Simon Napier-Bell, English record producer and manager, has shaped acts from the Yardbirds to Boney M. He remains a chronicler of pop’s behind-the-scenes history.
A new documentary, Wham! 10 Days in China, uses archival footage to examine Wham!’s 1985 tour as the first Western act in China, revealing tension between the band, manager Simon Napier-Bell, director Lindsay Anderson, and a country on the verge of change. The film blends commercial ambition with cultural moments that foreshadow China’s opening.