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Wham! was a band formed in 1981 by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley.Michael and Ridgeley met at Bushey Meads School in Watford, England, and performed in a short lived band called THE EXECUTIVE before changing their name and signing to Innervision Records (after a legal victory over Innervision, the duo signed later to CBS; Columbia in the US and Canada, and Epic for the rest of the world).
Further information: Artist development deal
Michael took on the majority of roles and tasks within the band—composer, singer producer and occasional instrumentalist—but the contribution of Ridgeley as the group's image specialist and spokesman was crucial to the band's initial success: it was Ridgeley who forced upon a reluctant George that Wham! needed to change their image and sound frequently, from the leather clad moody singers of "Bad Boys" and "Young Guns (Go For It!)" to the more fashionable pop superstars of "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go."
Still teenagers, they promoted themselves as hedonistic youngsters, proud to live a carefree life without work or commitment. This was reflected in their earliest singles. Such works as "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do)" are just as likely to be seen as sarcasm and, thus, advocating the other point of view.
The first record to be released by the band was Wham Rap. It was a double A side with a social and Anti social mix (soul on the dole, we don't take no shit from the benefit). The record was banned for general release in the UK due to th...
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