Nile Rodgers aka The Man

Think of disco and chances are the average person will envision John Travolta in “Saturday Night Fever,” or at the very least, a shimmering animation of a white three-piece suit with one arm aloft, shooting dramatically for the ceiling. The real kings of the disco period were the leaders of a band called Chic, and they were busy; either in the recording studio, playing a concert, or holding court at Studio 54, the New York nightclub which became the spiritual epicenter around which disco’s evolving mythology continues to revolve.

Said trio of kings, consisting of drummer Tony Thompson, Bernard Edwards on bass, and one Nile Gregory Rodgers, were initially to be called the Big Apple Band—but they were too late,  as there was already another act called that. So they changed their name to better echo the galvanizing source of their new-found inspiration. In homage to Bryan Ferry’s Roxy Music, Rodgers played with four-letter alternatives, eventually choosing to rechristen his band Chic.    

Along with Edwards (who would become his spiritual brother as a result of their enduring musical partnership) and Tony Thompson, Nile Rodgers and Chic would rise to dominate the short-lived but globally-recognized disco genre: slick, smooth, sophisticated and urbane. Yet Chic were no ready-made confection, concocted to entertain the stereotypical lounge lizards of the disco lair. As a musical unit, they were the sum of many years’ slog around the greater New York district. Nile Rodgers himself had a challenged upbringing, yet strived to succeed. Low on formal education, Rodgers’ savior would be--beyond good instincts and willingness to learn on his own--a killer-ear and an almost uncanny feel for music’s power. Gravitating to the guitar, Rodgers earned his stripes backing the likes of Ben E. King, Aretha Franklin and Parliament, in time coming to define—despite his eclectic abilities and love of rock music--funk guitar.        

Born in 1952, Rodgers’ broad musical intelligence was born of experience. Old enough to have seen Hendrix and attended Woodstock, it was there that he composed “We Are Family,” holding the riff in his head for some seven years before launching it into the world’s pop charts. Rodgers was also a firsthand witness of the Black Power struggle, and served briefly as a card-carrying Black Panther. This makes Chic's rise to become one of Atlantic Records’ most successful signings, and scorer of multiple top ten hits on international singles charts, all the more curious. Following the politicizing of African-American youth during the riotous 1960s, such mindful acts were expected to operate from outside the system; Chic, on the other hand, were beyond race (at least when it came to music). To Rodgers, music was and is a communal celebration; inclusive, not exclusive, and all the better to win over would-be detractors. This seemingly apolitical stance which, when set alongside the costume-jeweled sparkle of disco’s seeming frivolity, has not always endeared him--or Chic--to wannabe counter-cultural music critics. 

Rodgers is a musical influence that has guided some of the greatest names in pop over the last thirty-plus years. David Bowie, Diana Ross, Duran Duran, Carly Simon, even rock demigod David Lee Roth have all sought out Rodgers’ guiding musical sensibilities, and in turn, shifted records by the million. As the only surviving member of his original band, he may be the flame-keeper of Chic's at times sadly under-appreciated musical heritage, but by accepting the torch of musical passion, and for passing it on to so many others during his career-to-date, Nile Rodgers shows himself to be one of popular music’s true stars.

Photo: Joe Mabel, GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0