Robbie Williams news from month: January, 2008

About-to-be-single Robbie Williams has sparked rumours he’s interested in rekindling his romance with Dancing on Ice star Samantha Mumba.

The pair dated casually four years ago when they were both based in Los Angeles but drifted apart due to work commitments. But according to the People newspaper, Robbie has been keeping an eye on Samantha’s progress on the celebrity dance show and has sent her two bouquets of flowers with private messages.

An inside source from the show told the newspaper: “They were beautiful bouquets and everybody wanted to know who they were from. Sam insisted there was nothing going on – but she was beaming from ear to ear.”

The source added that Samantha described her ongoing relationship with the former Take That star as a “close friendship”. (source: fametastic.co.uk)

Robbie Williams has never made a secret of his loneliness, which is caused, in part, by his inability to trust people ’cause he’s so famous. That’s why he only ever hangs out with his dad and that bloke who presented You’ve Been Framed in between Lisa Riley and Harry Hill.

So, we’re heartened to read that Robbie has a new friend he can confide in, someone to lean on and have a kick-about with. Although admittedly, we’re not sure his choice of chum is going to enhance his profile much. Read the rest…

Robbie Williams is reportedly on the verge of finishing with girlfriend Ayda Field. The couple have being dating for around 10 months, with Robbie keen to introduce the actress to his friends and family but a source told the People newspaper that things don’t look good for the pair.

The source explained: “Ayda stimulated Robbie mentally and physically. She’s bright and sexy and made [him] laugh.” Read the rest…

London, January 19: British record label EMI has reportedly decided to ship unsold copies of Robbie Williams’ album ‘Rudebox’ to China, so that they could be crushed and reused in street lighting and road projects.The 17-track CD is Williams’ 10th solo album, which was released in 2006. It received a lukewarm response from UK fans, where only 500,000 copies could be sold.

EMI is now shipping unwanted CDs for recycling, said a source.

“EMI often ships out unwanted CDs to China so they can be recycled. It’s the ultimate kick in the teeth for him. He loved this album, but going by all the unsold CDs he was obviously the only one,” the Mirror quoted the source as saying.

“Now there’s no better use for them than to be crushed up and trampled on,” the source added.

EMI is said to have planned this recycling scheme to cut costs after losing 263 million pounds in 2007.

Meanwhile, the new boss at the record label has denied that Williams is on strike to protest their plan to axe 2,000 jobs.

“Robbie is still working in the studio, but he’s working at a slower pace, which is appropriate to producing the best music he can, and that’s something we at EMI support him in,” he said.(by: dailyindia.com / Asian News International)

British pop singer Robbie Williams is collaborating with former blockheads star Chaz Jankel on his next album.
The Angels hitmaker is currently writing new material for a forthcoming LP and has enlisted the help of Jankel to give the tracks a funky edge.
Jankel was behind the Blockheads’ 1978 smash single Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, along with late frontman Ian Drury.
Although Williams has no plans to release an album any time soon, he is determined to carry on writing new material for his comeback record.
A source tells British newspaper The Sun, “Robbie and Chaz have been working on some great stuff. Out of all his new tunes, the Chaz stuff is the best.
“Currently his problem is that he has lots of music that he’s worked on with various people. It all sounds very different so it doesn’t sit well as an album.” Williams recently rejoined his former songwriting partner Guy Chambers but insists it was a one-off.
The source adds, “The big reunion with Guy was a real let down. They just couldn’t reignite that spark.”

Robbie Williams’ manager has dismissed reports the British pop star is on strike in protest of his record label, insisting his recent comments addressing the issue were misinterpreted.

It was widely reported last week that the Angels hitmaker had vowed to withhold his new album from EMI in protest over redundancies at the company.

But the star’s manager, Tim Clark, denies the claims, insisting his client has simply put plans for recording new material on hold while the firm is reorganising its internal structure. He says, “On strike? I didn’t actually use those terms.”

“What we actually said was it would be unrealistic to expect an artist – any artist – to deliver an album while we have no idea where EMI are going. “
(by: hiphop-elements.com)

Robbie Williams will refuse to make another album for his record label EMI, according to a report.

The singer is still under contract with EMI, but is unhappy after the label was taken over by private equity firmTerra Firma, his manager has told The Times. Tim Clark told the paper Williams would not deliver a new album because he had no idea how the label would handle it. Radiohead and Sir Paul McCartney have already left EMI, with reports that Coldplay and Kylie Minogue may follow.

EMI’s UK chief executive – who signed many of the label’s current stars – also left the company on Tuesday after 25 years. Mr Clark told The Times: “The question is, should Robbie deliver the new album he is due to release to EMI?”

“We have to say the answer is no. We have no idea how EMI will market and promote the album (…) They do not have anyone in the digital sphere capable of doing the job required. All we know is they are going to decimate their staff.”

He accused Terra Firma boss Guy Hands of acting like a “plantation owner” who had stumbled into the music industry via a “vanity purchase”.

“EMI can sue or pay up his contract,” Mr Clark said. “Robbie needs to know what services EMI can provide to an artist of his standing.” A spokeswoman for Williams told the BBC News website: “They’re Tim’s words given in an interview to The Times and no further comment is being made.” EMI did not return a request for a comment.

Online plan

Williams has sold almost 47 million albums around the world since leaving Take That in 1995, making him one of EMI’s most successful artists.

The star recently told fans there “might not be a proper album out this year and there definitely won’t be a tour any time soon”. “I might just put the B-sides to the next album out first online. Then put an album out in 2009,” he said.

Williams signed a four-album deal with EMI in 2002, reported at the time to be worth £80m. His last album Rudebox was released in 2006 but its sales failed to live up to the high standards of his previous best-sellers. ( news.bbc.co.uk )

Robbie Williams has warned his fans he can’t face being on the road again – because his last world tour nearly killed him.

The Rudebox star has also revealed he probably won’t release a proper album this year.

He said he enjoyed stuffing himself with mince pies in his LA mansion over Christmas – and is tempted to quit showbiz for good.

Robbie told fans on his website: “There might not be a proper album out this year and there definitely won’t be a tour any time soon. F*** that, the last one nearly killed me.

“There will be some kind of something this year.

“I might just put the B-sides to the next album out first online. Then put an album out in 2009. Which means you won’t be seeing a lot of me on stage for a while. Sorry folks.

”I do have to say, the more time I’m spending away from public life, the more I like it. Unfortunately I have a massive competitive urge that wants me to put out three albums a year.

”Which one will win? I’m sure as soon as I get bored I’ll be back. But right now there’s a soy vanilla latte and mince pie waiting for me in the kitchen.”

Robbie went into rehab two months after his 2006 Close Encounters tour – which included two sell-out shows at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium – ended in December that year. ( news.com.au )