After 23 years, George Michael’s Grammy-winning solo debut, “Faith”, is getting the re-issue treatment this September, according to Pause and Play as well as a tip from my homie Jason Hare. “Faith” not only won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1989, but it was a cultural phenomenon, scoring 6 Top 5 hits. It also became the first album by a white solo artist to hit #1 on Billboard’s R&B charts and has been certified 10X Platinum by the RIAA.

The album does need a remaster, but I’m more curious about what the bonus material featured will be. The posts I’ve read have said that there will be a DVD included, which doesn’t excite me too much. The videos from “Faith” are great, but they wouldn’t be a worthwhile addition. A show from George’s “Faith” tour would be nice, but also, not too stimulating. Might the DVD content tie in to George’s long-rumored upcoming autobiography?

My biggest hope is that the CD is fleshed out with additional material. Remixes, demos, unreleased tracks from the “Faith” sessions? All of that could work. George has come up with some top-notch B-side material over the years (“Fantasy”, “Crazyman Dance”, “You Know That I Want To”). It wouldn’t be a stretch to think that there’s some good stuff hiding in the vaults. Maybe a successful run with this reissue might persuade George to stop smokin’, sniffin’ and getting arrested…well, probably not. But a man can hope, right?

Of course, it would also be nice if we could get the single version of “I Want Your Sex”. How unnecessary is Part 2, anyway?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x9rtEHtubI