HOT, HARD AND LIKELY TO DO SOME SERIOUS DAMAGE

CHAKA CAN

from BLUES & SOUL, April 6 - 19 1999.



"I love me Guinness, innit!" declares Chaka Khan in mimic mode. "That's a great cockney accent!" I reply. "Actually it was supposed to be Irish. " The sort of gate-creaking silence that follows a bad Vic Reeves gag in Shooting Stars ensues. Mind, only briefly. After all, a woman as exuberant as Chaka - the lady born with the gift of vocal power - is hardly going to sanction the sound of silence for too long, now is she?



"I'm free to be me now!" continues Le Khan. "This stage in my career is what I call my 'free stage'. I wrote my album, had complete creative control and I loved every minute of it."



A brief appraisal of the CK career is needed here. Stage one: The Rufus Days. Wicked music (a la "Sweet Thing" and "Watcha Gonna Do For Me"), drugs, sex, rock 'n roll and a heap of great concerts, tempered by her involvement with first major MCA and a strict band regime - "... the boys would each take turns to check that I was in bed after the show, honest."



Stage two: The Solo Career. Big hits in the shape of "Ain't Nobody" (admittedly with Rufus), "I Feel For You" and "Eye To Eye". Again successful - by now the definitive diva of the era - but now constrained by the shackles of Warners.



Not only does the latest collection "Come 2 My House" represent her own personal 'emancipation' it is also a proverbial two fingers at her most recent major. It is worth noting that the album is released via a one-off deal with NPG Records.



"I will never, ever record for a major again. No matter what. Record companies are revealing their true face right now and I don't wanna be a part of it. My advice to young artistes is maintain your freedom and keep your masters. I' m very happy with the new album. It's where I want to be today."



Chaka admires Faith Evans, one suspects because - of the modern divas - she utilises the Khan-blueprint more than any . She also respects Puffy for his self-sufficiency. The same can be said of her soul-mate...
"I call him Arty (short for the Artist). We share so many spiritual and musical values. He is a special friend. I first met him way back when he first wrote "I Feel For You". I was close friends with Sly Stone at the time and Prince called me one day pretending to be Sly. He invited me to the studio and I actually fell for it...
I went to the studio expecting to meet Sly but came across this young man. I was very angry and told him so in no uncertain terms. But as the years went by, we became good friends." Just goes to show the power of a good mimic.



The good thing is that today Chaka Khan is still recording quality music and doing it under her own terms. She's a star!