Drunken music videos to hit singles: The biggest revelations from Wham! on Netflix

Netflix’s latest documentary Wham! tells the story of the iconic duo through the lens of their friendship and success from 1980 to 1986. The documentary features an array of wholesome moments from the band’s rise to fame and reveal some key moments in their career people didn’t know.

There were some wild and even more wholesome revelations to come out of the Wham Netflix documentary. So as Netflix takes fans on a trip down memory lane, here is a look at the biggest revelations from Wham on Netflix.

George’s family didn’t approve of his friendship with Andrew

via Netflix

Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael first met at school in 1975 when they were 12 and 11 years old. After bonding over music, especially for Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, the pair spent hours doing skits and comedy radio show.

Despite being good friends, not every approved of their bond. In their school report, Andrew was described as “disruptive” and George’s parents didn’t think they should be friends. “My parents thought he was the worst thing that could ever happen to me,” Michael said.

Despite having a number one album by 1984, they were incredibly broke

One of the biggest revelations from Wham on Netflix was that they had hardly any money after their first bout of success.

In 1984, Wham’s Fantastic album had reached number one and a sold out tour followed, but according to the duo they have no money. The pair said they were “so broke” after the tour they both went back to live with their parents.

Their record deal meant they earned four per cent each on singles in the UK and two per cent across the world.

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They were originally formed a five-piece band

Another one of the biggest revelations from the Wham documentary on Netflix is that they weren’t always just a duo.

Before Wham! was even thought in their minds, George and Andrew formed a five-piece band called The Executive when they were 16 years old.

“We played ska music which included a ska take on Beethoven Fur Elise,” Michael said. “We were terrible basically. It fizzled out after a year because people didn’t turn up for practices or concerts.”

However Andrew had a different version of events, saying the band “imploded” rather than “fizzled out”.

Wake Me Up Before You Go Go was inspired by a note

The iconic Wake Me Up Before You Go Go was said to have been inspired by a note Andrew Ridgeley had left George Michael asking him to “rouse him” before he left the house. Andrew wrote two “ups” and two “gos” and now we have an iconic song to last forever.

George came out to Andrew while shooting the Club Tropicana music video

via Netflix

During a shoot for Club Tropicana, George came out to Andrew and their backup singer Shirlie Holliman. “It didn’t have any bearing on our relationship,” Andrew said, continuing: “But we thought it was best not to tell his dad.”

“I really wanted to come out – and then I lost my nerve completely,” Michael reminisced. “So I created a new character, deciding to forge my identity though my success.”

George was convinced he had written their fourth number one during a football match

Last Christmas has become a staple Christmas song, with it always shooting to number one, however it didn’t reach that success while George Michael was still alive.

George was convinced he had written their fourth big hit while watching a football match, however it only ever reached number two as Do They Know It’s Christmas? took the top spot.

“Like everyone else, I thought it was great,” Michael said about recording Do They Know It’s Christmas?, “but I had this little bastard ego thing that kept me thinking ‘shit, shit, shit’.”

Last Christmas reached number two and the pair donated all their royalties from the song to the famine relief in Ethiopia. However, the song did reach number one in the UK on New Year’s Day 2021.

Wham! is available to watch on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news, drops, quizzes and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook. 

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Wham! on Netflix: Here’s why the iconic band split up in the late 1980s

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Featured image credit via Netflix.