FREEDOM

You've admitted feeling low at times over this past year. Are you more confident now?

Yeah, my self-doubts are disappearing day by day. When I wrote my first song it was a big step and I thought, 'yeah, I can really do this'. However, my first single is a cover. I can only say, 'Hey, look at me!' when my own song is in the Top 40.

So why release a cover as your first song?

Basically because I needed to come back with a big hit. Plus I didn't have a statement song and this says it all.

To be honest I don't really know why I didn't release my own single first. It's not very 'take charge' of me, is it? But there we go. I've recorded Freedom, it's going to be a big hit and it's a perfect statement. So people will have to wait to hear what else I can come up with.

How impoortant is it that Freedom goes to No 1?

To be honest, I don't want No 1s anymore. Now, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind the odd few but I'd also like a record going in at eight and staying around. Or even going in at 20 and growing. though not with this one. I'll change my mind on this one. I'd like Freedom and my next single to be No 1 and the others to go Top 10 please.

What's it like working in the studio on your own?

It was scary at first but not so much now. Basically, despite being in and out of them loads of times in the past few years, studios are very alien to me. It used to be a case of 'Yes, go in and sing your vocals. No, don't touch anything! Just go and sing. Thanks very much. Bye!' So I feel as if I'm going into the studio for the first time. I'm now working very closely with a guy called Anthony who used to play with Pulp and Elastica. In fact he's the one who danced naked on stage with Elastica at Glastonbury last year! That's how I met him.

Does tis mean your music will have a Pulp/Elastica feel?

There will be all sorts of styles-I'm writing on both guitar and keyboards-but I don't want to tie myself down to one particular sound. Some songs I'll record with a band, others will be more computer based, and yeah, there will be influences of Pulp but there will also be influences of Pet Shop Boys, New Order and Oasis.

It's a year since you turned up on your own at TOTP to hang out with Oasis. How do you feel about that time now?

When I first started appearing as Robbie ex-Take That, I used to take a deep breath and charge around shouting, 'Here I am, it's Robbie!' Then suddenly I thought, 'I don't have to pretend anymore. I don't have to appear bigger than I really am. I can say what I feel, not what I'm told to say.

But sometimes you seem to regret what you say, for example your recent comments about Gary?

It's not that I wish I hadn't said those things, I just wish I might be sorry but I don't regret it. There's no point regretting things. If you can't do the time, don't do the crime. Life's too short to worry about things I've said.

You don't sound particularly happy.

I don't think anyone can ever be fully happy. If you're fully happy then you're a miserable person because the grass is always greener on the other side- it has to be. I'm not saying I'm miserable- in fact I'm the happiest I've been for a long time, but I'm no happier than I was when I was at school. Then again, I'm more miserable than when I was at school.

Have you put Take That behind you?

I'll never be able to leave it all behind. It's like excess baggage but nice baggage which I'll carry for a long time.