Tonight the Music Seems So Loud by Sathnam Sanghera review
This affecting exploration of the troubled genius’s impact is packed with anecdote, sharp analysis and social context
TL;DR
- Sathnam Sanghera's book, "Tonight the Music Seems So Loud," explores the life and work of George Michael.
- The book is described as a miscellany of themed essays, blending personal reflections with critical analysis.
- Sanghera acknowledges both Michael's artistic triumphs, such as the album "Older," and his personal and professional failings.
- The author discusses the critical re-evaluation of George Michael's music in the 21st century.
- The book examines the climate of homophobia in the 1980s and its impact on Michael's decision to come out.
- Michael's Greek Cypriot upbringing and his father's work ethic influenced his own approach to his career.
- The singer's perfectionism sometimes led to intransigence and self-sabotage, affecting album sales and promotion.
- Michael's career was marked by a polymathic approach to music creation but also by a slow, detail-oriented work pace exacerbated by marijuana use and writer's block.
- Despite being a frank interviewee about his drug use and sex life after being outed, he concealed the extent of his addictions.
- The final years of Michael's life were characterized by drug busts, medical emergencies, and a life spinning out of control, yet his professionalism masked these struggles.
- Sanghera imagines an alternative history where Michael overcomes his addictions and reconciles with his past work.