Author Topic: RIP George Michael  (Read 7490 times)

mattc

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Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #25 on: 26 December, 2016, 03:31:49 pm »
I'm not a huge fan, but Faith & Freedom are two absolute pop classics. That is legacy enough for one man. :thumbsup:
Has never ridden RAAM
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No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

barakta

  • Bastard lovechild of Yomiko Readman and Johnny 5
Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #26 on: 26 December, 2016, 03:41:12 pm »
Apparently he helped set up a trust to support disabled children and adults live independent lives, but preferred to keep a lot of his charitable work and generosity more private.

Mr Larrington

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Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #27 on: 26 December, 2016, 04:36:19 pm »
I hope my grate frend Mr Sheen won't mind me posting this:

Quote from: Mr Sheen
Some years back my ex was a nurse at a hospital in Harrow. George Michael's mother was being treated in her ITU and was a daily visitor. When she left he came in afterwards and thanked all of the staff personally.

A few months later he announced his gig at the new Wembley stadium. He came back to the ITU and told staff that if anyone wanted free tickets for the gig they just had to contact his manager and they would be arranged. Come the day, they were given the best seats in the house in the executive boxes with complimentary food and champagne for the whole event, with a hand-written thank you note from George to each guest.

And the opening number was Everything She Wants. RIP George.

No fan of the chap's music but he does sound to have been a Proper Gent.
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Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #28 on: 26 December, 2016, 05:04:23 pm »
Well, I was at my sisters house yesterday and her and the family almost fell to the floor when they heard the news, they were big, big fans.
There always seemed to be this underlying melancholy to a lot of his music, even some of the more up tempo songs had a kind of loss going on. I really liked some of his music and not so much for other tunes, but you could never doubt his quality as a popular artist. He was a very talented guy.
I'm sure there was more to emerge from him. Very sad indeed.
I loved a couple of his videos too - the cover or Stevie Wonders 'As' with Mary J Blige, and had a sense of humour too - that video for Outside after his 'bust' was just classic.
RIP
Garry Broad

Eccentrica Gallumbits

  • Rock 'n' roll and brew, rock 'n' roll and brew...
Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #29 on: 26 December, 2016, 05:31:30 pm »
I'm playing his solo albums today. I'm not ready for the irrepressible joy of Wham! yet. I'm finding it very hard to believe that voice is gone. But I'm also amused at the thought of him watching Deal or No Deal.
My feminist marxist dialectic brings all the boys to the yard.


Ruthie

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Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #30 on: 26 December, 2016, 05:38:51 pm »
Someone's art can affect you so deeply on a personal level, its a genuine bereavement when they're gone.  Sending you hugs EG today must be so sad for you.  Hope Pete's giving you lots of cuddles.
Milk please, no sugar.

Kim

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Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #31 on: 26 December, 2016, 05:52:53 pm »
I was never really a fan, but his music was part of the soundtrack to my life.  When we moved back to the UK, Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go was what introduced me to the concept of 'pop music', and he featured prominently in my parents' music collection for the rest of the 80s and much of the 90s.  He was still going strong when I lost the plot with current music around the turn of the century, and a cursory glance at Wikipedia confirms that he's done a load of stuff since that I haven't heard of.

Lots of touring, sticking it to the man from the record company, and the fine piece of trolling that was the Outside video all adds up to him being a Good Egg, even without the philanthropy and LGBT/HIV activism.  And he could sing, obviously.

As with Freddie, people like that don't so much die as evolve into music.

Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #32 on: 26 December, 2016, 05:54:41 pm »
Yes.
He could sing.
Big time.

Eccentrica Gallumbits

  • Rock 'n' roll and brew, rock 'n' roll and brew...
Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #33 on: 26 December, 2016, 06:08:55 pm »
Yeah, look at this https://youtu.be/VfPSNKb0Ahc
My feminist marxist dialectic brings all the boys to the yard.


hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #34 on: 26 December, 2016, 07:16:51 pm »
RIP you will be missed.

Those who speculate about heart failure should be informed that ethanol can cause specific damage to the heart muscle, as can other substances.

It would not surprise me if this had been at least part of his final decline.

By all accounts, a musical giant and a discreet philanthropical gent.

RIP

rogerzilla

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Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #35 on: 26 December, 2016, 08:52:03 pm »
His Comic Relief spoof is good.  Look it up on YouTube.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #36 on: 26 December, 2016, 09:37:42 pm »
Yes, another sad loss.
I can't forgive him for either Careless Whisper or Last Christmas (I have to turn the radio off if either of them are played because I'll have the tunes in my head for the rest of the day) but this:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHAQlFq6TFg  is, IMO, one of the best 5 singles ever.
"You've got to get up to get down."
Don't get me started on how fabulous Wham were..........

The Lovely Helen, a rock chick par excellence, still talks about the a cappella songs he did when she went to see him at the MEN Arena as an invited guest. George wasn't her style of music but she can recognise talent genious.

Whatever the cause of his tragically early death, he's done more than most of us combined, I just wish he'd skipped Careless Whisper and Last Christmas  ;).

RIP George.


Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #37 on: 26 December, 2016, 11:17:57 pm »
Apparently he donated the royalties for Last Christmas to Band Aid

Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #38 on: 27 December, 2016, 12:23:19 pm »
But I'm also amused at the thought of him watching Deal or No Deal.

The amount of weed he used to smoke, I can totally imagine him watching day time TV all day every day!

RIP George. An old skool solo artist from a time when you actually needed to be able to sing to be successful.....
Those wonderful norks are never far from my thoughts, oh yeah!

fuzzy

Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #39 on: 28 December, 2016, 03:55:38 pm »
53 is far too young. he was younger than me fer Christ sake.

Now he has left us, folk are learning just what a top bloke he was, dropping 6 figure donations left right and centre with no fawning publicity wonk making mileage out of it.

Not my favourite musician but one that formed part of my younger years so will stay with me.

Faith- Brilliant.

mattc

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Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #40 on: 28 December, 2016, 04:20:13 pm »
Just come back from his house (It's only 10 miles away - didn't know he lived there until this week). Big pile of flowers and other tributes (you can google for pictures). A modest crowd. There were only a few of us not taking pictures.

Everyone seemed very respectful. It was quite moving, even though (as I said) I was not a big fan.
Has never ridden RAAM
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No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #41 on: 30 December, 2016, 10:26:04 am »
Another sad loss.

For those still speculating what lead to his death, his last interview has more detail of recent illness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ahQ28pQzNk
If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is...

Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #42 on: 30 December, 2016, 03:25:11 pm »
Another sad loss.

For those still speculating what lead to his death, his last interview has more detail of recent illness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ahQ28pQzNk

That interview was given in 2011, immediately after his leaving hospital in Austria after battling with pneumonia.

More recent interviews [say 6 months or so, and I'm not sure there are any] would have seen a George Michael carrying considerably more weight than he is here. Although obviously still weak and fragile in this interview, he 'looks' ok, but recent images give a very different picture.
Garry Broad

Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #43 on: 30 December, 2016, 03:33:41 pm »
Whoops - somebody had posted it on facebook as a latest interview.  :facepalm:
If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is...

Eccentrica Gallumbits

  • Rock 'n' roll and brew, rock 'n' roll and brew...
Re: RIP George Michael
« Reply #44 on: 16 October, 2017, 11:09:55 pm »
Apparently he donated the royalties for Last Christmas to Band Aid
And he signed all the rights for Careless Whisper over to Andy so that he'd always have money coming in.

I just watched the Freedom documentary on ch4. I could have done without the opinions of James Corden and Ricky Gervais, but it wasn't bad otherwise. Such a talent.
My feminist marxist dialectic brings all the boys to the yard.