--- In audities@yahoogroups.com, "Stewart Mason" <craigtorso@...> wrote:
>
> I think Williams' persona hasn't really translated to the states.  The 
> closest comparison I can think of is...remember back when Craig 
> Kilborn was the host of the Daily Show before Jon Stewart, and his 
> whole thing was "I'm playacting at being a smug, sexist creep so 
> thoroughly that you can't tell if I'm REALLY a smug, sexist creep or 
> just pretending to be one"?  Robbie's persona is very similar: he's 
> playing at being an arrogant, vain egotist, but there's a kind of a 
> nod and a wink behind it.  And I think that twist has been overlooked 
> by a lot of folks over here because he's not so omnipresent in the 
> media that it's clear that it's an act.
> 
> Also, I just don't think he's done much that's as good as "Millennium" 
> recently.
> 
> Another UK import that I'm surprised didn't translate: Atomic Kitten, 
> whose Svengali was Andy McCluskey of OMD.
> 
> S
>
I agree that much of the strength of his earlier stuff was about the
writing and pop sensibilities of Guy Chambers.  The post-Chambers
material just isn't as good.  The neediness and self-obsession started
to get a bit tiresome as well.  When you get to stage of writing a
song called 'I will talk and Hollywood will listen' it really is time
to step away from the vehicle.