George Michael's musical bump

Oct 1, 2007, 11:17 GMT

Britrish pop singer George Michael performs on stage during a concert at the Athens Olympic Stadium, Greece, 26 July 2007. EPA/SIMELA PANTZARTZI

George Michael decided to become a pop star after bumping his head.

The 'Careless Whisper' singer was "obsessed" with "creepy crawlies" as a child and dreamed of becoming an entomologist - a studier of insects - but developed an interest in music after suffering a blow to the head.

He said: "At the age of about eight I had a head injury and I know it sounds bizarre and unlikely, but it was quite a bad bang, and I had it stitched up and stuff, but all my interests changed - everything changed in six months.

"I had been obsessed with insects and creepy crawlies, I used to get up at five o'clock in the morning and go out into this field behind our garden and collect insects before everyone else got up and, suddenly, all I wanted to know about was music, it just seemed to be a very, very strange thing."

Michael - who was banned from driving for two years in June after admitting driving while under the influence of drugs - also revealed he is trying to smoke less marijuana.

He told BBC Radio 4's 'Desert Island Discs' yesterday (01.10.07): "I'm constantly trying to smoke less marijuana. I'd like to take less and to a degree it's a problem. Is it a problem in my life? Is it getting in the way of my life? I really don't think it is.

"I'm a happy man and I can afford my marijuana so that's not a problem."

Michael delayed admitting he was gay until his mother, Lesley, died in 1997 because he didn't want to upset her.

He added: "If my mother had still been alive then every single day would have been a nightmare for her thinking what I might have been subjected to."

(C) BANG Media International