Robbie's 'Rudebox' row

Music

13:30 14 September 2006

Robbie Williams's former manager is demanding he remove a song from his new album - just weeks before release.

Ex-Take That manager Nigel Martin-Smith - who claims he made Robbie a star by plucking him from obscurity - is so furious with the vicious lyrics on Robbie's track 'The 90s' he has threatened to take him to court if he does not remove the tune.

In the song - which appears on 'Rudebox', due to be released on October 23 - Robbie sings: "Either you're a thief or you're s**t, which one will you admit to?

"Such an evil man, I used to fantasise about taking a Stanley knife and playing round with your eyes."

Robbie's record label EMI/Chrysalis may now be forced to axe the track and recall CDs already printed for promotional use or face libel action.

A source told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "Nigel is getting really heavy with his lawyers over these allegations. He is taking it very seriously.

"He was furious when he found out about some of the lyrics in the song and wants it deleted from Robbie's album.

"Robbie's lawyers are now dealing with it and have agreed that no copies of the song will be distributed until the legal issues have been resolved. They have also agreed not to release the lyrics anywhere until it is all cleared up."

Nigel and Robbie's feud goes back over ten years. In 1995, Nigel sued Robbie for breach of contract when he ditched his commitments with Take That to appear with Oasis at the Glastonbury music festival.

(C) BANG Media International