New George Michael 'Last Christmas' Video!

A holiday surprise! The estate of George Michael dropped a surprise video of the late singer performing "Last Christmas" live in 2006.

The clip was shot during the first European leg of George's 25 Live tour. The tour finally made its way to America in 2008 and I was there (Philadelphia, July 26) - still my favorite concert of all time!

"Last Christmas" was recorded by WHAM! in 1984. The best holiday song ever.

George Michael Inducted Into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Friday night saw the induction of the 2023 class for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Among the inductees was my beloved George Michael. The induction was overdue and it is such a shame it didn't happen while he was alive, but I am so glad George was finally included in the Hall.

The ceremony was carried live on Disney+ but I do not have that service, so I will have to wait to watch I guess. The Rock Hall did share a few bits via social media, including some of the remarks Andrew Ridgeley made while inducting his friend and WHAM! bandmate George. See below:

It also seems like Carrie Underwood is a true fan - the snippet shared of her rendition of "One More Try" seems downright amazing. Props.

And the award itself:

2023 Rock Hall Of Fame Class Announced

Once again, Iron Maiden was snubbed and won't be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On the plus side, George Michael will be inducted and he is very deserving of the honor. Rage Against The Machine will also be inducted and they deserve it too.

I'm not exactly sure what the Rock Hall has against Iron Maiden, but it seems like there's an overt bias against them at this point.

Sunday Spins: 12" WHAM! Double-Single Edition

Please believe that weeks ago - when I was trolling the used record racks - I audibly gasped when I found the 12" double-single of  WHAM! hits "Everything She Wants (Remix)" / "Last Christmas (Pudding Mix)." These are the best-known versions of each track and I snatched the record so fast out of the bin. I was nervous the record would be beat up, but it is not. My copy is pristine and plays beautifully. It cost me $20 bucks and was well worth it for two songs so important to me.

There are a few different versions of this double-single available on vinyl with varying covers. The cover to my version is shown at left.

Folks know of my love for George Michael and of course his pre-solo duo WHAM! Michael and Andrew Ridgeley had a very successful recording career together before Michael went solo. Two of their most famous songs are "Everything She Wants" and "Last Christmas." Both are tracks that Michael wrote and recorded on his own, which was not typical of the WHAM! days.

The double-A side vinyl is extra special because the Pudding Mix of "Last Christmas" is a longer version of the track with extended intro and outros. Both are cut for radio play and the vinyl version gives the song a little different feel. The true intro is a bit dark and sad - not what you would expect for a pop Christmas tune.

Finding the 12" WHAM! single of two songs I adore was really special and I spin both sides pretty frequently when I need a little endorphin boost. 

Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame 2023 Nominees Announced

If you haven't already heard, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has nominated its newest group of inductees. The list includes George Michael, Iron Maiden, Rage Against The Machine, Willie Nelson, Soundgarden, The White Stripes, Warren Zevon and more. The full list is below.

The announcement of nominees also means the fan vote is open. You can vote every day. So far, the only two acts that have received my votes are George Michael and Iron Maiden. I have basically given up on Iron Maiden ever being inducted, but George Michael should be a slam-dunk, first ballot selection. I think Soundgarden is an easy add and so is Willie Nelson.

I will now brace for the comments which will include "Who cares, it's a joke!" and "It isn't even about rock music!" and of course "Why is Willie Nelson considered rock?!"

Vote on, my grumpy music family. Vote on!

Congratulations to the #RockHall2023 Nominees. The Official Fan Vote is now open: https://t.co/TjN3wayVYy pic.twitter.com/Tmsfedhd94

— Rock Hall (@rockhall) February 1, 2023

New #RockHall2023 nominee George Michael radically revised his image with every hit, making a career out of sexual and stylistic provocation. Read our 2016 deep dive into how he redefined the art of pop stardom in the Eighties. https://t.co/YlKye5tOGu

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) February 1, 2023

It's The Little Things...

It's nice and hot in my part of the world today, which I love! I had a great 4 mile run earlier, then went for some lunch and the weekly Costco run. While picking out my groceries, I noticed a woman come near me and I couldn't help but squeal a little. This mystery woman was wearing a tank that said "Father Figure" and had a picture of George Michael. Eric snapped around and asked why I squealed and I told him. Instead of rolling his eyes, he nodded approvingly and said "She's your people."

When I sat down to update this blog today, I popped on Twitter for the mandatory 10 minute doom scroll and saw the awesome snippet below. Another George Michael reference and performance! George did "Freedom" for the MTV 10th anniversary special. All the musicians and singers with him were also virtuoso. I included the entire performance clip below the tweet.

George Michael 😎🙏
Freedom 90 🎶
1991 MTV 10th anniversary live 💫

Freedom (I won't let you down)
Freedom (I will not give you up)
Freedom (Gotta have some faith in the sound) 🎶 #georgemichael pic.twitter.com/75vsA4GzEs

— It' s Music That Brings Us Together ❤✌🎶 (@Concert_Feeling) May 14, 2022

Sunday's Best: Week 17, 2022

Another week down and a new month to boot! The weather is awesome here today in my part of midwest America: sunny and 70s. Reminds me of convertible weather. I had a red convertible once. It was so fun to drive around town with the top down when it wasn't scorching hot. There are just some songs that work better than others for convertible weather. That's our Sunday's Best for this week. I really wish I had a convertible now but maybe someday. Eric dreams of owning a Corvette and he would get a convertible and that would be cool with me!

In no order, my choices for the best convertible songs are:

The Eagles - Life In the Fast Lane

Billy Ocean - Caribbean Queen

Aerosmith - Back In The Saddle

Autograph - Turn Up The Radio

Motley Crue - Dr. Feelgood

Van Halen - Panama

Lindsey Buckingham - Holiday Road

Sammy Hagar - I Can't Drive 55

Poison - Nothin' But A Good Time

George Michael - Freedom 90

Heart - Barracuda

Beach Boys - any track really, but the entire Pet Sounds album for sure.