GEORGE MICHAEL STANDS ALONE

GEORGE MICHAEL STANDS ALONE

George Michael once described his boyhood friend and longtime partner Andrew Ridgeley as the biggest fan of his songwriting.

Now that the Wham! duo have called it quits, though, George might have to look for a new biggest fan.

Not that that should be much of a problem...after all, Michael did write the songs that propelled Wham! to superstardom. And apparently, the wellspring of talent hasn’t run dry, for— as of now, anyway—plans are for a George Michael solo single, “A Different Color,” to be released soon. That release may be followed up by a Wham! single Michael and Ridgeley recorded some time ago, but—like the rumored ‘‘last Wham! album”—fans will just have to wait and see.

Some have felt that Michael’s announcement of the break-up— which he did by himself, without informing his partner—was a bit on the tacky side, and that Ridgeley’s initial reaction (‘‘As far as I’m concerned, George can do what as he likes from now on”) was more than justified. Now, however, a different story has emerged: it seems that the duo had, indeed, planned on calling it a day, but that Michael was angry when he found out his management company, Nomis, was being sold to another company (Kunick Leisure). What angered Michael most was that much of the new company’s stock is owned by South African interests...and his staunch antiapartheid beliefs led him to leave the company immediately. Apparently, he was unable to contact Ridgeley (who was in South France at the time) amid the contract hassles, so the announcement came prematurely. So—with the management situation hopefully straightened out, George Michael (and Andrew Ridgeley) can get on with their careers. Look for ‘‘A Different Color” soon, and don’t be too surprised if Wham! does play one last farewell concert this summer.