It’s a match made in… hell? Tony Iommi has just contributed guitar to Robbie Williams new rock album.
The news comes courtesy of drummer Karl Brazil, a mainstay of William’s band throughout his career, and his current musical director. Brazil blabbed the facts to the Percussion Discussion podcast.
The Angels hitmaker is apparently turning in a new, heavier direction for his upcoming album and felt that only the best was good enough, drafting in Black Sabbath stalwart Iommi to contribute a solo to a new track, Rocket.
And that’s not all. Brazil also outed the appearance of Supergrass’ Gaz Coombes on upcoming tracks.
"He’s got an album to follow that we’ve been working on. He’s working with various people, but I’ve been fortunate enough to do some songs with him.
"We’ve done a track called Rocket with Tony, which is very random. It’s great. It’s a rocker and really cool. Tony has done his thing on it,” leaked Brazil.
Referring to Williams as "a modern-day Elvis", Brazil affirmed, “Let’s face it, he can do what he wants” and the new album is “predominantly a guitar record.”
The man once described by Noel Gallagher as “the fat dancer from Take That” hasn’t released any new music since the 50/50 covers-and-new-classics The Christmas Present in 2019, with 2022’s XXV 25th anniversary celebration being entirely re-recordings and orchestral covers. So the Let Me Entertain You crowd-pleaser would appear to be overdue with his next reinvention.
Speaking to Virgin Radio earlier this month as part of his press tour for his upcoming Better Man semi-fictional biography – which is set to feature Williams as himself with Hollyoaks' Jonno Davies as the younger Williams – the star said: "I've got loads planned. I've written loads of songs.
"I’ve the film coming out at the end of this year, I just did the Netflix thing. I finished my tour, doing Hyde Park in the summer. I've never been busier. I’ve never been as ambitious as I am right now. I'm full of purpose. And I'm loving life."
Williams told fans at a recent screening of Better Man in the US: "I've got an album coming too, we have been waiting to know when exactly the film is coming out before we put it out.
“I am building hotels, I want to build a university, I have got my own clothing line coming out, I have got drinks. I am going to be busier than I have ever been."
