: News Limited

He doesn't seem too bothered by this. In fact, being accountable to someone who doesn't let him get away with whatever he likes seems to be working for him. However, he's unsure whether his own experiences with addiction mean he'll be extra-vigilant about Teddy's actions as she grows up.

"I dunno - I think the jury's out on whether addiction is nature or nurture," he says. "I doubt she'll be like me. Touch wood, and follow that with a lot of love and a lot of luck, she won't go there or she won't have to go there. But, if unfortunately that does happen, I'll know what to do." He pauses: "Which is make sure she's got the best drugs possible and take them with her."

As a journalist, it's the first time I've heard a celebrity joke about drugs without backtracking furiously, worried about how it might be taken. I can hear Ayda laughing, too. Whether he's being flippant or is just confident enough to know it'll be taken in the manner it's suggested (I suspect a bit of both), it's refreshing to speak to someone who doesn't self-censor.

Williams' lyrics have always been honest, too. Often very revealing about his state of mind, maybe now he's a family man we should expect some more mellow musings on the swing album he'll release later this year. "Kind of," he says, in a tone that means 'not really'.

"I refuse to totally grow up. I've always been someone who says and does things that push politically correct boundaries. And I've written a few songs for Teddy that perhaps shouldn't be said..."

Such as? "Well," he gears up, clearly delighted to be able to launch into a show. "It goes: 'Sit down, close the door, I think it's time you knew the score, why you feel weird/ One day you'll be told about, how Daddy let his demons out, yeah he makes them scream and shout/So what better when you're old enough, and you're out on your own and stuff, if you start losing hold of love it's because/Your uncle sells drugs, your cousin is a cutter, your grandma is a fluffer, your grandad's in the gutter, your mother is a nutter, you're a mad mother-f---er...'"

Robbie Williams greets fans during his 2009 visit to Sydney. Picture: Charles Brewer / news.com.au Source: News Limited

He trails off, cackling to himself. "Imagine my surprise when I heard that!" Ayda pipes up, laughing.

He collaborates with Michael Buble on the album but says rumours that Adele, who is good friends with Field, will appear on it aren't true. "I didn't ask Adele because we're friends with her," he says. "I don't want her to say no!"

Williams will turn 40 next February - quite a milestone for a pop singer. "I didn't start celebrating birthdays until Ayda came into my life. She loves an occasion. But 40 is probably the last birthday I'll celebrate. I think 40 will be like, yep, I made it. It's a serious amount of time on the planet.

"I know there's kind of a cut-off at some point in a pop star's career," he continues. "Pop stars don't go past being 40; they start being old people who sing. It's a young man's game. Madonna had her Ray of Light moment in her late thirties, then she went on to do Music. But she also works out like a demon and tries to remain youthful. I don't know if I could do that.

"But I don't want to have to deal with not being mega-successful. I'm competitive by nature. I obviously have an ego. I'd like to carry on being successful for as long as I can. It's putting off the inevitable of course, but I'd like to put off the inevitable. I'm still here, I'm still kicking, I'm healthy-ish and ready for the next 40."

Farrell will launch exclusively in select David Jones stores from July 6.

Follow Katherine on Twitter: @katchatfield

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

No demons, just angels for Robbie

Dengan url

https://donyblackedet.blogspot.com/2013/07/no-demons-just-angels-for-robbie.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

No demons, just angels for Robbie

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

No demons, just angels for Robbie

sebagai sumbernya