‘Tonight the Music Seems So Loud - The meaning of George Michael’ by Sathnam Sanghera
Book launch at Queercircle - Thursday November 17th 6.30-8.30pm - Bldg 4, Design District, 3 Barton Yard, Soames Walk, London SE10 0BN
Hosted by Dan Glass, in conversation with Sathnam Sanghera and followed by Q+A with Jessica Turtle, Founder and Co-Director at Museum of Homelessness and Viv ‘This is My Culture’ and ‘ACT UP’ artiv-ist and producer
In his brilliantly original Tonight the Music Seems So Loud, bestselling author Sathnam Sanghera portrays the extraordinary life, and times, of one of Britain’s most beloved musical icons – George Michael
He wrote one of the biggest hits of our age in ‘about an hour’ in his childhood bedroom and would go on to collaborate with some of the greatest musicians of all time, from Aretha Franklin to Stevie Wonder.
He was a pop star who bleached his hair blonde and critiqued his own image mercilessly, but still attracted critical acclaim.
He lived through the AIDS crisis and one of the most homophobic periods of British history and yet when he finally came out, he did so boldly and unapologetically.
Wham! were the first Western pop group to play in Communist China and despite becoming a staple for easy-listening radio, he repeatedly broke boundaries in music too.
He was the poppiest of pop stars but would go on television to denounce the Iraq War.
Ten years after his death, and even leaving aside the accelerating success of ‘Last Christmas’, George Michael is still everywhere: from ‘Father Figure’ to ‘Freedom’ and ‘Careless Whisper’, there are fresh covers of his songs, endless memes on social media, and show-stopping appearances on soundtracks.
Tonight the Music Seems So Loud is at once a kaleidoscopic portrait of one of Britain’s most beloved musicians and an account of a strange and turbulent period of British history. In his unconventional and enthralling new book, bestselling author Sathnam Sanghera explores the connection between music and politics, exposes what secrecy does to the soul, and reveals how fame rots the sense of self. Throughout, Sanghera captures, joyfully and poignantly, one of Britain’s greatest artists in all his musical glory.
“Delightful… nerdy, passionate, extraordinary.“ Lynn Barber, The Spectator
“Rich… poignant… occasionally eccentric… a revelatory blast. Tonight the Music Seems So Loud… does excellent work in restoring the star’s dignity along with his artistic reputation… It’s a book only a fan could write: affectionate, protective, deadly serious but irreverent when necessary…. In the wrong hands this story could slip into prurience, but Sanghera handles it with care, love and an acute sense of Michael’s cultural impact. He never met him, he says, but wishes he could have expressed his appreciation. ‘I’m not sure what I would have said, but I would have wanted it to sound something like this book.’ You suspect Michael, even as an eternal perfectionist, would have been honoured.” Victoria Segal, The Sunday Times
“Hugely enjoyable… a plaintive love letter, the book frames George as a brilliant songwriter, producer . . . performer and general human being. It is no hagiography, and yet you emerge after 256 pages seeing George as even more extraordinary than you already thought… a very good book.” Dylan Jones, The i Newspaper