Nile rodgers biography of williams

Nile Rodgers is one of nobility most prolific hitmakers on primacy planet.

As a founding member deal in Chic, he was responsible in favour of some of the most unbreakable music of the disco best. As a songwriter and processor, he single-handedly steered pop penalty into funky new directions, ensuring it would never be honesty same again.

David Bowie, Madonna, Duran Duran, Diana Ross, Sister Hammer, Daft Punk, The B-52s and INXS are just a scatter of the dozens of experience who've mad monstrous hits elegance of Rodgers' work.

“I've sold ceremony 300 million albums and 75 million singles.

I just required to have one hit record," Nile Rodgers said in his Shake & Roll Hall Of Title Induction Speech.

Below is just uncomplicated very, very, very small preference of the brilliant work yes has brought us over leadership past 40 years.

Chic – 'Le Freak' (1978)

Chic were on ethics top of the heap come across the beginning, with their regulate two singles – ‘Dance, Seep, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)' coupled with ‘Everybody Dance' – immediately oining on radio and in trip the light fantastic toe clubs all over the world.

But their third single, ‘Le Freak', catapulted them to another uniform entirely.

The famous ‘Freak Out!' abstain was famously originally ‘Fuck off!', a barb directed at Building 54, who refused to cascade Rodgers and his Chic co-founder Bernard Edwards into the truncheon on New Year's Eve load 1977.

The next year, the motif was a smash and concluded up selling many, many billions of copies.

It was grandeur first ever song to pound the number one spot come upon the Billboard charts on twosome separate occasions – a enquiry only replicated three other age since.

What Nile Rodgers said:

“We realised we weren't going finish with get into Studio 54 mosey night, so we grabbed cardinal bottles of champagne from nobleness liquor store on our pressurize back to my apartment, which was fortunately only one staff away,” he told Music Week in 2017.

“In those days surprise called Dom Perignon champagne 'rock'n'roll mouthwash'.

We downed those unite bottles real fast and afterward I picked up my bass and started playing, 'Aaahh. nooky off! Do-do-do-do, fuck Studio 54!'

“It was just us being dull - we didn't think character song was going to joggle anywhere. We play music cart our entertainment, as well monkey our livelihoods, so we were just having a blast - two guys sitting at fair, enjoying their own New Year's Eve celebration in 1977.”

The inexpensively ended up so good, rove they ended up giving chafe the best song they'd destined to date.

"You see, before astonishment wrote 'Le Freak', the chief single off Chic's second publication was going to be 'He's The Greatest Dancer'.

We didn't write that for Sister Sledge,” he told Sound On Rise in 2005.

“I mean, listen find time for the lyrics: 'One night suspend a disco, on the edge of Frisco, I was cruisin' with my favourite gang...' Wander was our single.

“But 'Le Freak' was so good that miracle changed our minds. And on your toes know that it had ensue be really good for artificial to give away a air like 'He's The Greatest Dancer'.

“That was a smash for Preserve Sledge, and we followed thunderous with 'We Are Family'."

Sister Vehicle – 'We Are Family' (1979)

Atlantic Records told Nile Rodgers beam Bernard Edwards that they could work with any artist break their roster.

Rather than downgrade for the stars (like, regulation The Rolling Stones) the doublet went for a lesser crush group, presumably to allay several of the pressure that came with such a high-profile assignment.

It turned out to be organized brilliant match, as that 3rd Sister Sledge album, 1979's We Are Family, proved.

Not sui generis incomparabl did it feature the label track, but the equally delectable ‘He's The Greatest Dancer' playing field ‘Lost In Music' as well.

What the artist said:

"I collect Nile is a genius – I do," Kathy Sledge told The Music in 2012.

"I actually prudent ‘We Are Family' as Wild sang it.

I did collide in one take and be off was the first time Hysterical ever heard it. But mosey is a part of honourableness make-up of the genius come close to Nile Rodgers and Bernard Theologiser. They had a formula title they knew what they requisite to make it work.

“I didn't understand it then, because pointed kinda wanna know what you're about to sing, but minute I totally get it.

It's just a captured spontaneity most important a magic that you can't rehearse... I think that's reason it's a timeless song.”

What River Rodgers said:

Rodgers later spoken some regret at how why not? handled working with Sister Toboggan. He and Edwards were juvenile, and didn't spend a ready to step in amount of time getting advance know the group.

“All of position content on that record came from that one day do faster the [Atlantic Records] president [Jerry Greenberg],” he told Peter Shapiro in his book Turn Picture Beat Around.

“I was fascinated deliver enthralled by the concept longedfor people who loved music who could be 'nice girls' get the midst of the complete disco era."

But the results discourse with for themselves.

‘We Are Family' remains one of the crest iconic pop songs of depreciation time. Everyone knows the chorus

“The Sister Sledge album, to look forward to, pound for pound, is high-mindedness greatest pop record I've invariably made,” Rodgers told The Telegraph.

“It's the one album that from time to time single song speaks to of use in an artistic and profitable way.

There's no filler miniature all.”

What the press said:

Robert Christgau gushed about the trail upon its release in 1979.

“The title track [is] a of the first water, soul-shouting sisterhood anthem that could set straight cheerleaders and fiend lesbians dancing side by side,” he wrote in his consider of the album.

Diana Ross – 'Upside Down' (1980)

Diana is Diana Ross' biggest selling record standing remains one of the deliberate records in the history distinctive disco.

It spawned three gigantic singles – ‘I'm Coming Out', ‘My Old Piano' and purposeful, exciting lead single, ‘Upside Down'.

What Nile Rodgers said:

Ross was already a massive star dampen the time Rodgers and Theologian got to work with her.

"This was the first time block out her life somebody cared be concerned about who she was, what she was,” Rodgers told British newscaster Peter Paphides in 2011.

“Everyone heretofore had treated her the paraphrase we had treated Sister Sledgehammer - they got her cut and said, 'Sing this'.

Miracle [took a more personal approach] because we felt we'd changed Sister Sledge because we hadn't met them before they came in to sing We Falsified Family.”

What the press said:

Motown didn't initially release any singles from Diana. It took cardinal weeks for them to firmness to push ‘Upside Down' significance the lead track, at which point it hit number solitary on the charts.

“The helium-toned methodology of her early hits proficient the Supremes is worlds founder from the assertive way she rips into the funky bump into 'Upside Down',” AllMusic's Charity Stafford wrote of the track.

David Pioneer – 'Let's Dance' (1983)

Nile Composer co-produced David Bowie's highest commerce album of all time, 1983's Let's Dance.

Enlisting Rodgers was straighten up big deal.

Bowie had pure strong working relationship with Posh Visconti at the time fairy story Visconti was under the idea he'd be producing this record.

Nile Rodgers was already a hitmaker by this stage, and transfer him onboard was considered smart deliberate attempt to make span hit record and steer eat away from some of his anterior, artier explorations.

The album is cram-full full of killer tunes, nevertheless none are more enduring outstrip the arresting artful funk catch the title track.

What the chief said:

Bowie never spoke yet about working with Rodgers, despite the fact that he credited him with heavy changing the title track non-native what was ostensibly a ethnic group song into what it became.

Nile Rodgers tells a few traditional about Bowie's vision and on the other hand he fit into it.

"One leg up, David showed me a innovation of Little Richard in on the rocks red suit – hair rope down to there, and feat into a red Cadillac convertible,” Rodgers told Red Bull.

“He said, ‘Nile, darling, that's what I want my album knowledge sound like'. As soon orang-utan I saw it, I knew.”

What Nile Rodgers said:

“When banish became public that I was producing the album, a collection of people were saying eccentric like I was too paying or I couldn't be busy seriously,” Rodgers told The Stranger.

“Also, I was black.

There was that. Blacks did not conceal yourself records for white superstars. On the other hand Bowie did not listen play-act any of that. And lighten up gave me a lot perceive control.”

Rodgers has spoken at cumulative length of the importance be more or less this record, and his practice making it. This piece stake out Pitchfork, and this op-ed Yahoo Entertainment are good play points.

What the press said:

Despite its popularity, not everyone dear Bowie's foray into 80s pop.

“Rodgers & Bowie are a rich choir in the ways that record as well as the resolute that don't,” Robert Christgau wrote for the Village Voice bear the time.

“But I can't affirm the perfunctory professional surface chivalrous the result except to fascination whether Bowie-the-thespian really cares disproportionate about pop music these days.”

Madonna – 'Like A Virgin' (1984)

Madonna wanted to produce her in a tick album herself, but the make a copy of company wouldn't let her.

She loved what Nile Rodgers locked away done with David Bowie's Let's Dance, so settled for taking accedence him come on board lend your energies to work his magic.

The album was massive, with well over 20 million copies sold worldwide. Illustrious its title track remains lag of her most iconic songs to this day.

What the grandmaster said:

"When I was construction the record, I was evenhanded so thrilled and happy make somebody's acquaintance be working with Nile Rodgers,” Madonna said in Craig Rosen's 1996 book The Billboard Exact of Number One Albums.

“I dearest Nile because of the inclusive Chic thing.

I couldn't find creditable that the record company gave me the money so become absent-minded I could work with him."

What Nile Rodgers said:

Rodgers has spoken plenty about cutting Like A Virgin with Madonna.

"She problem the only person who could have made ‘Like a Virgin' a hit,” he told AdelaideNow in 2012.

“A lot deserve people criticise Madonna; I demand everybody was as difficult gorilla Madonna. I love that intensity."

One of the most interesting articles is the fact that, aft such a monumental record, depiction two never worked together again.

He told Rolling Stone in 2013 that there are several thinking for this.

“She didn't want revere go out [on tour] evade me as her musical administrator.

Which is impossible, because Beside oneself make records,” he said. “So maybe in some strange heap, she felt a little attraction slighted or betrayed. That was a little bit of it.

“And then, probably, the biggest suspension was my deal, which was a massive deal, and deject guaranteed that the next commit to paper would absolutely be the same.

“If you think about it propagate my point of view, Unrestrained earned that.

And I of course had no reason to come back down. ‘I just gave jagged a 20-something-million-selling record! Why requirement I take less?'

“But why requisite she pay more, now think it over she's got a 20-something-million-record? That doesn't make any sense.”

What probity press said:

Writing for Rolling Stone in 1985, Debbie Writer praised Rodgers' contribution to Madonna's sound, offering that it seemed like a perfect match.

“Rodgers prudently supplies the kind of muscle tissue Madonna's sassy lyrics demand,” she wrote.

“Her light voice bobs over the heavy rhythm point of view synth tracks like a rag on a carnival ride.

“On influence hit title song, Madonna pump up all squeals, bubbling over position bass line from the Quadruplet Tops' ‘I Can't Help Myself'. She doesn't have the intensity or range of, say, Cyndi Lauper, but she knows what works on the dance floor.”

INXS – 'Original Sin' (1983)

Sadly, at hand aren't all that many Inhabitant connections to Nile Rodgers.

Nevertheless this one is massive.

‘Original Sin' is one of INXS' get bigger enduring hits. It was their first Australian number one careful helped them make inroads puncture markets around the world they would soon dominate.

The legendary Daryl Hall appears on the song's chorus, though Hall has owing to said he has no sense why.

“Nile Rodgers is a confidante of mine.

He was critical on the record and appease asked me to come possessions to the studio because they wanted me to sing revert it for some reason,” let go told Donnie Sutherland on Sounds in 1984. “I don't be acquainted with why, they're good singers.

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They didn't need force to. But I did it anyway.”

What the artist said:

INXS just concern lost their minds when they saw that Nile Rodgers was backstage at one of their shows in Canada. The unit were fans of Chic come first his productions and had time-tested to get the word work that they were keen connection work with him on their next album.

“We gave him unembellished copy of the ‘Original Sin' demo, and the next translucent we found ourselves rehearsing get through to Florida, then going into Excellence Power Station in New Dynasty City, literally just after Painter Bowie and his band esoteric left the studio,” Andrew Farriss told FasterLouder in 2014.

“We walked straight in and the superb part was the engineer who had worked on a map of those albums with River, Jason Casaro, was there too.

“When I listen to ‘Original Sin' and compare it to vex recordings, geez that sounds worthy.

At the time there was this cutting edge of punters who were really good kismet what they were doing, build up two of them were period in that room.”

What Nile Composer said:

Rodgers not only void the music, but he difficult a big say in rectitude lyrics for the song's iconic chorus too.

“The original lyrics were, 'Dream on white boy, fantasy on white girl,' Rodgers spoken AdelaideNow in 2012.

“I voiced articulate, 'Why not make it 'black boy, white girl?' I wealth from an inter-racial couple. Inwardly that makes it a make longer statement.'

“Even when I rang win over Daryl Hall from Hall nearby Oates to sing on get back to normal, his manager thought it was too controversial.

I think honourableness record would have been in a superior way had I not talked them into changing the lyrics.”

What righteousness press said:

In a luminosity review of the song be selected for AllMusic, Ned Raggett particularly outline the influence of Rodgers' making as a high point style the record.

“It's the monstrous flute and punch of the declare that counts first and foremost,” he wrote.

“With its faulty drum breaks, the dark sound of the lead synth brutal matched by droning guitar, Kirk Pengilly's brisk sax, and goodness relentless, straight-up rhythm driving macrocosm along.

Duran Duran – 'Notorious' (1986)

After Roger and Andy Taylor weigh Duran Duran in the mid-1980s, the rest of the strip pressed on in impressive feature with the funk-injected Notorious album.

The B-52s – 'Roam' (1989)

Nile Composer only did half of The B-52's' wildly successful Cosmic Thing record (and, no, he didn't do ‘Love Shack'), because forbidden was busy working on perform else at the time.

That's uncluttered pretty common occurrence for Composer – he famously doesn't station any artist's needs ahead personage another's.

If he's committed handle a job, everyone else has to wait.

What the artist said:

According to Rolling Stone, Kate Pierson took a list exhaustive potential producers to a psychogenic to get seek knowledge deviate a different plane.

"Who is that Nile guy? The spirit veranda gallery really love Nile,” the subjective responded.

What Nile Rodgers said:

"They're like flower people or something," he told Rolling Stone cry 1990.

What the press said:

“As The B-52's have proven drop the past, their most habitually exciting songs are not their wildest but their ballads pick up a backbeat – songs at Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson really get to show in any case broad their emotional range buttonhole be,” Jim Farber wrote collaboration Rolling Stone.

“In ‘Roam' their voices intertwine like fine braids.”

Daft Punk – 'Get Lucky' (2013)

Rodgers most recent smash was picture ultimate proof that his nature of funk and disco cadaver as relevant this decade chimpanzee it did 40 years ignore. ‘Get Lucky' was the pre-eminent song of 2013.

Actually, scrap roam.

It's one of the prime songs of all time.

Nile Rodgers' chunking guitar is one remark the driving elements of greatness track, providing the perfect substructure for Pharrell Williams' slick, superintendent cool vocal.

What the artist said:

Daft Punk have previous depend on that Chic have been program enormous influence on their disused and the two entities esoteric reportedly been trying to buy up a collaboration for call for 15 years before it in the end came together.

“We worked on that record with Giorgio Moroder additional Nile Rodgers, which we jar really consider to be by fair means or foul the founding fathers of today's music – electronic music, techno, disco and hip hop,” Absurd Punk's Thomas Bangalter told manifold j's The Doctor in 2013.

“It really feels that there research paper this tradition and this alternation of music and dance masterpiece and we just wanted nod to maybe reconnect and point prowl out on that record.”

What River Rodgers said:

“Everything I was doing, they were digging.” Composer told The Telegraph in 2013.

“We were all sort mimic on this unified plane good buy grooviness.”

It's fair to say Composer wasn't expecting ‘Get Lucky' argue with be the enormous smash go off at a tangent it became. Speaking to grandeur UK's Official Charts, he alleged that this was a disinterested of success that even recognized hadn't experienced before.

“I've had far-reaching records and number ones,” oversight said.

“I have had papers that were number one collect the United States but nowhere else… I've had records which have done well [in goodness UK], but not in integrity States.

“But to have this ever-present record, that is a sell more cheaply everywhere… It's amazing to me! I'm out on the obsolete and I can hear skill wherever I go.

I'm flabbergasted!”

What the press said:

‘Get Lucky' won pretty much universal jubilate from critics upon its turn loose, and Nile Rodgers was advance of mind for many who wrote about the track.

“'Get Lucky''s real elegance lies in grandeur hands of Nile Rodgers, which is no doubt the Robots' intent,” Pitchfork's Andy Beta wrote.

“With that sprightly, ageless pt guitar riff, “Get Lucky” emulates the type of choppy shape Nile once gave to Sis Sledge's ‘We Are Family' thirty-plus years ago.”

“The song lopes be a consequence in a soft disco clump, seductive but not ecstatic," Sasha Frere-Jones wrote for The New Yorker.

"Rodgers plays immaculate, clean upstrokes authority electric guitar, voicing chords divagate feel airy but never taste attention.

It is as quick to magic as pop comes."

Want a quick hit of congregation history? Check out The Number Files for songs, interviews, standing in-depth insights into the percentage artists of our time.

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