INTERVIEW

Interview by : Filip Flatau on Thursday, November 23rd 2000 - 10 464 views  Print        Reactions  (0)    Ghost, whose real name is Carlton Hilton, started in music prematurely, steeped in Michael Jackson, as the very high pitch of his voice shows. A member of the famous Monster Shack Crew, which also includes Roundhead and General B, he has just released his first solo album, entitled " Love You ". Interview with Ghost and an excerpt. Reggaefrance / Ghost, can you tell us how you started singing? Ghost / It's something I had from birth, like a gift from God. I've had it in me. I never planned my life, so only God can answer that question. What inspired that voice and such a distinctive style? Well, as I told you, it's something natural, but I was nevertheless inspired a lot by Michael Jackson. In Jamaica, most singers are inspired by Bob Marley and Beres Hammond, but my favourite artist was Michael Jackson. It's not as if someone helped me to sing, I just did my own thing. How did you meet the other members of the Monster Shock Crew and how did you form the crew? Well, we didn't really plan to form this crew. We met at Arrows one night and then we became friends. After that we often sang together; when I did a show I'd call the other members up on stage (Roundhead & General B) and they did the same. We ate together in Papine (a district of Kingston) and wrote lyrics... It just happened, nothing was planned. Then people contacted the three of us to do shows, it came naturally. Unlike the Scare Dem Crew (which split up not long ago), the Monster Shack is still going strong... Yes, I put out my album on the "Monster Shack Music" label, as will Roundhead's next album, which will come out under the same imprint. Yet you've released few tunes together lately... Yes, but that's because we each have our own audience and fans to satisfy. What do you think of the Scare Dem Crew? Everyone minds their own business. As members of the Monster Shack Crew, we play the faith card with the Scare Dem Crew and leave it at that. Can you tell us more about your new album? It's an album with 20 tracks, the tune "I love You" is number one on the New York charts as we speak. We're also preparing an R'n'B remix of "I love You". I'd like to reach France with my album. Are you planning a tour? Yes, I've already been to about ten cities in the United States to promote the album and this tour finishes this weekend. Do you plan to come to Europe as well? Well, Europe would be a plus, but for the moment there's nothing concrete, no dates set, so I can't say anything for sure. What are your plans for the future? Well, we're going to take things seriously for the Monster Shack Crew. Take things to another level. We don't want to hide anything from the youths like some do, we do our own things... because you know "Food haffi eat" (everyone has to earn a living). We see things our own way. Producers are working in a new way, so we have to take our time over the songs, because the opportunity only comes once, when you're offered a place on a riddim, because there's a new juggling series and they want your voice on their riddim. You know, now, Monster Shack manages its own time. We create our own riddims, our own songs. So you have a new label in the works? Yes, we already have it, "Monster Shack Music", and expect to see plenty of releases on this label, because we've just recorded Beenie Man and Bounty Killer and it will be out soon on 7-inch. You've had trouble with the law recently, were you in prison? No, I was just questioned about things that happened in the past. And the past is the past. I haven't been in prison, otherwise I wouldn't be here.  Print       Reactions (0)

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