Much later on, I realized he's a very strange man, who's also very intriguing.
For example, I don't think there's any working singer right now can do such a perverted song like "Come Undone" (I know it's not musically challenging, but please be quiet for a while, you high-brows) and make you feel like he's born to sing it.
It's easy to hate people who suddenly spring to superstardom for some stupid thing they did, or simply for being downright screwed up and selling themselves out, or for the shallow hype the money behind them create/buy, because we normal people are jealous and we sometimes have conscience.
Of course we all hear voices in our heads.
Mr. Williams, however, sold himself to a degree that not many other people could ever achieve, and he's still pushing it, even though we have seen every inch of him, inside out. But at the same time, he appears so isolated and mysterious too, which, of course, gets more affection from fans. At times, he can even play the overwhelmed bloke caught up in a whirlwind. (Maybe he really is? Doesn't matter anyway.) He's a smart guy - no doubt about it.
So rock and roll, so corporate suit
So damn ugly, so damn cute
So well trained, so animal
So need your love, so fuck you all
I'm not scared of dying, I just don't want to
If I stop lying I'd just disappoint you
Don't you have to be completely honest and insane to sing this like you've been there and done that? Either that, or you have really been there and done that.
Craziness is one thing.
And his manipulation over cliche is another.
I detest cliche. And I believe a lot of you out there do too. Perhaps even more than I do.
Mr. Williams knows all that. So he plays with cliche and makes it seem so twisted or just does it to death like it's an ordinary mocking grin on his face. It's his call, and we just watch.
He is one of the few people left that prove some pop stars are still worth watching. Every single, every album, every tour, and certainly, every scandal of his plead and always successfully earn public attention and candid observation.
What do you call this man? I might say he's an artful pop star. If there's ever a Hogwarts for pop-star-wannabes, he should be their Dumbledore.
