Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Taking the Michael

Just when you thought 2016 couldn't possibly claim any more significant victims from the world of music, Rick Parfitt and George Michael die on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day respectively.

While not being a fan of the blue-eyed soul of his later years, I must confess to having owned a copy of Michael's Listen Without Prejudice (albeit prior to the Great Post-Nevermind Record Collection Purge) and also retaining a fondness for Wham! (and particularly 'Club Tropicana') that was born in my formative years.

Simon Hattenstone has written about his personal recollections of Michael, whom he interviewed twice - even though the man acclaimed as "generous, brilliant, honest" in the sub-editor's blurb isn't really allowed the space to come across as such. Meanwhile, also writing for the Guardian, Owen Jones has underlined the importance of Michael's gay identity and political outlook, (rightly) issuing a plea that this should not be airbrushed out of any assessments of his personality, life and work in order to create "a sanitised and false version that is palatable to some".

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