Smash Hits and Deep Hidden Meanings the Music and Productions of Nile Rodgers
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SMASH HITS AND DEEP HIDDEN MEANINGS THE MUSIC AND PRODUCTIONS OF NILE RODGERS JOAKIM KLUND KRISTIANSEN MASTER THESIS DEPARTMENT OF MUSICOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF OSLO MAY 2013 ii Acknowledgements The process of completing this thesis has been rewarding, as well as strenuous at times. I would like to thank my supervisor, Anne Danielsen, for providing critical advice, guidance and inspiration. Thanks to Yvette Beaudoin Smith for proofreading and positive remarks. Also, lunch conversations with my fellow students at the Department of Musicology have offered unexpected insights and reflections through my work on this thesis. Last, but not least, I would like to salute the patience and support of my beloved family, Ina and Oddne. Oslo, May 2013 Joakim K. Kristiansen iii iv Table of Contents Acknowledgements .....................................................................................................iii Chapter One - Introduction........................................................................................ 1 1.1. Background ................................................................................................................ 1 1.2. A Biographical Note................................................................................................... 4 1.3. Methodological Considerations.................................................................................. 6 1.4. Key Terms .................................................................................................................. 7 1.5. Outline of Thesis ...................................................................................................... 10 Chapter Two - Chic ................................................................................................... 12 2.1. Disco – Style and Genre ............................................................................................... 12 2.2. Session Bands ............................................................................................................... 17 2.3. Chic on Record ............................................................................................................. 21 2.4. Vocal Timbre ................................................................................................................ 25 2.5. The Chic Choir ............................................................................................................. 29 2.6. Summary....................................................................................................................... 32 Chapter Three – Outside Chic ................................................................................. 33 3.1. Star Producer, Producer Star......................................................................................... 33 3.2. “We Are Family”.......................................................................................................... 41 3.2.1. Rhythmic Layers ................................................................................................... 42 3.2.2. Notes on Harmony................................................................................................. 46 3.2.3. Vocal Arrangement .............................................................................................. 47 3.2.4. Sonic Arrangement ............................................................................................... 48 3.2.5. Summary .............................................................................................................. 50 3.3. “Upside Down”............................................................................................................. 51 3.3.1. Repetition and Form.............................................................................................. 52 3.3.2. Rhythm .................................................................................................................. 54 3.3.3. Harmonic Content ................................................................................................ 56 3.3.4. Production ............................................................................................................ 56 3.3.5. Summary .............................................................................................................. 60 3.4. “Let’s Dance” ............................................................................................................... 61 3.4.1. Considerations on the Guitar................................................................................. 61 3.4.2. Arrangement.......................................................................................................... 64 3.4.3. Production ............................................................................................................ 66 3.4.4. Use of Space ......................................................................................................... 70 3.4.5. Elements of collage .............................................................................................. 76 3.5. Outside Chic, Final Thoughts ....................................................................................... 79 Chapter Four – Conclusion ...................................................................................... 80 Bibliography............................................................................................................... 86 Discography................................................................................................................ 91 Audio-visual material................................................................................................ 92 v vi Chapter One - Introduction “That ain’t no earthquake”, he says,” That’s just Chic” - Rick James 1.1. Background My entry into this project probably has its origin in me being a guitar nerd with a childish curiosity towards the sounds created by the electric guitar and its plethora of accessories.1 Spending my early childhood in the post-MTV 1980s, the imagery surrounding the electric guitar was vivid and colorful. Big hair, spandex and flamboyant behavior were totally alien to a kid surrounded mainly by forests and fields in the Norwegian countryside. The musicians were characters to me with a cartoon-like appeal. Aside from the appearance of these axe-wielders, the sound and look of the instrument itself was intriguing. I remember being puzzled by the fact that such a huge, sustaining, distorted sound could emanate from the instrument. Of course, I had no insight in how the electric guitar actually worked as a physical, musical interface. The theatrical antics of the eighties guitar players provided further mystery, with elaborate stage moves that did not directly relate to the actual playing of the instrument. A brief career - on what was to me a rather dull sounding, 70’s Yamaha two-manual organ did not stifle my curiosity towards the electric guitar. A few years later, I ended up getting my first electric guitar, an Angus Young style Gibson SG copy, plus a way-too-big Marshall amplifier. I was on my way. Fast forward to today, countless guitars and amplifiers later, and that initial curiosity toward the possibilities of the instrument remains. So, that is where I am coming from, with the story of my musical point of departure. How does this relate to the music of Nile Rodgers then? For me, the journey started with listening to “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie. That sound of the pulsating rhythm guitar hook, with its tempo-synced echoes puzzled me. Also, I liked 1 This refers to everything that is included in the sound producing audio path: cables, “stomp boxes” (effect pedals), bows, amplifiers, speakers and so forth. 1 the track as a whole, especially with the entrance of its searing blues lead entering halfway through. With a growing interest in learning the details of the recordings I liked along with an aspiring interest in jazz, I developed the habit of examining the record sleeve notes for details on who did what on records developed. Particularly with jazz recordings, the emphasis on the individual contribution of each player in the ensemble is of essence. In fact, the players are often credited on the cover, rather than in small print inside.2 Small print was no obstacle in discovering the names of the people behind the scenes as well as the stars up front. Certain names seemed to appear frequently on the albums my friends and I listened to. There was the TOTO crew with the Porcaro brothers on bass and drums, and guitarist Steve “Luke” Lukather. There was drummer Steve Gadd and bassist Nathan East. Steely Dan employed a host of top shelf musicians in their “musical chairs” style of record making, including drummers Rick Marotta, Bernard Purdie and Jim Keltner, guitarists Jay Graydon, Dean Parks and Larry Carlton, bass player Chuck Rainey and so on. When discovering Frank Zappa, again there was an ongoing list of “small print musicians” to be discovered. Among the randomly chosen names mentioned, Nile Rodgers could also be included. Producing and playing on some massive hit records during the eighties, his name was somehow familiar to me even though I had no specific knowledge of his music. Fast forward to the beginning of this project, it came about through a combination of a primarily subconscious curiosity of the “Let’s Dance” guitar riff combined with mere happenstance. I somehow stumbled upon a radio interview of Rodgers published on YouTube, and was fascinated by this condensed