Andros Georgiou, a childhood friend and collaborator of George Michael, is releasing archival video footage from an aborted musical project dating to 1992. The material documents recording sessions for an album tentatively titled The Voice of Reason by the Trojan Souls, which featured Michael working with various vocalists including arrangements intended for artists such as Aretha Franklin, Janet Jackson, and Sade Adu.
The project originated during a period of significant tension between Michael and Sony Records. After the release of Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1 in 1990, Michael withdrew from public appearances to protest what he viewed as underpromoting his work. In January 1992, Michael and Georgiou traveled to Los Angeles and began recording at Dave Stewart’s Chapel Studios in Encino. The endeavor reflected Michael’s desire to assert creative independence while engaged in contractual disputes with his label. Georgiou secured a recording deal with Warner Bros., reportedly negotiating a one-million-pound agreement within hours.
The video captures Michael directing studio musicians through meticulous recording sessions, showcasing his detailed approach to production and arrangement. Three songs appear in the footage: the upbeat “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now,” the ballad “One Day I’ll Know,” and “Wendy Melvoin’s Song.” Musicians featured include guitarist Wendy Melvoin, keyboardist Chris Cameron, and bassist Deon Estus. Michael’s creative process involved extensive takes and precise direction, with collaborators noting his exceptional musical ear despite the demanding nature of his standards.
The project stalled in early 1993 following the death of Michael’s partner Anselmo Feleppa from AIDS-related illness. Michael lost momentum on the album and eventually abandoned it. Only one collaboration, “This Kind of Love” with Elton John, was completed. Georgiou’s friendship with Michael deteriorated in subsequent years, culminating in a permanent rift after Michael’s 1998 arrest in Los Angeles and his mother’s death from cancer. The two tentatively reconnected in 2016 before Michael’s death, though they did not meet.
Georgiou has spent years attempting to retrieve unauthorized footage circulating online before deciding to officially release the material himself. The Trojan Souls release includes 90 minutes of video documentation alongside plans for updated memoir releases and additional archival material.
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