That's a great compilation. But you're doing yourself a serious disservice if you don't also spin "C'est Chic" and "Risque." Those are some powerfully rich albums. "Savior Faire," "Forbidden Lover," "Will You Cry (When You Hear This Song)," all those juicy album tracks where Nile & Co can flourish.

Also, check out Vol. 2 to get a taste of their early '80s work. Love "You Are Beautiful" and "Rebels Are We."

I love all of Chic's disco stuff from the 1970s such as "Everybody Dance", "LeFreak", etc.....as well as their 1980s funk such as "Rebels Are We" and "Give Me The Lovin'". I also love their release from the early 1990s called "Chic Mystic".

U know when it comes to funk guitar, Nile is right up there with the Jimmy Nolens, Princes, and Rogers Troutmans of the world. A true master.

"Rebels" is a great tune also..."Saturday" by Chic's Norma Jean was a great jam too. Didn't she also have another tune called "High Society"? It's kinda funny because Nile has said that Chic started out as a rock group. He wanted to compete with bands like KISS and Van Halen. But he said there was more $ in dance music. Chic definetly put "champagne and a bow tie" on the funk.

Great minds think alike, playa! (lol) "Rebels" was pretty hittin' when that song came out..It had almost a "rock" feel to it without any distorted guitar. That's interesting Nile would come up with that name..somehow the "CHIC" name does have a distant but close thing to "KISS". Kinda off topic, but Nile and Bernard produced a LP for Johnny Mathis (!!) in 1981. Nile said the LP was fantastic and funky, but the record label (and Johnny Mathis' management) refused to release it. It's still in Columbia's vaults. Can you imagine what that would have sounded like??!!??

Who else just discovered that it was Luther Vandross who provided the "Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah" on Chic's classic "Dance Dance Dance"? For that reason alone, this is my pick for album of the week.



To the rock critics who dismissed Chic's music as disposable and mindless back in the late '70s: it might seem like a stretch to say that Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards had as great an impact as Gamble & Huff, George Clinton, and the folks at Stax Records. But in fact, Chic's music was that influential -- and its disco/funk/soul innovations would be having an impact long after the '70s ended. From Madonna, Change, and Queen, to Duran Duran, Soul II Soul, and ABC -- new wave, hip-hop, house, European Hi-NRG, Latin freestyle, and acid jazz -- you could write a book about all the artists who have been influenced by Chic. This collection, which came out in 2000 and spans 1977-1982, is full of grooves that prove to be anything but disposable. Most of Chic's essential hits are provided, including "Good Times," "Le Freak," "Dance, Dance, Dance," "I Want Your Love," and "Everybody Dance." Less than essential, but still likable and decent, are early '80s recordings such as "Rebels Are We" from "Real People", and "Stage Fright" from "Take It Off". By 1980, Chic wasn't having as many hits and was feeling the sting of the death-to-disco movement. But disco never really died -- it simply changed its name to dance music and evolved into such forms as Hi-NRG, Latin freestyle and house. When that happened, Chic's long-lasting influence was impossible to miss -- you could say that Chic's influence lasted a lot longer than Chic itself. For those who need a concise introduction to Chic's legacy and want to hear some of R&B's most influential grooves, "The Very Best of Chic" is highly recommended.
- Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
[Edited 7/18/05 8:40am]

Kinda off topic, but Nile and Bernard produced a LP for Johnny Mathis (!!) in 1981. Nile said the LP was fantastic and funky, but the record label (and Johnny Mathis' management) refused to release it. It's still in Columbia's vaults. Can you imagine what that would have sounded like??!!??

SPYZFAN1 said:

After Chic succeeded in making Diana Ross sound hip,they were brought in to work the same magic for Johnny Mathis.Unfortunately,his record label wasn't impressed with the finished album.It is titled 'I Love My Lady' and this is the tracklist:


JOHNNY MATHIS 'I LOVE MY LADY' (recorded in 1981,never released)

I Love My Lady
I Want To Fall In Love
It's Alright To Love Me
Judy
Love and Be Loved
Sing
Take Me
Go With The Flow

At least one Chic fansite( www.chictribute.com ) has an on-line petition to get it released.Niles recently said that he's gonna use one song from the project ("Go With The Flow") on an upcoming Chic album of rarities and outtakes.

Thank you David Eye! You are the man! I never saw the song listings before. I grew up listening to both CHIC and Johnny Mathis, but it'll be interesting to hear them both together. Hopefully Nile can get it out.

Nile has the magic touch. He's done some cool stuff with Debbie Harry, Duran Duran and Stevie Windwood. The only thing he did that I HATED was that sorry song for Southside Johnny back in 1984. The video was a riot too.

SPYZFAN1 said:

No shit!

blackguitaristz said:

I'm praying that this album is released someday.