Chic

  • New York, NY
    hometown
  • Funk
    genre
  • 1976
    started
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About Chic


There can be little argument that Chic was disco's greatest band; and, working in a heavily producer-dominated field, they were most definitely a band. By the time Chic appeared in the late '70s, disco was already slipping into the excess that eventually caused its downfall. Chic bucked the trend by stripping disco's sound down to its basic elements; their funky, stylish grooves had an organic sense of interplay that was missing from many of their overproduced competitors. Chic's sound was anchored by the scratchy, James Brown-style rhythm guitar of Nile Rodgers and the indelible, widely imitated (sometimes outright stolen) bass lines of Bernard Edwards; as producers, they used keyboard and string embellishments economically, which kept the emphasis on rhythm. Chic's distinctive approach not only resulted in some of the finest dance singles of their time, but also helped create a template for urban funk, dance-pop, and even hip-hop in the post-disco era. Not coincidentally, Rodgers and Edwards wound up as two of the most successful producers of the '80s.

Rodgers and Edwards first met in 1970, when both were jazz-trained musicians fresh out of high school. Edwards had attended New York's High School for the Performing Arts and was working in a Bronx post office at the time, while Rodgers' early career also included stints in the folk group New World Rising and the Apollo Theater house orchestra. Around 1972, Rodgers and Edwards formed a jazz-rock fusion group called the Big Apple Band. This outfit moonlighted as a backup band, touring behind smooth soul vocal group New York City in the wake of their 1973 hit "I'm Doin' Fine Now." After New York City broke up, the Big Apple Band hit the road with Carol Douglas for a few months, and Rodgers and Edwards decided to make a go of it on their own toward the end of 1976. At first they switched their aspirations from fusion to new wave, briefly performing as Allah & the Knife Wielding Punks, but quickly settled into dance music. They enlisted onetime LaBelle drummer Tony Thompson and female vocalists Norma Jean Wright and Alfa Anderson, and changed their name to Chic in summer 1977 so as to avoid confusion with Walter Murphy & the Big Apple Band (who'd just hit big with "A Fifth of Beethoven").

Augmented in the studio by keyboardists Raymond Jones and Rob Sabino, Chic recorded the demo single "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" and shopped it around to several major record companies, all of which declined it. The small Buddah label finally released it as a 12" in late 1977, and as its club popularity exploded, Atlantic stepped in, signed the group, and re-released the single on a wider basis. "Dance, Dance, Dance" hit the Top Ten, peaking at number six, and made Chic one of the hottest new groups in disco. Chic scrambled to put together their self-titled first album, which spawned a minor follow-up hit, "Everybody Dance," in early 1978. At this point, Wright left to try her hand at a solo career (with assistance from Rodgers and Edwards), and was replaced by Luci Martin. It was a good time to come onboard; "Le Freak," the first single from sophomore album C'est Chic, was an out-of-the-box smash, spending five weeks on top of the charts toward the end of 1978 and selling over four-million copies (which made it the biggest-selling single in Atlantic's history). Follow-up "I Want Your Love" reached number seven, cementing the group's new star status, and C'est Chic became one of the rare disco albums to go platinum.

1979's Risqué was another solidly constructed LP that also went platinum, partly on the strength of Chic's second number one pop hit, "Good Times." "Good Times" may not have equaled the blockbuster sales figures of "Le Freak," but it was the band's most imitated track: Queen's number one hit "Another One Bites the Dust" was a clear rewrite, and the Sugarhill Gang lifted the instrumental backing track wholesale for the first commercial rap single, "Rapper's Delight," marking the first of many times that Chic grooves would be recycled into hip-hop records. Also in 1979, Rodgers and Edwards took on their first major outside production assignment, producing and writing the Sister Sledge smashes "We Are Family" and the oft-sampled "He's the Greatest Dancer." This success, in turn, landed them the chance to work with Diana Ross on 1980's Diana album, and they wrote and produced "Upside Down," her first number one hit in years, as well as "I'm Coming Out."

The disco fad was fading rapidly by that point, however, and 1980's Real People failed to go gold despite another solid performance by the band. Changing tastes put an end to Chic's heyday, as Rodgers and Edwards' outside production work soon grew far more lucrative, even despite aborted projects with Aretha Franklin and Johnny Mathis. Several more Chic LPs followed in the early '80s, with diminishing creative and commercial returns, and Rodgers and Edwards disbanded the group after completing the lackluster Believer in 1983. Later that year, both recorded solo LPs that sank without a trace. Hungry for acceptance and respect in the rock mainstream (especially after accusations that they had ripped off Queen instead of the other way around), both Rodgers and Edwards sought out high-profile production and session work over the rest of the decade. Rodgers produced blockbuster albums like David Bowie's Let's Dance, Madonna's Like a Virgin, and Mick Jagger's She's the Boss. Edwards wasn't as prolific as a producer, but did join the one-off supergroup the Power Station along with Tony Thompson as well as Robert Palmer and members of avowed Chic fans Duran Duran; he later produced Palmer's commercial breakthrough, Riptide. Edwards also worked with Rod Stewart (Out of Order), Jody Watley, and Tina Turner, while Rodgers' other credits include the Thompson Twins, the Vaughan Brothers, INXS, and the B-52's' comeback Cosmic Thing.

Rodgers and Edwards re-formed Chic in 1992 with new vocalists Sylver Logan Sharp and Jenn Thomas, and an assortment of session drummers in Thompson's place; they toured and released a new album, Chic-ism. In 1996, the reconstituted Chic embarked on a tour of Japan; sadly, on April 18, Edwards passed away in his Tokyo hotel room due to a severe bout of pneumonia. Rodgers continued to tour occasionally with a version of Chic, and, in 1999, his Sumthing Else label issued a recording of Edwards' final performance with the band, Live at the Budokan. ~ Steve Huey, Rovi

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Music

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  • Your Love
    chic-00
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    Your Love
  • Good Times
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    Good Times
  • 4396
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    All the music you want, just 10 bucks a month. Try it free.
    • Time to say goodbye (Con te partirè)
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/3/7/0/3/2/104923073.mp3
    • The Prayer - (with Celine Dion)
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/7/8/9/5/8/104585987.mp3
    • Besame Mucho
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/1/0/7/2/4/992942701.mp3
    • La Vie en Rose featuring Edith Piaf
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/9/1/3/1/8/969881319.mp3
    • Quizàs, Quizàs, Quizàs featuring Jennifer Lopez
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/1/4/8/1/8/969881841.mp3
    • Con Te Partiro
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/4/5/4/0/8/972380454.mp3

Photos

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  • Nile Rodgers of Chic perform onstage at the VH1 Hip Hop Honors at the Hammerstein Ballroom October 3, 2004 in New York City.
    Chic
    Nile Rodgers of Chic perform onstage at the VH1 Hip Hop Honors at the Hammerstein Ballroom October 3, 2004 in New York City.
    Frank Micelotta/Getty Images
  • Chic perform onstage at the VH1 Hip Hop Honors at the Hammerstein Ballroom October 3, 2004 in New York City.
    Chic
    Chic perform onstage at the VH1 Hip Hop Honors at the Hammerstein Ballroom October 3, 2004 in New York City.
    Frank Micelotta/Getty Images
  • Chic's Nile Rodgers.
    Chic
    Chic's Nile Rodgers.
    John Shearer
  • Nile Rodgers and Chic.
    Chic
    Nile Rodgers and Chic.
    John Shearer

News

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  • Chic
    Selena Gomez Wears Atelier Versace To 2013 Billboard Music Awards
    MTV Style
    May 19, 2013
    Selena Gomez at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards. Photo: Getty Images Happy Sunday, y'all! You know it's a good weekend when you can cap it off snu...
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  • Chic
    Miley Cyrus Wears Crochet Balmain Jumpsuit To 2013 Billboard Music Awards
    MTV Style
    May 19, 2013
    Miley Cyrus at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards. Photo: Getty Images The 2013 Billboard Music Awards are off and running, and who better to kick o...
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  • Chic
    NBA Style Correspondent Baron Davis: A Brief Fashion History
    MTV Style
    May 17, 2013
    We know the current generation of NBA players is serious about style, from the rampant post-game podium fashion this Playoffs season to the fau...
    Read More
  • Chic
    Emma Watson Does Grown-Up Glamour For 'W'
    MTV Style
    May 17, 2013
    Emma Watson in the June issue of 'W.' Photo: Via 'W' She might currently be busy ruling the Cannes red carpet and doing airport fashion better ...
    Read More
  • Chic
    The 9 Fashion Moments You Need To Know From Cannes (So Far)
    MTV Style
    May 16, 2013
    Whew, the Cannes Film Festival is huge , y'all. If you can barely keep up with all the red carpet events, screenings, and press conferences, don't ...
    Read More
  • Chic
    'The Bling Ring' Cast Is Blazing At Cannes
    Hollywood Crush
    May 16, 2013
    Everyone who's anyone in Hollywood is currently in attendance across the pond at the Cannes Film Festival, which means that a) the wires are lighting ...
    Read More
  • Chic
    Style Blogger Gabi Gregg Dishes On Debut Plus Size Swimsuit Collection, 'Fatkinis' And More! [INTERVIEW]
    MTV Style
    May 15, 2013
    Nadia Aboulhosn, Gabi Gregg and Maxey Greene. Photo: Courtesy of Michael Edwards Welp, if that picture above wasn't enough to stop you dead in your...
    Read More
  • Chic
    Adam Lambert, Ashley Benson, And More Sport Head-To-Toe Monochrome At Young Hollywood Party
    MTV Style
    May 15, 2013
    Holland Roden, Adam Lambert, Ashley Benson, Jaden Smith, and Audrina Patridge at the 'NYLON' magazine Young Hollywood Issue party in Hollywood on May ...
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  • Chic
    The Rihanna For River Island Summer Campaign Has Landed!
    MTV Style
    May 14, 2013
    The Rihanna for River Island summer collection. Photo: Courtesy of River Island In case we haven't made it obvious enough, we are so stoked for ...
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  • Chic
    Chic's Nile Rodgers Fights Cancer
    www.pitchfork.com
    is largely responsible for a list of dance classics, "Le Freak", "Good Times", and "Dance Dance Dance" among them. He helped to write and produce plen...
    Read More
  • Chic
    Digest: Ryan Adams Records With Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan Producer; Chic's Nile Rodgers Beats Cancer
    www.rollingstone.com
    Jermaine Jackson to Write Memoir About Michael Jackson Jermaine Jackson has begun work on a memoir about his relationship with his brother Michael Jac...
    Read More
  • Chic
    Chic's Nile Rodgers Collaborating With Daft Punk | Prefix
    www.prefixmag.com
    Tweet It's close to seven years since the last proper Daft Punk album, Human After All, and there's been very little news about any new work from the ...
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  • Chic
    Chic’s Nile Rodgers Talks How He Met Adam Lambert
    idolator.com
    Before Daft Punk teased 15-second snippets of their fourth album Random Access Memories, so before Chic's Nile Rodgers was revealed to be a key player...
    Read More

Tour Dates

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  • May 29 Wednesday
    Manchester, UK The Ritz
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  • Jun 1 Saturday
    Dublin, Ireland Royal Hospital Kilmainham Grounds
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  • Jun 1 Saturday
    Emmen, Netherlands Retropop
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  • Jun 1 Saturday
    Dublin, Ireland Royal Hospital Kilmainham
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  • Jun 2 Sunday
    Dublin, Ireland Royal Hospital Kilmainham
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  • Jul 5 Friday
    Lewes, UK Glynde Place
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  • Jul 27 Saturday
    Greenwich, UK IndigO2
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  • Aug 2 Friday
    Sete, France Théâtre de la Mer
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  • Sep 5 Thursday
    Arreton, UK Bestival
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  • Sep 7 Saturday
    Amsterdam, Netherlands Paradiso Grote Zaal
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  • Sep 10 Tuesday
    Paris, France La Grande Halle de la Villette
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  • Sep 13 Friday
    Portmeirion, UK Unknown venue
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Discography

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  • Live at the Budokan (1999)
    Chic
    Live at the Budokan (1999)
    Sumthing Else Music
  • Chic-Ism (1992)
    Chic
    Chic-Ism (1992)
    Warner Bros. Records
  • Believer (1983)
    Chic
    Believer (1983)
    Wounded Bird
  • Tongue in Chic (1982)
    Chic
    Tongue in Chic (1982)
  • Take It Off (1981)
    Chic
    Take It Off (1981)
    Atlantic
  • Real People (1980)
    Chic
    Real People (1980)
    Atlantic
  • Risqué (1979)
    Chic
    Risqué (1979)
    Atlantic
  • C'est Chic (1978)
    Chic
    C'est Chic (1978)
    Atlantic
  • Chic (1977)
    Chic
    Chic (1977)
    Atlantic
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