Interview with

BACK TO CONTENTS interview simon withderspici napier-bell

Simon Napier-Bell is one of the UK’s most successful pop managers; his acts have included The Yardbirds, Jimmy Page, Ultravox, Marc Bolan, and Wham!

In the 60s he co-wrote the song You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me, a number one for Dusty Springfield, later for Elvis Presley.

He's written four best-selling books including Black Vinyl White Powder, about the postwar British record industry; and directed four documentaries including To Be Frank, about Frank Sinatra.

His latest George Michael: Portrait of an Artist currently on Amazon, Apple and iTunes gives us a taste of the breathless rise to fame of Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, and the grim, often self-destructive lows.

MAKERS

Why make a documentary about George Michael now?

SIMON NAPIERBELL It was unfinished business. When I stopped managing George [in 1985] I still followed his progress as you would a brother and when he died I saw a host of really dismal docs about him. Most were American style with brash commentary, so completely against his music. I decided to make something truthful.

What made your approach to his story different?

One of the weaknesses of biographical film is you’ve got to tell every meaningful event in someone’s life. I decided to divide it into 12 chapters. Each had to convey a feeling of what was happening at the time – then you turn the page. You didn’t have to have all the detail. The chapters are headed by quotes from music icons or philosophers. If you’re going to aim at a more sophisticated audience you need to have a little artistic technique to set it apart.

Why was the original title Artist Vs the music business Vs himself?

Many artists are conflicted between wanting their art to change the world versus simple commercial reality. Many also fight internally to beat their demons. The script I wrote could apply to Bowie, Prince or Lennon.

You include interviews with many who knew him – but not yourself?

If I talk then the film ceases to be everyone’s point of view because I’d be continually guiding it my way. From the beginning I wanted George to discuss his life with talking heads. I also wanted to present it as a talk show where George was a big screen and every time someone said something we’d zoom into him. But it was technically too difficult.

How was the film financed?

We optimistically budgeted for GBP100,000 of archive but to make it work we needed GBP300,000. Financiers were not keen to take a risk at a certain point as the amount kept going up. But we found it in the end.

How did you meet Wham!?

The rule was you’ve got three years from meeting an artist to making their first hit. Neither myself nor [business partner] Jazz Summers could be bothered to wait three years so we started looking at all the groups who’d had one hit. Culture Club, the Eurythmics had good managers. Wham! was managed by their lawyer. That was the group we chose.

They wanted us to get them out of their existing record contract. As soon as the case settled I asked what have you got? George said he had Wake Me Up. We hadn’t heard it but we gave him the money to record it. He was somebody you could trust to get it right.

What were your first impressions?

Their image was fantastic. The classic Butch and Sundance. Two guys, who get the girls but go off together into the Hollywood sunset.

When they walked into our flat for the first time they were utterly different. Andrew was happy go lucky, put his feet on my coffee table without taking his shoes off. George was straight down to business. ‘Why have you got us here? How do we know you’re going to make us successful?’ He demanded two accountants so one could keep an eye on the other.

Do you think Michael should have been more candid about his sexuality from the start?

I use a clip from the rights campaigner Peter Tatchell saying he first met George at a gay club when George was 16. He was always out to himself and you can read it in some Wham! Lyrics. I don’t think you’d use Doris Day in a song if not you’re not gay.

I also include an interview near the start of his career where George is asked directly if he is gay and he said no. In retrospect, he realised he should have come out then. He’d just got big enough as a star he could have survived. But then AIDS was upon us and made it a really bad time to come out.

Were you shocked by his death?

Most death is pretty bloody miserable. Mark Bolan had just made a come back when he died in car crash. In a second. Not a bad ending really. A good way to create a legacy, bad for those who wanted another song.

George died on Christmas Day, always special since the anniversary of his mum’s death. He’d written the incredible Last Christmas so there was a circularity of events. Fans don’t want to hear that but when they realise by then he’d lost his voice, his teeth were bad, maybe not such a bad ending.

What has being a pop impresario meant to you?

I could have been a doctor, politician, pilot but I’ve been dealing with these jumped-up teenagers, so in some senses a wasted life. Then someone comes along and you realise pop is one of the great art forms in terms of conveying life back to the public. George was one of those characters. He was an ambitious, incredibly talented, aspiring pop star but I’ve seen dozens of those who didn’t go on to be successful. He still needed coaching and pushing toward right place.

Simon Napier-Bell