Andrew Ridgeley on the New Netflix Doc Wham!

Whether you were dancing in the ‘80s, or dancing now, it would be hard to find a more infectious track than “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go,” one of the biggest hits by the short-lived English ’80s pop band Wham! While the band’s legacy was eclipsed by the mesmerizing rise of its lead singer and songwriter George Michael, the new Netflix documentary “Wham!” takes us back to the heady days of youth, when George and his best mate Andrew Ridgeley took on the world and the pop charts with fun, bouncy, memorable songs that are still as fresh today.

But it’s not just about the music; the essence of the documentary is the incredible friendship between these two boys who first met and connected over their mutual love of music at school. The documentary shows how essential Ridgeley really was to sustaining the bond with Michael as the band took its meteoric rise.  

Ridgeley, who has mostly kept a low profile since then, rarely speaking to the press, is now front and center taking pride and promoting the achievements of Wham! 

Katherine Tulich had an exclusive chat with the musician, who spoke candidly about the music and his long friendship with George Michael in this video report. 

Similar Posts

  • SYMBIOPSYCHOTAXIPLASM: TAKE ONE: Documentary Unraveled

    “This is terrible!” says the director, appearing onscreen for the first time after the sequence of haphazardly shot, the off-kilter dialogue of the opening minutes of the film. Only the first delightful surprise of experimental fiction-documentary Symbiopsychotaxiplasm, this unexpected commentary sets the stage for a spectacular and very odd 75 minutes. A Bad Idea? Symbiopsychotaxiplasm:…

  • Lapsis

    The low-budget, idea-driven corner of science fiction has become a crowded place recently. “Lapsis” is the latest entry worth seeing and arguing about. Written, directed, edited, and scored by Noah Hutton, and shot (by Mike Gomes) on location in New York City and in forests upstate, this is a rare American feature that not only dares…

  • ONCE UPON A RIVER: A Debut as Strong As Its Dark Currents

    What do you do when your center of gravity shifts so drastically that you can’t help but begin to float away; when your mother leaves you, your uncle rapes you, and your father dies because you try to seek your revenge, what do you do? As Haroula Rose’s feature-length directorial debut, Once Upon A River…

  • Pons Fabricius in Rome, Italy

    Pons Fabricius is a bridge located along the Tiber river in Rome. It connects the eastern shore of the Tiber Island to the mainland. This makes it one of only two bridges in the city not connecting the two banks of the river, the other being Pons Cestius west of the small island. Read moreA…

  • First International Flight Stone and Plaque in Bridgetown, Barbados

    Approaching the green, on the right-hand side of the fifth fairway at Rockley Golf & Country Club, stands a large stone. This marks the spot where international aviation history began in Barbados. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonBarbados’ first international arrival came by way of an Avro Avian. On March 29, 1929,…

  • The Dark and the Wicked

    “The Dark and the Wicked” has enough jump scares to satisfy the “Yes, but it is scary?” contingent of horror fans. But for the most part, this film from writer/director Bryan Bertino—about strange goings-on at a farmhouse where the family patriarch is dying—focuses on atmosphere and creeping dread, channeling 20th century classics like “Don’t Look Now,” “The Tenant,”…