In 1992, George Michael began work on a secret album of songs for musical heroes including Aretha Franklin, Janet Jackson and Bryan Ferry, under the alias the Trojan Souls. The project, born from a bitter dispute with Sony Records, was abandoned after the death of his Brazilian boyfriend Anselmo Feleppa in March 1993. Now, newly released 90 minutes of unedited video offers an unfiltered view of Michael in his creative prime.
The origins of Trojan Souls
Michael was mired in a toxic dispute with Sony after releasing Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1 in 1990. He refused to appear in videos or give interviews, and believed Sony underpromoted the album. In January 1992, he flew to Los Angeles with close friend Andros Georgiou and soon suggested recording a cover of 'Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now' at Dave Stewart’s Chapel Studios. The song was a symbolic choice, originally written by Gene McFadden and John Whitehead as a rebuke to their label. Michael decided to return in July to start an album, recruiting vocalists he had loved growing up. According to Georgiou, only David Bowie politely declined. The name 'Trojan Souls' came to Georgiou in a dream: 'From the Trojan horse. The soldiers came in and then came down fighting.'
The lawsuit and the recordings
Despite the bad blood, Georgiou was contractually obliged to offer the album to Sony first. 'Of course they said no. I called George and he said, “Fuck Sony!”' Georgiou recalled. He then secured a deal with Warner for a million pounds. In October 1992, Michael filed a lawsuit against Sony, alleging unreasonable restraint of trade. The three songs in the film have a sunny, funky dynamism. 'He was so happy,' Georgiou said. 'For the first couple of months we probably had the best time of our lives making this record.' The ballad 'One Day I’ll Know' was destined for Stevie Wonder, and 'Maybe It’s Not Your Time' for Bryan Ferry. An instrumental track, 'Wendy Melvoin’s Song', featured rhythm guitar in the hope of luring Prince on board.
Michael's creative process
Michael was never officially filmed handling an instrument or building a track. The footage shows him drilling musicians through take after take. 'He had a 48-track studio in his mind,' Georgiou said. Author Sathnam Sanghera noted, 'He would often sing at musicians and say, “This is what I want it to sound like.”' Sanghera said many musicians found it frustrating but later recognized Michael's talent. Only the Elton John collaboration 'This Kind of Love' was ever completed. By the start of 1993, Feleppa was dying of AIDS, and Michael lost interest in music. The project was never revived.
The end of a friendship
Georgiou’s friendship with Michael ended after Michael’s 1998 arrest for lewd conduct in a Los Angeles park, which outed the star. Georgiou thought Michael’s cruising on Hampstead Heath was self-destructive. The final straw, Georgiou claimed, was Michael ordering him to drop Aegean Records’ entire roster. An alternative account is that Georgiou crossed a line by telling his story to Hello! magazine. Michael later said losing that relationship devastated him. They tentatively reconnected in 2016 but planned to meet in the new year; Michael died on Christmas Day 2016. Georgiou calls the Trojan Souls 'the greatest album never made' and hopes the footage opens a door to Michael’s creative prime.
