George Michael

[Marcinabolan]

After all the Yog adoration in the Secret Celeb Gossip threads, I think it’s time the man, the legend, got his own thread (let’s face it, he’s more than worthy of one!)

I’ve been a fan of his since the early 90’s as I grew up listening to both him and Wham! My favourite solo album of his was Listen Without Prejudice.

He was a fantastic artist, an incredible human being, and was the first to have a laugh at himself. One of my favourite videos of him is where he’s refused entry into his own concert I can’t think of an artist since who can take the piss out of himself and kept it real as well as George did.

He is so, so missed

 

[Renegadedancer]

Another long time fan here. I have mentioned this previously on another thread but here goes. An old school friend of mine used to work on the security queues at Heathrow. She worked on the VIP area , the rule was to never ask anyone for autographs. This was long before the selfie was a thing. We had a discussion that if George ever came through she would chance her luck and ask. One morning he came through, she said he was charming. She asked him for an autograph for me, he wrote my name and then love George Michael. She thanked him and as he went he said don’t get told off ! This must have been 25 years ago, I still have it in a frame
I saw him at Earls Court, Wembley, The Royal Albert Hall and my fave was when he played at the Royal Opera House for an AIDS benefit for Elton Johns charity. I think we all knew he was amazing but the hole he left when he passed away is immeasurable. His music is timeless and his talent rare. RIP wonderful George

 

[MrFMercury]

Loved the Wham documentary on Netflix and what a change to watch something so life affirming. He seemed to be such a great friend and really relatable in so many ways.
I also loved George at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert, he had an amazing voice too. Seeing him gain more and more confidence was brilliant and the video for Outside after his arrest was just a genius. The first time I saw it I remember laughing with genuine delight at the massive fuck you to those that would shame him.

 

[Marcinabolan]

A man who gave many a closeted burly truck driver a good time on Hampstead Heath.

I believe there was a part of Extras where Ricky Gervais was talking to him on Hampstead Heath He could take the mick out of himself like nobodies business

 

[Carefree]

Finally number one achieved

 

[theleagueofgentlemen]

Oh god he was just wonderful wasn't he!

 

[Carefree]

I've got to bed myself in here, scooch up. George Michael is such a key part of my life. From "Last Christmas" being there since I was in nappies, to "Freedom" with the pinnacle of 90s supermodels in the video, to the way he lived life on his own terms, especially after the bullshit sting operation in LA.

Such a good heart and the irony of how he went isn't lost on me any more than dying on Christmas day was. The fact we're still talking about him and learning new ways in which he helped people without alerting everyone tells its own story.

 

[Carefree]

Wham are Christmas number 1 again. Only track to do it in consecutive years as well. How fabulously bittersweet 🥲

Wham's Last Christmas is the Christmas number one for a second consecutive year

Last Christmas tops the festive chart for a second year running, but Band Aid misses the top 10.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[slothella22]

My beautiful best friend died from cancer in October 2014. She had bravely battled cancer for a number of years and she was on 42 when she passed. She was the biggest George fan on the planet and Careless Whisper was her favourite song. A couple of months before she died she wrote to George because her dying wish was to sing with him (she was in a band). She knew she was asking the impossible. Weeks after she died a letter arrived at her home and her husband opened it, it was a letter from no other than George! He declined but he told her words to the effect of to keep singing and keep going. She would have been elated if she'd been alive to see it. At her funeral her band, led by her husband sang an acoustic version of Carless Whisper with harp, guitar and violin. It was so beautiful. Everyone in the church joined in. It was an incredible moment. I can't listen to George without thinking of them both.

 

[Missmopps]

Some photos of the George Michael auction exhibition at Christie’s. 14 March 2019

Neons
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Outside the exhibition
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Various artworks
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Inside the exhibition
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Inside the exhibition
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The fast love room

 

[RolandTB-303]

George deserves this . He would have probably given the proceeds to charity knowing him

He actually did. It was originally released in December 1984, the same time as Do They Know It's Christmas so George insisted that the royalties from his song also went to famine relief charities. It meant that both the UK Christmas number one and number two singles featured George on vocals and that their combined sales went to charity.

 

[SlummyMummy76]

Ah what a lovely thread. i went to see Wham as a 17yr old in 1983 in Manchester. It was love at first sight.
more recently, I went to George’s grave ( I have a thing about all graveyards ) and I was stood talking to him with my hand on my chest saying’ oh gorgeous Georgeous’ out loud and a passing woman patted me on the arm and said ‘ so sorry for your loss’. I thanked her and looked over at my husband walking away muttering Ffs to himself.

 

[Delia Smith]

George deserves this . He would have probably given the proceeds to charity knowing him

 

[BabeTakeTwo]

Happy Christmas Lovelies - I hope you will have a day of peace and happiness. xx

 

[kingseven]

It was my child’s School Christmas Disco this evening and the final song of the night was Last Christmas and every child in the room sung it word for word.

The oldest children there were born a little over a year before he sadly left us far too soon so it was a beautiful reminder his music is still so loved
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[Missmopps]

-a few memories
As a kid of the 70s and 80s I listened to the top 40 every Sunday afternoon on radio 1/2? Can’t remember. I also collected the smash hits stickers and had the album. I used to buy smash hits and No1 magazine. Loved them both. I wasn’t a huge wham! fan, I was a culture club girl. I remember one morning getting ready for school and Wake me up before you go go was being played on TV AM. I loved it.

Fast forward to 1987, at big school. I asked for the Faith album for Christmas from my mum and dad. I had loved careless whisper as a junior school romantic at the disco . George as a solo artist was a new phenomenon. I played my new Faith CD on Christmas Day and the first song was I want your sex. I could have died from embarrassment as my mum and dad sat listening. I didn’t really like that song. Father figure was the best and most mature track on that album by far in my opinion.

I bought the double CD of ladies and gentlemen and played it so much. I just thought that this man had the most perfect voice and such emotion and heart in each song. Cowboys and Angels

Christmas 2016 was an emotional one.My dad was in hospital and we had been to see him on Christmas morning. The Salvation Army came and played in the wards which made me cry like a baby. I cooked Xmas lunch for the family after leaving dad in the hospital (which we all didn’t want to do but I think he was happy for the rest after we left). We were playing trivial pursuit at the kitchen table late afternoon when a news notification came up on my phone. George had been found dead on Christmas Day. I couldn’t believe it. It was so unbelievably tragic. I was so sad for him and his family. I’d always loved George and I was gutted for him having been so sad in his final years.

I went to see the George exhibition at Christie’s a few years ago. It was amazingly emotional and very well put together exhibition. I’ve got a few photos and videos of that exhibition if anyone’s interested in seeing it.

RIP George. You were loved so much xxx

 

[PeteM]

I have mentioned this on here before but I heard in February 2016 from a journalist friend that George wouldn't be around much longer, such was the condition of his health. Seems like the media were actually being respectful for once and chose not to go public with this. Still horrible to hear of him passing when he did but consequently it didn't come as a shock.

 

[Marcinabolan]

Loved the Wham documentary on Netflix and what a change to watch something so life affirming. He seemed to be such a great friend and really relatable in so many ways.
I also loved George at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert, he had an amazing voice too. Seeing him gain more and more confidence was brilliant and the video for Outside after his arrest was just a genius. The first time I saw it I remember laughing with genuine delight at the massive fuck you to those that would shame him.

I suppose I didn’t realise how good pals they were before I watched the documentary. Andrew encouraging him to spread his wings as Wham! would never be enough for him. Didn’t George make sure that Andrew was credited somewhere on a song he didn’t write so he still gets royalties? I think maybe have been something like Last Xmas or Careless Whisper.

 

[Marcinabolan]

 

[Delia Smith]

He was so so generous, how many other music legends do you hear about being so giving and kind to so many people? Barely any. George was a true gentleman.