After 17 No 1 hits, pop world domination, an acrimonious split and a dewy-eyed reunion, the phenomenally successful boy-turned-manband were finally crowned best British group at the Brit awards, 21 years after their first performance on the cheesy late-night TV show The Hitman & Her.
Young pretender Tinie Tempah may have taken home more awards – the rapper received statuettes for both British breakthrough act and best single for the infectious Pass Out – but the night belonged to the veteran band.
It was most certainly the campest, and possibly the most spectacular, opening to any Brit awards, the boys took to the stage flanked by Take That soldiers, who by the end of the performance were only in their underwear.
The revamped Brits were styled as a music-centric event rather than the bacchanalian back-patting exercise of the past. And there was evidence that the 1,000-strong voting academy, which this year included music performers for the first time as well as the usual promoters, producers, publishers and retailers, wanted to celebrate "quality" music.
But the revamp could not deflect from the crowning of Take That, the peak of an extraordinary 12 months in which the group's most recent album, Progress, became the fastest-selling of the decade with first-day sales of more than 235,000, the highest since Oasis released Be Here Now in 1997.
Take That's accompanying tour – the biggest in UK history – sold out in minutes, and promises to be the most spectacular that "Thatters", as their fans are known, have ever seen.
The band split amid accusations, insults and alcoholism in 1995. Robbie Williams, ever the bad boy of the group, went on to achieve huge success as a solo act – and has won more Brit awards than any other artist. His debut album, Life Thru a Lens, went straight to No 1, and hits such as Angels lodged themselves firmly in the karaoke canon.
But after Williams's career hit the buffers, the newly-reformed four-piece Take That went on to have success without himwith The Ultimate tour in 2006, and The Circus album and tour in 2008.
After winning the award for best group, Mark Owen tear-jearkingly turned to Williams. "Rob, thanks for coming back mate," he said over the screams. Williams response was fittingly a throw back to the 90s, as he shouted "shabba!" into the mike.
Gary Barlow, the main songwriter of the band, recently turned 40, joining Jason Orange who is the same age, and Howard Donald, 42, in the realm of fortysomethings. Williams and Owen are not far behind at 37 and 39.
Take That's award – the first time they have been crowned best British band despite three previous nominations – comes eight months after Williams announced he was rejoining the band.
Source: The Guardian - Alexandra Topping
Tickets for Take That's UK and IE Progress Live 2011 Tour still available at Premier Events, call 020 7283 4040 or book online.
No comments:
Post a Comment