2013: Year of the Comeback
Boy George, I Think They Got It: The Return of Culture Club
CALMER CHAMELEON: A slimmer Boy George showing off his new transformation
When Culture Club brought their smooth reggae-pop to the American shores with “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” back in January 1983, a new kind of British Invasion was underway. Led by the androgynous Boy George, Culture Club quickly became MTV superstars and revolutionized the sounds of Top 40 using their clever New-Wave-peppered blue-eyed soul. By 1986, the group’s popularity had waned and George left the group to focus on his solo career.
Like many fad bands of the Eighties (i.e. Wham!, The Buggles, etc.), the idea of the band ever reuniting seemed impossible. A comeback album was staged and realized in 1999, but fell mostly on deaf ears. Since then, the group went there separate ways.
As the group approached its thirtieth anniversary in 2011, George made public announcements that the band would reunite for a mini-tour and possibly work on new material. The tour never happened, although a few live dates were arranged.
As for the new music; in the words of their 1983 hit, “it’s a miracle.” George told BBC Radio 5 that a new album would be released in 2013. “We are getting back together,” Boy George, real name George O’Dowd, said back in 2011. He was approached by famed DJ and producer Mark Ronson, a Culture Club fan, with the idea of a Culture Club reunion album. “Next year [in 2012]…we’ll be doing a proper huge worldwide tour. And a new album.”
2012 passed without hardly any sign of new material from George and his Culture Club band mates. But there’s a good feeling lingering in the air. While we await new music from the ’80’s boy band, a spunky midtempo gem, “Universal Love,” showing off Roy Hay’s guitar skills and George’s matured baritone, was unveiled at their Sydney Harbor show in 2011 (see video below).
Recently, the 51-year old George, who has surpassed boy status, revealed his new-and-improved look. He’s serious about getting fit and tweeting about a Freer Nutrition diet that’s working wonders for him.
“Rock n roll sunday!” he tweeted, while later adding, “I love that the size of my ass is trending worldwide!”
The new look on George seems to be good ground for optimism, would you say?
