Steve Harnell, Editor Follow me on Twitter: @steve_harnell
I’ve said it before in the pages of Classic Pop and I’ll say it again – George Michael was the finest pure pop songwriter Britain has ever produced since Paul McCartney in his 60s Beatles pomp.
While’s George’s melodic genius allowed him to craft musical gems pretty much from the get-go – he famously wrote Careless Whisper as a 17-year-old, of course – he didn’t arrive straight out of the box as a fully-formed performer. Wham! was effectively his pop star finishing school, and played a pivotal role in building his all-round confidence. In the space of just five years, the group enjoyed an extraordinary evolution yet it still wasn’t enough to contain the enormity and ambition of George’s talent.
A band of brothers and sisters, Wham! remain absolutely vital to George’s ensuing success as a global solo star. As you’ll see in our world exclusive interview with Andrew Ridgeley plus Pepsi & Shirlie this issue that coincides with the release of new Wham! singles compilations and a Netflix documentary, they were all learning the ropes together as performers.
From their first steps as a last-minute replacement for (in all likelihood) Wah! Heat on Top Of The Pops to perform Young Guns (Go For It) all the way through to their triumphant parting shot at Wembley Stadium, this was a group that was marked out by their close friendship.
And the warmth that Andrew, Pepsi and Shirlie still feel among themselves, for George, and for the band itself, is wonderful to read.
If that is isn’t enough to tug at your heartstrings, we also have an inspirational
