Label-Mate Legends Step Back in Time
BBC Radio 2’s festival in Hyde Park last weekend featured headliner, Kylie Minogue singing some selections from Golden, and some Kylie classics of course, to a massive crowd of (reportedly) 60,000. Jason Donovan joined Kylie on stage during “Especially for You,” and in another feel-good musical moment, Rick Astley and his still-phenomenal voice stepped out in front of a welcoming audience to sing “Never Gonna Give You Up,” and Kylie’s “I Should Be So Lucky,” with his former PWL label mate. Their harmony at “… gonna play/And if you ask me how I’m feeling” delivers all the feels. It’s a fun return to 1987 and the “hit factory” days, plus a reminder that true talent stands the test of time.
George Michael: Pop-Music Idol. Lasting Legend.
As lead singer of Wham! in the early ‘80s, George Michael, along with Andrew Ridgeley, initially delivered pop songs that incorporated an (early) rap-sound sensibility. Certainly more Wham!-glam than gangsta, songs and corresponding videos for “Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do),” “Bad Boys” and “Young Guns (Go For It)” embraced (late-teen) rebellion and counter-culture independence. They featured George as the rebellious protagonist, hell (or heck) bent on breaking free from the expected 9 - 5 job and (the “Young Guns” lyric) “death by matrimony,” with Andrew’s character often portrayed as the one George’s needed to save from a life of cookie-cutter boredom. This trio of songs/videos walked a fine line, creating a (not-so) underlying homoerotic subtext, with George’s character seemingly enamored with Andrew’s. Besides this (latent) longing, gay iconography played heavily in these videos too, such as black leather jackets, tight jeans, and aviator glasses—a look that George would don again through his 1987 Faith period.
George later commented on the preoccupation with image over musical chops in “Freedom! ’90”; the video purposely didn’t feature the singer, unheard of at that time, especially considering his popularity, good looks, and sex appeal to both men and women. The video used supermodels instead to lip-sync the lyrics, and also showed his leather jacket ablaze, signifying the death of what was seen as a distraction to George’s wanting to be considered an artist with substance: “Sometimes the clothes do not make the man.”
Although George had his own model good looks, his absence from some of his videos helped refocus listeners to how great of a vocalist he was. George’s cover of Queen’s “Somebody to Love” at Freddie Mercury’s tribute concert at London’s Wembley Stadium is one of George’s finest vocal offerings, hitting remarkable notes, with an energy that turns heartbreaking lyrics into something hopeful. In the mid- to late-‘90s, George released “Fastlove” and for his greatest-hits collection released “Outside,” an ode to “love” in the outdoors, written in response to his arrest at a public bathroom. In 2008, he was on a worldwide retrospective tour, and this clip of “Everything She Wants” from Earl’s Court in London captures George’s calm command of the stage, with the ecstatic audience participation confirming his impact on a generation. This past Christmas saw the passing of the singer. He was only 53.
“Outside”: George took (life) lemons and made (musical) lemonade. He had the moves, and this clip showcases the genius of George:
Where the Wild Roses Glow: Kylie Minogue at Hyde Park Festival
As the headliner at the British Summer Time festival in London’s Hyde Park, pop royalty Kylie Minogue seemed to have a certain glow, as evidenced in the four-minute video below, which features compiled footage from the huge outdoor event, with a remix of “On a Night Like This” as the soundtrack. Donning a crown, accessorized by a base of red roses (maybe that was the reason for the luminous sparkle), she looked excited and energized. Perhaps the obvious joy was due to a revised, refreshed set list, instead of the one she recently used on her Kiss Me Once tour.
Back were the signature hits, as well as some ‘80s covers (Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes,” complete with ‘80s photo-shoot-inspired video backdrop; Kool & the Gang’s “Celebration,” as she donned a Xanadu-tastic shiny gold jumpsuit to set the tone). She did keep one Kiss Me Once song, “Into the Blue,” which closes the show and finds Kylie sporting a black, beautifully tailored coat. If Kiss Me Once was winter, Kylie looked like she was ready for summer.