Robbie Williams “misses the days” of feuding with Noel Gallagher.
The 48-year-old singer was famously labelled the “fat dancer from Take That” by Oasis rocker Noel Gallager back in the 1990s and the comment ignited a feud between the pair, and Noel’s younger brother and former bandmate Liam Gallagher, which lasted for decades.
It escalated to a point where Robbie challenged Liam to have a boxing match with a £100,000 bet on the line at the BRIT Awards in 2000.
Although the slanging match between the pair has ended, Robbie insists things were more “fun” back then compared to now and says pop stars are not be “allowed” to create headlines like that anymore.
He said: “I think that we lived in a more fun time. It was more heady, more controversial, more saying things for the sake of grabbing headlines. You know, it was like wrestling – and I love that. It was a fun aspect of the industry at the time… wearing your spite on your sleeve. Wearing your opinions on your sleeve, be they toxic or not, is just more interesting than what’s happening now, or is being allowed to happen… I kind of miss those days. Even though that was aimed at me, it’s like… we’re not allowed to do that shit anymore and it’s a shame.”
The ‘Rock DJ’ hitmaker went on to add that there was “a lot of back and forth” over the weight jibe comment at the time but insisted he was never “hurt” by Noel’s barb and instead heaped praise on the ‘Wonderwall’ songwriter.
He told NME: “There was a lot of back-and-forth about a lot of different people. and it wasn’t that I was hurt that it was said; it was just annoying that it stuck. But, you know: Noel’s really good at that stuff. He’s said a lot of incredible quotes that stick. “He’s a great comedic writer and he’s got that sort of brain for those things that cut through the chaff and stay around.”