"Wham" redirects here. For other uses, see Wham . Wham! (often written WHAM!) was a pop band formed in 1981 by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. They were briefly known in the United States as Wham! UK due to a naming conflict with another band. Beginnings Michael and Ridgeley met at Bushey Meads School in Watford, England, UK. At first, they performed in a short-lived rock and roll band called The Executive. They then changed their name and signed with Innervision Records. Soon after a legal victory over Innervision, the duo was signed to CBS, Columbia Records in the United States and Canada and Epic Records for the rest of the world. Michael took on the majority of roles and responsibilities within the band? composer, singer, producer, and occasional instrumentalist? but the contribution of Ridgley as the group's image specialist and spokesman was crucial to the band's initial