"Desafinado" - Part I
"Desafinado"
George Michael & Astrud Gilberto
"O que você não sabe nem sequer pressente
What you do not even know
É que os desafinados também têm um coração
It is that the 'outcast' also have a heart."
'Desafinado' was composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim with lyrics (in Portuguese) by Newton Mendonça it was said to have been originally in response to critics claims that bossa nova was a new genre for singers who couldn't sing. George Michael and Astrud Gilberto covered the song which was featured on Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael, released on 9 November 1998 which peaked at number one on the UK Official Charts.
While developing the concept for this two part interview series this author was desirous of a title that summarized what she observes playing out, in real time, in George Michael's deeply polarized fandom. Desafinado is a Portuguese word that when translated into English means "out of tune" or "off key" and that's precisely the state of Michael's fandom where 'voices' often clash or overpower one another when views are introduced that cut against the grain of mainstream perception(s).
When this platform was launched in June of 2017, it was viewed as a safe harbor for those who bore opinions which differed from those in the mainstream. For the first time in over a year proceeding George Michael's passing, this platform gave "Lovelies" an outlet for their voices to be heard. As tensions flare between Michael's fans this author has once again offered her platform to those whose views are 'out of tune' with the one note choruses inflicted upon them in the mainstream.
The views expressed in these opinion pieces are offered independently and reflect the Lovelies' thoughts, feelings as well as hopes. As a reminder each interview in this series as well as its companion series, "I Can't Make You Love Me' have been conducted anonymously to protect the identities and privacy of the respondents. For those who have not read the companion piece the following link will redirect you to Lovely I, II & III's responses to the first half of their interview:
http://adifferentcornr.blogspot.com/2019/06/i-cant-make-you-love-me-part-i.html
Legacy Management
Blog Author: Are you happy with what the 'Official' team has brought forward, thus far?
Lovely I: To be honest no! It's hard to conceive that in six months George Michael will have been gone three years. There has been so little done to preserve his legacy as three years is a long time for fans to sit and wait. Some of my thoughts:
- A lack of promotion for 'Fantasy' ft Nile Rogers
- Scrapping and or indefinitely postponing of the "This Is My Freedom" campaign
- A lack of promotion for the album release of Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1
- A lack of promotion of Film Festival dates for Freedom: Director's Cut
- Website has gone dark
- Christie's auction: The George Michael Art Collection reminded me of how inaccessible the event and procuring its memorabilia was for me an average Lovely
- Little to no interaction from 'Official' team straight across its social media platforms
Lovely II: No, I don’t think they have done much.
Lovely III: No, I would have expected more. Freedom: The Documentary ran in a circuit which wasn’t accessible for everyone and had no publicity. The art exhibition and auction had publicity but was dedicated to art collectors and not for the fans worldwide. However, I recognise that it was a good cause and its goal to raise money for GM’s charities gave continuity to his charitable work.
Lovely III: No, I would have expected more. Freedom: The Documentary ran in a circuit which wasn’t accessible for everyone and had no publicity. The art exhibition and auction had publicity but was dedicated to art collectors and not for the fans worldwide. However, I recognise that it was a good cause and its goal to raise money for GM’s charities gave continuity to his charitable work.
Blog Author: Have you voiced or attempted to voice your thoughts, opinions or
concerns on the subject of direction of/legacy management?
Lovely I: No, not publicly. In private, it seems. people are more open to entertain meaningful discussion about how we 'see' things but publicly its very difficult to keep discussions on track.
Lovely II: No, I have not.
Lovely III: Not particularly.
Lovely II: No, I have not.
Lovely III: Not particularly.
Blog Author: What has
prevented you from sharing your position?
Lovely I: I did not want to be termed a fake fan or trouble maker for sharing my opinions. Being part of this fan base each of us wants to be accepted and sometimes to belong means shutting off what's going on (conflict) between our mind and heart.
Lovely II: Basically, I don’t get on Twitter to fight with people. I’m not going to be bothered with it.
Lovely III: After 2.5 years of continuous controversy between the fans I got tired of public discussion on issues we have no power to change. I share my position(s) with my friends, though.
Lovely II: Basically, I don’t get on Twitter to fight with people. I’m not going to be bothered with it.
Lovely III: After 2.5 years of continuous controversy between the fans I got tired of public discussion on issues we have no power to change. I share my position(s) with my friends, though.
Blog Author: Do you believe that coming forward with
your opinions would result in you losing ‘friendships’ you value?
Lovely I: Yes, definitely. I know Lovelies who have turned their backs on each other over differences in opinions, who they do/do not support and even who they are friends with.
Lovely II: No. I don’t believe so.
Lovely III: Not at all. My friendships are based on real mutual respect and they are all open minded enough to accept a different opinion as well as ready to dialogue. Also, as my friendships are based on very similar values there cannot be so much difference between their views and mine.
Lovely II: No. I don’t believe so.
Lovely III: Not at all. My friendships are based on real mutual respect and they are all open minded enough to accept a different opinion as well as ready to dialogue. Also, as my friendships are based on very similar values there cannot be so much difference between their views and mine.
Blog Author: Do you feel that being
critical of the ‘Official’ team constitutes being disrespectful towards George Michael’s family?
Lovely I: No. The Official team is a 'business' entity which should be separated from George Michael's family. It's a matter of how people present their thoughts: sometimes a person's passion is perceived as aggression rather than zeal. Combativeness and arguments take at least two persons and many lose sight of this fact when in fact they too perpetuate the problem.
Lovely II: No. I don’t think it means that. I have been reluctant to say that I feel as though the family just wants us (fans) all to go away. I would think they would want George remembered but it doesn't seem that way.
Lovely III: I don’t think so. Close family and legacy management are two different things. It’s not up to close family to manage, discuss or decide about such an enormous musical legacy. So, in my opinion, if some notice lack of management or professionalism it doesn’t mean criticism – let alone disrespect towards the family.
Lovely II: No. I don’t think it means that. I have been reluctant to say that I feel as though the family just wants us (fans) all to go away. I would think they would want George remembered but it doesn't seem that way.
Lovely III: I don’t think so. Close family and legacy management are two different things. It’s not up to close family to manage, discuss or decide about such an enormous musical legacy. So, in my opinion, if some notice lack of management or professionalism it doesn’t mean criticism – let alone disrespect towards the family.
"Somebody To Love" - 1992
George Michael & Queen
Recently, this Blog author conducted a poll among George Michael's fans inquiring what their current, primary resource was for perusing George Michael related content ie. pictures, music, articles, interviews, news etc.. When this blog author combined the results between her Twitter and Instagram accounts 90%+ of respondents replied that they primarily utilize other mediums as their 'go to' resource opposed to the late pop icon's official website.
Blog Author: How
important is it for the ‘official’ website to be restored and fully functional so
that George Michael can be adequately represented as: a relevant artist, as an important figure in pop
culture, and as a global superstar?
Lovely I: I find it to be a horrible injustice to his memory and legacy that the official site has gone dark. An artists' website should be the first place fans turn to and then other mediums. So, in terms of importance it should rank as a top priority not for just George Michael but all artists they should all have a website that represents who they are/were.
Lovely II: I suppose it’s important but a website is only an 'influence' if people visit it. I’m all for anything that will keep George remembered. I would like a place to purchase George Michael (official) merchandise with all or most of profits going to charity.
Lovely III: A fully functional website would be the very first thing to restore. Nowadays, official websites are the “business card” of any sort of enterprise, you simply must own one if you want to stay relevant.
Lovely II: I suppose it’s important but a website is only an 'influence' if people visit it. I’m all for anything that will keep George remembered. I would like a place to purchase George Michael (official) merchandise with all or most of profits going to charity.
Lovely III: A fully functional website would be the very first thing to restore. Nowadays, official websites are the “business card” of any sort of enterprise, you simply must own one if you want to stay relevant.
Blog Author: How
do you feel about the arguments some fans have made that an official website is
unimportant in maintaining and sustaining George Michael’s legacy for the long term?
Lovely I: It's upsetting to me as most of those who make this argument are supporting other websites when their loyalties should lie in the best interests of George Michael. There are fans who believe sharing his music or photos is enough to keep his legacy alive: I don't believe that is enough in the broader sense of what the word legacy means. George Michael is continually disappearing from the public forum.
Lovely II: I haven't entertained any arguments but feel a website is important.
Lovely III: I’m not sure I know these arguments. I can’t imagine another way to represent George Michael officially on the internet, which is the main source of information in our modern world, if not through a fully functional website.
Lovely II: I haven't entertained any arguments but feel a website is important.
Lovely III: I’m not sure I know these arguments. I can’t imagine another way to represent George Michael officially on the internet, which is the main source of information in our modern world, if not through a fully functional website.
Blog Author: What
are your thoughts regarding those who attempt to derail ‘conversations’ about
the need for the official website’s restoration?
Lovely I: Some fans are too blinded by their hurt or anger to see the consequences of their arguments in the broader sense. I don't like to see the fighting but there are many valid points that are over looked and their presenter(s) are termed 'liars', 'trolls' or 'bullies' just because they have the courage to stand by their convictions. Few look beyond the immediate moment, few reflect, few care to do research and most don't realize the blockers they are wearing by choice or as a result of their experiences is blinding them from seeing the stark reality.
Lovely II: I think people should be able to express themselves. George said how important it was to be able to express himself. We don’t all have to agree but we do need to be civil.
Lovely III: The pirates of social media? They are miserable. Being coherent to yourself also means behaving in the same way on social media as in real life. Some of them are coherent in this sense but strangely you meet many more mean people on social media platforms than in real life and there must be a reason for that.
Lovely III: The pirates of social media? They are miserable. Being coherent to yourself also means behaving in the same way on social media as in real life. Some of them are coherent in this sense but strangely you meet many more mean people on social media platforms than in real life and there must be a reason for that.
"Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me"
George Michael & Elton John
Surrogate Websites
There's been much
debate recently surrounding a particular website's emergence as well as its saturation across all social media outlets of repackaged and re-branded George Michael interviews. The growing concern among fans is that the lack of an official website and social media outreach has created an opportunity for enterprising individuals to potentially capitalize from the creation and management of surrogate websites that cater to niche markets.
In recent months, George Michael Forever (gmforever.com) a celebrity news and community forum's website has soared in popularity among Michael fans; however equally noteworthy as the praise the site has garnered is the concern shared by fans with respect to its purported affiliation with Intelligent Gossip (intelligentgossip.com) another celebrity news outlet whose founder had deeply angered and alienated a number of George Michael's fans.
A common misconception about websites is that they have to sell a product or service to be deemed a business. They don't have to do either of those things to potentially become profitable. The traffic and interest that a website attracts to its site is the 'how' and 'where' a website has the potential to become a lucrative investment. It's also important to read a website's Use and Privacy Policy to determine what information is collected, shared and/or sold about its visitors.
Is gmforever.com a business or a labor of love as its gone on the record as stating? Who owns the website and what are their intentions? As consumers of products or services do we have the right to ask these questions? Just as individuals are entitled to their privacy and anonymity are those in the business or public sector exempt from these rights OR could it just be that Michael's community of fans have just been beaten down so much that they need a offer of good faith?
Blog Author: Do you follow gmforever.com?
Lovely I: I do not.
Lovely II: Yes, I do.
Lovely III: No, I never followed it.
Blog Author: Does or should it matter to you who the parent or affiliate company(ies) of this celebrity news and community forum website is/are?
Lovely I: Yes, as I believe trust and honesty is required in order to restore balance to George Michael's fan base. We can not decipher its intent so I believe it should be spelled out explicitly as this website by its own disclosure appears to be set up as a 'business'.
Lovely II: I suppose it does as far as to the truthfulness of the site. I know I have read articles and old interviews. I think it’s good to have all of them in one place. It really should be made available on the official website but they don’t seem interested.
Blog Author: Would you be able to support this website IF its creator admitted to being affiliated with another website or account(s) that had previously berated and harassed George Michael's fans?
Lovely II: I wouldn’t be happy about it but again if the Estate and/or georgemichael.com would provide these interviews then there wouldn’t be this problem.
Lovely III: The whole GM fan community is already aware of who is behind the websites gmforever and intelligentgossip. It is the same person who berated GM’s family and harassed fans. What surprises me the most is the total lack of principles in so many Lovelies who despite of this continue to follow them and retweet their recycled material.
" ... the most reliable and interesting website about George Michael ..."
In recent months, George Michael Forever (gmforever.com) a celebrity news and community forum's website has soared in popularity among Michael fans; however equally noteworthy as the praise the site has garnered is the concern shared by fans with respect to its purported affiliation with Intelligent Gossip (intelligentgossip.com) another celebrity news outlet whose founder had deeply angered and alienated a number of George Michael's fans.
A common misconception about websites is that they have to sell a product or service to be deemed a business. They don't have to do either of those things to potentially become profitable. The traffic and interest that a website attracts to its site is the 'how' and 'where' a website has the potential to become a lucrative investment. It's also important to read a website's Use and Privacy Policy to determine what information is collected, shared and/or sold about its visitors.
Is gmforever.com a business or a labor of love as its gone on the record as stating? Who owns the website and what are their intentions? As consumers of products or services do we have the right to ask these questions? Just as individuals are entitled to their privacy and anonymity are those in the business or public sector exempt from these rights OR could it just be that Michael's community of fans have just been beaten down so much that they need a offer of good faith?
Blog Author: Do you follow gmforever.com?
Lovely I: I do not.
Lovely II: Yes, I do.
Lovely III: No, I never followed it.
Blog Author: Does or should it matter to you who the parent or affiliate company(ies) of this celebrity news and community forum website is/are?
Lovely I: Yes, as I believe trust and honesty is required in order to restore balance to George Michael's fan base. We can not decipher its intent so I believe it should be spelled out explicitly as this website by its own disclosure appears to be set up as a 'business'.
Lovely II: I suppose it does as far as to the truthfulness of the site. I know I have read articles and old interviews. I think it’s good to have all of them in one place. It really should be made available on the official website but they don’t seem interested.
Lovely III: No, it doesn’t really (matter). I know who is behind it and I’m not interested in any of their activities.
Blog Author: Would you be able to support this website IF its creator admitted to being affiliated with another website or account(s) that had previously berated and harassed George Michael's fans?
Lovely II: I wouldn’t be happy about it but again if the Estate and/or georgemichael.com would provide these interviews then there wouldn’t be this problem.
Lovely III: The whole GM fan community is already aware of who is behind the websites gmforever and intelligentgossip. It is the same person who berated GM’s family and harassed fans. What surprises me the most is the total lack of principles in so many Lovelies who despite of this continue to follow them and retweet their recycled material.
"If I Told You That"
George Michael & Whitney Houston
Copyright
Copyright is a law that gives the owner of a work (ie. book, movie, picture, song or website) the right to say how other people can use it. Prior to the suspension of an account on Twitter the account user receives a warning(s) via email requesting that they remove content which was the subject of a Digital Millennium Copyright Act take down notice. If, the account holders were flagged repeatedly it's believed that Twitter suspends the account(s) in question
For the sake of this article we're going to focus on the impact that these suspensions have had on George Michael's fandom. This blog author has provided the following link for more information on Twitter's policy on copyright: https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/copyright-policy
For additional information on copyright infringement refer to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_infringement
For additional information on DMCA Take Down Notices please refer to:
Blog Author: Has your Twitter or other social media account been impacted by a DMCA take down notice(s) regarding copyright infringement?
Lovely I: Not mine no but I do know a few Lovelies accounts were either suspended or received warnings from Twitter.
Lovely II: No, it has not.
Lovely III: Yes, it has been. Twitter took down some of my tweets containing GM’s music.
Blog Author: Was there ever any doubt in your mind as to where the complaint originated?
Lovely I: There is some confusion about this as some of the Lovelies weren't clear only that they received notice from Twitter and do not understand what they had done wrong.
Lovely II: N/A
Lovely III: No, there’s no doubt at all, as Twitter includes the text of the original complaint in their notification. In my case the complaint was by Sony Music Entertainment.
Blog Author: Did you do any independent research on the topic?
Lovely I: Yes, I did some reading on the subject.
Lovely II: No, I did not.
Lovely III: No, I did not.
Blog Author: How do you feel about the erroneous stories that had been deliberately planted in the public domain regarding this matter?
Lovely I: It saddens me that anyone would want to cause disturbance or turbulence since this fan base has already been subjected to many obstacles that we have had to work through already.
Lovely II: I know of other Lovelies who have had this happen to them. I found it upsetting because they created great videos that I enjoyed watching and I know they enjoyed making them. So, I really don’t understand why it’s a problem now.
Lovely III: As I said before, when you get a take down notice you contextually get informed about the source of the complaint. Some felt it a good occasion to accuse other fans deliberately and create conflict. But posting videos containing GM’s music on a daily basis and trolling as well as harassing publicly people you don’t like for your own personal reasons at the same time is only another example of incoherent behaviour among GM Lovelies.
"Back To Life"
Rock In Rio -1991
George Michael & Lynn Mabry
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