Robbie Williams has been a huge talking point over the last few months. The UK superstar is the focus of the film Better Man, in which he's played by a CG monkey. It's complicated, we suggest you do some additional research to fully understand the monkey stuff. We're here to talk about Take That, the band that made Williams a household name.
Take That was one of the biggest boy bands of the 1990s. They effectively laid the groundwork for bands like Backstreet Boys and N*SYNC, and scored dozens of number one singles in the UK. Take That was spearheaded by lead songwriter Gary Barlow, but Williams' impressive vocals and chaotic personality garnered most of the attention.
Robbie Williams quit Take That in 1995
Williams shocked teen listeners around the world when he decided to leave Take That in 1995. The band was at the height of its popularity, and yet, the singer walked away and decided to pursue a solo career. It didn't take long for the details of his exit to come to light, either. Williams' drug and alcohol intake reached such a dangerous level that he nearly overdosed before a concert in 1994.
The other members of Take That, which included Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange and Mark Owen, grew tired of Williams' partying, and told him to either clean up or leave. He decided to leave. He also decided to declare war on Gary Barlow, and slag him off in the press whenever he could.
The singer explained his animosity toward Barlow in the 2023 Netflix documentary Watch Robbie Williams. "I disliked Gary the most because he was the one that was supposed to have everything and the career," he stated. "And I wanted to make him pay. I was vengeful. By having the career that he was supposed to have."
The singer reunited with the band in 2010
Well, Williams succeeded. Take That disbanded in 1996, and Barlow struck first with a pair of number one singles, but his career quickly petered out. Williams, on the other hand, got off to a relatively slow start, but hit pay dirt with his 1998 single "Angels." He's since gone on to become of the biggest stars in UK history.
Fortunately, the beef between Williams and Barlow has been squashed. The two men made up, and even reunited for a Take That tour between 2010 and 2014. Williams departed a second time to focus on his solo career, but the relationship between the singer and his former band mates remains strong to this day.