Andrew Ridgeley | |
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 Ridgeley in 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Andrew John Ridgeley (1963-01-26)26 January 1963 (age 63) Windlesham,Surrey, England |
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| Formerly of | Wham! |
Andrew John Ridgeley (born 26 January 1963)[1] is an English musician. He is best known for his work in the 1980s in the musical duoWham!, which consisted of Ridgeley andGeorge Michael. Wham! were one of the most successful pop acts during the 1980s, selling more than 30 million certified records worldwide from 1982 to 1986.[2] Their singles "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", "Everything She Wants", and "Careless Whisper" all topped the USBillboard Hot 100. In 2019,Penguin Random House published Ridgeley'smemoirWham! George & Me.[3]
Ridgeley was born inWindlesham,Surrey,[1] to Jennifer Jill (née Dunlop; 1943–2009) and Alberto Mario Zacharia (1933–2015). (Zacharia later changed his surname to Ridgeley.) Ridgeley's mother was of English and Scottish descent, while his Jewish father was of Italian, Yemeni and Egyptian origin. Ridgeley's father's family wereexpelled from Egypt as a result of theSuez Crisis.[1][4][5] He has one sibling, Paul, born February 1964.[6] Ridgeley was raised inBushey,Hertfordshire, and attendedBushey Meads School.[1] His mother was a schoolteacher at Bushey Heath Primary School, and his father worked forCanon.[1] WhenGeorge Michael started school, Ridgeley volunteered to take him under his wing.[1]
After the break-up of the short-lived group The Executive (of which Ridgeley, his brother Paul, and Michael were members),[7] Michael and Ridgeley formed the duo Wham! in 1981. Michael was the lead vocalist, primary songwriter, and played keyboards, while Ridgeley co-wrote songs, played guitar, and performed backing vocals.[8] They approached various record labels with a homemade demo tape–which took ten minutes to record in Ridgeley's living room–and signed withInnervision Records (distributed byCBS Records).[9] After one album, the duo signed withEpic Records/CBS.
Wham! made their U.S. debut onDick Clark'sAmerican Bandstand and became the only 1980s British act to have three No. 1 singles on both the U.K. and U.S. charts.[10] In 1984, Ridgeley underwent surgery to have his septum straightened to improve his breathing after having broken his nose at age nine.[11] After photos were published in British newspapers showing Ridgeley's bandaged face, Wham!'s manager,Simon Napier-Bell, fabricated a story that the bandages were the result of Ridgeley having been hit in the nose in a nightclub. After days of tabloid headlines, the true reason was revealed.[12]
In 1984, Wham! charted two U.K. No. 1 singles, and were competing that year with pop rivalsDuran Duran to be Britain's biggest pop act. Toward this end, Napier-Bell devised a publicity scheme that he believed would turn them into major international stars: In April 1985, he took Wham! toChina for a ten-day visit. They gained huge worldwide media attention when Wham! became the first Western pop group to play in China: after two warm-up shows inHong Kong, they played a show inBeijing in front of 15,000 people at theWorker's Gymnasium, and one final show inCanton. The visit was recorded for a documentary film titledWham! in China: Foreign Skies.[13][14] In 1985, Ridgeley performed at theLive Aid charity concert with other backing singers, while Michael performed withElton John.
By 1985, Ridgeley had developed a reputation in the tabloid press as a drunken party animal at nightclubs; the British tabloids referred to him as "Animal Andy" and "Randy Andy".[15] In 1986, "The Edge of Heaven" became Wham!'s fourth and final U.K. No. 1 single. With Michael keen to move into a more adult market, the duo broke up after a farewell concert dubbed "The Final" in front of 72,000 people atWembley Stadium on 28 June 1986.[citation needed]
Shortly after the breakup, Ridgeley moved toMonaco and tried his hand atFormula Threemotor racing. Meeting with little success, he moved toLos Angeles in pursuit of a career in acting. He returned to Britain permanently in 1990.CBS Records (laterSony Music), having taken up the option on Wham!'s contract that specified solo albums from Michael and Ridgeley, released a guitar- and drum-driven solo recording from Ridgeley,Son of Albert, in 1990. His brother Paul, an occasional percussionist forBananarama, played drums on the album, whilstPaul Gray, bassist with earlypunk rock bandthe Damned, played the bass.
The firstsingle from the album was "Shake"; it reached No. 16 on the Australian singles chart[16] and No. 58 in theUK Singles Chart.[17] "Shake" was the 81st highest-selling single of 1990 in Australia.[18] The second single, "Red Dress", charted in Australia but peaked outside the Top 100.[16]Son of Albert sold poorly, failing to make the top 75 in theUK Albums Chart. It was also one of the worst received albums of 1990 among critics, achieving only half a star in a savageRolling Stone magazine review.[19] As a result, CBS passed up the option of a second album. Ridgeley later said, "It was disappointing and depressing to receive quite such a beating over that album."[19]
On 27 January 1991, Ridgeley joined Michael on stage for a few songs at the encore of hisRock in Rio event at theMaracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.[20] Since 1991, Ridgeley has generally shunned publicity.[21] He appeared as a studio guest on the first series of theBBC 2 programmeFantasy Football League in 1994,[22] and gave an on-camera interview for the first time since the split in a 2005 documentary,A Different Story, about the life of George Michael.[23]
In 2005, Ridgeley and Michael made plans to reunite as Wham! forLive 8, but Ridgeley reportedly pulled out at the last minute. In 2012, Michael dismissed rumours that they were set for a reunion to mark the 30th anniversary of their first record. Michael said that there was no truth in speculation the group would reform for a one-off concert.[21]
Upon hearing of Michael'sdeath on 25 December 2016, Ridgeley paid his respects on Twitter, saying, "Heartbroken at the loss of my beloved friend Yog."[24] Ridgeley performed a cameo role inLast Christmas, a 2019 film that featured many songs by Wham![25][26] Ridgeley inducted Michael into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.[27]
Ridgeley has several times participated in the Dallaglio Cycle Slam, a charity bike ride for the Dallaglio Rugby Works, established in 2009 by formerEngland rugby captainLawrence Dallaglio, which helps young people tackle life in a positive way with the help ofrugby.[28][29] Ridgeley is a keenroad cyclist and featured in aSigma Sport "Cafe Ride" interview with former Britishcycling road race championMatt Stephens in 2024.[30] In 2024 Andrew Ridgeley attended the St. George's Society of New York's British Bash. He was awarded their Anglo-American Cultural Award.[31]
From 1990 to 2017, Ridgeley was in a relationship withKeren Woodward,[32][33] a member of the groupBananarama. They lived with her son in a restored 15th-century farm property nearWadebridge,Cornwall.[34] Ridgeley announced he was dating socialite Amanda Cronin in summer 2022; they separated in May 2023.[35]
No 'Harry Tadayon' in The Executive GM, AJR, David Austin, Andrew Leaver & Paul Ridgeley Jamie Gould & Tony Bywaters joined us at 1 point 2
ridgeley nose.
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