George Michael 45985 226149576 2008-07-17T01:19:51Z 76.125.108.254 /* Sexuality */ {{otherpeople}} {{Infobox musical artist | Name = '''George Michael''' | Img = George Michael at Antwerp (BRAVO).jpg | Img_capt = George Michael performing at [[Antwerp]] (2006-08-14) | Background = solo_singer | Birth_name = Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou | Born = {{birth date and age|1963|6|25}}<br>[[London]], [[England]] | Origin = | Instrument = [[Singing]], [[multi-instrumentalist|multiple instruments]] | Genre = [[pop music|Pop]], [[dance-pop]], [[pop rock]] | Voice_type = [[Tenor]] | Occupation = [[Singer-songwriter]], [[musician]], [[music producer|producer]], [[arrangement|arranger]], [[dance]]r | Years_active = 1981–present | Label = [[Columbia Records]], [[DreamWorks Records|DreamWorks]], [[Virgin Records|Virgin]], [[Epic Records|Epic]], [[Sony Music]] | Associated_acts = [[Wham!]] | Influences = [[Stevie Wonder]], [[Elton John]], [[Paul McCartney]], [[Aretha Franklin]], [[Paul Young]], [[The Temptations]], [[Queen (band)|Queen]], [[Marvin Gaye]] | URL = [http://www.georgemichael.com GeorgeMichael.com] | Notable_instruments = '''Piano'''<br>''John Lennon'' model "Z" Steinway <ref name=steinway/> }} '''Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou''' ({{lang-el|Γεώργιος Κυριάκος Παναγιώτου}}) (born [[June 25]][[1963]]) best known as '''George Michael''', is a two-time Grammy Award winning, [[England|English]]<ref>[http://www.advocate.com/currentstory1_w_ektid17437.asp Issue Number 941 | George Michael: Is it time the English were more afraid of God? | Advocate.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> [[singer-songwriter]], who has had a career as frontman of the duo [[Wham!]] as well as a [[soul music|soul]]-influenced, solo [[Pop music|pop]] [[musician]]. He has sold over 100&nbsp;million records worldwide<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7449964.stm BBC.com Michael seeking 'a quieter life' </ref>, encompassing 12 British #1 singles, 7 British #1 albums, 10 US #1 singles, and 2 US #1 albums. His 1987 debut solo album, ''[[Faith (George Michael album)|Faith]]'', has sold over 20&nbsp;million copies to date. All four of his solo studio albums have all reached #1 on the U.K. charts and have gone on to become huge international successes.<ref name="Upcoming yahoo">{{cite web|url=http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/462423/ |title=George Micahel at HP Pavilion at San Jose|date=[[24 March]] [[2008]]|publisher=Yahoo Inc.|accessdate=2008-05-03}}</ref>. == Early life == {{Confusing|section|date=March 2008}} Michael was born Georgios-Kyriacos Panayiotou in [[East Finchley]], [[North London]]. His father was Kyriacos Panayiotou, a [[Greek Cypriots|Greek Cypriot]] restaurateur who moved to [[England]] in the 1950s and changed his name to Jack Panos.<ref>[http://www.femail.com.au/snapshotgeorgemichael.htm George Michael - Star Snapshot<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Michael's maternal grandmother was from a well-off Jewish family<ref>[http://www.dailyjews.com/articles/525_jewish_george_michae.htm DailyJews - Jewish George Michael<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and his grandfather from a poor working-class non-Jewish family.<ref>Long [[BBC]] interview on ''[[Desert Island Discs]]'' 30 September 2007 </ref> Their daughter was Michael's mother, Lesley Angold Harrison, a former dancer who died of cancer in 1997. <ref>[http://www.yogworld.com/archive/lesley.htm A Tribute to Lesley Panayiotou<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> He spent the majority of his childhood in North London, living in the home his parents bought shortly after his birth. In his early teens, the family moved to [[Radlett]] and Michael attended [[Bushey Meads School]]. He began his career by forming a short-lived [[ska]] band called The Executive with his best friends [[Andrew Ridgeley]], Paul Ridgeley, Andrew Leaver, and David Mortimer (aka [[David Austin]]). == Musical career (pre-solo) == === Wham! === {{main|Wham!}} It was not until he formed the duo [[Wham!]] together with [[Andrew Ridgeley]] in 1981 that success came to Michael. The band's first album, ''Fantastic'', was released going to number 1 in the UK, and within a year, they had released their classic debut single, "[[Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?)]]". Their second single, "[[Young Guns (Go For It!)]]", became the first in a string of Top 10 hits in the [[UK singles chart]]. They followed with titles such as "[[Bad Boys (Wham! song)|Bad Boys]]", and "[[Club Tropicana]]". Their second album ''[[Make It Big]]'' was their breakthrough, eventually selling 6&nbsp;million{{Fact|date=May 2008}} copies in the US alone and made them international superstars. Singles from that album included "[[Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go]]", "[[Freedom (Wham! song)|Freedom]]", "[[Last Christmas]]/[[Everything She Wants]]", and "[[Careless Whisper]]", which was released as a Michael solo effort. George also sang on the original [[Band Aid (band)|Band Aid]] recording of "[[Do They Know It's Christmas]]" and donated the profits from "Last Christmas/Everything She Wants" to the [[charitable trust|charity]]. In addition, he added background vocals to [[David Cassidy]]'s 1985 hit "The Last Kiss", as well as Elton John's 1985 hits "[[Nikita (song)|Nikita]]" and "[[Wrap Her Up]]". Wham!'s tour of [[People's Republic of China|China]] in April 1985, the first visit to China by a Western pop act, generated enormous worldwide media coverage, much of it centred on Michael. The tour was documented by celebrated film director [[Lindsay Anderson]] and producer [[Martin Lewis]] in their film ''Foreign Skies: Wham! In China'' and contributed to Michael's ever-widening fame. With the success of his solo releases "[[Careless Whisper]]" (1984) and "[[A Different Corner]]" (1986) stories of an impending Wham! split intensified, and Wham! separated in the summer of 1986 after a farewell single, "[[Edge Of Heaven]]", an album, plus a sell-out concert at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]] that included the world premiere of the China film. The Wham! partnership officially ended with the little-known single "Where Did Your Heart Go?", which reached a peak position of #50 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in November 1986. == Solo career == George Michael desired to create music targeted to a more sophisticated audience than the duo's primarily teenage fanbase. The first step of his solo career, in early 1987, was a duet with soul music icon [[Aretha Franklin]]. "[[I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)]]" was a one-off project that helped Michael achieve an ambition by singing with one of his favorite artists, and it reached number one on both the UK Singles Chart and the Billboard Hot 100 upon its release. For Michael, it became his third consecutive solo number-one in the UK from three releases, following 1984's "[[Careless Whisper]]" (though the single was actually from the Wham! album "[[Make It Big]]") and 1986's "[[A Different Corner]]". The single was also the first Michael had recorded as a solo artist which he had not written himself. The co-writer, [[Simon Climie]], was an unknown at the time, although he would go on to have success as a performer with the band [[Climie Fisher]] in 1988. With this song, George won a [[Grammy Award]] in 1988 for Best R&B Performance - Duo or Group with Vocal. === ''Faith'' === {{main|Faith (George Michael album)}} <!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:GM Rolling Stone.jpg|right|thumb|George Michael on the cover of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine]] --> The autumn of 1987 saw the release of Michael's first solo album, ''Faith''. In addition to playing a large number of instruments on the album, he wrote and produced every track on the recording, except for one, which he co-wrote. The first single released from the album ''[[Faith (George Michael album)|Faith]]'' was "[[I Want Your Sex]]," in the summer of 1987. The song was banned by many radio stations in the UK and USA, due to its sexually suggestive lyrics. [[MTV]] would air the video, featuring celebrity make-up artist Kathy Jeung in a [[Torsolette|basque]] and suspenders, only during the late night hours. Michael argued that the act was a beautiful thing if the sex was monogamous. Michael even recorded a brief prologue for the video in which he said: "This song is not about casual sex." One of the racier scenes attacked involved Michael writing the words "explore monogamy" on his partner's back in lipstick. Some radio stations played a toned-down version of the song, "I Want Your Love," which was mainly the word "love" replacing "sex." When the tune reached the US charts, ''[[American Top 40]]'' host [[Casey Kasem]] refused to say the song's title, referring to it only as "the new single by George Michael." In the US, the song was also sometimes listed as ''"I Want Your Sex (from'' 'Beverly Hills Cop II''')''," since the song was featured on the soundtrack of the movie. Despite censorship and airplay issues, "I Want Your Sex" reached #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on the week of [[August 8]], 1987. Moreover, the single remained in the Top 10 for six weeks, and the Top 40 for a total of fourteen weeks. The song charted at #3 in Britain. In 2002, several years after the major controversy that followed the release of the song, the music video was featured at #3 on MTV's countdown of the most controversial videos in the channel's history. The second single, "[[Faith (George Michael song)|Faith]]," was released in October 1987, just a few weeks before the album. "Faith" would go on to become one of his most popular songs. The song reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA, and hit #2 in the UK singles chart. The famous video provided some definitive images of the 1980s music industry in the process &mdash; Michael in shades, leather jacket, cowboy boots, and a particularly memorable pair of tight [[Levi's]] jeans, playing a guitar near a classic-design jukebox. "Faith" reached #1 on [[December 12]], and remained there for four consecutive weeks. The album reached #1 in the UK and in several markets worldwide. In the United States, the album had 51 non-consecutive weeks inside the [[Billboard]] 200 Top 10, including 12 weeks at #1. "Faith" had many hits, four of which ("Faith," "[[Father Figure (song)|Father Figure]]," "[[One More Try (George Michael song)|One More Try]]," and "[[Monkey (song)|Monkey]]") reached #1. Eventually, "Faith" reached Diamond certification by the [[RIAA]] for sales of 10 million copies in the US. To date, global sales of ''Faith'' are more than 20 million units.<ref name="Upcoming yahoo">{{cite web|url=http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/462423/ |title=George Micahel at HP Pavilion at San Jose|date=[[24 March]] [[2008]]|publisher=Yahoo Inc.|accessdate=2008-05-03}}</ref> === The ''Faith'' World Tour === In 1988, Michael embarked on a world tour. The nightly set list included from the Wham! era "[[Everything She Wants]]" and "[[I'm Your Man]]," as well as covers of "[[Lady Marmalade]]" or "[[Play That Funky Music]]." In [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], George was joined on stage by [[Aretha Franklin]] for "[[I Knew You Were Waiting (for Me)|I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)]]." That same year, he sang backing vocals for long-time friend and Wham! bass player [[Deon Estus]] on "Heaven Help Me." The song, written by both artists, just missed reaching the British top 40, but reached #5 in the United States. Huge success didn't bring Michael any happiness, as he says in his film, ''A Different Story''. Conscious of being a massive celebrity and possibly a gay man, he started to think there was something wrong in being an idol for millions of teenage girls. The whole ''Faith'' process (promotion, videos, tour, awards) left him completely exhausted, lonely and frustrated, and far from his friends and family. In 1990, he told his record label [[Sony Music Entertainment|Sony]] that he didn't want to do those kinds of promotions anymore. === ''Listen Without Prejudice Vol.1'' === {{main|Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1}} ''[[Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1]]'' was released in September 1990. Following the massive worldwide commercial success of ''[[Faith (George Michael album)|Faith]]'', this album found Michael trying to create a new image for himself as a serious-minded artist &mdash; the title is a clear indication of his desire to be taken more seriously as a songwriter. Michael refused to make any kind of promotion for this album, including no music videos for the singles released. The first single, "[[Praying For Time]]", was released in August 1990. It was a dark and sombre reflection on social ills and injustice; the song was hailed by critics as it peaked at number 6 in the UK and then reached number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 despite the absence of a video. The second single "[[Waiting For That Day]]" was an acoustic-heavy, reflective single, released as an immediate follow-up to the comeback record, "[[Praying For Time]]". However, the corresponding album had also been released and therefore sales of the new single were unsurprisingly limited. "Waiting For That Day" peaked at number 27 in the US and at number 23 in the UK in October 1990. The album debuted in the Billboard 200 list at #22 but reached its peak position of #2, being blocked from the top spot by [[MC Hammer]]'s ''Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em.'' The album spent the rest of 1990 inside the Top 10, and a total of 42 weeks inside the entire list, not even the half of the 87 weeks spent by the previous ''[[Faith (George Michael album)|Faith]]''. In the UK, the album was a good seller and debuted at #1, although only for one week. The two following weeks the album held at #2. The album spent 34 debut consecutive weeks inside the Top 20, making in its 24th an impressive sales increase with a #13-#3 movement. It spent a total of 88 weeks inside the UK albums charts, and was certified 4 times Platinum by the BPI, in [[January 2]], [[1992]]. The album produced 5 UK singles, which were released very quickly, within an 8-month period: "[[Praying For Time]]", "[[Waiting For That Day]]", "[[Freedom '90]]", "[[Heal The Pain]]", and "[[Cowboys And Angels]]" (this last being the only single ever from George not chart on the UK top 40. "[[Freedom '90]]" was the only single to be supported by a music video. The song also alludes heavily to the struggles of being a [[closeted]] gay man, and acted as a catalyst to his effort to break free from his publishing contract with Sony Music. As if to prove the song's sentiment, George refused to appear in the video, directed by [[David Fincher]], and instead recruited supermodels [[Naomi Campbell]], [[Linda Evangelista]], [[Christy Turlington]], [[Tatjana Patitz]], and [[Cindy Crawford]] to [[lip-sync]]. It also featured the destruction of his sex symbol status. [[Freedom '90]] was a lengthy six and half minutes long. The addition of the year to the title was to distinguish the song from "Freedom", a #1 hit for [[Wham!]] back in 1984. It had contrasting fortunes on each side of the Atlantic &mdash; a #8 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, but only #28 on the UK singles chart. The video was badly taken by the American audience who read the destruction of the ''Faith'' icons as George's refusal of his own success. "[[Mother's Pride]]" gained significant airplay in the United States during the first [[Gulf War]] in 1991, often with radio stations mixing in callers' tributes to soldiers with the music. It reached number 46 on Billboard Hot 100 with only airplay. In the end ''[[Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1]]'' sold around 8&nbsp;million copies.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} === The Non-Release of ''Listen Without Prejudice Vol.2'' === In 1991 George Michael embarked in the "Cover to Cover Tour" in England, the US, and [[Brasil]], where he performed at the "[[Rock in Rio]]" event. In the audience in Rio, he saw and later met [[Anselmo Feleppa]], the man who would become his partner. The tour was not a proper promotion for ''Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1''. Rather, it was more about George singing his favourite cover songs. Among his favourites was "[[Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me]]" a 1974 song by [[Elton John]]; George and Elton had performed the song together at the [[Live Aid]] concert in 1985, and again on George's concert at London's [[Wembley Arena]] on [[March 25]], [[1991]], where the duet was recorded. The single was released at the end of 1991 and became a massive hit on both sides of the Atlantic. As successful as the 1974 record had been, it was as a duet that "[[Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me]]" had its greatest success and reached number 1 on the UK singles chart and on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was the only #1 single of the modern era to be recorded at an outdoors venue. Proceeds from the single were divided among 10 different [[charity|charities]] for [[children]], [[AIDS]], and [[education]]. In the meantime the expected following album, ''Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 2'', was scrapped for reasons unknown, although possibly due to Michael's frustration with [[Sony]]. Among Michael's complaints was that Sony had not fully supported the release of his previous album, resulting in its poor performance in the US as compared to ''[[Faith (George Michael album)|Faith]]''. Sony responded that Michael's refusal to appear in promotional videos had caused the poor response. George shelved the idea for ''Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 2'' and donated three songs to the charity project ''[[Red Hot + Dance]]'', which raised money for AIDS awareness, while a fourth track "Crazyman Dance" turned up on the B-side of 1992's "[[Too Funky]]". George donated the "Too Funky" royalties to the same cause. The song was lyrically a basic, animalistic plea from George for sexual activity with an individual, and musically it was the most upbeat record he had released since ''[[Faith (George Michael album)|Faith]]'' almost five years previously. "[[Too Funky]]" was George's final single for his publishing deal with [[Sony Music]] before he started legal action to extricate himself from his contract. The song did not appear on any George Michael studio album, although later it was included on his solo collections ''[[Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael]]'' in 1998 and ''[[Twenty Five (album)|Twenty Five]]'' in 2006. The video featured George (sporadically) as a director filming supermodels [[Linda Evangelista]], [[Tyra Banks]], [[Beverly Peele]], and [[Nadja Auermann]] at a fashion show. "[[Too Funky]]" was a hit, reaching number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 10 in the US Billboard Hot 100. === ''Five Live'' === {{main|Five Live (EP)}} George Michael performed at [[The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert]] on [[April 20]], [[1992]] at London's Wembley Stadium. The concert was a tribute to the life of the late [[Queen (band)|Queen]] frontman, [[Freddie Mercury]], with all proceeds going to AIDS research. Michael performed "[[Somebody to Love (Queen song)|Somebody to Love]]". Although the performance of the song was released on the "[[Five Live]]" EP. ''Five Live'', released in 1993 for [[Parlophone]], features five &mdash; and in some countries, six &mdash; tracks performed by George Michael, Queen, and [[Lisa Stansfield]]. "[[Somebody to Love (Queen song)|Somebody to Love]]" and "[[These Are the Days of Our Lives]]" were recorded at the [[Freddie Mercury]] Tribute Concert. "[[Killer (Adamski song)|Killer]]", "[[Papa Was a Rollin' Stone]]", and "[[Calling You]]" were all live performances by George recorded during his "Cover to Cover Tour" from 1991. All proceeds from the sale of the EP benefited the Mercury Phoenix Trust. Sales of the EP were very strong through Europe, where it debuted at number 1 in the UK and several European countries. Chart success in the United States was far less spectacular, where it peaked at number 40 on the Billboard 200. === ''Older'' === {{main|Older (George Michael album)}} In November 1994, at the first edition of the [[MTV European Music Awards]] George Michael appeared after a long seclusion, giving a touching performance of a brand-new song, "[[Jesus to a Child]]". The song was a melancholy tribute to his lover [[Anselmo Feleppa]], who died in March 1993. After the ordeal with [[Sony]], having Michael stated that he would refuse to release any new material through [[Epic Records|Epic]] under his name, he couldn't release the single. [[David Geffen]]'s US start-up record label signed a deal with Sony to release George from his old contract. The deal gave George the chance to release new music with the new label, along with two greatest hits albums and two new singles with Sony within 1998. The song was Michael's first self-penned hit in his homeland for almost four years and entered the UK singles chart straight at #1and #7 in The Billboard in the same month of release. It became his first solo single to enter the UK charts at the top, and #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA. It was also Michael's longest UK Top 40 single at almost seven minutes long. The exact identity of the song's subject &mdash; and the nature of George's relationship with Anselmo &mdash; was shrouded in [[innuendo]] at the time, however, as Michael had not confirmed he was gay, and did not do so until 1998. The video for "[[Jesus to a Child]]" was a beautiful picture of images recalling loss, pain, and suffering. Nowadays, Michael consistently dedicates the song to Feleppa before performing it live. The second single, out in April 1996, was "[[Fastlove]]", an energetic tune about wanting gratification and fulfilment without commitment. The song was somewhat unusual for a pop song, in that it does not have a defined chorus and that the single version is nearly five minutes long. "[[Fastlove]]" was supported by a futuristic virtual reality related video. "[[Fastlove]]" reached #1 in the UK singles chart, spending three weeks at the top spot. In the US, "[[Fastlove]]" peaked at #8, and would go on to be the last time that George Michael reached the top 10 in the US charts. Following "[[Fastlove]]" George finally released ''[[Older]]'', his first studio album in six years and only the third of his solo career, even though [[Wham!]] had been split for a decade. The album's US and Canada release was particularly notable as it was the first album released by David Geffen's now-defunct DreamWorks Records. In October 1996, George performed a concert at Three Mills Studios, London for [[MTV Unplugged]]. It was his first long performance in years, and in the audience was George's beloved mum. The following year, George was dealt another heart-wrenching blow when his mother died of cancer. === ''Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael'' === {{main|Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael}} ''Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael'' is a greatest hits collection released in 1998 (see [[1998 in music]]). The collection of 28 songs (29 songs are included on the European and Australian release) are separated into two halves, with each containing a particular theme and mood. The first CD, titled "For the Heart" predominantly contains Michael's hit ballads, while the second CD, "For the Feet", consists mostly of his popular dance tunes. ''Ladies and Gentlemen...'' is notable for containing a large number of compilation tracks and duets that hadn't previously appeared on his albums, including his duet with [[Aretha Franklin]], "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"; "Desafinado", a duet in Portuguese with Brazilian legendary singer [[Astrud Gilberto]]; and the [[Elton John]] duet "[[Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me]]". ''Ladies and Gentlemen...'' was released through [[Sony Music Entertainment]] as a condition of severing contractual ties with the label. He would later return to [[Sony Music Entertainment|Sony]] to release his 2004 album ''[[Patience (2004 album)|Patience]]''. The first single "Outside" was a humorous look at his arrest for soliciting a policeman in a public [[restroom]]. "As", his duet with [[Mary J. Blige]], was released as the second single in many territories around the world. It made #4 in the UK charts. The track was left off the North American release of the album as Blige's record label, [[MCA Records|MCA]], felt that association with the openly gay and often controversial pop star wouldn't be in her best interest.{{Fact|date=April 2008}} To date album has reached worldwide sales of approximately 15&nbsp;million copies.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} === ''Songs from the Last Century'' === {{main|Songs from the Last Century}} ''Songs from the Last Century'', released in December 1999, consisted of old standards, plus new interpretations of more recent popular songs such as: "[[Roxanne]]" written by [[Sting (musician)|Sting]], "[[The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face]]", and the [[Frank Sinatra]] classic "[[Where Or When]]", written by [[Richard Rodgers]] and [[Lorenz Hart]]. Each of the 11 tracks were co-produced by [[Phil Ramone]] and George Michael. === ''Patience'' === {{main|Patience (George Michael album)}} ''Patience'' debuted at number one on the UK album charts and at number two in Australia on [[March 22]], [[2004]]. ''Patience'' was George Michael's first album composed of original material since 1996. The controversial single "[[Shoot the Dog]]", was a critical song about the friendly relationship between the US and the UK governments regarding the Iraqi War. In the animated music video for the song, [[Tony Blair]] is depicted as the "dog" that follows his "owner" [[George W. Bush]] everywhere. George appeared on the [[Oprah Winfrey]] show on [[May 26]], [[2004]] to promote the album. This marked his first US television appearance in over 10 years. On the show George spoke of his arrest, coming out as a gay man, and his return to the spotlight. He allowed Oprah's crew inside his home outside of London. George performed "Amazing", the second single from the album, and his classic songs "Father Figure" and "Faith". === ''Twentyfive'' === {{main|Twenty Five (album)}} ''Twentyfive'' was George Michael's second greatest hits album, celebrating the 25th anniversary of his music career. Released in November 2006 by [[SonyBMG]], it debuted at number-one in the UK. The album contains songs chiefly from George Michael's solo career, but also from his earlier days in Wham! and comes in two formats: two CDs or a limited edition three CD set. The 2-CD set contained 26 tracks, including 4 recorded with [[Wham!]] and 3 new songs: "An Easier Affair"; "This Is Not Real Love" (a duet with [[Mutya Buena]], formerly of [[Sugababes]], which peaked at #15 in the UK Charts); and a new version of "[[Heal The Pain]]" recorded with [[Paul McCartney]]. The limited edition 3-CD version contains an additional 14 lesser known tracks, including one from Wham! and another brand new song, "Understand". The DVD version of ''Twentyfive'' contains 40 videos on two discs, including 7 with Wham!. === ''Life after Twenty Five'' === {{articleissues|section=y|restructure=June 2008|refimprove=June 2008|copyedit=June 2008}} During the 2005 [[Live 8]] concert, George Michael joined [[Paul McCartney]] on stage, harmonizing on the [[Beatles]]' classic "[[Drive My Car]]". Michael was one of several remixers commissioned in 1990 to work on dance mixes for [[Bananarama]]'s "Tripping on Your Love". Bananarama covered "Careless Whisper" for their ''Exotica'' album in 2001, and the track was also released as a single in France. [[Image:George Michael 02.jpg|thumb|300px|George Michael during a concert in [[Munich]] in 2006]] Michael received [[Pound Sterling|£]]1.5&nbsp;million ([[United States Dollar|US$]]3&nbsp;million) to perform a 1-hour concert in [[Moscow]] for the 300 guests of Russian billionaire [[Vladimir Potanin]] on the [[New Year's Eve|Eve]] of 2007. Some equipment was damaged in a fire caused "by badly wired pyrotechnics that went off a few hours after George Michael's band and crew had left".{{Fact|date=April 2008}} In 2006, George Michael started his first tour in 15 years, [[25 Live]]. The tour began in Madrid, Spain, on September 27 and finished in December at [[Wembley Arena]] in [[England]]. According to his website, the 80-show tour was seen by 1.3 million fans. On [[May 12]], [[2007]] in [[Coimbra]], [[Portugal]], he began the European "[[25 Live]] Stadium Tour 2007", including London and Athens, and ending on [[August 4]], [[2007]] in [[Belfast]], [[UK]]. There were 29 tour dates (as of [[April 21]], [[2007]]) across Europe. On [[June 9]], [[2007]] George became the first artist to perform live at the newly renovated Wembley Arena in [[London]], where he was later fined US$250,000 for overrunning the show for 13 minutes. On [[March 25]] [[2008]] a third leg of the [[25 Live]] Tour was announced for [[North America]]. This leg will include 21 dates in the [[United States]] and [[Canada]]. This is Michael's first tour of North America in 17 years. The album [[Twenty Five (album)]], was released in North America on April 1st, 2008 as a 29-song, 2-CD set featuring several new songs (including duets with [[Paul McCartney]] and [[Mary J. Blige]] and a song from the TV series, ''[[Eli Stone]]'') in addition to many of Michael's hit songs from both his solo and Wham! career. In addition, a companion 2-disc DVD of 40 videos will also be made available. George Michael made his American acting debut by playing a guardian angel to [[Jonny Lee Miller]]'s character on [[Eli Stone]], a TV series that was broadcast in the USA. In addition to appearing on the show as himself and as "visions", each episode was named after a song of his. George appeared on the 2008 finale show of ''[[American Idol]]'' on May 21 singing "Praying for Time". When asked what he thought Simon will say of his performance, he replied "I think he'll probably tell me I shouldn't have done a George Michael song. He's told plenty of people that in the past, so I think that'd be quite funny."<ref>{{cite news| title=George Michael Regains His Faith | url=http://music.aol.ca/article/George-Michael-interview/554/| work=AOL | date=2008| accessdate=2008-06-13}}</ref> On June 17, 2008, George Michael said he was thrilled by California's legalization of same-sex marriage, calling the move "way overdue".<ref>http://www.topix.com/who/george-michael/2008/06/george-michael-legalized-same-sex-marriage-way-overdue#inlinePostAnchor</ref> == Personal life == === Sexuality === Michael was initially private about his [[sexual orientation]], with rumours of relationships with high-profile women such as [[Brooke Shields]], [[Whoopi Goldberg]], and Melissa Megginson making him common [[tabloid]] fodder during his ''Wham!'' career. These persisted into his solo career, but Michael had already established a relationship with [[Anselmo Feleppa]], whom he had met at the 1991 concert ''"Rock in Rio"''. Feleppa died of an AIDS-related [[brain hemorrhage]] in 1993. Michael's single "[[Jesus to a Child]]" is a tribute to Feleppa (he consistently dedicates it to him before performing it live), as is his 1996 album ''[[Older]]''.<ref>[http://www.hellomagazine.com/profiles/georgemichael/ Hello magazine profile of George Michael]</ref> In a 2007 interview, Michael said that he kept his homosexuality secret due to worries over the effect it would have on his mother.<ref>{{cite news | author=Andrew Johnson | title=George Michael: Why I had to keep my homosexuality secret | url=http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article3013124.ece | work=Independent | date=[[30 September]] [[2007]] | accessdate=2008-02-15}}</ref> For the Christmas episode of the BBC comedy [[Extras (TV series)|Extras]], George Michael has a small part playing himself in a public park, looking for a [[hook-up]]. ==== Los Angeles incident ==== Questions of his sexual orientation persisted in public until [[April 7]], [[1998]], when he was arrested for "[[cottaging|engaging in a lewd act]]" in a public toilet in a park in [[Beverly Hills]], [[California]]. He was arrested by an [[undercover]] policeman named Marcelo Rodríguez, a [[sting operation]] using so-called "pretty police". George Michael: ''"Well, I was followed into the restroom, and then, this cop &mdash; well, I didn't know he was a cop at the time, obviously &mdash; he started playing this game. I think it's called 'I'll show you mine, you show me yours, and then when you show me yours, I'm gonna nick you'!"'' <ref>[http://gaytoday.badpuppy.com/garchive/people/110998pe.htm Gay Today: People<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> After pleading "[[Nolo contendere|no contest]]" to the charge, Michael was fined US$810 and sentenced to 80 hours of [[community service]]. Soon afterwards, Michael made a video for his single "[[Outside (George Michael song)|Outside]]" which was clearly based on the public toilet incident and which featured men dressed up as policemen kissing. Rodriguez claimed that this video "mocked" him, and that Michael had [[slander]]ed him in interviews. In 1999, he brought a US$10&nbsp;million court case in California against the singer who has amassed an estimated personal fortune of £70&nbsp;million (US$140&nbsp;million). The court dismissed the case, but an [[appeals court]] reinstated the case on 3 December 2002.<ref>{{cite paper | author=[[A. Wallace Tashima]] | title=Marcelo Rodriguez v Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou | version= | format=.PDF | publisher=United States Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit | url=http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ca9/newopinions.nsf/6BEA0A1BA36F0D2A88256C84000643EA/$file/0056923.pdf?openelement | date=[[3 December]] [[2002]] | accessdate=2008-02-15}}</ref> The court then ruled Rodríguez, as a public official, could not legally recover damages for emotional distress.<ref>"George Bust 'Bad Karma' Says U.S. Cop", ''Sunday Star'', 5 March 2006</ref> After the incident, Michael became open about his [[sexual orientation|sexuality]] and his relationship with Kenny Goss, a former cheerleader coach<ref>[http://www.unt.edu/northtexan/archives/f03/cheerextrafb.htm University of North Texas North Texan Online Fall 2003: Cheerleader feedback<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and [[sports clothing]] executive from [[Dallas, Texas]],<ref>[http://www.home.no/cheznobby/id50.htm Kenny<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and his partner since June 1996. Goss opened the Goss Gallery in May 2005 in Dallas, which shows contemporary art, including those collected by the couple. They have homes in London and Dallas.<ref>[http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=146309 Goss Gallery to Open in Dallas Featuring International Contemporary Art<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In late November 2005, it was reported that Michael and Goss would register their relationship as a [[civil partnership]] in the UK,<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4483552.stm BBC NEWS | Entertainment | George Michael to 'marry' partner<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> but due to negative publicity and his upcoming tour, they postponed it to a later date.<ref>[http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004210623,00.html Club Stroppycana | The Sun |HomePage|News<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <!-- When? --> === Drugs === On [[February 26]], [[2006]], Michael was arrested for possession of [[Misuse of Drugs Act 1971#Class C drugs|Class C drugs]], an incident that he described as "my own stupid fault, as usual." He was cautioned by the police and released.<ref>[http://articles.news.aol.com/music/article.adp?id=20060227023809990006 Page Not Available - AOL News<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/27/george.slumped.ap/</ref> On [[May 15]], [[2006]], Michael was found slumped over the wheel of his [[Range Rover]], photographed apparently snoozing at traffic lights in London. He awoke after a member of the public knocked on his window for five minutes, and was "sweating heavily and had his iPod on". He drove off weaving up the road, and then hit a traffic bollard. Later the same month, he was questioned by police after shunting three cars in the street in which he lives.<ref>[http://www.myvillage.com/pages/celebs-georgemichael.htm George Michael<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In the early hours of [[October 1]], [[2006]], Michael was found unconscious in his [[Mercedes-Benz W221|Mercedes-Benz S-Class]] car, causing an obstruction at the junction of [[Cricklewood]] Lane with [[Hendon]] Way, in northwest [[London]]. Police found Michael slumped in his seat in a semi-conscious state. He was taken to the [[Royal Free Hospital]] in [[Hampstead]] for checks, and was then booked in at [[Colindale]] police station. He was later cautioned by the police for possession of cannabis, and was released on bail pending further inquiries on his fitness to drive.<ref>[http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-10-02T054737Z_01_L02866398_RTRUKOC_0_UK-MICHAEL.xml Reuters]</ref><ref>[http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2006450634,00.html The Sun]</ref> He pleaded guilty on [[May 8]], [[2007]] to driving while unfit through drugs.<ref>[http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,70131-1264521,00.html Pop Star Pleads Guilty To Drug-Drive Charge |Sky News|House Ads<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> He was banned from driving for two years, and sentenced to community service again. In September 2007, on [[Desert Island Discs]], he said that his cannabis use was a problem &mdash; he wished he could smoke less of it and was constantly trying to do so.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7018682.stm BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Drug is a problem, Michael admits<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Michael's long term partner Kenny Goss has also been treated for dependence on prescription [[Insomnia|sleeping medication]], checking into an [[Arizona]]-based clinic for two months in June 2004 after encouragement from Michael.<ref>[http://www.planetgeorge.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1016&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight= Planet George]</ref> === Politics === During his years with Wham!, George Michael was very critical of [[Margaret Thatcher]]'s [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] government and its [[cruise missile]] alliance with the United States. George said that he felt bad, since through his taxes he was paying for these weapons, yet was obliged to never dodge his tax obligations to his home country. Michael also wrote "Shoot the Dog", a critical song about the friendly relationship between the US and UK governments and their involvement in the Iraq War. In 2000, George Michael joined [[Melissa Etheridge]], [[Garth Brooks]], [[Queen Latifah]], the [[Pet Shop Boys]], and [[k.d. lang]], to perform in [[Washington]], [[DC]] as part of 'Equality Rocks' - a benefit concert in support of a gay and lesbian human rights campaign (Human Rights Campaign). In 2007, he toured the United States with the [[Pound Sterling|£]]1.45&nbsp;million piano that [[John Lennon]] used to write "[[Imagine (song)|Imagine]]".<ref name=steinway>{{cite news | author= | title=Most Expensive Musical Instruments | url=http://www.forbes.com/2006/04/10/cx_mr_0411featslide_print.html | work=Forbes | date=[[10 April]] [[2006]] | accessdate=2008-02-15}}</ref> He devoted his concert in [[Sofia, Bulgaria]] from his "Twenty Five Tour" to the Bulgarian nurses prosecuted in the [[HIV trial in Libya]].<ref>[http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=81212 Bulgaria: George Michael: Free Bulgaria's Nurses in Libya!<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> === Charity === Michael has often taken a socially conscious stance. In 1984, he sang as part of [[Band Aid]] on the charity song "[[Do They Know It's Christmas?]]" for famine relief in [[Ethiopia]]. This single held the #1 position in the UK music charts over Christmas 1984, holding Michael's own song, "[[Last Christmas]]" by Wham!, at #2. Michael donated the royalties from "Last Christmas" to Band Aid and subsequently sang with Elton John at Live Aid (the Band Aid charity concert) in 1985. The proceeds from the single [[Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me]] were divided among 10 different charities for children, [[AIDS]] and education. George is supporting a campaign to help raise US$32&nbsp;million (GBP15&nbsp;million) for [[terminally ill]] children. === Residences === George Michael ranks as Britain's 10th richest musician with an amassed personal fortune said to be £70 to £100&nbsp;million in assets, real estate, and currency. George owns several homes all over the world, including one in [[Highgate]], [[London]], one in [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], and one in [[Goring-on-Thames]] in [[Oxfordshire]]. === Memoirs === On [[January 16]], [[2008]], Michael signed a "no-holds-barred" multi-million-pound contract with [[HarperCollins]] about an autobiography which he is to write "entirely himself".<ref>[http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gJEnl1fY0WjmxrULA5hnzjXpzt0w ukpress.google.com, George Michael tells all in memoirs]</ref> == Discography == {{main|George Michael discography}} :''See also [[Wham!#Discography|Wham! discography]]'' === Albums === {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} ==== Studio albums ==== *1987: ''[[Faith (George Michael album)|Faith]]'' *1990: ''[[Listen without Prejudice, Vol. 1]]'' *1996: ''[[Older (George Michael album)|Older]]'' *1999: ''[[Songs from the Last Century]]'' *2004: ''[[Patience (2004 album)|Patience]]'' {{col-2}} ==== Compilation albums ==== *1998: ''[[Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael]]'' *2006: ''[[Twenty Five (album)|Twenty Five]]'' ==== Live albums ==== *1993: ''[[Five Live (EP)|Five Live]]'' {{col-end}} === Number-one songs === <!-- Do not add any album chart positions or sales records here, keep this list as short as possible. --> {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} ==== U.S. number one singles (10) ==== *1984: "[[Wake Me Up Before You Go Go]]" <small>''([[Wham!]])''</small> *1985: "[[Careless Whisper]]" <small>''([[Wham!]] featuring George Michael)''</small> *1985: "[[Everything She Wants]]" <small>''([[Wham!]])''</small> *1987: "[[I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)]]" <small>''(with [[Aretha Franklin]])''</small> *1987: "[[Faith (George Michael song)|Faith]]" *1988: "[[Father Figure (song)|Father Figure]]" *1988: "[[One More Try (George Michael song)|One More Try]]" *1988: [[Monkey (song)|"Monkey"]] *1990: "[[Praying For Time]]" *1991: "[[Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me]]" <small>''(with [[Elton John]])''</small> {{col-2}} ==== UK number one singles (12) ==== *1984: "[[Wake Me Up Before You Go Go]]" <small>''([[Wham!]])''</small> *1984: "[[Freedom (Wham! song)|Freedom]]" <small>''([[Wham!]])''</small> *1984: "[[Careless Whisper]]" </small> *1984: "[[Do They Know It's Christmas?]]" <small>''([[Band Aid (band)|Band Aid]])''</small> *1985: "[[I'm Your Man (song)|I'm Your Man]]" <small>''[[Wham!]]) </small>'' *1986: "[[The Edge Of Heaven]]" <small>''([[Wham!]])''</small> *1986: "[[A Different Corner]]" </small> *1987: "[[I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)]]" <small>''(with [[Aretha Franklin]])''</small> *1991: "[[Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me]]" <small>''(with [[Elton John]])''</small> *1993: "[[Five Live (EP)]]" <small>''(with [[Queen (band)|Queen]] & [[Lisa Stansfield]])''</small> *1995: "[[Jesus To A Child]]" *1996: "[[Fastlove]]" {{col-end}} ==Awards== {{main|List of George Michael awards}} ==Tours== <!-- NOTE TO EDITORS: do not add ticket sales without a source --> * ''[[Faith Tour|The Faith World Tour]]'' (1988-1989) * ''[[Cover to Cover tour|Cover to Cover]]'' (1991) * ''[[25 Live]]'' (2006-2008) == See also == *[[George Michael chart records and achievements]] *[[Best selling music artists]] *[[List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)]] *[[List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart]] *[[List of artists who reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart]] *[[List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart]] *[[List of artists by total number of USA number one singles]] *[[List of number-one hits (United States)]] *[[List of number-one dance hits (United States)]] *[[List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart]] *[[List of number-one singles (UK)]] *[[List of artists by total number of UK number one singles]] *[[List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart]] == Footnotes == {{reflist|2}} == External links == <!--===========================({{NoMoreLinks}})===============================--> <!--| DO NOT ADD MORE LINKS TO THIS ARTICLE. WIKIPEDIA IS NOT A COLLECTION OF |--> <!--| LINKS. If you think that your link might be useful, do not add it here, |--> <!--| but put it on this article's discussion page first or submit your link |--> <!--| to the appropriate category at the Open Directory Project (www.dmoz.org)|--> <!--| and link back to that category using the {{dmoz}} template. |--> <!--| |--> <!--| Links that have not been verified WILL BE DELETED. |--> <!--| See [[Wikipedia:External links]] and [[Wikipedia:Spam]] for details |--> <!--===========================({{NoMoreLinks}})===============================--> {{commons|George Michael}} *[http://www.georgemichael.com/ George Michael's Official Website] *[http://www.gmfan.com/ George Michael's Official Store] === Press articles === *[http://www.johannhari.com/archive/article.php?id=745 Revealing interview with George Michael from London Independent, in which he discusses his childhood, depression, sexuality, and friendship with Diana] *"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/446721.stm George Michael faces $10m lawsuit]" &ndash; BBC News article, dated Tuesday, [[September 14]], [[1999]] *"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/646004.stm George Michael video case dismissed]" &ndash; BBC News article, by Peter Bowes, dated Thursday, [[February 17]], [[2000]] *"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2542097.stm Officer allowed to sue Michael]" &ndash; BBC News article, dated Wednesday, [[December 4]], [[2002]] *"[http://www.holymoly.co.uk/news/28/george-michael-refuses-to-have-hiv-test-859.html George Michael refuses to have HIV test]" &ndash; holymoly.co.uk *[http://arts.guardian.co.uk/filmandmusic/story/0,,1662016,00.html There was so much death, [[December 9]], [[2005]] &ndash; Interview with The Guardian] *[http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?storyid=2006-10-21T015048Z_01_L20667121_RTRUKOC_0_UK-MICHAEL.xml&type=entertainmentNews&WTmodLoc=Entertainment-C3-More-2 Singer Michael says cannabis keeps him sane, [[October 21]], [[2006]] &ndash; ''Reuters''] {{start box}} {{s-awards}} {{succession box | title = [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year]] | years = 1989<br/>'''for ''[[Faith (George Michael album)|Faith]]'' ''' | before= [[U2]]<br/>for ''[[The Joshua Tree]]'' | after = [[Bonnie Raitt]]<br/>for ''[[Nick of Time (album)|Nick of Time]]'' }} {{end}} {{George Michael}} <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] --> {{Wham!}} {{Persondata |NAME= Michael, George |ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Panayiotou, Georgios Kyriakos |SHORT DESCRIPTION= English singer-songwriter, musician, producer |DATE OF BIRTH= [[June 25]], [[1963]] |PLACE OF BIRTH= [[London]], [[England]] |DATE OF DEATH= |PLACE OF DEATH= }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Michael, George}} [[Category:1963 births]] [[Category:British people of Greek descent]] [[Category:English dance musicians]] [[Category:English Jews]] [[Category:English male singers]] [[Category:English multi-instrumentalists]] [[Category:English people of Cypriot descent]] [[Category:English pop singers]] [[Category:English singer-songwriters]] [[Category:English tenors]] [[Category:Blue-eyed soul singers]] [[Category:Falsettos]] [[Category:Gay musicians]] [[Category:George Michael| ]] [[Category:Grammy Award winners]] [[Category:Ivor Novello Award winners]] [[Category:LGBT musicians from the United Kingdom]] [[Category:LGBT people from England]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Music from London]] [[Category:People from Bushey]] [[Category:People from Finchley]] [[Category:People from Highgate]] [[Category:People from Oxfordshire]] [[Category:Pop singer-songwriters]] [[Category:Tenors]] [[Category:Wham! members]] [[ar:جورج مايكل]] [[bg:Джордж Майкъл]] [[cs:George Michael]] [[cy:George Michael]] [[da:George Michael]] [[de:George Michael]] [[es:George Michael]] [[eo:George Michael]] [[fa:جورج مایکل]] [[fr:George Michael]] [[ko:조지 마이클]] [[hr:George Michael]] [[id:George Michael]] [[it:George Michael]] [[he:ג'ורג' מייקל]] [[lv:Džordžs Maikls]] [[lt:George Michael]] [[nl:George Michael]] [[ja:ジョージ・マイケル]] [[no:George Michael]] [[pl:George Michael]] [[pt:George Michael]] [[ru:Джордж Майкл]] [[simple:George Michael]] [[sk:George Michael]] [[sr:Џорџ Мајкл]] [[fi:George Michael]] [[sv:George Michael]] [[th:จอร์จ ไมเคิล]] [[vi:George Michael]] [[tr:George Michael]] [[zh:乔治·迈克尔]]