George Michael
No SEX Please
SKY Oct22-Nov4
By Simon Mills
No SEX Please
SKY Oct22-Nov4
By Simon Mills
The head waiter is probably a little too familiar. He talks casually of film and pop stars, putting only chummy Christan names to each. "We had Robert. Robert De Niro. here the
other week." he .says while serving coffee. "He was very nice ... oh and Mickey (Rourke) phoned from Paris yesterday. Yes, he sounded fine ... Where is Rupert (Everett) these
days? In the South of France? How lovely for him ... listen George (Michael). Jean-Paul Gaultier) is over there. He's very pleased hat you're wearing one of his T-shirts. He
wants to say hello ... yes of course, later on will be fine."
This is Blakes Hotel, a Chinese-style hotell/restaurant with a salubrious airpushed ambience and impressive visitors book. George Michael always conducts his interviews
here. All the staff know him and there are only a few tables, well enough paced for his intimate conversations with the world's press not to be overheard by aurally keen
fellow diners.
He arrives at least an hour late, due to a hastily scheduled work-out, untanned, unshaven (of course) and only vaguely groomed. He's wearing white running shoes, carefully
torn faded Levi 501s. Ray-Ban Aviators and a black and beige zippered Gaultier T-shirt. Like all rock stars George Michael loves Gaultier. "He does make incredible clothes,"
George mutters after a brief but polite and inevitable introduction to the Parisian couturier.
George Michael wants to talk about anything except sex. "I woke up this morning and said to myself. If anyone asks me about sex today I'm just going to stop talking! I think
it's about time to close the book on that one," he says of his exhaustive libidinous raps which resulted from the recent I Want Your Sex series of interviews. "I suppose I invited
it by releasing the single but you live and learn, don't you?"
Affable, articulate, and easy to interview, George Michael could be anything from a property tycoon to a young nightclub boss sucking his Foie De Gras on toast. He drives a
Mercedes Coupe (with car phone) and is fascinatingly normal.
other week." he .says while serving coffee. "He was very nice ... oh and Mickey (Rourke) phoned from Paris yesterday. Yes, he sounded fine ... Where is Rupert (Everett) these
days? In the South of France? How lovely for him ... listen George (Michael). Jean-Paul Gaultier) is over there. He's very pleased hat you're wearing one of his T-shirts. He
wants to say hello ... yes of course, later on will be fine."
This is Blakes Hotel, a Chinese-style hotell/restaurant with a salubrious airpushed ambience and impressive visitors book. George Michael always conducts his interviews
here. All the staff know him and there are only a few tables, well enough paced for his intimate conversations with the world's press not to be overheard by aurally keen
fellow diners.
He arrives at least an hour late, due to a hastily scheduled work-out, untanned, unshaven (of course) and only vaguely groomed. He's wearing white running shoes, carefully
torn faded Levi 501s. Ray-Ban Aviators and a black and beige zippered Gaultier T-shirt. Like all rock stars George Michael loves Gaultier. "He does make incredible clothes,"
George mutters after a brief but polite and inevitable introduction to the Parisian couturier.
George Michael wants to talk about anything except sex. "I woke up this morning and said to myself. If anyone asks me about sex today I'm just going to stop talking! I think
it's about time to close the book on that one," he says of his exhaustive libidinous raps which resulted from the recent I Want Your Sex series of interviews. "I suppose I invited
it by releasing the single but you live and learn, don't you?"
Affable, articulate, and easy to interview, George Michael could be anything from a property tycoon to a young nightclub boss sucking his Foie De Gras on toast. He drives a
Mercedes Coupe (with car phone) and is fascinatingly normal.
Is It true that you are moving to Los Angeles to live?
No. I love England. I'm not really myself when I'm not here. My only objection to living here is paying out huge amounts of tax to a government I don't approve of. It's pretty difficult
giving that amount of money to anyone, but it makes it even more difficult when you know there's probably a Cruise missile with your initials on it. I couldn't move out of my new
house anyway - I've only been there five months. It's so comfortable. I bought it fully furnished and I haven't bought a single thing for it. Not a lampshade, a picture frame, nothing.
That's weird isn't it? I'm just not a possessions orientated person. I don't see things and say to myself, "I want that". My ambitions have always been to make the quality of my life
better but not in a material way. I wanted to become a star to satisfy my ego, not so I could buy flash furniture. So what do I spend my money on? Well I go out a lot, and I buy cars.
I bought Kathy [his girlfriend] a car and I bought all my family cars. There's no better present you can give is there? The shock value is wonderful. Mind you people are starting to
expect it from me now. "Ask George to your party. . .he'll get you a car you know!" I also spend a lot of money on clothes. Not because I buy lot of clothes, it's just that those I do
buy are very expensive.
Were you disappointed with the sales of I Want Your Sex?
Yes. The only good thing about that is the fact that the song will still be fresh to people buying the album. So many people never actually heard that song. I'm so pissed off with the
censorship in this country. The single only sold about 200,000 copies, that's the worst-selling record I've ever had.
You only ever release two or three pictures of yourself to the press and there are stories of how you spend hours and hours getting ready for photo sessions.
Some people might easily think that you are vain and precious.
I know it does seem like I'm trying to be difficult but I'm honestly not. This is the only country where I'm regularly photographed by the paparazzi, so it's easy for any magazine or
newspaper to print a picture of me staggering out of a club pissed out of my head. Therefore, when I do have the chance to have some control over pictures of myself I use it. I'm
trying to remedy the problem by doing more sessions but it's difficult. I hate having my picture taken. It's getting worse as time goes on. I find it very difficult to pose in shots and
there are very few pictures of myself that I really like. My reputation is, in a kind of subliminal sense, growing, and as lot of people fall away, like Duran, Culture Club, Frankie etc.
groups who I seem to be holding up very well against, it leaves me more and more important in the business. I notice that, as time goes by, when people stare at me they stare at
me harder and longer than before because I'm becoming so much a part of something they see every day in the papers rather than a singer or a performer. You see the more
successful you become, and the more known you are. the more you realise that people expect so much more from you. That's another reason why I might seem to be a bit fussy.
Am I vain? I'm very conscious of my appearance. I don't think that means I'm vain though. I don't think that has anything to do with vanity. I think someone who's vain is someone
who doesn't give a shit about their appearance because they know they look great ... and that's Andrew. He's in an enviable position in that respect. Being neurotic about how you
look for photos and stuff is not vanity to me, just insecurity manifesting itself.
No. I love England. I'm not really myself when I'm not here. My only objection to living here is paying out huge amounts of tax to a government I don't approve of. It's pretty difficult
giving that amount of money to anyone, but it makes it even more difficult when you know there's probably a Cruise missile with your initials on it. I couldn't move out of my new
house anyway - I've only been there five months. It's so comfortable. I bought it fully furnished and I haven't bought a single thing for it. Not a lampshade, a picture frame, nothing.
That's weird isn't it? I'm just not a possessions orientated person. I don't see things and say to myself, "I want that". My ambitions have always been to make the quality of my life
better but not in a material way. I wanted to become a star to satisfy my ego, not so I could buy flash furniture. So what do I spend my money on? Well I go out a lot, and I buy cars.
I bought Kathy [his girlfriend] a car and I bought all my family cars. There's no better present you can give is there? The shock value is wonderful. Mind you people are starting to
expect it from me now. "Ask George to your party. . .he'll get you a car you know!" I also spend a lot of money on clothes. Not because I buy lot of clothes, it's just that those I do
buy are very expensive.
Were you disappointed with the sales of I Want Your Sex?
Yes. The only good thing about that is the fact that the song will still be fresh to people buying the album. So many people never actually heard that song. I'm so pissed off with the
censorship in this country. The single only sold about 200,000 copies, that's the worst-selling record I've ever had.
You only ever release two or three pictures of yourself to the press and there are stories of how you spend hours and hours getting ready for photo sessions.
Some people might easily think that you are vain and precious.
I know it does seem like I'm trying to be difficult but I'm honestly not. This is the only country where I'm regularly photographed by the paparazzi, so it's easy for any magazine or
newspaper to print a picture of me staggering out of a club pissed out of my head. Therefore, when I do have the chance to have some control over pictures of myself I use it. I'm
trying to remedy the problem by doing more sessions but it's difficult. I hate having my picture taken. It's getting worse as time goes on. I find it very difficult to pose in shots and
there are very few pictures of myself that I really like. My reputation is, in a kind of subliminal sense, growing, and as lot of people fall away, like Duran, Culture Club, Frankie etc.
groups who I seem to be holding up very well against, it leaves me more and more important in the business. I notice that, as time goes by, when people stare at me they stare at
me harder and longer than before because I'm becoming so much a part of something they see every day in the papers rather than a singer or a performer. You see the more
successful you become, and the more known you are. the more you realise that people expect so much more from you. That's another reason why I might seem to be a bit fussy.
Am I vain? I'm very conscious of my appearance. I don't think that means I'm vain though. I don't think that has anything to do with vanity. I think someone who's vain is someone
who doesn't give a shit about their appearance because they know they look great ... and that's Andrew. He's in an enviable position in that respect. Being neurotic about how you
look for photos and stuff is not vanity to me, just insecurity manifesting itself.
Would you ever consider having plastic surgery?
Ugghhh! No! I'd never touch my face in any way. If you're healthy and everything works and you have the
kind of face people seem to like I think to start messing about with it is just asking for trouble.
You never take minders with you for protection when you go to clubs. Other famous people in your
position would •be terrified of being seen out without them.
.Well I tend not to go to clubs so much these days anyway. I end up just getting gawked at. I'm very very bad
at getting rid of people quickly. I'm just too polite. If I'm drunk I spend the whole evening having ^conversations
about myself ^with people I don't know. People are never vicious, they're just a bit too fascinated. I'm not really
that interested in talking about me. What I am pleased about is that I am (getting a different kind of reaction from
fans these days. I much prefer it. Girls used to think they were expected to scream at me, so they'd stand there
and have a little whimper. I get far more sexual advances these days from people of my own age and I find that
less embarrassing. It's very flattering when they think you're attractive and horny. I've got used to refusing, though.
I'd hate to have minders.
I just don't think they're necessary at all. I'm very frightened of that whole idea of being cosseted or being
protected . . . even if I need it. I take my chances. I don't want to live my life like that. If I can have a social life
without minders then just about anyone can. It just goes to show that you can do it if you really want to. I think
the day I have to have a minder will be a very sad day for me.
Ugghhh! No! I'd never touch my face in any way. If you're healthy and everything works and you have the
kind of face people seem to like I think to start messing about with it is just asking for trouble.
You never take minders with you for protection when you go to clubs. Other famous people in your
position would •be terrified of being seen out without them.
.Well I tend not to go to clubs so much these days anyway. I end up just getting gawked at. I'm very very bad
at getting rid of people quickly. I'm just too polite. If I'm drunk I spend the whole evening having ^conversations
about myself ^with people I don't know. People are never vicious, they're just a bit too fascinated. I'm not really
that interested in talking about me. What I am pleased about is that I am (getting a different kind of reaction from
fans these days. I much prefer it. Girls used to think they were expected to scream at me, so they'd stand there
and have a little whimper. I get far more sexual advances these days from people of my own age and I find that
less embarrassing. It's very flattering when they think you're attractive and horny. I've got used to refusing, though.
I'd hate to have minders.
I just don't think they're necessary at all. I'm very frightened of that whole idea of being cosseted or being
protected . . . even if I need it. I take my chances. I don't want to live my life like that. If I can have a social life
without minders then just about anyone can. It just goes to show that you can do it if you really want to. I think
the day I have to have a minder will be a very sad day for me.
