Posted December 19, 2024Dec 19 Thought ROCK DJ could do with a revisit given the track features highly in the upcoming Better Man movie ’Rock DJ’ was the first single to be taken from Robbie's third studio album 'Sing When You're Winning'. First released in July 2000, the ground-breaking official video was directed by Vaughan Arnell, who had previously worked with Robbie on the videos for 'Angels', 'Let Me Entertain You' and 'Millennium'. At the 2001 BRIT Awards 'Rock DJ' won the British Video of the Year and British Single of the Year. Both the single and album went to No. 1 in the UK. ‘Rock DJ’ was written by Robbie with Guy Chambers and Kelvin Andrews, while its clever use of a sample from Soul legend Barry White's 1977 single 'It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me' saw additional co-writing credits for Nelson Pigford and Ekundayo Paris. BnO3nijfYmU?si=5xWaEnq4nS6gI4Nd ’Rock DJ’ was the first single to be taken from Robbie's third studio album 'Sing When You're Winning' https://www.discogs.com/master/32279-Robbie-Williams-Sing-When-Youre-Winning 4zbtyjuTCEA?si=beYXzym8BaU2cAmt Rock DJ live from Knebworth, one of my favourite live performances of this song
December 19, 2024Dec 19 Author ROCK DJ - Song facts This song is about a guy who is trying to impress a female disc jockey. He busts some braggadocios raps, but it has no effect. In the video, Williams tries to get her attention by gradually taking his clothes off. Even after he's completely naked, it has no effect, so he rips off his flesh and throws it around the club. When he is finally reduced to bones, that's when she goes for him. The video, which was directed by Williams' frequent collaborator Vaughan Arnell, caused major controversy at the time due to its gory content. Most television channels cut the video before Williams started stripping, with some running an alternative clip altogether showing Williams recording "Rock DJ" in the studio. The video was also banned in the Dominican Republic after allegations of Satanism. Despite the controversy, the video was critically acclaimed and won a number of awards, including British Video of the Year at the BRITs and Best Visual Effects at the MTV VMAs in 2001. The Blockheads' Ian Dury of "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" fame was one of the primary inspirations behind this song. Williams and Dury became friends through their work for the children's charity UNICEF, before Dury's death in March 2000. According to Williams, Dury spiritually channeled this song through him: "I actually just went, 'Ian Dury, please send me a rhythm?' And then he went, 'Singing in the classes, music for your masses, give no head, no backstage passes.'" Williams makes reference to A Tribe Called Quest's "Can I Kick It?" when he asks that question and is answered with "Yes you can." "Rock DJ" also paraphrases a quote from "La Di Da Di" by Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick ("But when I rock the mic, I rock the mic (Right)"). Williams said at the time: "I really struggled to write the lyrics, so what I've just done is I've robbed loads of really old rap lyrics." Robbie Williams performed this song at the 2018 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony held in Moscow on June 14, 2018. In typically cheeky mood, he changed the lyrics just moments before sticking his middle finger up at the camera. The line in the song should be: Pimping ain't easy Most of them fleece me Every night But Williams belted out: Most of them fleece me I did this for free The UK coverage of the opening ceremony missed the controversial moment, but in the US, where giving the bird and big sporting events don't mix (like MIA's middle finger during her Super Bowl performance with Madonna of Give Me All Your Luvin'"), it was seen in all its glory. Fox quickly issued a statement distancing itself from Williams' digit. This also samples the strings from Barry White's 1977 hit, "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me." "Rock DJ" was used on the TV series Roswell in the 2001 episode "Heart of Mine." The Nevin's Future Ass Remix Edit was also featured in the 2001 movie Sweet November, starring Charlize Theron and Keanu Reeves. This was the lead single from Williams' third solo album, Sing When You're Winning. It became his third #1 in the UK after "Millennium" and "She's the One"/"It's Only Us." "Rock DJ" was also the fifth best-selling song in the UK in 2000 and won British Single of the Year at the BRITs in 2001. The New Zealand pop star Lorde revealed that her 2021 comeback single "Solar Power" was inspired by this song. Speaking to Apple Music, Lorde explained: "I had my little Yamaha DX keyboard, and I just started singing and kind of figuring this thing out. I was like, 'What is this?' It almost felt like 'Rock DJ' to me, the Robbie Williams song. I was like, 'I don't know what's going on here, but I love it.'" Lorde even references "Rock DJ" in the lyrics when she sings, "Can I kick it? Yeah, I can." Robbie Williams and his regular collaborator Guy Chambers wrote "Rock DJ" with Kelvin Andrews, Nelson Pigford and Ekundayo Paris. Williams wasn't convinced by the song because he thought it was corny, and Chambers had his work cut out convincing the pop star to have faith in the single. "We were trying to [write] a song that could be played at a wedding," Chambers told NME. "Well, we wanted the lyrics to be funny, provocative, but he thought it was cheesy as hell. He didn't like it." "So I had to keep saying to him, 'I know you don't like it, but I think it could work.' He was very self-critical; incredibly self-critical." Credit to https://www.songfacts.com/facts/robbie-williams/rock-dj for facts about this song .
December 19, 2024Dec 19 Author I Still Wanna Rock DJ: remembering Robbie Williams’ controversial music video for Rock DJ 24 years on… Words by Jack O’Shea-Ayres Sprawled across the records of music history, certain tracks stand out from the rest, not only for their incredible use of sound, iconic production or their rebellious spirit, but for the music videos which drive their popularity and help them receive cult status in the music and visual world. Robbie Williams’ release of “Rock DJ” and its accompanying music video in July of 2000 left an undeniable mark on the world of music and its association with videos for its defiant and unruly visuals, an incredible originality and its ‘Take That’ style of storytelling. Nestled within the bustling heart of the English music industry, the creation of “Rock DJ” was a collaborative effort fuelled by creativity and a desire to push boundaries. Directed by Vaughan Arnell, the video was a rollercoaster ride through the surreal and the grotesque, blending elements of pop culture, horror, and satire into a visually stunning spectacle. The song itself samples a fat bassline and drum beat from Barry White’s “It’s Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me”, as well as sequences from A Tribe Called Quest’s “Can I Kick It?” and a line from Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh’s “La Di Da Di”, blending sounds from a variety of genres and eras into one epic spectacle of disco, dance and Britpop. The concept for the enigmatic music video was originally birthed by two French creatives who worked on an earlier commercial for Pepsi with Robbie Williams, as outlined in a documentary detailing the behind the scenes work of the “Rock DJ” music video. Rock DJ The making of the “Rock DJ” video was a labor of love that required meticulous planning and sheer audacity. From the outset, Arnell and Williams were determined to push the boundaries of what was considered acceptable in mainstream music videos and ultimately wanted to shock and provoke and to challenge the norms of beauty and sexuality in a comedic and lighthearted way. Basically, the video features Robbie dressed casually in a white singlet and some navy blue pants held up by a hefty belt and clad with a bright adidas logo and a wallet chain; he’s dancing in the middle of a large grey room lit by a massive chandelier and circular lights made to resemble speakers. Williams is surrounded by girls roller skating in a loop around him, seemingly unimpressed by his presence as he begins to strip his clothes. A DJ played by British model and actress Lauren Gold spins tracks as Robbie makes attempts to swoon her, removing his shirt and dancing in a goofy and, if it wasn’t Robbie Williams, completely uncool fashion. Unable to grab the attention of the desirable DJ or any of the other girls surrounding him, one of which is played by British-American activist, model and actress Elizabeth Jagger, Robbie goes to great lengths to attempt to sway them, stripping down to his bare birthday suit before beginning to tear off his skin and throw it into the crowd of roller-skating girls, and then his muscles until he is nothing but a computer-generated skeleton aiming to impress. One of the key challenges in bringing the video to life was finding the right balance between shock value and artistic expression. Williams’ provocative dance moves and his gradual transformation into a skeleton were arguably intended to challenge societal norms and perceptions of beauty as a daring statement which aimed to subvert the traditional notions of sex appeal while celebrating individuality and self-expression. “He’s brought up as the next victim, or as the next gladiator or the next piece of meat literally. I thought if it were just all girls in there and he came up and he was looking around and they were all skating, it was like Robbie heaven.” – Vaugh Arnell (“Robbie Williams – Skinned Alive: The Making of Rock DJ”) The visual effects team played a crucial role in realising Arnell and Williams’ vision.The team used a combination of practical effects and computer-generated imagery to create the jaw-dropping visuals that would later become synonymous with the “Rock DJ” video. The visual effects team spent months perfecting the intricate details of Williams’ transformation sequence, with 3D animator John Harvey and Head of Post Production Damian Raymond-Parker meticulously crafting each frame to ensure maximum impact. From the painstakingly detailed prosthetics to the seamless integration of CGI, every aspect of the video was carefully choreographed to create a sense of visceral intensity – and more than two decades later, its visual aspects continue to impress. The controversial video’s ending of Williams removing his skin was cut by most music channels around Europe, like VIVA, VH1 Europe, The Box and MCM. In 2001, “Rock DJ” won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Special Effects. In 2006, it was voted by viewers as the seventh Most Groundbreaking Video Ever on MTV and in 2007 it was ranked at number 48 on MuchMusic‘s 50 Most Controversial Videos countdown. The video was banned in the Dominican Republic due to allegations of Satanism. “Robbie just became the video – like he always does.” Vaugh Arnell (“Robbie Williams – Skinned Alive: The Making of Rock DJ”) Twenty-four years on, “Rock DJ” remains as electrifying and enigmatic as ever, a testament to the enduring power of creativity and the unyielding spirit of rebellion and a reminder to embrace chaos through ‘having a laugh’ and daring to be different – even if it means tearing off your skin in front of 50 roller-skating ladies. https://mixdownmag.com.au/features/i-still-...dj-24-years-on/ Edited December 19, 2024Dec 19 by Sydney11
December 19, 2024Dec 19 Author v1LzzualFvM?si=LyVhymlH9-lVyLz0 Better Man - Official 'Regent Street' Clip (2025) Robbie Williams Video - IGN movie trailer
January 5Jan 5 We do know about difficulties of Rock DJ shooting but here is collecting of the facts and notes from Michael's interview. Robbie Williams' brutally honest response to Better Man scene that lost him millions Robbie Williams and Michael Gracey spoke about the Better Man scene in an exclusive interview with Yahoo. Lily Waddell 19 December 2024 Better Man's Robbie Williams tells Yahoo how he truly feels after losing millions of dollars when production was disrupted by the Queen's death. The singing super star hopes fans love the Regent Street scene in the movie because it had "huge financial repercussions" after filming for it had to be postponed when Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022. All in good humour, the music legend told Yahoo: "If there isn't uproarious clapping and cheering in the cinema, I'm like you b*****s." Musical biopic Better Man tells the extraordinary story of the singer's life from his rise to fame and struggle with addiction as we've never seen it before (especially because Williams is portrayed as a CGI chimpanzee). The Regent Street dancing scene is quite magnificent — it's a show-stopping sequence that plays out at the heart of London's West End featuring a CGI chimpanzee and 500 extras. No expense is spared. Filmed over four days, London's Regent Street was shutdown for the event. If that wasn't complicated enough, Queen Elizabeth II died two days before filming and they had to halt filming — losing millions of dollars. Despite the filming disaster, real-life Williams remained quite the entertainer and he playfully put up his hand on the video to say that it was his millions. His reaction to seeing the scene on-screen is brutally honest. He said: "Yeah [would do it again]. I've been to see nine screenings now and at the end of that, if there isn't uproarious clapping and cheering in the cinema, I'm like, you b*******. "What we went through to do that for you. You haven't even paid to be here. Clap, you f***ers." Better Man director Michael Gracey — also the mastermind behind The Greatest Showman — explained the huge implications this had on the film. However, the director remained confident it really adds to the film. "Yeah, that literally delayed the delivery of the film and there were huge repercussions financially to the film as a result," he said. "The bank got involved but it is, every time I watch it, it is worth all of it." Previously, Gracey said he had always envisioned staging a dance sequence in Regent Street but now realises why no one has done it before. The director explained how the disaster unfolded behind the scenes of filming the Better Man movie. He told Hello! magazine: "On the Friday we were feeling feeling very buoyant, because the first night of filming was Sunday night, and we got a call from the Crown Estate to tell us that the Queen had just died and we wouldn't be shooting because there's 10 days of mourning. So we lost all of the money. There's no insurance for the death of the Queen. "People will say to you: No, there is, because it's force majeure, and you say; No, it's not. It's civil authority that shuts you down with the death of the Queen, and after Covid, civil authority was capped at 250 grand payouts. "So we lost millions of dollars, and it took another five months to get back on that street, and we had to raise the money again." Director, Gracey, details the challenging production of a pivotal scene in his biopic of Robbie Williams, revealing the near cancellation due to Queen Elizabeth II's death, the immense financial losses incurred, and the importance of this moment of pure joy amidst the film's darker themes. , which required shutting down London’s famous Regent Street for four whole nights., perhaps the most important scene in the film. And yet, it very nearly didn’t happen. That delay set the independent Australian production back massively, and blew a hole in an already tight budget. About 30 seconds into the number, someone crashes into a gumball machine, spilling gobstoppers across Regent Street, causing the Take That boys to teeter precariously backwards as they try to stay upright on the rolling surface.that he was developing, but which never happened. He then pitched it again for“So this is my third attempt at bringing this idea to life, and I’m very excited,” he says. “It has finally had its moment. “We were allowed on at 7.30pm, and we had to be off by 6am,” Gracey says. “And if we went over, we weren’t allowed to shoot the next night.” https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/movies/robbie-w...eGWuDSwLspxz9YN
January 13Jan 13 Author Rock DJ also trending on Twitter with the usual arguments . Every argument that goes on helps to increase his profile ;) I am sure he would like this one ( I love Morrissey, he's cool looking ) @1878673556378353754 Edited January 13Jan 13 by Sydney11
January 13Jan 13 Rock DJ also trending on Twitter with the usual arguments . Every argument that goes on helps to increase his profile ;) I am sure he would like this one ( I love Morrissey, he's cool looking ) @1878673556378353754 This is a good one 😂
January 18Jan 18 The FULL scene from Better Man is on YT now! (please don't watch this before watching the movie itself!) o3HOYdlte8w
January 28Jan 28 Author View this post on Instagram Video thanks to https://www.instagram.com/robbie.williams.fan/
February 4Feb 4 Waiting for a full dance. Looks perfect!! And after all years I really prefer the newest version of Rock DJ than original. I would say even more, XXV version I also liked more than original one. mh02c5hGgFM
February 4Feb 4 Author Waiting for a full dance. Looks perfect!! And after all years I really prefer the newest version of Rock DJ than original. I would say even more, XXV version I also liked more than original one. mh02c5hGgFM I like the soundtrack version as well. I have been reading the booklet that comes with the CD & will post a picture with the credits for Rock DJ tomorrow. I cannot seem to upload now but will try again tomorrow .
