Allow me to account for the questions you must have:
1.
"Why were there 2 issues for the date August 29th?" Well, I guess you could call one the DreamWorks version and the
other the Virgin edition? Seriously though, I just plain messed up on the dates, I guess a part of me just wants to prolong the
summer as long as possible since I start back at school next week. 2. "Why is my YOGMAIL so late today?" On one hand
it's a test, on the other computer problems, and I guess on yet another--wait I've only got 2 hands, hmmm...OK,--and on one foot, I
was just plain tired. To explain part one--the test--with starting back to school, I can't exactly be up to send the YOGMAIL at 3am,
as I usually do. So the new plan is to complie the list before I go to sleep, and send it when I get up--around 8am EST. So, being
too tired to put the list together last night when I got home from a friend's house--and it was only 9pm--I decided to set the alarm
to go off at 7am, get up, and do the mailing. So I got up, only to find that Omega--my computer--was in a mood, and would not be
working this early in the day, so he wouldn't connect to America Online. So I went back to sleep, and thus, this is why your mail's
late Sir or Madame (as the case may be).
ANYWAY, with the latest additions, YOGMAIL has 72 members--I WANT MORE!!!!--and
remember, keep sending me your locations!
If this is anyone's first YOGMAIL, and didn't get your back issues, please e mail
me so I can figure out what's wrong.
YOGMAIL is going to undergo some format changes tomorrow, and some new features will be
added. I'd love to hear what you have to say about them.
AND AWAY WE GO....
"Don't
think that I'll be back again..."
yog88-at-aol.com (Amanda) writes:
So I asked you guys some trivia
questions--some where courtesty of Mark, some I have used on Alicia (who disqualified herself to allow the rest of you a shot)
before--and with the exception of Tim, none of you even tried. Needless to say, there will be no more trivia contests.
So
here are the answers 1. Who is George's favorite singer/songwriter? STEVIE WONDER
2. Which Stevie Wonder album does
George tend to cover more than any other? 'Songs In The Key Of Life'
3. How did George come to choose the final track on
Five Live? (Queen's Dear Friends) While George was flying back home, after finishing his recording of the songs from the tribute
concert for Freddie Mercury AIDS benefit, the song popped into his head. When he got home and took a glance at his record
collection, the album which contained that song was at the front. Strange, how things work sometime.
(The above courtesy of
Mark--lisamark-at-mobis.com)
4. Where was George when he heard the BBC debut of "Jesus to a Child"? In LA, doing
photoshoots for "Older". However, he wasn't about to miss hearing his first new single on BBC radio in 5 years, so he
called home, and someone put the phone up to the radio.
(Which BTW, is kind of the way I first heard FastLove. Alicia--whamerica-at-aol.com--lives
in the US, and got her hands on the single the day before I did, so I called her up--well actually, she called me collect--and
played the tape for me. AG)
5. Who actually came up with the nickname Yog? Already answered with great skill by
Tim--thatu-at-ozgate.aussy.ingr.com--straight from his WEB site, which in turn came straight out of Bare:
Wrote Tim: Answering
the question about YOG, it is from Andrew, this was very easy as it is on the first line in the Bare section of my WEB page !!
Yog--which
is what my closest friends and family call me--comes from Andrew. He was at my house and heard my sisters or mother calling me
Georgios--Yorgos--which they would shorten to just Yorg. And so Andrew went back to school and said, ho-ho-ho, it's really funny
round at his house, they all call him Yog. Yog - ho-ho - it's like Yoghurt, innit? So I used to get called Yoghurt a lot too. A lot
of my teachers used to call me George-gee-os, which is a dumb English way to pronounce Georgios, and that really annoyed me. But
most of my friends, because of Andrew, ended up just calling me Yog.
(I've had worst nicknames than that. As for the Georgios
thing, out of love, I named a cat Georgios, and my father refused to call a cat Yorgos, so the cat's name quickly became Georgie.
AG)
6. Name George's estate in France, and in what city is it located? Named after the man himself, if you ever get to St.
Tropez--so exclusive it's not on most maps!--you might want to pop by Chez Nobby. Nobby being one of George's many nicknames.
7.
Where did George first meet Madonna? (Place, year and situation) Taken from Christopher Anderson's "Madonna:
Unauthorized"
"[Circa 1983 Sire A&R man Michael] Rosenblatt was playing host to visiting Wham! when the group's
lead vocalist, George Michael, spotted an attractive young woman (whose blond hair was growing back dark) in a janunty cap and
garish, mismatched stockings prancing to to the deejay booth. She was chewing gum frantically; a crcifix dangled from her left ear.
Without having to be introduced to her by [mututal friend deejay Mark] Kamins, Rosenblatt knew instantly that this "incredibly
wild-looking woman" was Madonna. He introduced himself--as well as the gawking George Michael..."
8. As of 1994,
what was the name of George's favorite restaurant in London? Hint: It wasn't his dad's. Signor Zilli's.
"I
guess we see things differently..."
yog88-at-aol.com (Amanda) writes: Here is the the promised play list from the
Oct. 25/91 Cover to Cover New York City show, which was as I remember it, identical to the Toronto show on the 22nd.
Killer
(Seal/Adamski) Papa Was a Rolling Stone (Was Not Was version) Victims (Culture Club) Father Figure Ain't No Stopping Us
Now (?) Calling You (Theme from Bagdhad Cafe) Hard Day Back to Life (Soul II Soul) Mother's Pride Sign Your Name
Across My Heart (Terence Trent D'Arby) Waiting For That Day I'm Your Man Tonight (Elton John) They Won't Go When I Go
(Stevie Wonder) Fame (David Bowie) Everything She Wants Ain't Nobody (?) Freedom! Faith Don't Let The Sun Go Down
On Me (Elton) Careless Whisper Freedom 90
"I think it's time I told you
so..."
marti-at-grn.es (Marti) writes: Hi all!
Listen without prejudice Vol.2 WAS released in the States some
years ago! Yes, it's true, but only 200 copies or so. In fact one of the tecnitians at CBS grab a copy of the album and made some
copies.
(I've never heard this one... AG)
Jesus to a Child wasn't quite a new song, he sung it at the European Music
Awards '95 of the MTV with a huge gospel chorus behind him.
(It's even older than that. George allowed a London radio station
to play it some 18 months prior to the awards as a means of raising funds for--I think--the Help a London Child charity. It made a
ridiculously large amount of money for the charity. I'll have to check my vault of George stuff for the actual amount. More on this
tomorrow. AG)
Thank to all who explained that the strange CD of Don't let the Sun Go Down on me was the official CD, in fact
in Spain I found it quite miracously in a shop, they only had that copy and they didn't even know how had they got the copy and as I
didn't see it in any list of the shops who sell Wham/Yog records I thought it was an strange CD.
(Sometimes, these things are
meant to happen.... AG)
I've got a question here: I think that when I saw the Freddie Mercury concert George sung three
songs, anyone can remember that? I've a video from the concert but it's not all the concert, only a selection.
(I've got 2
videos from that concert. One is the full 8 hour version I taped live during the MuchMusic TV broadcast--I can dub this one if
anyone's interested--and the other is the video they released on the one year anniversary of the event--to co-incide with Five Live.
Both show George's full set, but not necessarily what he says between songs. I've also got some interview footage--yes George did a
special interview to promote it--that has George talking about that day. As I recall, George performed 3 songs: '39, These Are the
Days of Our Lives, and Somebody to Love. Interesting to note: George was one of very few singers who did not have to change the key
the song was performed in. Most had to drop them an octave. AG)
I have a proposal here: to make a regular recording of
rarities in tape (or if possible CD) that all regular writers have in order to build a collection of songs from Yog that haven't
been published. I don't talk of making copies of official albums but from live recordings, recordings from videos and so. Anyone
offers to do that, I cannot myself as I haven't got the technology (I've only a normal CD player connected to a cassette!)
(This
sounds like Stefan's idea. I'll offer anything I have. Will set this up tomorrow. OK all? AG)
"I
don't want to go back there..."
(Frederick's own. AG)
fwong-at-hknet.com (Frederick Wong) writes:
Can
anyone tell me why Michael is doing pop videos again now?
(He's in a good mood maybe? AG)
Remember he said during an
interview on BBC Radio One back in 93 that he didn't mind people filming him doing live, but not videos like Fastlove, Spinning The
Wheel. Has it got anything to do with his fading popularity in America? BTW, why they (north americans) don't like GM anymore? It is
rather sad to his *poor* performance in the Billboard album chart :<
(My guess it that it's in the DreamWorks/Virgin
contract. And yes, part of it may be to remind people here in North America what he looks like. I have no idea why so many North
Americans don't like George. I blame alternative music personally. Around 1992 there suddenly became something wrong with bathing
and wearing nice clothes. George also has this tendency to take himself a bit too seriously, which we hate here in North America.
But really, I'm not too sure where he went wrong. I think he hurt himself most when he stopped making videos. Then of course there's
the Sony thing. A lot of people had no idea what happened, that he had even taken them to court, most just assumed he had retired.
AG)
"But I've gotta think twice..."
alankhart-at-aol.com (Alan Hart)
writes: There will be/are two videos for "Spinning The Wheel," one for the album version and one for the dance remix.
(Didn't
Madonna do the same for Secret? AG)
For those interested in obtaining the bootleg cds, you can call Worldwide CD in Canada at
1-800-663-1616. Most are about $35.
(Nice to know my native land isn't totally useless... AG)
"Looking
for some affirmation..."
shandrew-at-indiana.edu (Shelly Renee Andrews) writes: I'm afraid I won't be much in the
line of contribution for now, oppinions and a respect for his artistry are about all I have to offer.
(Whatever you can offer
will be most appreciated. AG)
E mail me back if you need anything or have a specific writing prompt for me to reply to, or
whatever.
(Intro letter explains this. JUST NEVER REPLY TO ALL!!!)
I've been away from email for the summer, and am
curious if most George Michael action on the web has died down with the album? Pitty that in the states, nobody seemed to understand
the point. He poored out his heart, and the critics stomped on it...one going so far as to say, "narsicistic." Ouch. I'm
so pissed off at Entertainment Weekly, but, hey, the album was not put out for the critics, right. So I should chill out. I'm glad
it's doing so well in other areas. Though finding affirmation throught sales is rather 80s, it does mean there are people who
understood the depth and theme of the album, and so in that there is comfort.
(Tim and Bo: what can you tell us from your WEB
site counters? YOGMAIL has grown to over 70 members in about 2 weeks, so that's fairly impressive. And I know the America Online
bulletin boards are usually fairly active. AG)
P.S. Any backissues?
(You'll be getting these fear not. AG)
"I've
never been one for playing games..."
splkzoo-at-serv01.net-link.net (Shawn Light) writes: Ok, if I comment on the do,
do I get the secret regarding the AE or should I ask Brent?
(Brent, since it was your trick, why don't you tell us how to do
it? AG)
There has been so much information so far, without looking back I can't remember the trivia questions. Sorry. I
thought about them at the time tough. Thanks to everyone for all the great "conversation" about GM and his music.
Hi Amanda! Just one question at the beginning: Did you try to make fun about this (smile)? >Hi Amanda, hi
all Yogmail readers! > >(Hi Stefan, and all together now everyone "HI STEFAN!"
Well............i donīt
mind, i guess it was kinda funny!
(Make fun? Never, I just wanted to make sure the network was being polite
)
i've got one question at this moment: Does _anyone_ know what has happened to the "Trojan Souls" project
which were supposed to be something similar to "Two Rooms" by Elton John; so other artists were supposed to sing Georgeīs
songs. There were rumours going around that the album should be released but i havenīt heard anything new since one year or so.
(I've
heard it was released. I've also heard it was to be released on his cousin Andros' former label Hardback. I have no definite answer
though sorry. ANYONE? AG)
One more thing: Until when can one post you so that the mail is published in the edition of the
same day(or better the next day)? And in which time zone do you live?
(Up until today, I used to send the YOGMAIL at between
1am to 3am eastern standard time--my timezone. So I used to do my last mail check at around midnite. So to make the August 28th
edition--which I compiled at 12am--you had to contribute by 11:55pm August 27th. But with the forthcoming changes my schedule is
about to undergo, here are the new guidelines--to post in the following day's edition, you need to have your posting in by 8pm EST.
I will then be sending the completed list at around 8am EST the next day. Make sense? Any questions? AG)
Thatīs all for this
moment , bye everybody
(OK, all together now... AG)
lisamark-at-mobis.com
(Mark) writes: Further quotes from GEORGE MICHÆL: Bare:
"I'm not an arrogant person, I don't think I'm particularly
conceited but I have a real inner confidence that this is what I was meant to do and that whatever other failings I have, I am
someone who has a craft, an ability, that has incredible by-products. Because of that, I never let situations get on top of me for
any length of time. I really am an optimist and I believe that what I do is a good thing, a positive influence."
(I
wholeheartedly agree George. AG)
"It doesn't matter how good your relationship with the Press is, sooner or later they
will decide to turn around and f*** you over--because they think that is what the public wants to see. You can't win with the mass
media because they don't have a healthy interest in anyone."
(To all who asked, this is the line I quoted in my essay,
and the accompanying seminar on "The Media Circus" AG)
"I know people are attracted to me but I still don't
like what I see in the mirror. I don't like what I see. When I look in the mirror I still can't get rid of the image of me as a
child. I always see this child trying to look like something else. I see this kid. I see this kid that is going to be found out.
That feeling has stopped me going out in the past. Because I wanted people to see George Michael and I didn't feel that there was
George Michael in the mirror."
("I just hope you understand, sometimes the clothes do not make the man...."
AG)
"Men are not used to being hunted. I initially thought it was absolutely wonderful. I really thought it was
fantastic. And I abused the privilege a little bit maybe--although I wasn't getting anything out of a sexual situation that wasn't
being returned. In fact it got to the point where I realized that I was getting less out of it than they were and that starts to be
a turn off. I can be interested when you are exchanging looks across a room but it's different when someone just sidles up to you
and propositions you. It's not a very masculine position--obviously most men are comfortable being the ones who do the chasing. Now
I'm so aware of the fact that I'm a catch. The women are not the catch. I AM THE CATCH. It's not a very attractive feeling for me.
Andrew doesn't mind it at all. Andrew loves it! But I'm not really into being the catch."
(But what a catch he is...ooh
ooh baby baby... AG)
"A huge insecurity is obviously the motivating force for most artists. And I understand that. But I
feel that it's dangerous on a personal level to have a huge gap between what you are in your work and what you are in reality. The
point at which I was most intimidated by my stage or public persona was when I was all teeth and silk shorts with Wham! I believed
in it as a formula and I believed in it as a great way to entertain people but when I walked into a room full of people they hada
totally wrong idea of what I was really about. These days I walk into a room full of people and obviously they don't really know
anything about me but I don't feel they have TOTALLY the wrong impression. It's good to come out the other side."
"There
are a lot of people who know what "Careless Whisper" is that don't know who George Michael is--I've come across those
people. You'll be at dinner sitting across a table from some people twice your age and when you're introduced you can see they are a
little confused. Then someone says, "Careless Whisper," and they get it. "Careless Whisper" is more resonant
than my name. It makes you realize that the song rings true with a lot of people. But I don't feel that I possess it the way I
possess other songs. Certainly not the way I possess "A Different Corner." The pain comes back when I perform or hear that
one. "A Different Corner" was always special."
"As a boy, my biggest fear was that my huge ambitions
would stay just out of reach of the child I saw in the mirror. So I created a man (in the image of a great friend), that the world
could love if they chose to, someone who could realize my dreams, and make me a star. I called him George Michael, and for almost a
decade he worked his ass off for me, and did as he was told."
"The luckiest thing that ever happened to me was
meeting Andrew. He totally shaped my life. Not just the Wham! years but the whole thing--he totally shaped it and I would never
begrudge him that credit. People put him down...you don't defend someone at the dinner table by mentioning that they totally shaped
your life. But that's the way I feel about him."
"There are times when I enjoy a sense of power but only on a small
scale. There's a huge sense of power on a tour, which can be very uncomfortable. With the band and crew, I'm their employer. I don't
like being boss, I don't like hearing people say things and wondering what they would REALLY like to say. I don't like it if you
make a decision on lighting or sound or on any one of a number of things and, even though I think I'm totally right, I KNOW other
people think I'm wrong. If I'm right or wrong all they can say is--okay. And you wonder what the hell they really want to say.
That's a very uncomfortable position and I hate the kind of forced dishonesty."
"I used to be able to feel sorry
for myself for very long periods of time for things that were wrong with my life. But when I feel like that I look at the things I
do have. You only have to walk down the street to see the desperation of other people's situations, you only have to look into the
faces on the street to see how tired some people are of life. You can't get away from your problems but I just line mine up against
other people's and find that they're not that difficult to deal with. I still get hurt but I try to keep those feelings in their
place. I don't let them preoccupy me the way they used to. These outbreaks of emotion and weakness and feeling down have their
place. I get on with life. And getting on with life is a lot easier for me than it is for other people. The things that get me
down--like the lack of freedom or wanting to be in the right relationship--or wanting an old relationship back--they can only take
up a certain amount of my energy these days, where they used to take up most of it."
"My name is Georgios Kyriacos
Panayiotou. To the outside world I am and always will be known as something else. But it's not my name."
"There's
nothing left to prove to people other than my music."
COMING SOON....OTHER PEOPLE ON GEORGE
"Bullshit
conversation..."
ark-at-a-r-k.com (Story Waters) writes: Hi there,
I'm writing on behalf of A-r-k, an online
philosophical entertainments magazine. We have recently started up and one of our features is 'fictitious celebrity interviews'
where we try to present a philosophical angle on the nature of fame and talent by using fictious interviews. The interviews are
completed presented as being fictitious, there's even a page that discussing why we are doing this.
(Go check it out all, and
tell me what it's like. AG)
Anyway, the first interview that is now on-line is with George Michael. I hope as a fan you find
it an interesting piece on your favourite star. If you like it we would very much appreciate a link from your site and will happily
return the link for the interview pages.
(Tim, can you help our friends as A-r-k out with this--pending inspection of their
"interview" of course. AG)
yours sincerely Story Waters
Story Waters, ark-at-a-r-k.com http://www.a-r-k.com/ http://www.a-r-k.com/angelweb devery-at-vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au
(Mark) writes: Hi all, (Hi. AG)
This may be old news, but a remix video (using the Forthright edit) for "Spinning
The Wheel" was shown last night in Australia (this was after we had the original video the week before). Keep those fingers
poised over the "Record" buttons on your VCRs people!
(OK so now I've got to keep my eyes open for 2 VERSIONS???
AG)
"Guess you gotta have faith..."
(Kel's own. AG)
yoglover-at-cris.com
(Kelly) writes: Hi, there!
(Hi where? AG)
Boy, this is taking off like a rocket! I am thrilled to see so many
others out there that truly appreciate George and his music.
With that said, here are my contributions dujour . . .
Amanda,
I am located in Jacksonville, Florida - a place that George has probably never heard of (just kiddin' folks!). I saw him during the
Faith tour in Orlando, which was excellent, of course. I would have loved to have seen him during C to C, but he cancelled the shows
for Florida. I never got an explanation, but figured it had something to do with the fact that George never wanted to do the tour in
the first place (from what I've heard).
(Sorry to hear he cancelled. NO explanation? AG)
Mark, Thanks for writing.
I was a member of GMIFC for over five years - and wanted to take the place over from day one! I wrote them many . . . colorful
letters, especially as the trial unfolded and we never received any info at all! I guess it's best that they aren't still in
practice (to use the term lightly). My blood pressure wouldn't be able to handle it!
As for George, you didn't give me that
impression at all. I'm sure he knows what's best, business-wise and all. It's just ironic that the fan club would go out of business
just when George comes back with a new album. Didn't make sense to me at the time, but I hadn't factored in the new record company
or management team. Thanks for the info. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what he has in store for us . . .
(And
YOGMAIL will be here to tell you all about it! AG)
"I hear the sound of a
memory..."
(Might I just say, I have just realized that is one of George's best lines EVER!!!! AG)
Kelly also
writes: 'Tis me again . . .
There are other 'bootleg' CDs out there, as well. One is called 'I'm Your Man' (original, I
know) and it's from the C to C tour. It's really good, as far as sound quality goes. The only thing I don't like is that the songs
are sometimes chopped at the beginning and end.
Another is called 'Sex Figure'. It's a two CD set from the Faith tour. I do
not recommend this one, for the quality is lacking. 'Everything You Want' is 100% better.
(Thank you Kel. AG)
Kelly
also writes:
>(OK, so hear me out on this one George: Why not do us the benefit of a quick little >tour? You sing and
dance for us, we scream our approval and thanks--but never >during ballads because we know you hate that. You get the incredible
rush of being >onstage--which you yourself admit is one of the best feelings you know--and we get >the honour, and pleasure of
seeing you! You'll make our year, and just think of what >that'll do for you kharmically speaking. Did I mention we'd pay good
money? >PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE GEORGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AG)
I think someone should be assigned the
task of finding George's email address . . . :)
(Hmmm.... AG)
I THINK THAT'S
ALL FOR NOW.
KEEP VOTING ON THE 'DO. RESULTS TO BE POSTED WHEN MORE OF YOU VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!