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Home , Bernard Edwards, Le Freak, My Forbidden Lover

Ile is one of those rare human beings to excel in more II than one direction. He is a great musician, an inspired writer and a brilliant producer. I've had the pleasure of work- 90Prr'" ing with him on a number of occasions over the years, and Il 1 Yli he has always been a true gentleman, a good friend and 25d a il V2td most definitely a winner in all he turns his hand to. -STEVE WINWOOD

One of the quirky, ironic moves of the '7os -and the least expected on my part-was the overwhelming influence of the look of glam -rock and its development on Afro -American bands of the time. From Labelle to the Jackson 5, Funkadelic to Earth, Wind & Fire, the idea of creating a different identity to that of the "normal" visual vocabulary of rock seemed almost second nature to these artists. As the variety of cos- N(111,9 Nfleih'e98 tume widened through the '7os, the band who seemed to it/ catch the idea of "visual language" in the most urbane man- ner was, undoubtedly, Chic. c-: tkiTheQbaNe Buying into the image of "buppiedom" 100%, they struck me as no less than the natural inheritors of the Modern Jazz BY KEITH CAULFIELD Quartet. Suits, champagne and shimmer, living large. With a Nile is monstrous backbeat. Live, they were phenomenal. Rodgers an artist's best friend. Through writing, Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight," which in turn bor- producing, an occasional guest performance and, late- rowed from the Chic hit "Good Times." Indeed, it's a sam- As I got to know Nile, this struck me as more than a little ly, sampling, nearly everything associated with ple of a sample. amusing, knowing Nile's background as an original member Rodgers has turned into chart gold. Even when Rodgers only strums a guitar, he can help NY chapter Black Panthers. In reality, "bourgie" of the of the Five tracks on this tally, including Rodgers' top two Hot score a smash. With Seal's "" remake of the Steve he certainly wasn't. Funky, he certainly was. 100 hits, are songs that sampled earlier compositions. Miller Band's "Fly Like An Eagle," Rodgers contributed He gave me some of the best musical times of my life. It Rodgers' first Hot 100 entry was Chic's 1977 break- some guitar licks and helped the single soar to No. 10 on was just a joy working with him. His unbridled enthusiasm through hit, "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, the Hot 100 in 1996. It sits at No. 25 on this tally. for a project was contagious, to say the least, and his Yowsah)." All told, seven Chic singles made Rodgers' On Daryl Hall & John Oates' 1984 hit "Adult unshakable belief in the potential of the song "Let's Dance" career countdown, including the band's two Hot 100 No. Education," Rodgers' guitar work aided the single's ascent was prophetic. I must be honest and tell you that I never got l's: "" and "Good Times." to No. 8 on the Hot 100. It's at No. 22 on this career - it. Even when it was all over the airwaves, I just didn't see it. The powerful duo of Rodgers and not spanning list. As part of the one -off supergroup the

But Nile, as I played the first few notes of the chorus, virtual- only wrote, produced and performed all of their Chic hits, Honeydrippers (which also included Jimmy Page, Robert ly screamed, "Oh my God, that's it, we have a smash." I seri- but also found time to work with other artists in the '70s, Plant and Jeff Beck), Rodgers once again played guitar on ously reconsidered our working together momentarily. including and . the band's two Hot 100 singles: "Sea Of Love" and A lot of emphasis is put on the "hit" aspect of what can also take songwriting credit for what is con- "Rockin' At Midnight." does, but for me his true genius comes through when work- sidered the first rap song to scale the Hot 100: Sugarhill Below are Rodgers' biggest successes on the Hot 100, ing with left -field material. Just listen to the superb arrange- Gang's "Rapper's Delight." The 1979 release hit No. 36 on with rank determined by peak position, weeks on the chart ment he wrote for "Ricochet," my favorite track on "Let's the Hot 100. It samples the rhythm and overall chart performance. The first 26 titles made the Dance," or the ominous, unsettling atmosphere we created track from Chic's "Good Times," but top 10 of the Hot 100. for "You've Been Around" from 1992's `Black Tie, White the appropriation wasn't acknowl- edged with a songwriting credit for Noise." All titles were produced by Nile Rodgers except for: Rodgers /Edwards until later. Never one to duck the strange -although ever aware of In 1980, Supreme diva Ross enlisted * = Singles that utilize samples of tracks written by Rodgers what appeals to the ear most -Nile has all the attributes that Edwards and Rodgers to produce her ** = Singles on which Rodgers performed I look for in my collaborators, and it is these qualities that "Diana" set, arguably her most com- will draw me back to hopefully work with him again in our mercially successful album to date. futures. - shared The release saw its two singles, 1. Will Smith, "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It," 1997 * (Columbia) ile Rodgers is king of the rhythm guitar. He and Bernard "Upside Down" and "I'm Coming 2. The Notorious B.I.G.sFeaturing Puff Daddy & Mase, "Mo III Edwards revolutionized dance music. And that was hard Out," both land in the top five, with the Nlonev Mo Problems," 1997 * (Bad Boy) a month at No. 1. Will Smith 3. Diana Ross, "Upside Down," 1980 (Motown) to do. In recordings, they got the live feel of a dance floor. former spending the '80s, Rodgers con- 4. Chic, -I c Freak," 1978 (Atlantic) Today, we're conditioned to the computer machine, but that Throughout tinued to write, arrange, produce 5. David Bowie, "Let's Dance," 1983 (EMI America) was never the case back then. It was from the heart. I love and perform with a multitude of 6. , "Like A Virgin," 1984 (Warner Bros.) that they brought to dance and a soulful sound artists. In 1983, Rodgers pro- 1. Chic. -Good Times," 1979 (Atlantic) that was all joy, good spirit and tight rhythms. Nile crafted duced David Bowie's "Let's 8. , "The Reflex," 1984 (Capitol) his and had to have it, from Bowie own sound, everybody Dance" set, which spawned the 9. Sister Sledge, "We Are Family," 1979 (Cotillion) on. When people can stay around in this business, that is No. 1 title cut, in addition to the 10. Duran Duran, "The Wild Boys," 1984 (Capitol) NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN a mark of a champion. - top -20 singles "Modern Love" 11. Madonna, "," 1985 (Warner Bros.) 12. Duran Duran, ile Rodgers: an original, master of hot riffs, terrific musi- and "China Girl." The following "Notorious," 1986 (Capitol) 13. The B -52's. "Roam," 1989 cian /composer/producer. -ARIF MARDIN year, he produced Madonna's (Reprise) breakthrough album, "Like A 14. The Honeydrippers, "Sea Of Love," 1984 ** (Es Paranza) Sister Sledge Tom Cossie, who had worked for me at Atlantic, formed a Virgin." The set saw all four of its sin- 15. Diana Ross, "I'm Coming Out," 1980 (Motown) production company with another gentleman, Mark gles hit the top five, including the 16. Madonna, "Angel," 1985 (Warner Bros.) Kreiner. Tom came into my office on a Monday and told me No. 1 title track. 11. Madonna, "Dress You Up," 1985 (Warner Bros.) he had this group signed that had an option from another When Duran Duran was 18. Chic, "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, record company, but, after waiting for months, that option preparing to promote "The Yowsah)," 1977 (Atlantic) lapsed with no signing. He said, "I want you to hear this Reflex" as a single in 1984, the 19. Thompson Twins. "Lay Your Hands On Me," 1985 group had Rodgers remix the (Arista) record, I think it's a smash." He played "Dance, Dance, track for its commercial release. 20. Faith Evans, "Love Like This," 1998 * (Bad Boy) Dance" by Chic, and I agreed it was a smash. Tom said single two weeks No. 21. Chic. "I Want Your Love," 1979 there was a convention happening the coming week- The spent at (Atlantic) 1 on the Hot 100. Later that year, 22. Daryl Hall & John Oates, "Adult Education," 1984 ** end in New York, and he wanted to have their record out in the band again went to the Rodgers (RCA) time for the that. I said, "But it's Monday." He said, "That's B-52's well to produce "The Wild Boys," the 23. Thompson Twins, "King For A Day," 1986 (Arista) the deal." He had other record companies he'd played this only new studio cut on its live 24. Sister Sledge, "He's The Greatest Dancer," 1979 record to, but Atlantic was his first choice. To make a long "Arena" album. The track spent four weeks at No. 2 on the (Cl illion) I had lawyers 24 hours a day. We story short, our working chart. Their collaboration proved so successful, Rodgers 25. Seal, "Fly Like An Eagle," 1996 ** (Warner Sunset) got a contract signed on Wednesday. We re -cut the masters, returned to produce the band's next album, 1986's 26. David Bowie, "China Girl," 1983 (EMI America) and I sent somebody on a helicopter with the parts out to "Notorious." 21. MC Lyte, "Cold Rock A Party," 1997 * (EastWest) our Pennsylvania pressing plant. They stayed the night and Rodgers' work experienced a renewed life on radio in 28. David Bowie, "Modern Love," 1983 (EMI America) came back on Friday with 2,000 test pressings so Tom could 1997, thanks to Sean "Puffy" Combs. The Bad Boy pro- 29. Al Jarreau, "Moonlighting (Theme)," 1987 (MCA) give them out at the convention. By the next Monday, all of ducer first utilized a sample of "Upside Down" in rapper 30. The Honeydrippers, "Rockin' At Midnight," 1985 ** (Es the DJs had gotten the record and it was being played in MC Lyte's No. 11 hit "Cold Rock A Party." Later that year, Paranza) the clubs. "Dance, Dance, Dance" was a monster hit. Nile Combs produced the Notorious B.I.G. hit "Mo Money Mo 31. Sheena Easton, "Do It For Love," 1985 (EMI America) and Bernard were probably one of the most talented teams Problems." The single, which also features Mase, spent two 32. The B -52's. "Deadbeat Club," 1990 (Reprise) 1 33. Sugarhill Gang, * I ever met. As the relationship went on, I asked them to weeks at No. on the Hot 100. "Rapper's Delight," 1979 (Sugar Hill) 100 Will 34. Chic. 1978 (Atlantic) think about producing other acts. I was really excited about In 1998, 21 years after Rodgers' first Hot entry, "l:\erybody Dance," this young girl group called Sister Sledge. Nile knew some- Smith hit No. 1 on the chart with "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It." 35. Duran Duran, "Skin Trade," 1987 (Capitol) The cut samples the Rodgers /Edwards- penned Sister 36. , "," 1981 (Chrysalis) thing about them. I said to him, this group is like family to `Jiggy" is 31. Chic. "," 1979 (Atlantic) us. Nile went out and wrote "We Are Family," and that was Sledge hit "He's The Greatest Dancer." Rodgers' No. 1 Hot 100 hit. 38. INXS, "Original Sin," 1984 (Atco) major history. -JERRY GREENBERG This year, Smith once again dug through the Rodgers/ 39. Chic, "Rebels Are We," 1980 (Atlantic) Edwards songbook for his new album, "Willennitn." 40. Nutta Butta Featuring Teddy Riley and Anonymous, COMPILED BY DEBBIE GALANTE BLOCK "Freakin' It," the latest single from the set, samples "Freak Out," 1998 * (Lil' Man)

64 BILLBOARD TRIBUTE BILLBOARD FEBRUARY 5. 2000 www.americanradiohistory.com