Netflix’s new documentary offers with the rise of the British duo Wham!, their path to world fame and the dynamic between George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. It sheds mild on Michael and Ridgeley’s artistic partnership and the tensions that arose when Michael took over the songwriting duties.
The documentary combines archival footage and audio interviews that showcase how the teenage greatest pals shaped the long-lasting duo in 1981 and achieved huge success in simply 4 years. Wham! launched a number of chart topping albums within the UK together with songs like “Wake Me Up Earlier than You Go-Go.”
Michael’s imaginative and prescient and songwriting prowess propelled the band in direction of fast success nevertheless it additionally created friction between the 2. Ridgeley admits, “George’s songwriting was growing at a tremendous tempo. My songwriting simply wasn’t growing in the identical means, creating just a little little bit of friction.”
The transition from shared songwriting to Michael taking on created stress. Nevertheless, the movie portrays Ridgeley in a shiny mild highlighting his position as not solely a driving drive in Wham! but in addition a supply of non-public inspiration for Michael. Michael acknowledges Ridgeley’s contribution in his development. He mentioned, “He (Andrew) was the primary individual that I’d ever hung round with that was a lot stronger than me. Nearly every thing got here from Andrew. Andrew modified my life in precisely the best way somebody wanted to alter my life if I used to be gonna be a pop star.“
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In 1986 the duo determined to go their separate methods following a final Wham! Live performance at Wembley Stadium in London. Michael cited his need to return out of the closet along with his sexuality as one of many causes for him to disband. He mentioned, “The turning level with Wham! was me as I out of the blue thought, ‘Oh my god, I’m an enormous star, and I’m homosexual.’” The persona he needed to keep as a Wham! Heartthrob was miserable for him.
Ridgeley was additionally uninterested in being seen because the fortunate man coasting together with Michael’s success. “I believe Andrew was prepared to complete as a result of, a lot as he understood his significance, he was uninterested in being, you understand, taken potshots at because the fortunate man that’s form of coasted together with George Michael. He was a lot greater than that,” Michael mentioned. After the band’s breakup, Michael went on to launch 5 profitable solo albums earlier than passing away unexpectedly because of coronary heart failure.
The documentary provides a nostalgic have a look at the 80s pop scene and provides some grace to Andrew Ridgeley’s typically misunderstood character.