Robbie Williams has expressed a desire to rejoin his old band mates in Take That. This follows Gary Barlow's comment during a recent televised Q+A session that he was 'enjoying getting to know Robbie again'.
Well, my message to Gary, Howard, Jason and Mark is (and I'm sure they're hanging on my every word) if you ever needed Robbie before, you certainly don't need him now.
I'm sure many of us remember Williams walking away from the band when things turned pear shaped. The reasons for him doing so were well documented and there's no need to drag all that up here, except to say that he was no doubt encouraged by the justifiable promise of a lucrative solo career.
I don't blame Williams for going solo but what I do blame him for is the relentless barrage of snide remarks he made about his old band mates and particularly the ones made at the expense of Gary Barlow, during the years when Williams' solo career was flying and Barlow was reduced to taking bit parts in 'Heartbeat'. And it's a measure of Barlow's great character that he's never once responded in kind.
For me, there's no question that a big part of Take That's renewed success is the gelling of the remaining four. Yes, they've had their fights and problems too - but they've dealt with it and there's a real sense of maturity and common ground between four truly likeable, talented guys. And, as if we need reminding - in Barlow the lads have a veritable gold mine of a song writing talent.
If Robbie Williams were to rejoin Take That, how long would it be before the irrepressible ego kicked in and he started shouting the odds? There just seems no doubt to me that he would be a seriously disrupting influence on a band that is perfectly weighted, perfectly balanced, both in terms of musicality and on that vital interpersonal level too. There's a great vibe about the new Take That now and it would be such a shame if that were spoiled by the childish eccentricity and egocentric tantrums of their maverick ex-colleague.
The tickets for Take That's current 'Circus' tour sold out before the ink was dry on them. Some friends and I (managed to get) seats at the furthest point away from the stage for a concert the lads are doing at Coventry next June. None of us have the slightest desire to see Robbie Williams so much as join Take That on stage as a 'guest', let alone rejoin the band on a permanent basis.
I'm sure there are those who revel in the idea of Williams being welcomed back into the fold and their opinion is every bit as valid as mine. But don't count me amongst them. I believe it would be a complete disaster.
Guys - you don't need me to tell you that Williams is a loose canon. He's not a team player any more. If you let him back in and he doesn't get enough of the spotlight and enough of a say in where he thinks the band ought to be going, the old troubles will come back with a vengeance, with all the divisive ructions and instability that entails. You've been there before and (hopefully) learnt from the experience.
Kiss and make up, by all means - after all, you must have shared some great times with Robbie in the old days. But please keep it on a purely sociable level. Robbie Williams is one guy you definitely don't want back for good!