As thecurtain came down on the Club Fantastic Tour in November 1983, it also brought an end to the first chapter in Wham!’s success story. Having discarded their leather jackets and ‘baby biker’ image, the subversive street kids unwilling to be part of the system traded the attitude for the breezy fun and sunshine of fourth single Club Tropicana. The switch-up had proved to be the perfect fit for them and defined their future direction. The future of Wham! was bright.
However, locked in litigation hell with their record label Innervision, they faced a fraught and lengthy battle to free themselves of a contract which they regarded as little more than professional slavery (a term which would rear its head again much later in George’s career). Infuriatingly for the band, who were forced into silence as the legal battles ensued, the label continued to cash-in by releasing the Club Fantastic Megamix (comprising the singles from the 1983 Fantastic album).