M L
INTERVIEW
interpretation from us that we have to deliver and that ’ s how I learn , that ’ s how I ’ ve been treated and that ’ s how I treat others .
I have them come in , write the charts , you play what ’ s on the page and most of the time the musicians surprise me because they have grown up with that same ethic .
They see what you have on the page , but then they use their own sense of interpretation and say , “ maybe I can make it better by doing this , maybe I can feel the groove like that .” It ’ s this love of exploration , this love of interpretation .
Whenever I do a show , you ’ re going to get the best Nile Rodgers that I can give you that night . If I ’ m ill , you ’ d be shocked at how quickly I recover when they say , “ Ladies and Gentlemen , Nile Rodgers and Chic .”
You ’ re known as a legend of disco but after working with David Bowie did that change ?
Absolutely . When I met Bowie , my initial thought was that I was going in to make a cool David Bowie album - then typically the David Bowie record was a flop . But I was perfectly fine making a flop with Bowie because prior to making ‘ Let ’ s Dance ’ I was just known as a disco producer .
After ‘ Let ’ s Dance ’ I was just a producer . After Bowie , I did INXS , and helped bring those guys international fame . It was amazing . Then right after that , I do the biggest single of Duran Duran ’ s career ‘ The Reflex .’ Then I was on a roll . I move on to ‘ Like a Virgin .’ We sold 28 million albums out the gate . It was like holy cow !
After Bowie , suddenly I just became a producer . I was not a disco producer . I would do artists as diverse as Paul Simon , I could do with a record with Stray Cats one day and Al Jarreau the next .
Is there one project or one particular person that you ’ ve worked with throughout your career that does just stands out ?
Yeah Bernard Edwards . My partner , bass player , the guy I formed Chic with and did Sister Sledge with .
Bernard Edwards was , in my opinion , one of the greatest musicians that ’ s ever walked this earth and thank god he gave me discipline because I come from a beatnik , hippy background . My parents were beatniks , I was a hippy , we were all into experimenting man . Let ’ s play free form jazz , man , for like four hours . That ’ s what I come from .
Finally , how on earth do you choose your setlist from such an amazing array of songs ?
Here ’ s what I do .… you may have seen me do this I started to do this a couple of years ago .
I ask how many people are seeing Chic for the first time and if more than 60 % of the audience raise their hand that they ’ re just seeing us for the first time , I ’ ll play all the hits !
And on that note , I think it ’ s fair to say , we can ’ t wait to come and see you this summer .
Nile Rodgers and Chic are playing Aintree Racecourse on Friday 10th June 2022 .
24 merseylife . com