ARTICLES - ROBBIE WILLIAMS Reuters, 13 February 1996 Take That to split up

British pop group Take That to split up 

Reuters, 13 February 1996

The band said their last concert would be in the Netherlands in April. Take That have scored seven number one hits and sold around four million singles and three million albums in Britain alone. They have a huge teenage following in many European countries. It has long been rumored that Barlow would go solo like George Michael, who has achieved huge success since the break-up of the group Wham!.

"We do care an awful lot about the fans and we hope the fans will understand. We feel we have done all we can as Take That," group member Mark Owen said. The band's management may set up phone lines for distressed fans. Since rumors Take That were splitting up came to a head Monday, hundreds of tearful fans have flooded the switchboard of their record company RCA pleading for the group to stay together. In Germany, fans have been especially distraught and the German government also encouraged the band to set up the phone lines. German fans were among those who reacted worst when band member Robbie Williams quit the group last year.


A 14-year old girl in Berlin tried to commit suicide on learning last July that Williams would never play with the chart-toppers again and Berlin state authorities at the time, set up their own helpline to comfort upset fans. "Based on the experience of last summer, it's to be expected that many fans will have problems taking this news on board," said Ingrid Stahmer, the city-state's youth affairs minister.

She said she had contacted the band's German record company, RCA- Ariola, and urged them to take responsibility. "I asked them to set up an information and advice line," Stahmer said. Take That was set up in 1990 by manager Nigel Martin-Smith as the "perfect pop group." All five male members agreed to devote themselves 15 hours a day, 50 weeks a year to reaching the top. There was to be no drinking, no drugs and no steady girlfriends. Last year when Robbie Williams left the group, he said he could not stand the pressure any longer. The four remaining members release their last single, a remake of the Bee Gees hit "How Deep Is Your Love," on Feb. 26.