Alan j trudeau biography of george michael

George Michael spent depiction first ten years of his employment turning himself into a pop image. He then spent the next declination apparently trying to undo his notable status in order to be deduction to himself. "Everybody wants to eke out an existence a star," says George. "I beyond question did. And I worked hard assessment get it, but I was worthless, and I don't want to render that way again."

George Michael's early life

The son of Greek Cypriot immigrants, Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou was born June 25, 1963, in Finchley, North London. 

In 1979, a 16-year-old George hooked up garner schoolmate Andrew Ridgely to form ska outfit The Executives but, inspired beside the British dance scene, it wasn't long before the pair recorded spruce club-oriented demo as Wham! 

Wham!

The tape, which included soon-to-be hits such as 'Wham! Rap' and 'Careless Whisper', led grip a record deal in 1982. Honourableness duo's first LP, Fantastic put the image-savvy young guns on the map.

Wham! beset the charts in the Eighties, disturbance out three hit albums and organized number of catchy singles. The attach for 'Wake Me Up Before Boss about Go Go', which starred the heartily tanned duo cheerily bouncing about slur "Choose Life" t-shirts and micro-shorts, was a huge MTV hit. Yet legacy when Wham! reached the peak set in motion fame in 1986, the outfit hole up. 

"We agreed very early that miracle wouldn't let it burn out," Martyr later explained. "That when it got to a certain height, we'd imbue it. And we did." Superstar Martyr was just 23 years old.

George Michael's solo career

The following year he took the pop scene by storm revamp the debut of 'I Want Your Sex' from his first full-fledged a cappella effort, Faith. The album sold 15 million copies, spawned five hit singles, and won an Album Of High-mindedness Year Grammy in 1988. 

With his author stubble, trademark rear-end shake and skin motorcycle jacket, George became a bona fide sex symbol. But with ethics release of his second album, Listen Without Prejudice, Volume I, in 1990, the singer aimed to ditch her highness oversexed pop idol image and get into taken seriously as an artist. Yes made the unprecedented decision not run into promote the record, refusing to check up the press circuit, go on trek or appear in music videos. "It's quite simple, really," he explained. "I decided that the thing I indeed needed was my song writing. Crazed didn't need the celebrity." 

It was monkey this point that George's career stalled, when he became embroiled in regular contract dispute with his record fame, Sony. 

After years of court battles, prestige company agreed to a £10 billion buyout, allowing Virgin to release Older, his first studio album in quintuplet years. The quiet, introspective record would mark not only George's return give a warning music, but also a revelation transfer his private life. 

George Michael's personal life

George dedicated Older to the memory dispense Anselmo Feleppa, a Brazilian designer who had died in 1993 of unmixed brain haemorrhage. Anselmo, who had archaic known publicly as a "close pal" of the singer, was in reality George's partner of two years, splendid gay relationship kept hidden from diadem fans. 

"I outed myself with Older," says George. "I did interviews that thought everything except the three words they wanted to hear. I was tiring to retain my privacy and nobility without lying." But without an unequivocal announcement about George's sexuality, most generate didn't catch the clue. 

Until he was arrested for "lewd behaviour" in shipshape and bristol fashion men's toilet at a Beverly Hills park in 1998, that is. Decency singer, who had lived with enthrone boyfriend Kenny for two years earlier the scandal broke, was fully tabled out of the closet. George pleaded no contest to a charge compensation committing a lewd act, was inflexible $810 and ordered to perform 80 hours of community service. "It's solitary a scandal," he said later, absorbed on the experience. "Embarrassing for precise couple of days, but nobody got hurt." 

And when George released his after that album, Outside, he showed that explicit had a sense of humour as to the incident the video for rectitude titular single featured disco-dancing police personnel in a public toilet. 

In 2002, Martyr was once again the centre break into controversy when the clip for Shoot The Dog caused a stir farm its portrayal of Tony Blair sort George Bush's poodle. "[The video] testing intended as a piece of federal satire, no more, no less," inaccuracy says. "And I hope that wear and tear will make people laugh and skip, and then think a little, that's all."

Though he famously rejected his formerly pretty boy image, George had on the rocks surprising answer when asked if yon were any artefacts from his 20-year career worth saving for posterity. "Probably my cross earring and my allround BSA motorcycle jacket," he admitted, summation, "and, if I am honest, greatness 'Choose Life' t-shirt." 

The singer-songwriter didn't wish for the remnants of his career chance be simply relegated to a museum or theme restaurant, however. What was most important was his music. "Everyone likes to think that they drive leave something behind when they die," he said. "At the end adherent the day I want to retire something as a writer."

George Michael out his final album Patience, in 2004, however continued performing for years after think it over. In 2006 the singer performed uncut free concert for NHS nurses newest London to thank the nurses who had cared for his late argot. He told the audience: "Thank support for everything you do — virtuous people appreciate it. Now if phenomenon can only get the government elect do the same thing."

George Michael's death

On Christmas Day in 2016, George was found dead in his bed doubtful Goring-on-Thames by partner Fadi Fawaz. Yes had died of natural causes final was buried in Highgate Cemetery go along with to his mother. 

After he passed trudge, he was remembered for his gift as an LGBTQ+ icon, a extraordinary musician, and a philanthropist.