From gold records to gold coins: George Michael now honored with commemorative minting

Sounds great eh, a deceased pop star who enjoyed global fame until you have a second thought and remember that he was convicted of indecent acts in public and drug offences

Nobodys,perfect Steve.

He was quite honest about his offences. Honesty counts for a lot.

Quite a few artists with past offences have been honoured by the establishment. Nothing new.

Wham's Last Christmas was recorded around the same time as Band Aid and didn't get Christmas No. 1 because of it. It became the top selling number two of all time. All proceeds were donated to famine relief in Africa.

Shakin Stevens recorded his vastly inferior Christmas song at the same time, held it back a year, and got the next Christmas No. 1. As far as I know, none of the proceeds went to famine relief in Africa. It's what Wham could have done, but didn't.

There is great footage of a 1980s music panel talk show where a typically bouffant and brightly coloured Wham era George Michael talks geniunely and knowledgably about Joy Division. Morrissey, much highly rated by critics and music fans at the time, is on the same panel and comes across as a self-obsessed prat, almost like someone doing an impression of Rik from the Young Ones.

Even if you don't like his music, George Michael RIP. Great bloke and what a singer.

He seems to have been a pretty generous guy and didn't seek publicity for it, so the honour of the coin is warranted I think.

Morrissey, much highly rated by critics and music fans at the time, is on the same panel and comes across as a self-obsessed prat, almost like someone doing an impression of Rik from the Young Ones

Lol. Nice one.

He hasn’t changed much.

Even if you don't like his music, George Michael RIP. Great bloke and what a singer.

Yes. Can’t say I was or am a big fan but you’ve got to admire the voice. Truly excellent.

Sounds great eh, a deceased pop star who enjoyed global fame until you have a second thought and remember that he was convicted of indecent acts in public and drug offences.

It's a commemorative coin, collected by fans. I'm pretty sure many people on commemorative coins issued by the UK have used drugs and/or been arrested in the past. Wait until you hear about some guys called Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Mick Jagger and Sir Elton John - that'll blow your mind.

Both George Michael and Boy George lived next to Hampstead Heath and often would be seen taking a walk on it.

And? Seems like you have completely left out any interesting(?) point you may have been trying to make.

I totally hated Wham! when they came out in the US IN 1984. Icky bubblegum music

Nothing wrong with bubblegum pop.

It’s fun.

It’s not supposed to be the Goldberg Variations.

trademark aviator-style sunglasses, complete with his blow-dried locks and razor stubble

Still in vogue in India and Pakistan.

We all have opinions. Maybe best to just listen to his singing.

My favorite is him singing Somebody To Love at the tribute concert to Freddie Mercury.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvM2Cmi-YRU

bass4funkFeb. 28  03:35 pm JST

Why???.. 

Why not?

That music sucks.. 

Music Historians say a very different thing.

Sounds woke..

Woke? Huh????

How is this 'woke' by any definition? Once again, I've said earlier that rock'n'roll as well as all musics have had gay stars, so there's nothing 'woke' here.

Wait, not sure where you were during that time, but I was a clubbed back then and that song was huge, absolutely a monster, the same goes for his other songs that were frequently played like "Father Figure and Fast Love." If you didn't hang out in clubs or were not part of the nightlife scene in the late 80's and early 90's then you might come to that conclusion.

" want your sex" peaked at number two in the U.S. and number three in the UK, and was a top five single in many other countries.

The single was certified  for sales in excess of two million in the United States.

In unit sales, that's not shabby at all, let's not forget the residuals added to that.

'Want Your Sex' was certainly a huge club hit at the time and I was into it all. I only mentioned that MTV refused to air its video and that possibly kept the song from topping the US charts. As for the other tracks on 'Faith' they topped the charts in the US and around the world and so did the album. Deservedly so.

But things got better after that. Much better. Even after his dumb self-imposed career standstill after refusing to work for the Sony label. 

GM is one of those singers who can really shine when he's got the right songs. There are plenty like that. His plusses outweigh the minuses and his impact and legacy is strong. He died in 2016 - an ugly year that took the lives of Bowie, Prince, John Glenn, US democracy and GM and others. So why not celebrate him with an honor coin? He deserves it.

How is this 'woke' by any definition?

I wasn’t addressing you, I was responding to Tokyoliving.

'Want Your Sex' was certainly a huge club hit at the time and I was into it all. I only mentioned that MTV refused to air its video and that possibly kept the song from topping the US charts.

That only concerned the song and the artist (George Michael) that at the time, the industry was conservatively, politically and socially bias at the time, however, in and around the club scene it was a smash hit.

As for the other tracks on 'Faith' they topped the charts in the US and around the world and so did the album. Deservedly so. 

Absolutely.

But things got better after that. Much better. Even after his dumb self-imposed career standstill after refusing to work for the Sony label. 

GM is one of those singers who can really shine when he's got the right songs. There are plenty like that. His plusses outweigh the minuses and his impact and legacy is strong. He died in 2016 - an ugly year that took the lives of Bowie, Prince, John Glenn, US democracy and GM and others. So why not celebrate him with an honor coin? He deserves it.

I agree.

albaleoToday  04:26 am JST

We all have opinions. Maybe best to just listen to his singing.

My favorite is him singing Somebody To Love at the tribute concert to Freddie Mercury.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvM2Cmi-YRU

'Queen's Greatest Hits' comes in the first edition which was released in 1981. 'Vol 2' covers the rest of their career from 1982 - 1991. And some editions have just those 2 CDs in a 'boxey' and some in a box of 3. That's the best one because 'Vol 3' has leftovers, tidbits and tributes to Freddie (incl. the one f/ GM), other tributes f/ Elton John, Wycliff Jean and others; solo Brian May, solo Freddie ('The Great Pretender'!), songs from the CD Freddie made with a Spanish opera singer, the Christmas hit 'Thank God It's Christmas' and more!

If you're going to get a Queen GH release, get the 3 CD version which the aforementioned extras incl. the tribute by GM. The third disc is a hodge-podge of some really good stuff.

He died in 2016 - an ugly year that took the lives of Bowie, Prince, John Glenn, US democracy and GM and others.

US democracy?

My favorite is him singing Somebody To Love at the tribute concert to Freddie Mercury.

If you think that was a great song, then you should listen to their 1976 album Queen-"A Day at the Races" Absolute phenomenal album, literally every song, ("You and I" in particular) but what made the album a smash and a lot of people don't give enough credit to is John Deacon, the man is just tight and always in the pocket, quiet but adds those beautiful layered bass lines that makes the entire album a relic. Just to give you an example of how this guy writes a bass line, and this is not a typical Top-40 groove.

https://youtu.be/ZEnl9mrNYSY?si=Imhii44nhECbHjhL

"I think it's Amazing."

Would love to get hold of this coin.

"Waiting for this day, but you can't always get what you want".

Why???.. 

Why not?

That music sucks.. 

Music Historians say a very different thing.

Sounds woke..

Woke? Huh????

I totally hated Wham! when they came out in the US IN 1984. Icky bubblegum music, but 'Last Christmas' came out a year later here and by that time 'Freedom' showed that they could do a good song when they wanted to. 

I disagree, Wham! was a band that was in the forefront of the early 80's New Wave movement, George Michael's was a phenomenal writer and musical arranger and their first self-titled album is a huge testament to that, I had a chance to meet them in 1986 in LA. nice guys, had a very solid musical lineup, the late Deon Estus was in huge part responsible for giving the band its iconic sound and flair. By far one of their best songs and song intros was "Club Tropicana" his syncopation style he learned from James Jamerson - as once noted: “the man who brought syncopation to the bass“ - and a melodic sensibility that made their sound so irresistible.

Then George and Andy split, went solo. George and Aretha had a #1 hit in the US, then he debuted with the disgusting song 'I Want Your Sex' which came with a repulsive and sick video that reflected the smugness and arrogance that critics said about GM all along. MTV refused to air it so the song peaked at #2. 

Wait, not sure where you were during that time, but I was a clubbed back then and that song was huge, absolutely a monster, the same goes for his other songs that were frequently played like "Father Figure and Fast Love." If you didn't hang out in clubs or were not part of the nightlife scene in the late 80's and early 90's then you might come to that conclusion.

" want your sex" peaked at number two in the U.S. and number three in the UK, and was a top five single in many other countries.

The single was certified  for sales in excess of two million in the United States.

In unit sales, that's not shabby at all, let's not forget the residuals added to that.

But things got better after that. Much better. Even after his dumb self-imposed career standstill after refusing to work for the Sony label. 

I would too if they were cheating me out of my contract.

At his best he was really good. And many superstars like him have their garbage along with their stellar classic music.

Well, that goes for every musician, I have songs that I wrote 30 years ago and some that are like...meh...it happens, you can apply that to anything you do in your life. I think he is definitely deserving of the honor considering what he brought to the world of 80's New Wave sound and although the band was only together for 4 years their musical contribution will never be forgotten.

I totally hated Wham! when they came out in the US IN 1984. Icky bubblegum music, but 'Last Christmas' came out a year later here and by that time 'Freedom' showed that they could do a good song when they wanted to.

Then George and Andy split, went solo. George and Aretha had a #1 hit in the US, then he debuted with the disgusting song 'I Want Your Sex' which came with a repulsive and sick video that reflected the smugness and arrogance that critics said about GM all along. MTV refused to air it so the song peaked at #2.

But things got better after that. Much better. Even after his dumb self-imposed career standstill after refusing to work for the Sony label.

At his best he was really good. And many superstars like him have their garbage along with their stellar classic music. So why not honor him with a coin, or a stamp in his native UK? Sure he's done some stupid things but nothing quite on the wavelength or enormity of what Gary Glitter did. Gary is such a horrible monster, he doesn't deserve any such honors like this.

George was a great singer. Saw the Wham thingie on Netflix--real good.

Both George Michael and Boy George lived next to Hampstead Heath and often would be seen taking a walk on it.

Nothing wrong with bubblegum pop.

The truth is and by definition, their music was far from being anything related to "bubblegum pop" Debbie Debb on the other hand fits the very definition of a true " bubblegum " pop star artist.

Why???..

That music sucks..

Sounds woke..

Sounds great eh, a deceased pop star who enjoyed global fame until you have a second thought and remember that he was convicted of indecent acts in public and drug offences.