Pau/ Young Adds Songwriting To His Many Talents "Tapes came in from all corners of work with him again because I'm was much more comfortable, and says Doherty. "He'll play the Uni- BY NADINE REIS the world, publishers everywhere, still a fan of his ears." that's one of the main reasons I versal Amphitheatre in L.A. and NEW YORK For his third Colum- and we listened to something like The recording of "Between Two took a chance on a change of direc- two nights at Radio City Music Hall bia album, "Between Two Fires," 1,500 songs over a five -month peri- Fires" was more relaxed than previ- tion." in New York. Then he'll go to Aus- Paul Young concentrated on record- od," says Doherty. "In the end, ous studio ventures, says Young. "I Most of the musicians featured tralia and Europe before coming ing original material rather than re- there were only two songs worth definitely felt more pressure doing on "Between Two Fires" will be ac- back to the States in July." lying on cover tunes, as he has on doing, and the material Ian and the second album," he says. "The companying Young on his upcoming Doherty views his client's career previous releases. Paul came up with was so good that first album sold very well, and, al- world tour, scheduled for a Febru- as a gradual building process. "In the past, part of the problem they just went ahead with it." though I refused to admit it to my- ary start in Texas. "On the first leg "We're looking for longevity," he was never having the time to More important to Young, howev- self at the time, the pressure was on of U.S. dates, Paul will basically be says. "And if we're lucky, Paul's ca- write," says the British vocalist, er, was a change in his production with that one, too. But this time I playing 3,000- to 6,000 -seat venues," reer will last for a very long time." who emerged on the scene in 1983 team. In the studio sessions for "Be- with a soulful rendition of Marvin tween Two Fires," held in Milan, It- Gaye's "Wherever I Lay My Hat" aly, the singer co- produced with and enjoyed an international No. 1 Kewley and Hugh Padgham. After On The Beat's London Vacation hit in 1985 with the Daryl Hall - recording his first two albums with penned "Every Time You Go producer Laurie Latham, Young Away." says, "I felt I had to change. I tried to make the second album [1985's Through Rumors 'The Secret Of Association'] differ- Rummaging The `In the past, ent from the first, and it was a bit, by Steve Gett Blake. Sharon Osbourne was cades," is also out in Britain. After but not as much as I was going for. quoted as saying, "A few weeks severing ties with Chrysalis, the part of the So this time I felt I had to change ago I received all his hair in the group is now signed to CBS world- the producer." LONDON Madonna to quit the post with a note explaining he had wide, and the new album should be problem was not Padgham was essentially hired music scene to pursue a film ca- shaved his head -so somewhere out in the U.S. in January. Other for his strengths as an engineer, reer? That was the news that made there's a bald, tattooed man wan- strong holiday season sellers in having the time says Young. "We don't really need for banner headlines in the British dering around." Britain seem to be Kate Bush's to write' anybody in terms of arrangements, daily papers last week. Bear in Another piece of gossip con- "The Whole Story"; Duran Dur- and Hugh was there because he mind, however, that stories pub- cerned George Michael, who is re- an's "Notorious "; The The's new works the desk so well," says lished about pop stars in the U.K. portedly suing London's Time Out Epic release, "Infected "; and the "From the outset, the thing with Young. "Before we started, we press can be far-fetched; they are magazine for not printing his face latest K -Tel -style compilations, Paul was always to record the best spoke about what we were going to sometimes little more than the on the front cover. The ex -Wham! "Now That's What I Call Music 8" material possible," says manager go for on this album, which was a product of a Fleet Street writer's vocalist claims he granted the pub- and "Hits 5." Ged Doherty. "Paul will be the first live sound and to come across more overimaginative mind. Just ask lication an interview on the condi- Queen has just released its sec- to admit that he's been a singer first like a band. The other two albums George Michael, who is said to be tion that his mug shot be used on ond live album, "Queen Live Mag- and then a songwriter. This was the started with just the three of us- taking one of the national tabloids page one. Peeved that he was ic," recorded last summer at Brit- first time he and Ian [Kewley, Laurie, Ian, and me -and we to court after a front-cover feature "stiffed," the singer is apparently ain's Wembley Stadium and Kneb- Young's longtime musical partner] brought in the musicians at a later accused him of drunkenly "throw- seeking damages for "loss of pub- worth Park. In addition, the entire spent a long time writing together. stage." ing up over his date" in a London licity and the chance to enhance his Queen back catalog has just been They rented a house in France, According to Doherty, "Bringing night spot. career." It's not that Michael is issued on compact disk. where they spent three months Hugh in helped to give the record But what of the Madonna story? On the CD front, there appears working on songs." that harder sound, which moved Well, this one may have some legit- to be very little that can't be found According to Doherty, his office away from Laurie's more layered, imacy to it. It ran in most of the in the U.S., although it should be was inundated with tapes of songs pop style." As for Latham, Young daily papers and stemmed from an noted that new albums by Billy for Young to cover on the album. says, "There's a possibility we'll exclusive interview with the True ON ¡III BEAT Idol and Paul Young are avail- Blue gal, conducted by BBC Radio Artist news, touring, able. The CD of Young's "Between One DJ Simon Bates. Snippets of signings, venues ... for Two Fires" contains an extra track Work the chat, set for a Dec. 22 broad- that won't be on the U.S. version. Follow -Up Follows Soundtrack cast, were leaked to the press those who need to know Average prices for CDs are when Radio One chief Johny Beer - about $18 -$19. Several local con- ing unveiled the station's Christ- conceited, says his PR -"It's just a sumers were overheard muttering Wang Chung Has Fun mas schedule. matter of principle." in cockney tones, "They're too mental piece that people got into Reports indicate that Madonna But enough of these sensational- bloody expensive!" The only real BY STEVE GETT even though it wasn't on a huge plans to climax her successful pop ist tales. After leafing through the bargain to be found was "Q CD," a NEW YORK More than two years commercial level was quite impor- music career with a series of 1987 daily papers over hearty break- special compilation packaged by after the release of its debut Geffen tant to us. And having gotten a foot British concerts -presumably fasts of kippers, On The Beat was Virgin and the new U.K. music album, "Points On The Curve," in a completely different area en- scheduled to take place following out on the street digging up its publication Q. It listed for about Wang Chung -the British duo of abled us to approach 'Mosaic' much her upcoming U.S. tour. According own news, views, and gossip in the nine bucks -the same price as an Jack Hues and Nick Feldman -has more confidently." to the superstar, she'Il then con- British capital. LP. The 14 -track set runs for 60 finally delivered the follow -up, "Mo- Immediately after the success of centrate on making movies and minutes and features cuts by Gen- saic," which features the hit single "Points On The Curve," Geffen was spending time with hubby Sean DAY ONE: A foggy day in Lon- esis, OMD, Phil Collins, the Big "Everybody Have Fun Tonight." eager for Wang Chung to work on Penn. don town -the Gershwins' song Dish, the Blue Nile, and David During the interim, however, the follow -up. "Initially, they proba- As for her marriage, Madonna said it all. With Berlin's "Take My Sylvian. Wang Chung was not idle. Before bly did feel that way," says Hues. "I says, "I'm still in love with Sean Breath Away" at No. 1 on the U.K. In between running through rec- working on "Mosaic," the duo re- remember their basic stipulation be- ... There are always difficulties singles chart ( "Top Gun" recently ord stores, On The Beat headed for corded the Geffen soundtrack for ing, 'Okay, you can do the sound- with creative people like me and opened in the U.K.), DJs on Radio Soho and was given a guided tour the William Friedkin movie "To track, but you can't take more than Sean. But there's no question of a One and London's Capitol Radio - of the newly renovated Trident Live And Die In L.A." According to two weeks on it. Then get back to divorce." the only two major music stations studios by owner J.P., who proudly Feldman, "That sort of liberated us writing the next album.' At that in the city -were playing Swedish announced that Trident 2, located in a sense. I think we had a bit of a point, we decided we should write SC.CUTTLEBUTT CITY: During band Europe's single "The Final near Victoria, has become one of problem following up 'Points On the song `To Live And Die In L.A.' On The Beat's four -day visit to Countdown" constantly and were the city's hottest studios. The Curve,' and without the sound- and make the whole thing more cen- London, there were plenty of other predicting that the record would Next stop was the famous Mar- track, I think we would have been tral to our career." juicy stories to be found in the dai- soon take over the top spot. Sure quee club, where just about every bogged down in that second -album According to Hues, Geffen took a ly press. According to the Daily enough, a few days later, Europe British group played at the start of syndrome." greater interest in the project after Mirror's John Blake -Britain's hit No. 1. Look for the Epic-signed its career. According to the club's Adds Hues, "I think there were Wang Chung had tracked the mov- premier gossipmonger -Ozzy Os- act to make waves in the U.S. early chief booker, Bush, business has problems in the pressure to come up ie's haunting theme song. "Once bourne (referred to as a "loopy next year. been fairly good this year, with a with another 'Dance Hall Days' [the we'd done that, I think they really metalhead ") has been missing Meanwhile, in London's major number of excellent new bands hit single from 'Points On The got into it much more and felt the from home for six weeks, forcing record stores, there was an abun- emerging. Curve'] and also the desire Nick and song could be a hit," he says. "It his wife, Sharon, to plea, "Please dance of other hot new product. In Highlighting the evening's con- I felt to do some kind of concept al- was a difficult song to market, but come back for Christmas, the chil- the recently opened Tower Rec- cert action was the last of Elvis bum- something a bit out of the or- they tried very hard, and the whole dren miss you." ords-located at Piccadilly Cir- Costello's multiple-night "variety dinary. If we'd gone ahead before project certainly got us a lot of re- Set to enter the Betty Ford clinic cus -and in the giant Virgin Me- shows" at the Royalty Theatre. The the soundtrack, we'd have probably spect in the business." to treat his drinking problem, Os- gastore, it wasn't surprising to see man is playing six nights at Lon- gotten very confused. Upon completion of the sound- bourne went AWOL, and the last the Springsteen live box set con- don's Royal Albert Hall in Janu- "The soundtrack allowed us to do track, Wang Chung started writing time he spoke to his wife was from tinuing to sell. Spandau Ballet's ary -three with the Attractions that concept -type record. Knowing material for "Mosaic." Hues and "somewhere in New York," says latest album, "Through The Barri- (Continued on page 70) we could write a 10- minute instru- (Continued on page 20)

18 BILLBOARD DECEMBER 13, 1986 www.americanradiohistory.com