elisabeth1973

I can imagine him as a great actor, but I agree, he will not have he patience. I am still wondering what he is up to with Rufus and Helena Bonham Carter. I also thin that the festival set will be just like Rock in Rio or Singapore. If he does too much swing I already see the casual festival visitor slipping away. But Once again I rely on their experience. Until now they got the mix right

the casting shows had their good times, but the hey days are over. I wonder of he will do a movie

The Glock is a very famous gun, Syd and they are weapon producers from Austria, one of the richest families there. They sponsor one of the most famous Austrian horse tournaments which is always crowned by a party. Day one Mariah C. sang, and many illustrious guests were there. Robbie did already two private gigs with them in Carinthia. I think the young wife of Mr. Glock is a fan

Robbie is doing a private gig in Austria with the Glocks today

doing my weekend shopping I pondered this morning what Robbie will do in the next 5 years. Hope I have bought all the right stuff :-)

Hallo Syd, Hallo Laura :cheer:

I agree that he could be hurt by critics, all of us would react similar. The critic of Rudebox made Robbie almost retire. Critics can be very hurtful. But I guess Gary is not called 'Teflon Gary' for nothing. Gary knows that the box office does not count by now. The question is if the audience success can be maintained, the other question is Harvey W. He is not interested in money. He has enough. He wants a Tony and likely according to the American broadsheets and Variety skips those who cannot provide this. The most critic hit the songs and so Eliot and Gary could (not have to) lose his support, which leaves them in the dark again. Gary knows this. He also knows that critic wise either the TT album, his solo album as well as the musical are not very appreciated aide of the hard core fans. The success of the solo effort anywhere else than the UK and Ireland, as well as the TT album even in the UK shows that. He should simply stay away a bit like Robbie stays away from the UK with his current tour and people may appreciate him again. But it is also a fact that soapy ballads are not in in the moment and it is another fact that TT fans are good in having a selective view. However, this is how fans should be and there is still hope for the musical.

I agree with the circus. I don't know how good a live act TTIII are. They have not proved it yet. And as I said, I like TT5, music of TT4, don't like this album, but despite GB not only because of the tax avoidance and his friendship to NMS. he is a great songwriter. but he is greedy and I dislike that his tours as a solo artist is 75 percent of TT ones. Imagine Robbie doing it. And I am interested in them as Robbie is still part of tem.

I like TT as a 5 piece and I love the Circus, I am absolutely no friend of GB, but that is a personal taste. What I say about TT and the tour is based on articles and observations and personal opinion. The ticket sales until now though proof the concerns right. Well, on the other hand, there are still 9 months to sell the tickets

they comment on the popularity of TT as a three and a 4 piece and the likelihood to sell tickets. Twist it like you want, outside the UK and Ireland TT is not popular. This is less down to TT only, but to the dislike of boybands these days. Plus unfortunate for TT, this is Robbieland and Robbieland means without the others. If you are interested to read the articles via Google translator I can post the link. It will be very interesting how general sales will do. Maybe it is appreciated that they are a great live act

the critics I read from the German press about the tour are devastating

I am really curious how this turns out for them. Good luck for TT and those who wants to go for tickets

There was an article about some months ago in the Times about the tax avoidance schemes and they mentioned TT aside of others and they said that it is 35 million and 32 of them are of GB and that it is not paid back yet but they discuss about the how. I have no idea if this is true, but even if you consider GB worth 70 million it would be half of his fortune. Guess we would need to pay 100,000 pounds all of a sudden from our money. They need to tour, bring out another album and tour again and that is what they will do. They are still invited to the top shows including the Brits. But I think the General public is bored of them. They sold around 450,000 tickets for the tour in Britain, exactly that many as they sold albums. Compare the Circus (not Progress, this was different). Even if you consider that album sales hit the bottom with such a loyal fan base TT had and the enormous sympathies with the General Public after the ITV docu 2005 when they came back, this is nothing. And they really did all the promo possible from wedding singers to all shows they could attend. Now have a look at the usual TT (and Robbie)friendly countries like NL, I, GE and DE. They really charted nowhere with both single and album. As I said, one week no 26 for the album in Germany was the best spot. I wish every hardcore TT fan to see them. But like Robbie fans fly to Britain to see him, TT fans will do the same. Even if you expect that they count on people who want to see and hear their old songs, they have to shift 65,000 tickets in Germany with no hit album since their first time around except Progress and being ridiculed during the Progress tour as background singers of Robbie in Germany and all European countries. This is no bashing but a fact. So I am wondering, if they are desperate, hopeful or maybe have indications that people will buy tickets which are possibly cheap??? It will be interesting to see. I wish them well.

I have not expected them to tour Europe considering that the best position they achieved with the album was place 26 for one week in Germany. These days didn't even got that far. But I guess they don't care for the new songs and hope that people buy tickets because of the old songs. Aside of the Flood and Patience though TT new had not a single hit, in Germany, not even Rule the world charted well. So it must be the show then? Nostalgia? Lionel Ritchie is doing shows too without a hit single for years in Germany, well, he is a bigger star than TT in some people's minds. It will be interesting how many will pay money to pay for TT3. On the other side, all three of them have to pay tax back (and no, they haven't) Gary up to 32 million. They have to keep it running with tours and albums.

450,000 is a shame for an album of a major group even in times like this. They have not even sold 50,000 outside of the UK. They have done anything what is possible in the TK promowise and still they match not even Gary's and Robbie's solo UK sales (Aside that Robbie sold more than a million of Swings both ways outside the UK either) That must hurt a lot. Fortunately the UK tour sold well.

I would be interested to have the overall sales of III? 400,000?

Their problem and the problem of this thread is the fact that you all see it only from the UK base. The sales in the UK for Britains Top Band are disastrous despite the no 1. But in the rest of Europe like Germany, Holland, Denmark, Italy they sell almost nothing. They will have half empty venues there. I agree though that their live capacity in Britain can still carry on depending how they can stay strong as three for the old songs. Doing pray as a 3 piece, oh well, Howard singing the Flood, I heard it, horrible...Gary will do allthe leads for the future and that means GB with his 2 backing singers. That isn't TT

Progress different to the Circus sold a lot in other countries than the UK. But other countries do only count here if they shoe TT3 or TT4 success I have the impression. To celebrate a number 36 spot is ridiculous. Matter of factly without the chart position with the sales and critics III could be considered as a serious flop even in the UK. In the rest of Europe they sold not even 50,000 copies. TT and Gary simply do not sell and the backslash in the UK is huge considering that they were away 4 years and everyone should be eager

I would be interested to know how much they sold in the rest of Europe where they chart badly with single and album and if they will really tour there

oh and Germany, Denmark is not vietnam...and believe me, if TT would sell there it would be important for you. denial does not change facts

jay ,yes Robbie wrote the flood before reuniting with TT. it is in chris heath book he wrote it 2008/9. SBW sold 790,000 in the UK an 2mi;;ion worldwide (600,000 in Germany). Don't forget that different to TT he is INTERNATIONAL successful. the numbers are official. a long way to go for TT also to have 17 Brit awards an 8 echos. TT is big ....in the UK without him...but even there they failed this time to impress the passer by

well you cannot argue with popularity in hindsight of Rob 77 mill albums solo,25 with TT and 10 million concert visitors, speak for itself and if you day that the press was not vitriolic to rob you have not been along long. until shortly they have always preferred TT in the UK. Their last international hit was The Flood written by Robbie already before he rejoined them. They are great live, but don't transfer outside the UK, despite promo in Germany and NL they do not chart and looking at the sales the UK non thatters are not keen on this album either

well, Rudebox flopped with 4.5 million sales worldwide, pretty nice flop. RKTVS sold more than 300,000 copies in the first week and TTC sold 1.3 million though and inspired a tour of 1.5 million people. SBW sold 2 million and covered a tour of 50 dates the next year. This is what I call success. Without bringing TT down only in regard of facts III sells nowhere aside of the UK not even in Ireland and SISYL of Gary was planned to go to Australia, but did not sell there, neither in Europe. The press had never been good to Robbie, remember 2006 and the entire UFO thing. They are better now with him as he has good material and does not evade taxes for example. He has changed and matured. They realize it. But to compare the success of TT with Robbie (even in Britain) is ridiculous (see above numbers). They were Lucky with Progress and Rob's attraction in Europe. They were not called Robbie and his backing singers in Europe for nothing .

The financial magazins which matter more than the word of Nigel have reported that Gary has NOT paid the taxes back yet. 35 million is half of his fortune and you have invested this kind of money usually. These Days is holding far better than the album. But if they sell 300,000 till the end of the year it is very poor sales even in this kind of market, not to mention that they do not sell in the rest of Europe, so hardly anything will add. Still it is not clear if they will indeed tour Europe, despite Gary said it. The tickets for the tour are more important these days, I agree. But compared to their last Robbie-less tour they only sold 450,000 tickets instead of 1.2 million. And as far as I know the tickets went on sale before the album was out. Plus, fortunately for them their fanbase want to hear Rule the world rather than something knew. Progress might not be of the TT4 fan taste in general, but it was their best selling and publically, commercially and critically most acclaimed album...because of the influence of a certain RW (otherwise III would have the same effect). If they will not come up with a huge reunion and/or huge album next they are definitely on their way out on the grand scale. Look at the reviews of Under the Radar (Sunday Times) compared with III

Gary is the dominant person in TT when Robbie is not with them, one reason he jokingly said in a German interview he is happy that Rob did not join again. There is always a core of truth in each joke. There are those who like III and other's don't. Fact is that the obsession of TT by the general public has decreased and even the Core fans outside the UK have not shown real support. III did not chart or charts badly in Robbie's core countries which is surprising as TT and Rob are at least linked. One reason for the bad sales and the sales are bad even with decling album sales is the over exposure of Gary through two years. This is normal. Every artist overexposed gets the press on his hook like Robbie in 2006. But it is also his arrogant way to deal with the tax issues and as far as the financial magazines have reported the money is not paid back fully by now (He had two tax issues, not one). I am wondering if their sales will be steady from now on and how they will do in Germany after the promo.