After much troubleshooting, I am proud to announce that the
latest YM homepage is
up on the web, and it's got a new
address: http://members.aol.com/Yogmael/index.html
And yes, it is me on the far left of that
pic of the first YM get-
together, lots of hair ago and on a mere 3 hours sleep after a
night of drinking. And the Michelle in
that pic is not a YM'er,
she's my minder and offline best friend.
And for the new YM'ers who want to check out what it was
like
behind the cameras at Unplugged, hit the archives for YM#164
(http://www.ozemail.com.au/~alhatu/archive.htm)
AND
AWAY WE GO...
***************************
landrine-at-pressroom.com (Rick Landrine) writes:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi
Amanda,
I have a bone to pick with you: :o)
I was reading back over some older issues (I've fallen behind)
and I must
say that I am getting more than a little tired of your
attitude towards bootlegs. You say that you don't endorse them,
but
quite often your attitude towards them is much closer to that
of condemnation.
I appreciate the relationship that you have
with Ęgean, however
I really feel that you are doing a little too much ass-kissing when it
comes to this bootleg issue.
(This
has nothing to do with AEgean. This has to due with
companies that fail to deliver product and the basic fact that
some YM
people don't want AEgean to know they bootleg.
Ask me personally and I can pass on some of the best in the
business. AG)
As
you know, when most fans talk about GM bootlegs, they
are not referring to piracy (i.e. the copying of official commercially
available
record label releases), they are most likely referring to
live concert performances of GM captured onto audio tape or VHS
which
cannot be obtained elsewhere.
Although GM and Ęgean might mind the people who are mass
producing these bootleg copies, I'm
sure that they both couldn't
give a rat's ass if we, his loyal fans all obtained bootleg tapes of his
concerts. Especially if
we had purchased all of the "official"
commercially available releases legally.
George Michael has enough money,
he has millions, made
from us, his fans---he won't miss the extra royalties that this would
bring him. And if this does bother
him, than he should do something
about it by commercially releasing a live album for us to purchase in
its place. Or at least
making a live concert available to purchase
through the Aegean backstage area (whenever that opens up).
The desire that we
as fans feel to obtain these "unofficial"
bootlegs is the same desire that motivated us to purchase all of his
"official"
work. i. e. our love for the man's music. Without this desire
there would be no George Michael. How can you have desire for one
and
not the other? Personally, I think that any GM fan would be a
fool not to own a GM concert bootleg if they wanted one and could
also
afford to get one. I would even bet that George Michael himself
has bootleg concerts of his favourite artists.
So in
closing, let me just ask you to please let fans trade in
peace, as this is a NON-OFFICIAL, public newsetter (thank you for
it
by the way), we really should be able to say what we want (within
reason) without this kind of a "shame on you" finger
waving type of
attitude. I know that I for one can do without it.
(Say what you want, do what you want. If anything I say
seriously
sways you, have your head checked for sheep syndrome. AG)
Thanks Again for this platform,
(Any time buddy.
AG)
Rick
P.S. Tara, do you think that this will win me more votes on your
survey for being the most annoying GM fan?
:)
***************************
lchemists-at-msn.com (beverley lawrence) writes:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi
Amanda and everyone!
There has beeen a lot of "talk" in YM just recently about
petitioning AEgean to release the
(full?) "Unplugged" on cd, or
getting Fony to release LWP2 or whatever other George material
languishes in their
vaults. Fair enough, I'm with you on these
issues, and I'll be first in the queue outside the record shop!! But
let's not
forget that, to the best of my knowledge, George is
contracted to Virgin and DreamWorks for TWO albums. Surely
they would
therefore have first option on the "Unplugged"....but
then that would be his second album for them, and they probably
would
want a new STUDIO album! Could George actually release
an album officially on AEgean until he has fulfilled his
contractual
obligations?
(I doubt it. While we don't know the specs, maybe the contract
calls for studio albums only, I think Unplugged
remains in the
vaults indefinitely. AG)
Now, I phoned Fony here in London for info on the Greatest Hits,
and I was
passed from one department to another, and NO-ONE
could give me ANY info whatsoever.....what a useless record
company!!!
And
while we're in the mood to get material released....how about
someone having the idea of putting "Living For The City",
George's
duet with Stevie Wonder at the VH-1 Honors, onto the "B" side (at
least) of a cd single. Am I alone in
thinking that this was a great
performance by both artists? GEORGE, IF YOU'RE OUT THERE,
PLEASE TAKE NOTE!!!!!!
But most
importantly, let's all give George the love, support and
encouragement that he deserves to inspire him to record and
release
NEW music of his own.....only in that way can any artist
hope to grow! Here's to the next album....hopefully before I hit 40!!
Will
I be too old to buy it......??!!
Love to all,
Beverley.
***************************
BoyWonderRN-at-webtv.net (Robin
Pacson) writes:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey there! I've been reading several
of my Yogmael and I decided
that it was about time that I write. I've really enjoyed reading all
the different stories that
are being sent. It's also great to know
that fans from all over the world are being bonded by this web site.
Great job!
I've
been a fan since 1984. Yes, I've been really loyal and kept in
touch with all that George Michael has been through. Though his
music
style has changed and he has a new look, I will always be
a true fan.
I have no really exciting stories to tell, but I will
always remember
seeing GM in concert during his Faith tour in D.C. I wish I could
see him perform again live. I always get
excited when I hear his
songs being played in the dance clubs.
Is there anyone out there living in the Dallas/Ft. Worth
area? I've
just moved here and would like to meet new people. It would be
nice to meet someone who already shares something in
common--great
taste in music :)
Well I guess this is it. I finally mailed something in even though
it might've been boring. Amanda keep
up the great work! Can't
wait to read my next YogMael!
***************************
Cozemodo-at-aol.com writes:
------------------------------------------
AG,
I read your comment on the Cover to Cover concert that this
tommy mottola (Please notice the lower case, he doesn't deserve
a
capital letter.) walked out of. Please explain his status with
sony (?) and the circumstances. It sounds as though I have
another
person to add to my shit list. (It's getting quite large, as
a matter of fact.) Thanks.
(tommy is the current COO of good
old Fony. I'm not sure what
he was at time, but he was an exec, and should not have bailed
half way through that show in
Toronto. Maybe he was bored. AG)
Mike
***************************
rgty_lmh-at-waikato.ac.nz (Lisa Holmes) writes:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi
Guys
I've been reading all these great stories about those of you who
have been lucky enough to meet/see George in the
flesh, whether
it be behind the scenes at a concert, stranded on the side of the
road broken down, or amongst a crowd of tens
of thousands.
Well, sorry to disappoint but I have yet to meet him. But I tell
you what, my fingers are always crossed that
our paths will one
day meet!
They say 'THIRD TIME LUCKY' so here's how I figure it.
No 1:
Quite a few years ago
now George was set to come to New
Zealand to play a concert in Auckland. I raced out and got my
ticket, boy was I excited - I
couldn't wait. Anyway 1 week
before he was due to arrive there was a Newsflash broadcast
over the radio that his concert had
been cancelled. I couldn't
believe it - I was devastated!
No 2:
In 1990 my mum and I travelled to L.A for three weeks. I
really
wanted to visit downtown Hollywood to check out Manns
Chinese Theatre, the Walk of Fame, Melrose and Rodeo Drive
etc.
Well we did this in our third week, but it wasn't until 1
week later when we arrived home that I was listening to the
Rick
Dee's American Top 40. He was giving out a bit of goss
and explained that 'George Michael had been spotted on Melrose
last
week!'
Can you believe it! So close but yet so far. In both cases I've
been 1 week out from meeting this elusive man.
I'm
only hoping that one day it will be 3rd time lucky!!
Lisa
(NZ)
***************************
renestem-at-edge.net (Tina
Stem) writes:
----------------------------------------------------------
Hello Queen of the Yogamites!
Just wanted to
say congratulations on the 200th issue! Did you
ever think it would go this far & have this big of a following?
(There's
a lot of things I didn't think would happen... AG)
Have a WONDERFUL time in California & take lots of Tylenol
along for
the "mornings after". We will miss you but you deserve
the break. Maybe there won't be too many of us in rehab
suffering
with withdrawls when you get back. Everyone will
REALLY appreciate you when we get that next "fix" after your
vacation.
(We'll
see what happens when I actually find myself alone in a
room with a computer, access to my AOL account, and the disk
with
the YM membership roster... AG)
Lots of love,
Tina
***************************
LEGIONWOO-at-aol.com writes:
-----------------------------------------------
<<
Daily Mirror: >>
Is that a British Paper? I remember hearing that name before
somewhere......
(Yep, it is. AG)
Greetings
and Salutations!
Hi! My name is Stan and I'm 17 and I've been a diehard
George fan since I was 7. Anyway, I am really glad to
know
there are othe fans like me out there-I have a few questions:
~I haven't heard "Empty Kisses" and was
wondering where I could
find it.
(Not George. AG)
~If I wanted to catch a glimpse of the man, would I have to fly to
England
to do it? I was wondering b/c if so, I may have found
motivation to study abroad in college while at Duke....
(You could
get away with study terms at UCLA or the University
of Nice as well. AG)
~What exactly is YM Weekend?
(48 hours of
George fans partying in sunny Los Angeles the
last weekend of July. AG)
Mad Props to everyone,
Stan (Legionwoo)
***************************
mcgary-at-intelligent-agent.com
(Jeff McGary) writes:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Yogmael #201 there was a
statement made that included Luis
Miguel with "that awful stuff." Though I will not argue whether
any art is good or
bad, I will make an argument that there is no
artist more similar to George Michael in the world. A friend who
works for
A&M (Miguel's company), when discussing his
upcoming English language album even stated that "they feel
that he will
be able to capture the George Michael audience, as
well as his already massive latino following." The voices are
similiar,
the haircuts are the same, and many of their tunes are
comparitive. And of course, their names. Miguel is Michael in
Spanish,
for those of you that don't know.
In short, I believe that if they share anything in common, Luis
has experienced the same
exact press in Mexico, as George
has the United States. After huge success in their youth, a
backlash of bad press (mostly
from jealous critics, who would
love to be artists themselves) seemed to follow them both.
Questions of authenticity seem to
follow statements about
both of the "shaking their ass" and "flashing their smile." Don't
believe the
hype.
Again, I'm not trying to say whether his music is good or bad.
That's not to be argued. And of course, everyone is
entitled to
their own opinion. In my opinion, he is a very talented performer,
with one of the most amazing voices to ever
grace a microphone.
Who? Both of them.
***************************
peachtree999-at-mindspring.com writes:
----------------------------------------------------------
Hello
Amanda:
I have lost my e-mail address. I'm sorry I couldn't let you know
earlier, but they cut it off without a warning, so I
really couln't
send you this note earlier. I hope you didn't have a lot of
problems because of my non-existing-mail. I'm
really sorry if
you did. MY new e-mail is peachtree999-at-mindspring.com. It
was kristine-at-superfm.riga.lv Thank you again
for the great
job you are doing. I've really enjoyed being on your list and will
continue to do so.
Have a good time in
Cali.
Take care and try not to let George keep you up all night.
Kristine
***************************
didi-at-ican.net
writes:
-------------------------------
First and foremost I am addicted to Queen and FREDDY
MERCURY.... I think I began
liking George because he is the
only performer who can sing a Queen song decently...if anyone
really wants to talk about
George and Queen...do not hesitate...
e-mail me
Best Wishes
Didi
***************************
gxle06-at-udcf.gla.ac.uk
(Kirsteen McKenna) writes:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi everyone
I was
pleased to read Melanie's message about the "An
Audience with.." which will include George Michael. I noticed
that
she mentioned the series starting, can anyone help me
with this? when exactly?!!!
Luv to Amanda and everyone else,
Kirsteen
***************************
hollydare-at-att.net
writes:
-------------------------------------
Hi Amanda, I've been reading your archives for months from my
roommates
internet account & now that I have my own account,
I decided to write. I only have one really interesting George story
and
I'm afraid it's YEARS old. I work in commercials & music
videos and once worked with Kathy Jeung. It was just after "I
Want
Your Sex" was released. I had to give her a call time for
work the next day. When I got her machine it was the drums
from
"I Want Your Sex" but her message was "This is not about
casual phone....I want your message." I thought it
was great.
Thanks for doing a great job. Keep up the good work.
***************************
To Wrap it Up:
YOU can
still join the party at YM weekend '97 July 25th to 27th
in Los Angeles. Want to know the itinerary? Drop me a line.
"Never
state what you can't imply."