It was a very solemn morning on December 26, as many in Goa woke up to the news that George Michael had passed away. For the uninitiated, this was George Michael of Wham, and then later the George Michael who dished out tunes like Faith, Freedom 90, Too Funky, Jesus to a Child and even did some great jazz influenced covers of tunes like Roxanne and The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face. His song Last Christmas is an oft-played tune during the Christmas season, despite it not even falling under the Christmas carol category.
George Michael courted controversy like Romeo courted Juliet, but he took it on the chin, poking fun at himself and throwing the gauntlet down the challenge the Man. This was never more evident than when he shot the video for the song Outside, which showed male couples getting caught on camera in the middle of risqué acts. That happened after he was caught in the middle of a ‘lewd act’ somewhere in 1998.
But raunchy videos will not be his legacy. He was inspirational, to musicians that came after him and even to those who worked with him. Twitter and facebook were full of tributes, stories of how his music inspired people, anecdotes by this who has the pleasure and the honour of working with him and even interesting pieces about how he would engage in a lot of charitable work. The tributes were never ending and the should be that way, because George Michael was part of an inspirational group of musicians who helped shape 80s and 90s pop music. Rest in peace George.
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George Michael's sudden death has come as a shock in a year that has taken many musical greats. He's left us with unforgettable tunes, while also going beyond music to unapologetically speak up for himself and the LGBT community. He will be missed.
Vince Costa, musician and businessman
A truly inspirational full of life soul who expressed everyone’s mood and life through his songs, which connect to almost everyone who listens to his famous hits like Faith, Careless Whisper, Father Figure, Freedom, Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, Kissing A Fool and so many more... George Michael belongs to the greatest list, those who created great music and inspired many other new artists and gave us childhood memories to linger on to. Rest in peace a truly loved and celebrated artist.
Saby Fernandes, musician
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Turn to page 3 for a detailed story on George Michael - Too Funky for the world
