George Michael
I've written a whole body of work that I'm incredibly proud of.
I am a political person, though not with a big P.
I have never felt any ethnic connection between the Greeks and me other than how hairy I am.
I've been very well remunerated for my talents over the years so I really don't need the public's money.
You can't imagine what it's like playing to people who have been loyal to you for 25 years and haven't seen you for 15.
I mean, I've done different things at different times that I shouldn't have done, once or twice, you know.
I'm surprised that I've survived my own dysfunction, really.
The '90s were a bit of a disaster for me in so many ways. On a personal level, I don't think I could have toured. Also, I had some physical problems with my back that are now sorted and I just wasn't in the right state of mind.
I have got other interests than just making music. I would like to follow those interests through.
I'm not a novelty act from the '80s in most parts of the world.
I really have no plans for any kind of career in TV or anything, but if I wanted to become good at it, I could. But I don't really think it's in the cards.
I don't have joy in watching myself, whereas, actually, I quite like listening to my own music.
It's only when the kids are in their late twenties that families really face up to what they are.
I'm just not security-minded.
I never minded being thought of as a pop star. People have always thought I wanted to be seen as a serious musician, but I didn't, I just wanted people to know that I was absolutely serious about pop music.
I can't bear Catholicism.
I went to prison, I paid my bill.
I have to believe that somebody up there thinks I've still got some work to do.
Stars are almost always people that want to make up for their own weaknesses by being loved by the public and I'm no exception to that.
I don't consider Americans bullies, but I do consider the American government bullying.
I find it too terrifying to go out in L.A.
English people have seen me get through scandals.
I have the audience I deserve. Or at least I have the audience that represents the kind of people that I like.
I've always been the porky boy in my head.
I know I have a very self-destructive tendency since my mother died, I have got to be honest.
I write about my life.
I am really not interested or excited by repeating former successes.
The media has affected everybody's consciousness much more than most people will admit.
Because of the media, the way the world is perceived is as a place where resources and time are running out. We're taught that you have to grab what you can before it's gone. It's almost as if there isn't time for compassion.
I had very little fear about it, but basically, my straight friends talked me out of it. I think they thought as I was bisexual, there was no need to. But it's amazing how much more complicated it became because I didn't come out in the early days. I often wonder if my career would have taken a different path if I had.
Is my body a temple, or is my life a temple? I'm definitely in the latter category, and I think my life has been better since thinking that way.
In the very early days of Wham! the attention felt great, but I do wonder how much freedom I gave away by trying to become something I wasn't.
I don't really have any traits that I deplore. I get annoyed with myself sometimes, but that's about it.
I spent the first half of my career being accused of being gay when I hadn't had anything like a gay relationship.
In terms of my work, I've never been reticent in terms of defining my sexuality. I write about my life.
A lot of people like me, who've been around for years and years and years, only really lose it in their forties and fifties.
I try very hard to thank my lucky stars and keep it all in proportion and perspective, but it can be very tiring having a smiley face all day.
Not many people are really that meticulous with what they do, I suppose, but I'm just a control freak and terribly afraid of failure or regret. I work very hard on these things.
There are so many things and so many aspects to gay life that I've discovered and so many things to write about. I have a new life, and I have a new take on dance music because of that life.
There are things about my mum that I only realised later, things that make me admire her.
I never really told my parents that I wanted to be a pop star or anything. They just knew that I was totally obsessed with music. Funnily enough, my father always used to say that he didn't think I could sing.
Deep down, my ego always thought that I would outlast a lot of people that I was competing against.
If you don't feel you're reaching something new, then don't do it.
I'm 10-12 years into life as an out gay man, and I'm a different person. I think there are things about my journey that might be useful to other people, and coming up with a hit record on its own doesn't seem to be enough anymore.
I was brought up when media still kept totally away from violence when it came to children. I don't think it would have made me scared of violence, but I find it repulsive.
I know that I sound self-satisfied, and I know that I've got an ego, but I don't have an ego problem.
No one wants to look wholesome at 21!
I used to believe that George Michael was a total actor. It was self-defeating, because it made me also feel fraudulent.
It takes so much strength to say to your ego, 'You know what? You're going to keep me lonely, so I have to ignore you.'