Andrew Ridgeley recently spoke to music fans about the upcoming Netflix documentary about the iconic ’80s pop duo he formed with his late best friend, George Michael, and their special singles box set commemorating the 40th anniversary of their debut album ‘Fantastic’.
The documentary will tell the story of their success, from their formation in 1982 to their final gig at Wembley stadium in 1986. During this time, Wham! scored five number one singles, including ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’, ‘Careless Whisper’, ‘Freedom’, ‘I’m Your Man’, and ‘The Edge of Heaven’, as well as their sixth when ‘Last Christmas’ topped the charts in 2020, 36 years after its first release.
These singles, as well as additional content, will be included in the ‘Wham! The Singles: Echoes From The Edge Of Heaven’ collection. The multi-format release comes in a special edition 7″ vinyl singles carry case.
Ridgeley spoke of his experience reviewing their career, saying, “The speed and scale of it was quite surprising. The nice thing about Wham! is that it was almost exclusively a joyful and positive period in both our lives. It had a beginning, middle, and an end – so it makes a great story.”
The documentary will use the narrative framing device of scrapbooks of press cuttings that Ridgeley’s mother compiled, and will trace the duo’s formation at Bushey Meads comprehensive school in Hertfordshire. At 18, Ridgeley and Michael formed Wham!, and their effervescent pop provided escapism from record unemployment levels in England.
The documentary will also pay tribute to the outpouring of affection in the wake of Michael’s death in the early hours of Christmas Day 2016, aged 53. This is what sparked Ridgeley’s interest in revisiting Wham!.
Ridgeley spoke of his most cherished memories of Michael, who he nicknamed Yog. He recalled their teenage pre-fame escapades, such as being kicked out of a Triple-X cinema in Soho, and one occasion when Michael was sobbing at a party because nobody had remarked upon his new trousers.
Ridgeley also went on to explain that he ceded creative control to Michael before their debut album ‘Fantastic’, as he recognised him as a superior songwriter. However, he wanted to make sure that Wham!’s legacy was not overshadowed by Michael’s solo career.
Ridgeley said, “I think, naturally, when Yog was pursuing his George Michael solo career, he wanted the focus to be kept on that, although there’s always been a hint of Wham!’s legacy because there couldn’t not be. But I’d say the Wham! legacy has remained strong. The music’s always been played.”
He also commented on Michael’s posthumous Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, saying, “When he received the Ivor Novello Award for Best Songwriter in 1984, it meant a lot to him that his canon had been recognised. I think he would have been absolutely thrilled to pieces at being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – that’s a high accolade and would have meant a lot to him.”
Wham! is slated for release on Netflix globally on July 5th, with ‘Wham! The Singles: Echoes From The Heaven’ available on July 7th in multiple formats. Fans can also check out Andrew Ridgeley’s performance on the music quiz feature ‘Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?’ to learn more about the duo’s legacy.
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