Average Bob Site - Interviews - TOTP 2
Top Of The Pops September 1997
"I'M NOT A BAD PERSON, I JUST HAD A PROBLEM."
Robbie speaks frankly to TOTP about drink, the court case and Anna Friel....
It's good to see you looking so well.....
Yeah, I'm feeling great at the moment. But I'm taking each day as it comes.
How have you managed to loose weight so quickly?
Easy, I just stopped drinking and the pounds fell off.
Your new alb, Life Thru A Lens, is about to come out. Will you read the reviews?
Well, it will be interesting just to see what musical pigeonhole people try to put me in. The music is a big change from Take That. People may have difficulty liking it because it's me, but I love what I've done. (Gives big Robbie grin.) It's fantastic.
Your lyrics on the album are at times painfully honest, especially Clean (about coming off drink and drugs) and Ego A Go Go (about people on star trips). Don't you want to keep anything private?
My lyrics are really presonal but that's just the way I write. Anyway, so much of my private life is on display, why should I worry? Then again there are times when I think I should be more guarded about what I say to people. When I was in Take That everything was controlled and we were very careful about what we did and said. I'm not like that now, you may have noticed!
Last time we spoke, you said you were lucky because the newspapers had been kind to you. So what changed?
Well, I've had a problem, that's obvious. The papers wrote about my problem, but only The Mirror turned on me. I used to do a lot of people-pleasing when it came to the press, I thought if I gave everybody an exclusive then they'd all love me. That's not how it works. Some people don't like me, some will never like me, others will. It doesn't concern me, it used to, but not any more. The important thing is that I'm not a bad person. I just had a problem.
So what was your problem?
The problem was me, it wasn't the drink and drugs, thay were a symptom. It's the same with any addiction, like an eating obsession, it's not the food that is the problem but the person. So I checked into rehab to sort my head out. I've learnt to be comfortable with myself and feel proud of what I've done.
What made you seek help?
I just decided that the time was right. Nobody credits me with any sense because I'm Robbie the funny man, but I decided something was wrong. I made that decision. Sometimes I wonder though, how many times I can step in it. I think there'll be a new term in the dictionary soon, 'to do a Robbie'. It'll mean when everything goes arse-up and you put your footin it constantly, ha, ha!
Do you ever take anything seriously? You recently emerged from your court case with former manager Nigel Martin-Smith cracking jokes....
I do have a serious side and being in court is serious, but money is money, that's all. I saved my serious side for a bit of deep thinking in my car on the way back from court. The thing is, if a funny thing pops into my head, I have to say it. It's how I deal with things. I have so much rubbish in my life at the moment that if I let it ride to the top, I'd be lost. So I let things wash over me. It's like, 'Oh, someone else is suing me. Oh well'.
So what's the truth about you and Anna Friel?
She's a good mate and still is, despite what the papers say. For a time we were both vulnerable, we both needed support and gave it to each other. But there was no bitter break-up and now we have a really good friendship.
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