Beyond the Music: George Michael and Wham!’s Surreal 1985 Journey to China

Imagine the scene: the year is 1985, and the streets of Beijing are filled with the drab uniforms of Mao jackets. Suddenly, two figures appear like alien visitors—complete with bouffant hair, flamboyant outfits, and an electric energy that the city had never seen. These were George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley of Wham!, the first Western pop act to ever tour China.

This extraordinary moment in music history is now being revisited in the captivating new documentary, Wham! 10 Days in China. The film peels back the curtain on a trip that was as much about calculated business as it was about musical exploration.

A Strategic Gambit for Global Stardom

While the tour seemed like a cultural exchange, it was actually a masterstroke of commercial logic. Orchestrated by manager Simon Napier-Bell, the trip to China was designed to create a massive international sensation. The goal? To catapult George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley to top-tier status in the United States without the grueling exhaustion of a 90-date arena tour that could have damaged Michael’s pristine vocals.

Reflecting on the era, Andrew Ridgeley admits he was initially skeptical. “I thought it didn’t stand a cat’s chance in hell,” Ridgeley recalls. However, the gamble paid off. The duo became headline news in the US, achieving the prestige they craved through a backdoor entry into the global consciousness.

Cultural Clash and Silent Crowds

The tour was far from a typical rock-and-roll experience. From awkward receptions at the British embassy to the restrictive presence of chaperones, the duo felt the tension of a country on the brink of massive change. Some of the most striking highlights include:

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• The Silent Concerts: In Beijing, audiences were instructed to stay in their seats. The band walked out to an eerie silence, as the crowd didn’t know how to react to Western pop.
• Political Undertones: Performing hits like “Freedom” took on an unintentional political weight in a society where individual expression was tightly controlled.
• The Exuberant Fan: In a telling moment of the time, one man was reportedly removed by police for dancing too enthusiastically.

The ‘Bloody Ludicrous’ Director Disaster

One of the most fascinating subplots of the journey was the hiring of Lindsay Anderson to direct a documentary about the tour. Anderson, a high-brow filmmaker known for O Lucky Man!, was a complete mismatch for the bubblegum pop energy of Wham!.

The collaboration was disastrous. Anderson reportedly disliked the band, and the band found his creative vision “dull as dishwater.” After Anderson suffered a knee injury on the Great Wall, the project fell apart, and he was eventually fired. For decades, the original footage remained locked away, unseen by the public and actively suppressed by George Michael, who did not want the rejected cut to see the light of day.

Preserving the Legacy of George Michael

Following the untimely passing of George Michael in 2016, there has been a renewed effort to preserve the legacy of Wham!. From the Netflix documentary to the new 10 Days in China film, these projects ensure that the duo’s influence continues to reach new generations.

As Andrew Ridgeley puts it, “All good music transcends generations, and Wham!’s is no exception.” The story of their Chinese adventure serves as a poignant reminder of the daring, the surreal, and the sheer ambition that defined the early career of one of the greatest voices in pop history.

Wham! 10 Days in China is now available in cinemas and will be streaming on BBC iPlayer soon.