Photo: Press
Few artists have had the lasting legacy of Nile Rodgers - let the alone the ability to still be selling out tours, headlining festivals and topping the charts at the age of 60. Not only is Mr Rodgers probably the coolest and most popular that he's ever been during in his career, but he has absolutely no intention to stop any time soon.
The last year has seen Rodgers dominate the airwaves with his Daft Punk collaboration 'Get Lucky and work on Random Access Memories (you may have heard of it). As if that whirlwind wasn't enough, Rodgers has also been touring the world with a greatest hits package to celebrate his work with Chic. What followed was a universally renewed love for his slick disco style, with his influence being heard throughout the charts in everyone from Justin Timberlake and Pharrell to Avicii and Robin Thicke.
"When I turned 50 it was weird," he admits. "It's an odd thing because it's exactly what I didn't plan. Our whole concept for Chic was anonymity. It was about the records, not the people. We didn't look like stars or act like stars - we wanted the music to be the star. Presentation is important, so we dress up like Chic but the real importance is anonymity and letting the music speak to you. It's not about the cult of personality. I'm not Prince or Rick James who are really cool."
He laughs: "I'm not cool - I'm just Nile."
Except he IS cool. Absurdly cool. The effortless grace with which he can still make generation after generation lose their minds on the dancefloor regardless of age is testament to that.
The only other artist that springs to mind who can still dominate headlines and radio stations with as much power in their later years is David Bowie - another returning icon of 2013, and another figure who appears to have adopted Rodgers' 'let the music do the talking' approach for enigmatic campaign around The Next Day.
"That's just Bowie," smiles Nile - thinking back to their work together in the 1980s. "The cool thing about David is that you expect him to be chameleon-like. He's like a butterfly - he's just different. When we did Let's Dance, nobody expected that record. It wound up being his most successful record of all time.
"When David does something that's unexpected, in a strange way that's really who he is. When we were working together, he told me that he has never been compelled to do what people want from him. To me, that's his greatest quality. He's has so many great qualities but he's only ever done what he wants to do."
So have the pair maintained any kind of working or personal relationship to this day?
"As certainly as I have with most artists I've worked with," says Nile. "I'm maybe a little closer to David because a year ago I was honoured by my charity and he made a really sweet and wonderful film for me. I call whenever I need a licence for Let's Dance or a song or something like that."
So with a collaboration roster that includes Bowie, Madonna, Michael Jackson and Will Smith, has the sensation of 'Get Lucky' brought another army of artists a'knocking to demand to work with him?
"No, that's always been my life," he says contently. "You have to understand something - most records never become hits. Most records never make the grade. Not everything can be a No.1, but that doesn't mean that we're not trying. We always are."
For many, the process of relentless hit-making is a young man's game - but for for Rodgers it's the only future that he can envisage. After being given the all-clear from cancer this week, he's looking forward to many more years of making people dance: "I just love playing music, so that'll be the rest of my career - if I can do it. I'm having fun writing a theatrical piece right now which is really exciting and we have a huge amount of shows remaining this year. Right now, I'm airing out my brain, but there's never a finish line - I don't know any other way.
"I retired and tried to retire but I just couldn't stop."
The Chic Organisation: Up All Night is out now. Nile Rodgers will be touring with Chic throughout the year, with performances at Bestival, Festival No.6 and The Warehouse Project. For more information visit Gigwise Gig Tickets.
.jpg)
