Seriously, I could have just listened to Nile tell stories for the whole evening; dude could give Charlie Murphy a run for his money.
The story about how he and Bernard met was really amazing; just makes you love how random music is. And Bowie story was great too. But Jeff Beck? Chariots of Fire?
The one I found most poignant was talking about recording with Bowie on "Modern Love."
Rodgers was hanging out with Billy Idol when they spotted Bowie at a bar. Idol walked over to say hello but was fucked up drunk and basically ended up puking on the floor, only to wipe himself off and then offer a hand to Bowie, who took it like nothing had just happened. (Believe me, this story works a lot better when Rodgers is telling it).
In any case, for the studio session, Rodgers hired a mostly Black and Puerto Rican set of sessioners and he was saying "there was this air of desperation" in the studio, which he meant in a good way; as Rodgers put it, the musicians were thinking, "when am I ever going to get to play on a Bowie record?" and so they really wanted to bring their A+ game.
The most riotous was talking about the Jeff Beck album ("Flash"). Apparently, Beck came into the studio on their first day, takes out a cassette tape and tell Rodgers, "I just watched this movie the other night and the theme was incredible! I want to record THIS."
And it's "Chariots of Fire."
Like a good producer, Rodgers does what Beck wants (there has to be a bootleg of this somewhere) but also calls up the record label to tell them (I'm paraphrasing): "your boy has lost his mind. No way will this record work. You need to do something about that."
The most riotous was talking about the Jeff Beck album ("Flash"). Apparently, Beck came into the studio on their first day, takes out a cassette tape and tell Rodgers, "I just watched this movie the other night and the theme was incredible! I want to record THIS."
And it's "Chariots of Fire."
Like a good producer, Rodgers does what Beck wants (there has to be a bootleg of this somewhere) but also calls up the record label to tell them (I'm paraphrasing): "your boy has lost his mind. No way will this record work. You need to do something about that."
LOL! "Flash" is so misconceived and awful too. that story tells me alot about where jeff's head was at during that phase of his career. i believe that album was successful though on the strength of "people, get ready" with rod stewart guesting on vocals.thanks
Seriously, I could have just listened to Nile tell stories for the whole evening; dude could give Charlie Murphy a run for his money.
The story about how he and Bernard met was really amazing; just makes you love how random music is. And Bowie story was great too. But Jeff Beck? Chariots of Fire?
I've spoken with him a few times on Twitter and he seems awesome.
B/W
My wife used to bartend at Balthazar up in NY and, out of all the celebrities she met during her bid there (which was a lot,) she said that Nile was the nicest, down to earth and awesomest dude. She didn't say "Nile Rogers" though, maybe "That guy from the band that did "Good Times"
Nothing in detail, though he did talk about working with her during the panel.
In terms of him and Edwards...
Nile was dating this woman and living with her and her mother; he was young, still a teen.
His gf's mother worked with Edwards at the post office and even though she had never heard Edwards perform music, she had some intuitive sense that Edwards and Rodgers would get along and she kept encouraging Rodgers to meet him.
One day, Edwards calls the house and Rodgers answers the phone and the two guys get to talking. Rodgers is telling him about this new project he's working on and it's some crazy mash-up of punk, jazz, funk, disco, folk, whatever; just really far out, post-hippie/acid shit.
Edwards listens to all this and replies: "do me a favor, brother. Lose this number."
However, a few weeks later, both men are hired for a sit-in gig and as Rodgers describes it, the rest of the band was mostly heroin junkies who were nodding out at various times and Edwards and Rodgers were the only two holding everything together. So impressed were they by one another that both men always tried to get the other hired for any future gigs. BUT (and I'm not clear how this part makes sense but I'll take Rodgers' word for it), they didn't realize who each other was; they didn't know they had already spoken to one another over the phone.
Several months later, the two are riding on the subway and they run into Rodgers' girlfriend's mom and she walks up to Edwards and says, "I'm glad the two of you finally got together!" and it was only then that they realized they had that awkward phone convo months before.
Rodgers' description of his partnership with Edwards was so genuine and affectionate; it was really touching.
Big_Chan
5,088 Posts
Comments
The story about how he and Bernard met was really amazing; just makes you love how random music is. And Bowie story was great too. But Jeff Beck? Chariots of Fire?
so weird: the ONE time I turn on KEXP in the past ten years, and it's Nile Rodgers and they play Diana Ross...unbelievable.
good schitt tho.
The one I found most poignant was talking about recording with Bowie on "Modern Love."
Rodgers was hanging out with Billy Idol when they spotted Bowie at a bar. Idol walked over to say hello but was fucked up drunk and basically ended up puking on the floor, only to wipe himself off and then offer a hand to Bowie, who took it like nothing had just happened. (Believe me, this story works a lot better when Rodgers is telling it).
In any case, for the studio session, Rodgers hired a mostly Black and Puerto Rican set of sessioners and he was saying "there was this air of desperation" in the studio, which he meant in a good way; as Rodgers put it, the musicians were thinking, "when am I ever going to get to play on a Bowie record?" and so they really wanted to bring their A+ game.
The most riotous was talking about the Jeff Beck album ("Flash"). Apparently, Beck came into the studio on their first day, takes out a cassette tape and tell Rodgers, "I just watched this movie the other night and the theme was incredible! I want to record THIS."
And it's "Chariots of Fire."
Like a good producer, Rodgers does what Beck wants (there has to be a bootleg of this somewhere) but also calls up the record label to tell them (I'm paraphrasing): "your boy has lost his mind. No way will this record work. You need to do something about that."
LOL! "Flash" is so misconceived and awful too. that story tells me alot about where jeff's head was at during that phase of his career. i believe that album was successful though on the strength of "people, get ready" with rod stewart guesting on vocals.thanks
so how did he & Bernard meet?
Bernard & Nile >> Keith & Mick
thats amazing chan!
clams on the half-shell, and rollerskates, rollerskates...
um...
you can find it here with nile,
did i mention addictive?
B/W
My wife used to bartend at Balthazar up in NY and, out of all the celebrities she met during her bid there (which was a lot,) she said that Nile was the nicest, down to earth and awesomest dude. She didn't say "Nile Rogers" though, maybe "That guy from the band that did "Good Times"
Nothing in detail, though he did talk about working with her during the panel.
In terms of him and Edwards...
Nile was dating this woman and living with her and her mother; he was young, still a teen.
His gf's mother worked with Edwards at the post office and even though she had never heard Edwards perform music, she had some intuitive sense that Edwards and Rodgers would get along and she kept encouraging Rodgers to meet him.
One day, Edwards calls the house and Rodgers answers the phone and the two guys get to talking. Rodgers is telling him about this new project he's working on and it's some crazy mash-up of punk, jazz, funk, disco, folk, whatever; just really far out, post-hippie/acid shit.
Edwards listens to all this and replies: "do me a favor, brother. Lose this number."
However, a few weeks later, both men are hired for a sit-in gig and as Rodgers describes it, the rest of the band was mostly heroin junkies who were nodding out at various times and Edwards and Rodgers were the only two holding everything together. So impressed were they by one another that both men always tried to get the other hired for any future gigs. BUT (and I'm not clear how this part makes sense but I'll take Rodgers' word for it), they didn't realize who each other was; they didn't know they had already spoken to one another over the phone.
Several months later, the two are riding on the subway and they run into Rodgers' girlfriend's mom and she walks up to Edwards and says, "I'm glad the two of you finally got together!" and it was only then that they realized they had that awkward phone convo months before.
Rodgers' description of his partnership with Edwards was so genuine and affectionate; it was really touching.