Pet Shop Boys’ Neil Tennant shares amazing anecdote about George Michael

They crossed paths over the years

Pet Shop Boys’ Neil Tennant has shared a heartwarming anecdote about the late singer George Michael.

Speaking to the Guardian, Tennant explains that while he didn’t know Michael well, the pair crossed paths in the 30 years before the latter’s death in 2016.

Tennant, 64, added that he interviewed the ex-Wham singer for Smash Hits, but the last time he saw Michael was at the Olympic Closing ceremony in 2012.

Advertisement

He said: “We were in these Portakabin-y dressing rooms and the person next to us is playing music unbelievably loudly. I said to our tour manager: ‘Can you go and ask him to turn that down, please?’

“And suddenly the door flings open and George, who we hadn’t seen since he’d been in jail, comes in and says: ‘Did you just tell me to turn my music down?’ I said: ‘Yes, I did.’

“And he says: ‘Give me a hug.’ And then he went back to his dressing room, put his stereo on and played West End Girls – loudly.”

The Pet Shop Boys singer added that he was sad and “almost angry” when he heard about Michael’s death, as he believed it was a waste.

Michael passed away of natural causes on Christmas Day in 2016 at the age of 53. NME’s Mark Beaumont paid tribute to the late star, writing in an obituary: “Mirroring Michael Jackson’s trajectory, he transformed a hugely successful teenage pop explosion with 80s legends Wham! into a mature, stadium-filling solo career in a manner emulated by the likes of Robbie Williams and aspired to by every reputable singer in pop.”

Advertisement

Tennant was speaking to the Guardian ahead of the release of a collection of his lyrics, One Hundred Lyrics and a Poem by Neil Tennant, which is set to be published on November 1.

You May Also Like

Advertisement

TRENDING

Advertisement

More Stories