Wham! George Michael & me
(Book)

"A Memoir" -- cover.

Ridgeley tells the inside story of Wham!, his lifelong friendship with George Michael, and the formation of a band that changed the shape of the music scene in the early eighties. -- amazon.com

"Andrew Ridgeley was one half of one of the biggest bands in history. For the, first time, he tells the inside story of Wham!, of his lifelong friendship with George Michael, and of how they changed the shape of the eighties music scene with a string of joyous hits, that remain as loved today as they were when they first burst over the airwaves and into teenage hearts. Watford, 1975. It's day one of the new school term, and two teenagers, Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou and Andrew John Ridgeley, meet for the first time. They soon become best friends. But it isn't football or fashion that brings them together (actually, girls: yes). Instead they discover they're both mad about music. And inspired by the sheer joy of their shared passion for pop, they pursue what looks to family and friends like an impossible dream. It leads them to an exuberant, unforgettable first appearance on Top of the Pops in 1982 that catapults them into overnight fame. For the next four years Andrew and George ride an astonishing roller coaster of success and celebrity that sees them playing arenas and stadiums around the world. Together they make and break records. But throughout, despite superstardom that would have torn apart most friendships, they remain true to themselves and each other. Theirs was a bond that neither would ever replace. Wham! was the soundtrack to a decade and to a party that felt as if it would never end. But of course it did. ln front of tens of thousands of tearful fans at Wembley Stadium in 1986, George and Andrew played their final concert together. And, one last time, they shared their special kinship, with their army of devoted fans. In [this book], Andrew charts the story of those extraordinary few years with humour, poignant, this as a once in a lifetime love, integrity and candour. Joyful, honest, funny and poignant, this is a once-in-a-lifetime book about a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon: Wham!"--Dust jacket.