SYLVESTER VERY ILL

Soul singer Sylvester is critically ill in San Francisco with AIDSrelated complications, He was recently rushed to hospital when his lungs collapsed. The 42 year old star was one of the original "disco divas", presenting an outrageously camp stage presence with soaring gospel-induced vocals. In the 70's he toured extensively with The Weather Girls (then known as Two Tons of Fun) and shot to international recognition with his 1979 classic "You make me feel (Mighty Real)".

Many of Sylvester's songs have become dancefloor 'anthems', among them "Dance Disco Heat", "Take me to Heaven", "Rock the Box", "Living for the City", "Summertime", "Sex", "Do ya wanna funk" (which he wrote with synthesiser genius Patrick Cowley, who died of AIDS-related illnesses in 1984) and many more.

Sylvester's lover died from an AIDS illness last year.