Pepsi & Shirlie - It's All in Black and White: Wham! Life and Friendship
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-08-06 01:16:35
- Update Date：2025-09-24
- Status：finish
- Author：Pepsi Demacque-Crockett
- ISBN：1802792163
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Summary
London。 Wham！ Pop， glitz and glamour。 And two girls with stars in their eyes。
Our friendship began one windy day in 1982， outside Finsbury Park tube station。 It was an instant like at first sight。 We were on our way to a Wham！ rehearsal。 Pepsi was the new girl in the band and over a car stereo， a cassette tape and that journey to Bushey we bonded。 We had no idea that we were on the first of many journeys together and that soon we'd be travelling all over Europe， Australia， America， China and Japan。 Or that no matter where we went， together， we'd find a way to make every exotic destination feel like home。
We'd both been teenagers during the seventies – a dreary and difficult decade， especially if you were young in London and you didn't have much money。
So， in 1982， anything was possible for us – a pair of twentysomethings who hadn't been to university， who didn't have any money， who dreamt of singing and dancing， but ultimately lived for fun。 Everything felt new and life was a question mark。 We had no idea what was lying ahead， but we wanted to say yes。
What we didn't know was that we were saying yes to a lifetime of connection that has endured whatever we've done， wherever we've been。 From the side of the stage to its centre – we have many stories to tell。
And it's all here， it's all in black and white。
Our friendship began one windy day in 1982， outside Finsbury Park tube station。 It was an instant like at first sight。 We were on our way to a Wham！ rehearsal。 Pepsi was the new girl in the band and over a car stereo， a cassette tape and that journey to Bushey we bonded。 We had no idea that we were on the first of many journeys together and that soon we'd be travelling all over Europe， Australia， America， China and Japan。 Or that no matter where we went， together， we'd find a way to make every exotic destination feel like home。
We'd both been teenagers during the seventies – a dreary and difficult decade， especially if you were young in London and you didn't have much money。
So， in 1982， anything was possible for us – a pair of twentysomethings who hadn't been to university， who didn't have any money， who dreamt of singing and dancing， but ultimately lived for fun。 Everything felt new and life was a question mark。 We had no idea what was lying ahead， but we wanted to say yes。
What we didn't know was that we were saying yes to a lifetime of connection that has endured whatever we've done， wherever we've been。 From the side of the stage to its centre – we have many stories to tell。
And it's all here， it's all in black and white。
Reviews
Janet
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Loved， loved， loved this which I listened to on Audible。Both ladies seem very down to earth and “normal”， despite being part of one of the biggest groups of the eighties。 Lots of stories of their Wham days and their friendships with George and Andrew and with each other。 Each chapter was read by one of the ladies。I really enjoyed it and it brought back lots of memories of the eighties， which， in my opinion is the best decade of music。
bryan fothergill
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Not a bad book。 They seem to be 2 really grounded women with a deep affection for each other。 The only problem is much of what Shirlie wrote here was already covered in her book with Martin。
Sarah Stocks
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I saw Pepsi on the Jane McDonald holiday programme with her business in St Lucia and she mentioned this book and I bought it as a result。 This book is rather wholesome extolling friendship， love， tolerance and lives ups and downs。 You end up really liking these two ladies， who came from ordinary backgrounds to enter the pop world as part of wham！ They are the friends you would love to have！ Who does not like someone who would rather have a cup of tea， a plate of biscuits and pjs on rather than p I saw Pepsi on the Jane McDonald holiday programme with her business in St Lucia and she mentioned this book and I bought it as a result。 This book is rather wholesome extolling friendship， love， tolerance and lives ups and downs。 You end up really liking these two ladies， who came from ordinary backgrounds to enter the pop world as part of wham！ They are the friends you would love to have！ Who does not like someone who would rather have a cup of tea， a plate of biscuits and pjs on rather than partying the night away！ The tribute to their friend George is touching and moving。Thank you for letting me relive the 80s how times have changed！ 。。。more
Tracie
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Having read several Wham！/George Michael/Shirlie and Martin stories I wasn't sure if I would read anything new in this book。 But I was wrong。 This is a lovely memoir about friendship， and staying friends though thick and thin。 Fun photos and a good read。 Having read several Wham！/George Michael/Shirlie and Martin stories I wasn't sure if I would read anything new in this book。 But I was wrong。 This is a lovely memoir about friendship， and staying friends though thick and thin。 Fun photos and a good read。 。。。more
James Tidd
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A friendship that began outside Finsbury Park Underground Station one windy day in 1982， Shirlie Holliman was picking up a lady by the name of Pepsi Demacque。 Thus began a friendship that is still going strong。 As she was to be known， Shirl was taking Peps， as she was to be known， to meet two young lads by the name of George 'Yog' Michael and Andrew Ridgeley。 This would later form the group everybody knows as Wham！ Pepsi and Shirlie take the reader through their lives， both growing up in London A friendship that began outside Finsbury Park Underground Station one windy day in 1982， Shirlie Holliman was picking up a lady by the name of Pepsi Demacque。 Thus began a friendship that is still going strong。 As she was to be known， Shirl was taking Peps， as she was to be known， to meet two young lads by the name of George 'Yog' Michael and Andrew Ridgeley。 This would later form the group everybody knows as Wham！ Pepsi and Shirlie take the reader through their lives， both growing up in London in the seventies， arguably one of the toughest periods to be growing up in。 They take us through the Wham years， their stint as an early girl group， what they both did after Wham， their families （Pepsi married James Crockett from Norwich， my home city， Shirlie married Martin Kemp from Spandau Ballet， also known for playing Reggie Kray alongside his brother Gary who played Ronnie）。 The final main chapters are dedicated to George Michael， their rules for friendship， Pepsi on Shirlie and Shirlie on Pepsi。Most autobiographies， indeed all autobiographies are honest。 It's all in black and white for some reason， that reason I don't know， seems much more honest。 Is it because I lived through the Wham and George Michael eras？ Is it because I grew up in the eighties， so I am familiar with that decade？ I enjoyed reading the book， it made me smile， laugh and feel sad。 I rarely feel all three emotions whilst reading one book。 Pepsi and Shirlie did that。 。。。more
Ruby
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Told through alternating chapters by the two authors， this book is a recount of their time together as friends - with a chapter or two on both of their childhoods。 Pepsi and Shirlie were in the pop group Wham！ in the 80s， and they travelled the world together along with Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael。It's All In Black And White is sweet， and is basically a book on the friendship which the two authors have， and whilst this was interesting at times， it did get too sweet towards the end and def Told through alternating chapters by the two authors， this book is a recount of their time together as friends - with a chapter or two on both of their childhoods。 Pepsi and Shirlie were in the pop group Wham！ in the 80s， and they travelled the world together along with Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael。It's All In Black And White is sweet， and is basically a book on the friendship which the two authors have， and whilst this was interesting at times， it did get too sweet towards the end and definitely a little boring。 There was also a lot of repetition; I know that Pepsi and Shirlie have experienced a lot of the same things， but they should have divided the events between them because they shared a lot of the same opinions and feelings， and it felt as though I was just re-reading what one of them had already written when reading it from the other's point of view。I definitely preferred Andrew Ridgeley's recount of his time in Wham！It's All In Black And White was really up-to-date， which is something that I did like about it。 There were references within the book to 2021 and the coronavirus pandemic - I don't like reading （auto）biographies that are ten or fifteen years out of date as I think that is a huge portion of someone's life。And， it must be said， that this book was emotional - particularly when George Michael dies （Christmas Day， 2016）。 The way that Pepsi and Shirlie recount their feelings of the time is similar to my own experiences with grief， and it was difficult to read - but enjoyable nevertheless。 。。。more
Susan Burns
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I won this book in a competition and while it isn't something I would usually think to read I enjoyed it。 There's some nice anecdotes about George Michael and the friendship that Pepsi and Shirlie have cultivated is lovely to read about。 As far as autobiographies go， there's a lot that are skimmed over and it doesn't go into a great deal of detail about their lives。 However， it's an enjoyable read and certainly brings up some good memories of the 80's。 P。S。 I'm still curious to know if Pepsi and I won this book in a competition and while it isn't something I would usually think to read I enjoyed it。 There's some nice anecdotes about George Michael and the friendship that Pepsi and Shirlie have cultivated is lovely to read about。 As far as autobiographies go， there's a lot that are skimmed over and it doesn't go into a great deal of detail about their lives。 However， it's an enjoyable read and certainly brings up some good memories of the 80's。 P。S。 I'm still curious to know if Pepsi and Yazz still keep in touch！ 。。。more
Dj'aead1818
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Fantastic！ （Pun not intended）。I picked this book after reading Shirlie & Martin's joint autobiography。 I wasn't sure what to expect。 What I did expect was a re-run of Shirlie's account from both her and Martin's book。 I couldn't have been more wrong。 Both hers and Pepsi's accounts of their respective lives bounced off each other。 The finishing chapters of what makes a lifelong friend just that hit me so hard。 Thank you for sharing your stories。 Absolutely amazing。 And inspiring。。。 Fantastic！ （Pun not intended）。I picked this book after reading Shirlie & Martin's joint autobiography。 I wasn't sure what to expect。 What I did expect was a re-run of Shirlie's account from both her and Martin's book。 I couldn't have been more wrong。 Both hers and Pepsi's accounts of their respective lives bounced off each other。 The finishing chapters of what makes a lifelong friend just that hit me so hard。 Thank you for sharing your stories。 Absolutely amazing。 And inspiring。。。 。。。more
Lindamac Harris
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Was ok 。 Much preferred Andrew Ridgley book 。 But a sweet kind memoir 。 They both seem like lovely people
Craig / Phil
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A warm， honest and entertaining biography about a life long friendship。Pepsi and Shirlie have been in the entertainment industry since the early 80’s。First as backup dancers and singers for Wham！ and then forming a formidable pop duo in 1987。This great and informative bio covers the many aspects of their successful life and lasting bond。Starting with their individual early lives， where they grew up and the ups and downs of childhood and schooling especially Shirlie’s early years and closeness wi A warm， honest and entertaining biography about a life long friendship。Pepsi and Shirlie have been in the entertainment industry since the early 80’s。First as backup dancers and singers for Wham！ and then forming a formidable pop duo in 1987。This great and informative bio covers the many aspects of their successful life and lasting bond。Starting with their individual early lives， where they grew up and the ups and downs of childhood and schooling especially Shirlie’s early years and closeness with the boys before they formed Wham！Moving on to their first meeting in 1982 in a time when society was in upheaval and music was escapism。Meeting George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley and the connection to Wham！ and joining the band as dancers and back up singers。Touring the world and living a life of fun， carefree and pure entertaining。The creation of pop duo “Pepsi & Shirlie” and for the first time recording and taking centre stage。The book is more the personal level as a lot of the biography tells us much about their loves， love life’s， family and marriages。Finally finishing off with a small return to the spotlight and the unfortunate passing of George Michael。My only disappointment is there’s a lack of information about their first solo album “All Right Now”， the favourable outcome of that， the released singles and the album that followed。I’m a big fan of this music and I personally would have enjoyed hearing more。Overall it’s an interesting and engaging read and part loving tribute to a great singer and friend。 。。。more
Michelle Williams
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Actual rating 3。5* for me the problem was a lot of Shirlie’s story was already covered last year in her book with husband Martin
Moira Gibbons
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I liked this book， as a Wham！ Fan it was great to go behind the scenes and then see what happened to them both once the final curtain came down。 As a huge George Michael can it was hard to read about his death but a lovely tribute to him from two people who loved and knew him so well。 Otherwise funny and touching and true， lasting friendship。
Annette Rogers
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Pepsi and ShirleyLoved it。 A beautiful story of friendship and love。 It read as a very honest account of their lives。 Nothing cringeworthy at all。
Mandi Dunkley
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Really brought back some fab memories of my youth reading this book。 Have been a lifelong fan of both Wham！ and Pepsi and Shirlie and still play their songs daily on my ipod， can't bear walking into work without hearing at least them or Wham！ first！ This was such a beautiful read from start to finish， please have tissues with you for the last few chapters， I cried a tsunami of tears reading them！ Really brought back some fab memories of my youth reading this book。 Have been a lifelong fan of both Wham！ and Pepsi and Shirlie and still play their songs daily on my ipod， can't bear walking into work without hearing at least them or Wham！ first！ This was such a beautiful read from start to finish， please have tissues with you for the last few chapters， I cried a tsunami of tears reading them！ 。。。more
Amanda
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