The first guitar note hit like a spark in dry grass. From there, Rocket was unstoppable — a three-and-a-half-minute surge of sound that carried Robbie Williams back into the public ear with the force of a re-entry burn. Partnered with Black Sabbath legend Tony Iommi, Robbie didn’t just release a song; he lit the fuse on a new chapter.
A Meeting of Fire and Steel
Two worlds collided in this collaboration — the finely honed showmanship of Robbie’s pop legacy and the raw, iron-forged sound of Iommi’s heavy metal heritage. In the studio, their chemistry wasn’t loud or forced; it was instinctive. Robbie later reflected that working with Iommi felt like standing beside a forge, where every riff was a hammer strike and every vocal line had to hold its own against molten steel.
He described the first playback session as a moment when the room seemed smaller, the air heavier, and the music alive enough to look you in the eye.
Sound That Refuses to Sit Still
From its opening bars, Rocket pushes forward with no intention of coasting. Iommi’s guitar is not a background flourish — it is the spine, the engine, the reason the track feels like it could blast through walls. Drums pound with the urgency of a sprint, basslines anchor the chaos, and Robbie’s voice rides the wave without ever losing control.
Robbie confided to friends that the recording process was like chasing a storm — exhausting, electric, and impossible to forget once you’d been inside it.
Britpop Reimagined
Though the parent album bears the name Britpop, it is not a museum piece. This is no soft-edged homage; it’s a modern reinvention. The record, Robbie explained in private conversation, was built to feel alive — guitar-heavy, sweat-soaked, and unapologetically bold. Rocket is its flagship, an anthem for those who prefer their nostalgia shot through with fresh adrenaline.
To those close to him, Robbie admitted he wanted this project to sound like the soundtrack to a city at full tilt — all lights, noise, and motion.
A Visual That Matches the Sound
The music video amplifies the energy rather than merely echoing it. Robbie stalks the streets in punk-inspired attire, his movements sharp against the blur of a restless city. Tony Iommi’s scenes, filmed in Birmingham, carry a grounded intensity, as if the guitar itself were a character in the story. Together, they look less like two artists performing and more like two forces converging.
Crew members recalled Robbie’s insistence that every frame should feel like a still from a film about escape velocity.
Reception Charged with Energy
Critics noted the unusual pairing and the way it works far better than expected. Fans responded with a surge of enthusiasm, calling the track an unexpected jolt of life. The live audience will soon get their turn — and Robbie is already anticipating how Rocket will feel when it breaks free from speakers and hits open-air festival crowds.
In rehearsal, he told his band that the first live performance needed to feel like lighting a match in a room full of fireworks.
Building Toward the Tour
The release of Rocket is perfectly timed. Robbie’s Britpop Tour will carry him across the UK and Europe this summer, and the song is poised to be its battle cry. It’s easy to imagine the opening riff ringing out, lights sweeping across a roaring crowd, and Robbie stepping forward with the confidence of a man who knows he’s holding a winning hand.
Those in his inner circle say he has been grinning like someone who just found a shortcut to his own past — a way to carry the fire forward without letting it burn out.
A Launch That Promises More
Rocket is more than a single. It’s a declaration that Robbie Williams has no interest in coasting on old victories. With Tony Iommi’s unmistakable guitar slicing through the mix, the track bridges eras and genres, speaking to fans who crave melody, muscle, and momentum in equal measure.
As Robbie put it to one confidant, this is the sound of not looking back — only up.
And from the way Rocket is climbing, there’s little doubt about where it’s headed.
