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25 Dec 16 - 07:37 PM (#3828714) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael From: GUEST Yes, it is now on television as well, and all over the World Wide Web. "At this stage, the death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious." -- Thames Valley Police, who were called to the singer's home. |
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25 Dec 16 - 08:15 PM (#3828720) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael From: GUEST,.gargoyle Most unfortunate. Sincerely, Gargoyle The poor man appears to be a Brit...a poor black Brit at that. |
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25 Dec 16 - 09:38 PM (#3828738) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Stilly River Sage New York Times story. |
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26 Dec 16 - 03:52 AM (#3828761) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: GUEST,Allan Conn UK media suggesting it was heart failure |
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26 Dec 16 - 04:06 AM (#3828762) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: fat B****rd RIP George |
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26 Dec 16 - 04:25 AM (#3828764) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Acorn4 "A Different Corner" |
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26 Dec 16 - 04:26 AM (#3828765) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Backwoodsman George's management have announced that his death was a result of heart failure (BBC Breakfast this a.m.). A very sad end for a uniquely talented performer. |
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26 Dec 16 - 05:37 AM (#3828776) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Tattie Bogle The final event in any death is when the heart stops beating: heart failure, however caused. Sorry to hear the news, tho never a particular fan. 53 is no age these days. |
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26 Dec 16 - 06:22 AM (#3828785) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Johnny J He was a flawed individual but it's still the wrong time to speak ill of him. I would never wish for the demise of any other human being. There are many good peopeople who deserve life but we can't give them that either. |
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26 Dec 16 - 07:55 AM (#3828799) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Felipa singing a Ewan MacColl song First Time Ever I Saw Your Face |
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26 Dec 16 - 09:53 AM (#3828813) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: GUEST,keberoxu The obituary gives his birthname as Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou. According to one newspaper his father had ancestry from Cyprus, which puts me in mind of Yusuf Islam a/k/a/ Cat Stevens. it reminds me also that the former Cat Stevens had some near brushes with death; he almost died of consumption at an early age, just as George Michael had a close call with pneumonia. Nia Vardalos, in her social-media tribute, addressed George Michael by his Greek-language birthname, which was touching. |
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26 Dec 16 - 10:03 AM (#3828816) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Steve Shaw As has been alluded to, he was a bloke who didn't seem able to handle his untold wealth and fame. There's a generational disagreement going on in our Yuletide household as to how talented he was or wasn't. I thought he was severely overrated but that's just an opinion. Not the best time to go for the jugular, I suppose. |
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26 Dec 16 - 10:24 AM (#3828820) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: GUEST,Peter Laban he was a bloke who didn't seem able to handle his untold wealth..[...]. On the other hand he is known for quietly giving very considerable sums of money to charity. Including the considerable royalties of his christmas single. A good way of handling wealth, if you ask me. |
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26 Dec 16 - 10:57 AM (#3828826) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Bonzo3legs "On the other hand he is known for quietly giving very considerable sums of money to charity. Including the considerable royalties of his christmas single. A good way of handling wealth, if you ask me." It means little if you have sold 100 million albums!!! |
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26 Dec 16 - 11:31 AM (#3828828) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: GUEST,Peter Laban There';s a bit of modern verbiage I don't normally care to use but it seems appropriate here: 'Haters will hate'. |
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26 Dec 16 - 12:07 PM (#3828837) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Steve Shaw Not going to argue that one, Peter. I'm no hater, just not a fan. He did screw up in his personal life on a number of occasions is what I meant, despite being very wealthy. |
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26 Dec 16 - 12:29 PM (#3828838) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: GUEST,Peter Laban That 'hater' wasn't aimed at you Steve. I am not a particular fan either but reading news and tributes I can't help thinking he was a generous and decent person, if flawed. He used his wealth for good and that speaks well of a person. To dismiss that, as happened above, is a show of small-mindedness, or indeed being a 'hater'. |
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26 Dec 16 - 12:42 PM (#3828844) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: GUEST,Allan C Taste is an individual thing. I am not a huge fan of his music though my wife is and several of his solo albums are filled with good self pinned pop songs just not so much my thing. I do really like his voice though. The guy could sing. Seemingly he had writer's block for many years which must have bothered him. |
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26 Dec 16 - 03:44 PM (#3828856) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: JHW Perhaps I should get out more. 100 million albums and I'm not aware that I've ever heard him. RIP all the same. |
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26 Dec 16 - 05:54 PM (#3828863) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: McGrath of Harlow George who? |
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26 Dec 16 - 06:25 PM (#3828866) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: GUEST I once bought a second hand car and there was a Wham tape in the cassette player! I played it a lot, great pop fun. A talented man and, like most of us! He had his flaws! Rip is all I can say. , |
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26 Dec 16 - 06:54 PM (#3828869) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: GUEST,Alan Ross Sad that I am reading comments from some incredibly ignorant people and a couple of trolls - and I am not a fan. I just see a few cowards who have big cybermouths and no names. Yes there was a seedy side, of drugs and unsafe sex - but much of that was early repression, insecurity and other self-acknowledged flaws. But also a man with a deep social conscience who gave millions away, without publicity. He also had the courage to speak out on gay issues and committed a near career suicide move in America when he came out with an anti-Bush protest song 'Shoot the Dog'. In Britain every Christmas you will hear the song 'Last Christmas'. Any oldies disco will play 'Wake Me Up Before You Go Go' or 'Faith'. I prefer the odd ballad like 'A different corner', but this is not folk music. I am not a fan as such, but a good song is just a good song no matter what genre. |
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26 Dec 16 - 08:20 PM (#3828886) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: keberoxu "Careless Whisper" is the one that takes my breath away. It is very old-school in that the song stands alone without any MTV treatment or video component. For years I would hear that song broadcast somewhere, and I would be shocked that it was this young kid, "George Michael," who was doing the singing; it is the delivery of a mature artist, and when he sang in that way, he sounded like he was born an old soul. George Michael will live, for me, whenever I hear that song. |
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27 Dec 16 - 03:24 AM (#3828915) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Backwoodsman Even more astonishing when you think that George co-wrote 'Careless Whisper' with Andrew Ridgeley when he was only 17 years old! |
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27 Dec 16 - 03:40 AM (#3828917) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: GUEST There is a huge difference between honesty and mean spiritedness. Alan Ross is quite right, I think. A recent article states that George Michael gave very generously to a number of causes. |
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27 Dec 16 - 04:18 AM (#3828924) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Backwoodsman I agree with anonymous GUEST - we're all human, we all have faults, many of us have skeletons in our cupboards that we would prefer to remain private. Few, if any, of us here have been subject to the pressures of celebrity, and the dysfunctional, often very unhappy, lives that celebrities lead. 'Let he who is without fault cast the first stone'. 'Judge not, that ye be not judged'. Good rules to live by. |
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27 Dec 16 - 04:50 AM (#3828932) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Backwoodsman A brave and honest man... |
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27 Dec 16 - 05:39 AM (#3828939) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Steve Shaw Getting on Parky is about self-promotion, nothing else. |
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27 Dec 16 - 06:00 AM (#3828944) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Backwoodsman And why wouldn't any entertainer wish to publicise themselves? It's a major part of the business, it's advertising, all businesses advertise themselves. But he was open and honest in facing up to what were viewed as his mis-deeds. I can respect anyone who does that. |
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27 Dec 16 - 07:41 AM (#3828952) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Steve Shaw Appearances on Parkinson/Norton and the rest are carefully choreographed and lusted-after occasions with artists' publicists taking a leading role. It really is quite important for us sentient beings not to be taken in by what we see on Saturday night race-to-the-bottom telly chat shows. I actually saw that Parky episode when it went out, a rarity for me, and found the whole thing very irritating and false. And that, dear anonymous cowardly Guest, is my take on programmes of that sort and not at all a comment on George Michael's undoubted personal qualities, which I've already said I'm not going to argue about, so do try to keep a sense of proportion. |
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27 Dec 16 - 08:36 AM (#3828961) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Steve Shaw On this occasion I fully support what the moderator has done. Ok, we have anonymous guest posting in music threads. You are abusing that privilege in this thread. |
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28 Dec 16 - 06:24 AM (#3829137) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: GUEST,Desi C Far too young to die but I have to be honest for me he was the worst singer of the worst music era ever, the 80's nice though I suppose that the tone deaf had something to lisen to |
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28 Dec 16 - 06:34 AM (#3829140) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Steve Shaw Watched a programme about him last night in which he sang a large number of slow songs with lush backing, mostly sitting on a stool. Anodyne was the word that sprang to mind. He sang well enough but there was little character in his voice. He murdered Roxanne. Perhaps the gig wasn't representative. |
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28 Dec 16 - 09:46 AM (#3829154) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Stu You've made your point Steve. Why rattle on? I was 16 when the first Wham single came out (Wham Rap - great song). I wasn't a huge fan of his, but he did write three of my absolute favourite songs, A Different Corner, Mother's Pride and Praying For Time. These songs are not the work of some fly-by-night hit writer; they're carefully crafted and emotionally resonant for many. |
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28 Dec 16 - 04:39 PM (#3829214) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: GUEST,keberoxu Happy to see this thread re-opened after it was closed. Popular singers and controversial lifestyles are often connected, and George Michael was unashamedly a popular singer. Perhaps "too much too soon" applies to some of the excesses he struggled with. In this he was far from alone. |
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28 Dec 16 - 06:15 PM (#3829229) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Steve Shaw Rattling on? I happened to bother to watch a lengthy tribute programme on the telly just last night and I had a further comment to make. Stu, you yourself have made very similar comments to lots of other posters but no-one is having a dig. Someone eminent dying does not automatically trigger a thread for sycophants only. If you don't agree with me just say you don't agree. Easy peasy. |
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28 Dec 16 - 06:48 PM (#3829234) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Backwoodsman I had a conversation on another forum yesterday, with a fellow musician, 9 years my junior, who claimed he had never heard of George Michael. Astonishing - he **only** sold 100 million albums! |
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29 Dec 16 - 04:45 PM (#3829425) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: keberoxu This is getting more interesting. For all that the artist known professionally as "George Michael" had a very public career and a great deal of fame, he seems to have had a firm grasp of keeping many private things private. The people who knew him on a daily basis, who worked for him, lived near him, and frequently saw him around, seem to be coming out of the woodwork to eulogize him and to say how much they will miss him. It occurs to me that it takes more than "making nice" to put down, and maintain, so solid a foundation of friends and well-wishers. For example, he must have known how to keep a confidence and how to earn, and keep, a person's trust. In the quotes from his remarks to the press over the years, I noted with interest how carefully he spoke of his family of origin; he valued the support of his own flesh and blood, even when the sexuality issue made for differences of opinion. He talked about how he stayed "in the closet" as long as he did partly out of respect for those differences. He spoke of all the female fans who wanted to marry him, and he spoke of his relatives who hoped against hope that he WOULD marry a female fan! He said this bluntly but with evident affection. Somewhere apart from the conflict and complexity of going against conventional expectations, there must have been solid bedrock of unconditional love and support in his life, for him to lean against when he needed stability from outside himself. |
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30 Dec 16 - 02:52 AM (#3829482) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: Allan Conn Again I know musical taste is personal, and is often affected by one's age too, when it comes to what is your favourite decade etc - but none the less I rather liked the 1980s and would argue against the idea that it was the worst decade for music. I thought there was lots of great music about then of all varieties. Also come on! George Michael was the worst singer about in the 1980s!!! Again I'm not a massive fan and I do think some of his more recent stuff like some tracks on the Symphonica album drag on a bit - but even though not to everyone's taste his singles from the Wham period and his early 1980s and 1990s solo singles and albums show vocally that he was a long way from being the worst singer around. And importantly he could do it live too. Just look out the Youtube clips of him singing "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" or "Somebody To Love" to see he could hit every note. I've seen bands in my time who are let down by poor live vocals where they just couldn't even keep in tune. |
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30 Dec 16 - 12:17 PM (#3829579) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: GUEST,keberoxu Erm, Allan, you posted "George Michael was the worst singer about in the 1980s" did you mean to put a negative in there someplace? |
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30 Dec 16 - 12:26 PM (#3829584) Subject: RE: Obit: UK Singer George Michael (1963-2016) From: GUEST,Roger Knowles A simply legendary folk singer!
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