Amid Continuing Tabloid Controversy, George Michael Presses On, Cements Wham! Reunion for Yuletide Concert
I must say my respect for George Michael has actually risen rather than declined during the last decade, despite a persistent period of unrest for the singer that has produced a series of tawdry sex and drug scandals. The reason for that possibly unorthodox perspective is Michael's self-deprecation and disarming sense of humor regarding his missteps, laced with an appropriate amount of bitterness for the celebrity culture that loves to sensationalize his bacchanalian appetites.Still, beyond all that nonsense, Michael is now in the midst of celebrating his quarter-century of pop superstardom, and he recently confirmed a one-off Wham! reunion with former musical partner Andrew Ridgeley for a Yuletide concert at Wembley Stadium in London. The passage of time tends to make pop culture fanatics get misty about even the silliest flashes from their past, but in this case the 20 years since Wham!'s unsurprising dissolution has probably been quite kind to the pop duo's legacy. Vilified frequently during their reign atop the pop charts during the mid-'80s, Michael and Ridgeley seem like Lennon and McCartney compared to some of the fluff that passes for pop music today. After all, Michael has always been a talented and confident songwriter, fluent and able in a variety of styles. So here's hoping Michael finds a way to look back and look ahead at the same time, without ending up in a ditch somewhere.
Album Cover Photo Courtesy of Columbia Records
Comments
Thanks for the update and commentary…I have tons of respect for George Michael and don’t consider his personal struggles to be a strike against his musical integrity. Now, hopefully they’ll make a DVD of the Yuletide concert and make it available to Region 1 viewers!