Wham! By Márcia Schwarz Perel
Since early in my life music has been a part of my every
day. But not until I was nine years old, my devotion for an artist had come
around. I am still obsessed with him and whoever knows me, even if it is just
for a little bit, knows who I am taking about. My favorite artist and the muse
of my devotion started his career with a pal, and they managed to be one of the
most important, influential and amazing duo of the eighties: WHAM!
George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley were school mates at the
Bushey Meads Comprehensive Schools in Hertfordshire, England. They started
hanging out after school, writing music and with other mates, David Austin
(George’s biggest friend and collaborator), Harry Tadayon and Andrew Leaver.
Together they formed the band called The Executives. They soon split leaving
George and Ridgeley to form WHAM! The year was 1983.
Once WHAM! signed a record deal, George assumed most of the
responsibilities like singing, playing most of the instruments and writing.
Their first song released was WHAM! Rap (enjoy what you do) but due to
censorship regarding strong lyrics it did not do well on the charts. Their next hit called Young Guns (go for it)
was issued and they performed it at UK’s show Top of the Pops and the success
was immediate.
Joined by dancers
Shirlie and Pepsi, WHAM! became a staple at Top of the Pops during the
eighties. Shirlie and Pepsi participated at the videos too. Club Tropicana was
their all time collaboration.
Club Tropicana, Bad Boys soon followed and WHAM! was
fighting against giants as Duran Duran and Culture Club for the number one on
the charts.
In 1985, Wake Me Up Before You Go Go launched. This is when
it all started for me. The song was written inspired on a note Ridgeley left
for his parents. I was in NY visiting my Grandparents and my Grandfather used
to have a huge radio where he used to pick up news stations from all over the
world. One of the afternoons, he put on a music stations and Wake Me Up was
playing. He told me that the young kids all loved that song and group. It was
love at first sight. I became a WHAM! addict trying to follow everything I
could about them !!!! Did you know that George’s Mother is the one who made the
famous t shirts for the video?
Careless Whisper exploded worldwide (a song that, according
to George does have no meaning, since he wrote it during a bus ride while
bored), Freedom, Last Christmas, Everything She Wants were WHAM!’s last hits.
The band did one last gig for Live Aid singing with other music monsters Do
They Know It’s Christmas.
1986 was their busiest year but also their final one. WHAM!
toured China ( something never done before) and had a mega final 8 hours
concert at Wembley Stadium. For this final concert they released The Edge of
Heaven and Where Did Your Heart Go.
George continued with a successful solo career and Andrew
got involved with car racing. In 1991, they reunited for Rock in Rio.
WHAM! showed to the eighties era that it was OK not to take
yourself seriously, it was fine to change your style and to evolve. This is my rendition to them, this short
lived duo that sparked my life’s obsession.
Images NET
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