Robbie Williams 'torments' Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page in home row
Robbie Williams 'torments' Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page in home row
Robbie Williams is "blasting Black Sabbath music" to torment his rock star neighbour Jimmy Page over their bitter home extension row, according to a complaint to their local council.
The Take That singer won a five-year battle when he was granted conditional approval last year to build a basement swimming pool at his London home.
Page fears excavation work will damage his 1875 Grade-I listed mansion.
Williams is also said to be imitating Page's former bandmate Robert Plant.
A letter to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea states that as well as Sabbath, the singer has been playing Pink Floyd and Deep Purple songs at high volume, as "he knows this upsets" the 75-year-old Led Zeppelin guitarist, who has lived at Tower House for more than 46 years.
The two stars live next door to each other in Holland Park - Williams's Grade II-listed home used to belong to film director and restaurant critic Michael Winner.
The Take That singer owns a property to the right of Tower House, where Page has lived since the early 1970s
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It is not publicly known who wrote the complaint, which is signed "Johnny" .
Talking about the row in the Telegraph on Friday , a spokesman for Williams said the claims in the complaint were "a complete fabrication and nonsense".
Image caption The Take That singer owns a property to the right of Tower House, where Page has lived since the early 1970s Image copyright Owal Image caption A drawing from the planning application to develop the basement at the property
The correspondent adds that Williams has also dressed up to imitate Plant by "wearing a long hair wig, and stuffing a pillow under his shirt in an attempt to mock or imitate Mr Robert Plant's beer belly that he has acquired in his older age".
This is "embarrassing", the letter continues, because "Mr Plant was remembered for performing with his shirt open on stage, and obviously he cannot perform in his current condition as it would be very embarrassing".
Image copyright Getty Images
Tower House's history
- Designed and built between 1875 and 1881 by William Burges, seen as one of the greatest Victorian architects
- His designs were inspired by medieval England
- Tower House became Grade I listed in 1949
- It was previously owned by Lady Jane Turnbull and actor Richard Harris before Page bought it in 1972, allegedly outbidding David Bowie
- It is opulently decorated with each room having a specific theme
- Page has meticulously conserved all of the original features, according to a Guardian profile on the house
In December, planning permission for the extension to be built was granted to 44-year-old Williams .
However, work cannot begin on his Kensington home until councillors receive reassurance that vibration levels and ground movement issues will be monitored.
They will also decide whether to ask Williams for a bond, which could be forfeited if those conditions were breached or if any damage is done to Page's property.
Representatives for Williams previously said any construction work would fall within stringent regulations and any effects on surrounding properties would be "negligible".
Publicists for both stars have been approached for comment.
For those who don't know , Robbie Williams is British a pop music star in his own right.
If he really wanted to freak Page out though, you would think he would play Jim Nabors music or something like that, and not rock contemporary to Page.
Interesting and strange story. Jimmy Page is well known as being very quiet in his senior years and doesn't bother anyone, so I am sure he just so glad to have this pain in the butt living next door.
We had a similar thing happen with Martha Stewert and her neighbor real estate mogul Harry Macklowe over a common row of trees that separated the two homes. It was claimed that Stewart tried to run him over one night over it.
Rich and famous people have such tough problems.