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Postcolonial paths of pop: a suburban psychogeography of George Michael and Wham!

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 June 2022

Keith Negus Open the ORCID record for Keith Negus [Opens in a new window]  and
Adrian Sledmere Open the ORCID record for Adrian Sledmere [Opens in a new window]
Keith Negus
Affiliation:
School of Media, London College of Communication, University of the Arts, London SE1 6SB, UK E-mail: [email protected]
Adrian Sledmere
Affiliation:
Popular Music Research Unit, Goldsmiths, University of London SE14 6NW, UK E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

This article draws on psychogeography to explore suburban Bushey, Hertfordshire (UK), where the popular music duo Wham! formed and created the foundation for the later career of George Michael. It locates this neglected cultural narrative within the context of parental postcolonial and metropolitan journeys, arguing that migrations from the margins of the British Empire and across London form part of a ‘spatial moral order’. Exploring how a distinct pop group emerged at a particular time, it emphasises the importance of family and friendship within the suburban landscape of school, home, a pub, church halls, and a scout hut. A focus on the formation of Wham! contributes to debates about the postcolonial journeys and suburban circumstances that have shaped UK popular music since the end of World War II, and illustrates how psychogeography can contribute to the study of popular music.

Type
Article
Information
Popular Music , Volume 41 , Issue 2 , May 2022 , pp. 131 - 151
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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