Anyone who has heard music like “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”, “Last Christmas”, or “Club Tropicana,” then you have had one of the best experiences. The moment the band burst onto the scene with their debut single, “Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do)”, it was clear that wham! It was more than just a typical band.
If you are from the 1980s, then you must be aware of the magic and craze that Wham! had among the audience. Like a bolt of lightning, Wham! Electrified the pop music landscape, infusing it with a newfound sense of excitement and unabashed fun. Comprised of the exceptionally talented George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, this British duo unleashed a wave of musical brilliance that would forever be in the center of the old hearts.
Andrew Ridgeley has opened up about his connection with his late partner in the Wham! Band, George Michael, stated that the singer’s “later years weren’t his best” as a result of various factors that played a part. Michael passed away at the age of 53 on Christmas Day 2016 at his residence in Oxfordshire, regularly making headlines in the period leading up to his demise, as a result of several encounters with the legal system.
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Andrew Ridgeley shares his relationship with George Michael
While reflecting on the process of accepting the passing of George Michael, Andrew Ridgeley, at the age of 60, expressed to Radio Times the profound sense of loss experienced by himself and his mutual friends.
He lamented the inability to relish Michael’s companionship during this particular phase of life, acknowledging that the singer’s later years were marked by various factors that hindered his well-being. However, Ridgeley emphasized that, even in recent times, their reunions retained the familiar elements that characterized their past interaction.
“The pleasure we found in each other’s company, and the amusement with which we regarded each other- that didn’t change”.
Ridgeley and Michael united to create Wham! in 1981, and their collaboration yielded successful tracks like the chart-topping singles “Last Christmas” and “I’m Your Man”. Nevertheless, their musical partnership proved to be relatively brief, culminating in a farewell concert held in 1986.
Regarding the decision to bring Wham! to a close, Ridgeley explained that it was necessary “for George to evolve into the artist he was meant to become.”
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George Michael’s Chaotic Life
When asked about his belief in George’s potential for global fame, Ridgeley responded, stating, “Og God, yeah. I was incredibly proud of him”. Indeed, George went on to achieve immense success as a solo artist. However, in the 2000s, he garnered media attention when he faced a driving ban due to drug possession.
In October 2006, George Michael was found slumped over the steering of his car. Subsequently, in May of the following year, he admitted guilt to driving while unfit through drugs, leading to a two-year driving ban.
In September 2010, George Michael pleaded guilty to charges of possessing cannabis and driving while under the influence of drugs.
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After Michael’s death in 2016, Ridgeley gave him tribute in these words. “I had always been aware of George’s importance to me, of the bond of friendship and of the sparkle and light, effervescence and electricity that suffused the music we made. Yet in the intervening years between our career together as Wham! and where our different lives had subsequently led us, I had somehow lost sight of quite what my childhood best friend meant to me”.
In his 2019 book, titled “George and Me,” Ridgeley acknowledges having uncertainties regarding Michael’s death. The official ruling from the coroner attributed the star’s passing to a heart condition, deeming it non-suspicious. Ridgeley expressed in his writing, “He seemed to be in good health, and there are conflicting reports surrounding that night that preseeded his passing”.
On Netflix, a ninety-minute film on Wham! is going to be released on 5 July.
