European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 14, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Getting close to a British barn Singer Maxi priest recently had a no. 1 single with Quot close to you a from his new album  priest by Hillel Italie associated press Max priest recently was shopping in London and decided to buy some clothes he found a Nice store selected a pair of trousers and went into the dressing room. When he came out a line had formed for autographs. Quot obviously the attention is there a lot More than it was before Quot said priest whose sunny smile and sunny hit single close to Vou have made him a Man Worth waiting for Quot when i go to a club i like to find my Little Corner and dance and see what a going on trying to enjoy myself the Way f used to enjoy myself Quot he insists that Success wont change him. And even if you be heard that a million times before this time it might be True priest has always been the Center of attention. Aunts and uncles fussed Over him. Girls followed him in High school. Party guests gave him Money Quot i was brought up in a family of nine kids and l was the second youngest Quot said priest 27, who grew up in Southeast London Quot when you grow up in a big family there a so Many personalities that you learn to Deal with All different kinds of people that also helped me develop my personality a priest speaking at the Manhattan offices of Charisma records considers himself an International artist and his songs have popped up All Over the world. His debut release the 1984 single hey Little girl became the first British reggae song to top the charts in Jamaica. In 1988, he had an unlikely hit with a cover of cat Stevens wild world a no 1 single for tour weeks in England. But close to you his breakthrough american single was the most satisfying achievement for priest. He Only recorded wild world at the request of the record company and criticized the song even after it became successful. Close to you with its Funky track and Breezy Hook was his idea. J Quot a was on my Way to my writing suite in England and i was singing the Hook i just want to be close to you Quot priest recalled. Quot when i got to the studio i started to sing and the of her writers kind of dropped everything else if just fell into  priest co wrote seven of the 12 songs on his new album bonafide a mix of pop reggae and gospel. Included Are love songs such As just a Little bit longer and temptress and the More message oriented prayer for the world and peace throughout the world. He wanted diversity bringing in 15 other songwriters and using four sets of producers including grammy award winners Jazzie b and Nellee Hooper of Soui ii soul Quot the album is almost the closest in be been to the ultimate album i want to make with All different styles of music for All different types of people Quot priest said. Quot there Are party songs. There Are message songs love songs it s almost like a personal cassette a a compilation of songs with different tempos and different  priest created his own studio at age 14 and soon joined Saxon International As a disc jockey Fot Quot sound system.1 in 1985, he signed with 10 records in England and released his debut album you re Safe. Influences include Dennis Brown Bob Marley motown the beatles and Louis Armstrong. He listened to them Alt As a  but not just for entertainment. Priest was already checking them out looking for tips on phrasing and songwriting. He thinks he a close to becoming a major Star. Just a Little bit longer is the next single off bonafide and priest predicts if that becomes a hit. Quot a doors Are open. A Quot its a reggae track Quot he explained Quot close to Louis More pop they re very different songs. If that makes it there Are a lot of other songs that could make  his shopping Days would then be Over but priest accepts that As destiny Quot i know in be been gifted by god Quot he said. Quot i think there s a Light shining on me Quot even if he decides to stay on the Quot Normal Side Quot of life his prayers Are for peace love and More hit singles a Humble Way of slipping payola to the lord various artists a red hot Blue it is quite common these Days to run across compilation albums of modern Rock stars saluting the work of Jimi Hendrix Elvis Presley or the roiling stones but coie Porter in a year that has already seen some fascinating Multi artist compilations the classiest and most important May be red hot Blue. The collection not Only brings attention to aids from an Industry that has been largely silent on the Issue but also is intended to bring renewed attention to the work of a a to a what s not record review Porter As we near the Centenary of his birth Porter s pop tunes find an interesting Home among artists who Are free to interpret his classics sometimes in conjunction with the themes of raising consciousness about the deadly disease the most controversial of the 21 new tracks May be the opening Cut a Neneh Cherry a i be got u under my skin. As her alternately spelled title suggests she reinterprets the Standard As a hip hop warning against getting the his under one s skin. In the punchy Bass heavy arrangement co produced by afrika Bambaata Cherry borrows Porter s admonition Quot use your mentality Wake up to reality to hit Home an aids message a share your love done to share your  to traditionalists who wonder Why porters songs Are being tied to this particular cause co producer John Carlin explains that porters songs in the roaring �?T20s, and later were a Radical Call to love in a repressive society. And despite a life complicated by Porter s trying to hide his homosexuality and an Accident that crippled him half his life the onetime Yale student Quot continued to uplift the Public a spirits Quot even 26 years after his death. Red hot Blue includes the first new work in some time from Many of pop music a most important names. U2 emerges from a year Long hiatus with a dark synthesizer heavy version of night Day recorded Quot in the Edge s basement last june and made compelling by Bonous impassioned vocals. Roland gift sings for the first time since the Fine Young cannibals commercial breakthrough a even if the arrangement of love for Sale is built on a spare acoustic guitar. Aaron Neville does in the still of the night and original bunkers Debbie Harry and Iggy pop dish up gossip on an updated Well did you Evah Many artists adapt Porter to their own styles the tin can Clatter of Tom Waits on it s All right with me the dance floor synthesizer of Jimmy Somerville on from this moment on and erasure on too dam hot the world beat sounds that pop up occasionally Are Well suited to porters suave International Outlook. Begin the beguine handled by Calif Keita in his native Tongue for example was after All inspired by Quot a night of tropical splendor Quot and who better to handle 1 love Paris than Les regresses Vertes but when David Byrne uses dominant pounding brazilian Drums with accordion on done to Fence me in it sounds like Paul Simon s new single. For All the artistic Freedom taken on the album proceeds of which Benefit aids causes a surprising number of artists take a straightforward approach. Among them Jody Watley Lisa Stansfield . Lang Aztec camera and Annie Lennox. But the biggest shocker May be Sinead o Connors soldering rendition of you do something to me with �?T30s-style big band backing a proving that despite her feelings on the National Anthem. If the cause is right she can certainly be True to the red hot Blue Roger cajun Hartford Couran Daryl Hall John Oates a change of season for some pop groups slipping Oft the charts is like tumbling though a trap door one wrong step and instant oblivion that a what seemed to have happened to Hall amp Oates a few years Back and though the duo now using the a punctuated Billing Daryl half John Oates is 0n the comeback Trail with change of season its going to be a Tough climb Back to the top. How come because despite the enduring Appeal of their voices the duo seems unable to find a sound that works and that makes even the Best tunes Here a like so close and the title tune a fall Flat. . Considine Baltimore Sunal b. Sure a private times and the whole 9 it s easy to get the wrong idea about Al b. Surel at first glance he might seem like just another Sweet voiced soul crooner the sort of Singer who makes Young lovers want to dim the lights and draw the curtains. And though there s a lot of sex Appeal to the sound of private times and the whole 9, there a plenty More besides. Like his soulful rethink of hotel California a soldering interpretation that captures the itchy desire of the original while adding a twist of its own or no matter what you do perhaps the Torch Iest duet Diana Ross has Sung since her Days with Marvin Gaye. Hugh a sure to hear it a j d sch a a top a singles 1. Love takes time Mart a Carey z Pray . Hammer 3. More than words can say a Allas 4. Groove is in the heart deep late 5. I m your baby tonight Whitney Houston 6. Ice ice baby Vanilla Lea t. Something to be eve in Poison 6. Because i love you Stevie b 9-1 Don t have the heart James Ingram 10. From a distance Bette midle pop lpns 1. To the extreme a Vanilla ice 2 please Hammer done to Hurt pm . Hammer 3. Mariah Carey Mariah Carey 4. The razors Edge acc 5. Rhythm of the saints Paul Simon i. Recycler a top 7. Wilson Philips Wilson Phillips  9 family style a Vaughan Bros. 10. Listen without prejudice vol 1 George Michael country a singles 1. You really had me going Holly Dunn 2. Sack in my younger Days Don Williams 3. Home a Joe d Rufie 4. Come next monday . Oslin 6. Crazy in love a Conway Twitty 6. You be a Reba Mcentire 1 7. Yet a exile 6. Chasin that Neon Rainbow Alan Jackson 5. Put yourself in my shoes Clint Black 10. Feed Nis fire a Anne Murray amp by singles 1.  o thought it was me ? Bell bar Devoe 2. Love takes time Mariah Carey 5 misunderstanding Aib. Surer 4. Pray a . Hammer s Ted b ought a Carson Wheeler 6. Slow motion a Gerald Alston 7. Knock1n boots a \ your baby tonight a Whitney Houston 9. Harlem blues a Cynda Williams 10. Round and round a Tevlin Campbel album a Rock for week ending nov. 10 Tith Black crowds \ baby a travelling wll Burys 2 Man a Steve Winwood Tom Jung Rij Simk led Zeppelin i to be eve in Poison 10, thunderstruck acc Page 16 a a a the stabs and stripes wednesday november 14, 1990