WHAM!’s Andrew Ridgeley Once Thought Their Historic 1985 China Trip Was a “Crazy Idea”
By Website Content Manager
Ridgeley and his late bandmate George Michael made history by becoming the first Western pop act to perform in the Communist nation.
Former WHAM! guitarist Andrew Ridgeley still remembers being surprised when the duo’s manager, Simon Napier-Bell, first suggested an unusual plan four decades ago: Ridgeley and George Michael would travel to China and perform there, potentially making them the first Western pop act to appear in the Communist nation.
The idea was also intended to create international publicity for WHAM! and help strengthen the duo’s profile in the United States.
Ridgeley, now 63, admits he initially viewed the proposal with skepticism. However, the plan eventually proved to be an inventive answer to a problem facing the group at the time. Michael was reluctant to undertake the extensive U.S. touring schedule that would have been necessary to build on the enormous success of WHAM!’s 1984 album Make It Big, which produced major hits including “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” and “Careless Whisper.”
Following discussions with Chinese officials, WHAM! made the historic journey in April 1985. Ridgeley and Michael performed two concerts, one in Beijing and another in Guangzhou. Four decades later, their groundbreaking trip has become the focus of a new documentary, WHAM! 10 Days in China, which arrives in cinemas worldwide on Tuesday, July 28.
The China trip was originally filmed for a documentary by British director Lindsay Anderson. Ridgeley and Michael ultimately rejected Anderson’s version, though the material was subsequently reshaped into WHAM! In China: Foreign Skies, which was released in 1986.
The new film, directed by Mike Christie, revisits the journey using restored archival material, previously unseen footage and fresh interviews with Ridgeley and people who were involved in the historic tour.
For Ridgeley, the documentary is not simply about the concerts themselves. He wanted it to examine the reasons behind the decision to visit China, what happened during the trip and, most importantly, what impact WHAM!’s appearance had on the country in the years that followed.
WHAM! 10 Days in China chronicles the pair as they prepared for their performances, met Chinese and British officials and participated in filming for Anderson’s project. The documentary also shows the intense attention they received from Western tabloids that had traveled to cover the event.
The constant promotional obligations created significant pressure, particularly for Michael, who was the centre of attention during the performances. Ridgeley recalls that the singer felt the strain more intensely because so much of the focus was placed on him as the frontman.
Although the trip was challenging, Ridgeley says he personally found plenty to appreciate. Experiencing an ancient city and encountering a culture vastly different from their own made the journey memorable, even if it came with difficult moments.
The documentary includes footage from WHAM!’s Beijing concert, the first of their two Chinese performances. The crowd was noticeably restrained, with many audience members appearing uncertain about how they were expected to respond to a Western pop show.
That atmosphere presented a particular challenge for Michael. Ridgeley explains that performers typically rely heavily on audience reactions, but the pair knew they could not expect the same enthusiastic response they had become accustomed to in Western countries.
Michael therefore adjusted his stage presence, particularly during songs with more suggestive or provocative elements. The group also understood that they needed to respect the expectations of their hosts, while concertgoers had been given instructions about how to behave.
As officials became more comfortable with the event and realized there was no threat of disorder, the restrictions reportedly eased somewhat. Even so, Ridgeley remembers the Beijing performance as considerably more demanding than a typical WHAM! concert.
The atmosphere changed dramatically when the group reached Guangzhou for their second show. The crowd responded with much greater enthusiasm, with “Careless Whisper” receiving a particularly strong reaction — a moment captured in the documentary.
By then, much of the international press contingent had already departed, leaving the band and crew with considerably less pressure surrounding the performance. Ridgeley says the more relaxed environment helped WHAM! deliver a show that felt much closer to the kind of concert experience they knew.
The unprecedented China visit ultimately provided WHAM! with another boost in the United States. The duo later returned to America for their Whamamerica! tour, further building on the attention generated by their historic 1985 journey.