Hope I didn't scare anyone with the details of my MTV party, I think
that I was still riding the wave of no inhibitions! Anyway, the YOGMAIL family is now 91 members strong! 9 more to 100, SO COME
ON!!! Tell your friends!! The Faithful must beat the Nana's!!!
Notes: 1. Missing an issue? E mail me to get it NOW! Back
issues are about to become ".txt" files. If you have already contacted me, you will be getting them this afternoon. 2.
I know I owe about a dozen of you personal e mail, I WILL GET TO THEM! Just not sure when... 3. Watch for HAIR MAIL to be sent
out Saturday!
AND AWAY WE GO...
"Won't you help me..."
yogette-at-aol.com
(Melanie) writes: Amanda - You're doing a great job with YOGMAIL! I love getting my daily Yog dose.
(Thank you very
much and I'm glad you like! AG)
First, I'd like to congratulate George. He won the Viewer's Choice award for MTV Europe for
"FastLove." :) :)
(SO WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!! AG)
I would like to know if any of the other fans have
shortwave radios and which countries have shortwave radio music programs. I know that the BBC has a series of "Multitrack"
programs each week, but I haven't been able to find any others from countries where George is charting. Listening to the BBC is the
only way I can hear new George songs in the U.S. I've already heard two versions of "Spinning the Wheel" and
"Safe." It takes forever for radio to play them here--especially since DreamWorks hasn't even released "STW"
yet! Can anyone help me find new shortwave radio music programs?
(Alas, I cannot, but there are 89 other people who can try!
AG)
I heard that George was supposed to send a letter to Fan Asylum that would then be sent to the fans. The letter would
explain the reasons why he decided to shut down the fan club. This letter was supposed to be sent out about six months ago. Fan
Asylum didn't really know what's going on. Maybe someone has more up-to-date-information?
(Covered this in the very first
YOGMAIL, but since it's come up here you go again: Iisamark-at-mobis.com (Mark Schrimpshire) writes: << I believe that
fan asylum told me that both George and DreamWorks decided that it would be in George's best interest to discontinue such a fan
club. I would imagine that George may have had problems with fan clubs that represent him as a sex symbol and not specifically as a
singer/songwriter. I'm sure the fan asylum fan club meant different things to different individuals and overall I was not
disappointed with the newsletter they sent out. I do know that fan asylum represents many "POP Stars" that more than
likely have no concept of critical acclaim. George is in it for the songs now and we can only hope that the world will recognize him
for that. I believe that in the end he will be remembered for his songs. >> There you go. AG)
And thank you Eric
Steenbergen for saying that we should be discussing George's music and not his personal life. I agree wholeheartedly. I became a
George Michael fan because of the music and his writing, not because of what he does in his personal life. We can all have our own
opinions, but this is the sort of issue that none of us can know the answer to. We've had an ongoing discussion on the America
Online message boards about this topic, and it's always the same arguments. The only thing I want to know about George is whether
he's happy or not! His happiness is the only thing that matters.
(Agreed. AG)
Last but not least, everyone please go
to an Internet album rating site at http://topquark.roadkill.com/cgi-andy/artist.pl?Michael,_George. Older only has a 2 rating out
of 10. :( : ( :( Faith and LWP had ratings of 9.9 and 9.8 respectively. Let's get ratings for Older where they should be!! :) :)
(YOU
HEARD THE LADY!!! AG)
Melanie--Yes, it's my real name and not a tribute to George's sister!
"I've
been in and outta favour with (the USA)..."
f8h.n.gm-at-juno.com (Angel J Hernandez) writes: Could you please tell me
when the STW single or video will be released here in the US?
(I've seen the video in Canada, and hear MTV has been playing
it everywhere but in the US, is the US being punished? Anyone? AG)
Thanks.
"Say
the magic numbers..."
thatu-at-ingr.com (Tim Hatu) writes: Amanda, An update of the Spinning the Wheel performance
around the world :
STW has debut at # 2 in the UK , it has dropped to # 6 this week.
The single made it debut in
Australia (# 19), Switzerland (# 24), Finland (# 13) and Holland (# 34)
The Video has debut at # 14 in Australia last week.
BTW, the Dance Mixes CD will be released in Australia on Monday (can't wait !!)
Older the album is still in the top 20 almost
everywhere except (you guessed right) the USA, it is now at # 106 would you believe !!
(I'll believe just about anything. AG)
For
more chart info, check out http://www.ozemail.com.au/~alhatu/gm.htm
Cheers
"If
I knew every woman, and you knew every man..."
lisamark-at-mobis.com (Mark and Lisa) write: The following is part of
an interview that US magazine did with George in January, 1991:
US: "Michael has been linked in the press with many
women, some famous and some less-than-famous: Kathy Jeung, who starred with Michael in the steamy video for 'I Want Your Sex', was a
frequent companion. But so too have been tabloid journalists in search of a much-heralded 'George Michael is Gay' angle. He says it
no longer annoys him, but the question is always asked."
GEORGE: "And the people know what they're going to get
from me. I've never had any problem. I don't have a problem with people asking me anymore. If people have got this image of me
romping around in bed with Arnold Scharzenegger, I'm not going to spoil their fun. Though I don't suppose he'd be too happy about
it."
US: "People like the idea."
GEORGE: "I think they do. I think to some degree it's been in
question for so long, and been unanswered for so long...."
US: "But you've denied it."
GEORGE:
"No, I haven't. You'll have to find the place where I've denied it. No, I think that people presumed that because my
relationship with Kath (Jeung), which was pretty public, with the video...THAT was their version of denial. But everybody knows it
means nothing--there are plenty of gay men in the world with two children. No, I've never denied it. I very firmly believe that
sexuality, apart from the fact that it's not cut-and-dried, it's such a personal thing. And I don't think there's anybody that's
been in my position--a pop star with a large following--that there hasn't been that question asked. And I'd be mad to say yes. I
would be absolutely mad. Especially now. People were probably asked in the early Seventies whether they'd ever slept with a man, and
probably people who never had would've said yes. It was that type of environment. It's the complete opposite of that today, isn't
it? These days it just doesn't mean anything when people deny something like that. So what's the point in saying anything?"
I
guess George wants to leave it up to each individual to decide for themselves.
(Sexual ambiguity means he can "lead
on" both sexes, and thereby keep a nice broad fan base. Plain and simple good business. AG)
How will knowing George's
sexuality affect the way each of us view his music? Should it?
I think his sexuality has absolutely nothing to with the
quality of his music or his ability to bring honest emotions across to his listeners. What is it about George that is important to
you?
(I cannot tell a lie, the whole package. AG)
"I've gotta tell
you..."
yog88-at-aol.com (Amanda) writes: To appease Alicia, here is a quick play by play for all of you who haven't
seen the Spinning the Wheel video:
Black and white of course, the vid opens in an alley, there's a guy doing back flip like
acrobatics. This sequined car is driving behind him, and another car passes by. Cut to a shot of a six shooter gun, one bullet, the
chamber's being spun. Cut to a shot of a woman on a trapeze, woman on trapeze is now inside of a bar. Typical New Orleans type blues
bar--circa the 1940's or so. George is the leader of the house band. Caesar's still there, has the JTAC beard. Wearing a nice suit
and dress shirt, blazer looks like a bit like one of Bryan Ferry's old Sharkskin numbers, looks like it's probably silver, as may be
the shirt. He's wearing a pair of Oakley like sunglasses--kinda like Bono's "fly" ones. Seated behind a keyboard, he kinda
reminds me of Elton. I don't recognize most of the band, Deon's there playing upright bass wearing a cream linen suit and matching
hat. (I think he's cut his hair, it's still long, but not really shaggy, didn't look like it was in dreads either.) Band also
includes a guitarist, trumpeteer, and drummer--all black--and three female backing vocalists, a black lady flanked by two white
ladies--I'm guessing one of which is Jo. We see a flapper dancing very 90's style. We see couples engaging in various sexual
acts--but mostly make out sessions. Cut to the alley again, more people dancing, and cars driving by. Back into the bar, George does
one of those cool "band leader" moves and directs the band for a dramatic note--right before "seems like everybody
takes their chances--by whipping his left arm around. He's been playing with his left hand, BTW. Next we see a man playing with a
pair of dice. Next we see the covered back of a woman, her shawl like thing slips down and we see two words tattooed on her
back--between her shoulder blades LUST, on the small of her back TRUST. Gee, wonder what George is getting at huh? Anyway, people
are dancing in the bar, in an open space else where, the alley, and even George starts too, albeit seated at his keyboard. We see
some shots of steel gurder structures, and the last image is that gun's chamber being spun once more.
AND
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO TELL YOU FOR TODAY. SINCE IT'S THE WEEKEND, YOGMAIL IS GOING OUT LATE (EST) TONIGHT RATHER THAN EARLY (EST)
TOMORROW.