My Album of CHIC (Rodgers & Edwards) productions

 

OK, I'm not the biggest fan of R'n'B music in the world, but throughout the 1980s I always seemed to love whatever Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards produced. Thanks to their clear love of white/European music as well as their more obvious Disco/Dance music background.

 

1. Chic - Good Times (1979) - Euphoric feel good music does not get any better than this thanks to Bernard's bass interplaying with Niles Rhythmic guitar playing.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=eTQMMiHpeN8

 

2. Sister Sledge - We Are Family (1979) - Nile & Bernard gave this Atlantic Soul group the Chic corporation makeover with this anthem that has been performed live by the likes of Duran Duran & the Spice Girls.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnayCQos5kk

 

3. Sheila B. Devotion - Spacer (1980) - Nile & Bernard worked with this French singer & scored another worldwide smash hit. Two decades later Nile Rodgers produced Alcazar's Crying At The Discotheque which sampled the same song!

 

4. Diana Ross - Upside Down (1980) - Perhaps the second best ever Disco record (behind Donna Summer's I Feel Love). Pop perfection.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4GtyMeEcPPE

 

5. Luther Vandross - Shine (1981) - Perhaps one of the first ever instances of sampling. Nile & Bernard basically got Luther to sing over the top of their (Chic) My Forbidden Lover (1979) track = Genius. No wonder I was less than impressed by Booty Luv's Freemasons produced cover of this classic.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3AiOTz-_AV0

 

6. Debbie Harry - Backfired (1981) - This Jazz rock tinged classic is one of the strangest tracks to make the UK & US Top 40. Madonna fans take note: Deborah is "vogueing" in a pop video 9 years before Madonna ripped her off.

 

7. Carly Simon - Why (1982) - Taken from the Soup For One soundtrack, the mood and emotion of this track just blows me away.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rW0vzGNTir4

 

8. David Bowie - China Girl (1983) - Late in 1982 David phoned up Nile & asked him to produce his next album, as he was impressed with their work with Debbie & Luther. Let's Dance became David's all-time best selling album, and the three singles were Top 10 blockbusting hits across the world. The entire album featured Niles, Bernard & Chic drummer Tony Thompson (who went on to join the Power Station).

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8qjTStVY6Hk

 

9. Madonna - Material Girl (1985) - Yet again featuring former Chic members Nile, Bernard & Tony. Nile Rodgers produced the blockbusting Like A Virgin album for the future Queen of Pop.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tpAcz2tKaSM

 

10. Duran Duran - A View To A Kill (1985) - After Nile Rogers had worked on their two previous singles The Reflex & Wild Boys, he was unavailable for their Bond project (He was producing Mick Jagger at the time). However his former partner in crime Bernard was, to produce the 2nd best ever Bond theme (IMHO - behind Live & Let Die); before Nile returned to produce their Notorious album.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fsiBhQ60rJE

 

11. Robert Palmer - Simply Irresistible (1988) - Reprising the success of Addicted Love (which featured a Bernard Edwards production, with ex Chic Tony Thompson on drums, ex-Duran Duran Andy Taylor on guitar, and those girls in that video), this song peaked one place lower than Addicted To Love from two years earlier in the USA. Bernard's other famous productions including The Power Station; Rod Stewart (Out of Order (1988) & Vagabond Heart (1991) albums); ABC's Alphabet Street (1987) album featuring "When Smokey Sings" & albums by Jody Watley & Joe Cocker)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uAzF8iJ0gMw

 

12. B-52's - Roam (1990) - Forget Love Shack, this was my favourite track from Cosmic Thing produced by Nile Rodgers. I just love Niles distinctive rhythmic jangly guitar and playful fun production, capturing the mood & vibe of classic Chic and Sister Sledge a decade earlier.

 

No room for any Grace Jones, Mai Tai, ABC, Thompson Twins, Alcazar, Dan Reed Network, Sheena Easton, Jody Watley, Rod Stewart, Mick Jagger, Fatman Scoop, Cathy Dennis .....

Good list there, remember and liked most of those tracks.

FATMAN SCOOP?.... OMG ... i didnt know they produced THAT shyte!... i cannot abide him...

 

obviously they were class, i wouldnt argue, and yes...there is a 'but'... and its this...

 

they may be superb producers with a fantastic, original sound, but some of their material i just do not like.. including ms ross's 'upside down'. it just leaves me completely cold.

 

however... at their best they were the best in the late 70's early 90's. chic were an excellant group and just about the only disco/funk act i ever liked.

 

a good album tip, just about 'definitive'.