Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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WHAM!

UK pop vocal duo: George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley (b 26 January 1963, Bushey, Herts) Ridgeley also played guitar; Michael was the mastermind and songwriter; they became the acceptable face of conservative '80s UK pop: slick, debonair and massively successful. They came together in the Executives '79; demos including 'Careless Whisper' led to a recording contract which turned out to be a nightmare when they hit big. 'Wham! Rap (Enjoy What You Do)' attracted attention; breakthrough came with 'Young Guns (Go For It)' at no. 3 '82, 'Bad Boys' at no. 2; album Fantastic '83 displayed Motown-influenced white soul, escapist fantasies such as 'Club Tropicana' (no. 4 '83). Just behind Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet in popularity, they soon became the pin-ups of the decade with 'Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go', no. 1 both USA/UK '84. 'Freedom' and 'Last Christmas' were both UK no. ones; second album Make It Big '84 was a mega-success. Michael's solo 'Careless Whisper' was USA/UK no. 1 and he was lead voice on the Band Aid single '84; in '85 he received the first of two Ivor Novello Songwriter of the Year awards and duetted with Elton John at Live Aid.

They were the first Western pop group to perform in China, leading to a contentious video Under Foreign Skies. The tabloid press couldn't get enough of them; Michael seemed unhappy with the incessant interest but Ridgeley was ideal fodder, crashing racing cars and squiring pretty girls. Michael was also unhappy with their manager Simon Napier-Bell's interest in South Africa, then politically incorrect; he announced a Wham! split early '86 and their farewell show was at Wembley. 'I'm Your Man' and 'The Edge Of Heaven' were both no. 1, as was Michael's solo 'A Different Corner'; a two-disc best-of The Final was a predictable commercial success. Ridgeley turned full-time playboy; see Michael's entry.