Chic's Biography (Band)

“Chic” are an American band formed in 1976 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards. Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards met in 1970 as session workers in New York City. Both musicians, they decided to form a rock band called "The Boys" but soon changed it to "The Big Apple Band". They played numerous New York venues but failed to land any record deals. In 1973 they joined the musical group "New York City", which in that year had become famous thanks to the song "I'm Doing Fine Now". The "New York City" band broke up in 1976. In that year a single by composer Walter Murphy entitled "A Fifth Of Beethoven" was released by "Private Stock Records" (included in the soundtrack of "Saturday Night Fever" ). The record label, believing the track would only be a hit if credited to a group rather than a single, released the record as "Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band" not knowing that name had already been used. Edwards and Rodgers thus decided to change the name of the band to "Chic". In 1977 they recruited drummer Tony Thompson, formerly with "Labelle" and "Ecstasy, Passion & Pain". Thompson himself recommended hiring the very young keyboardist Raymond Jones, who had previously worked with him in the band "Ecstasy, Passion & Pain". Needing a singer to become a full-fledged band, they signed Norma Jean Wright. In 1977, after signing a recording contract with "Atlantic Records", the band released the first single "Everybody Dance" and the self-titled debut album "Chic". Also included on the 33 rpm was the hit "Dance, Dance, Dance" created in collaboration with the young sound engineer Bob Clearmountain. In 1978, Norma Jean Wright decided to continue her musical career as a soloist achieving great success with the disco song "Saturday". She was replaced by the singer Alfa Anderson, already backing vocals on the band's debut album. In late 1978, the band released the album “C'est Chic”, which included one of the band's best-known songs, "Le Freak". The single achieved great success, reached number one in the US charts and sold more than six million copies. From the same album we also remember the beautiful song "I Want Your Love". In 1979 the group released their third album “Risqué” and the lead track "Good Times" became one of the most influential songs of the time. "Good Times" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on August 18, 1979 and sold more than 5 million copies, making it, at the time, the fastest-selling 45rpm single in Atlantic Records history. Billboard named "Good Times" the number one soul single of the year 1979. Two other hits were included on the album "Risqué": "My Forbidden Lover" and "My Feet Keep Dancing", both #3 on the chart. American ranking. During those years, Edwards and Rodgers composed, arranged and produced many more disco and R&B hits for various artists: the two Sister Sledge albums “We Are Family” (1979) and “Love Somebody Today” (1980), "Spacer" by Sheila and B. Devotion, Diana Ross' 1980 album “Diana”, which included the hit singles "Upside Down", "I'm Coming Out" and "My Old Piano" and Carly Simon's "Why" ( from the 1982 "Soup for One" soundtrack). Nile Rodgers was co-producer of David Bowie's 1983 album "Let's Dance" and contributed greatly to Madonna's initial success in 1984 with the album "Like a Virgin". In 1996, Nile Rodgers was awarded as the world's best producer in "Billboard Magazine". On April 18, 1996, Bernard Edwards died at age 43 of pneumonia. Tony Thompson died of kidney cancer on November 12, 2003, aged 48.

Discography :

Album

1977 - Chic

1978 - C'est Chic

1979 - Risqué

1980 - Real People

1981 - Take It Off

1982 - Tongue In Chic

1983 - Believer

1991 - Chic-ism

Singles

1977 - Everybody Dance

1977 - Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)

1978 - Le Freak

1978 - I Want Your Love

1979 - Chic Cheer

1979 - My Feet Keep Dancing

1979 - Good Times

1979 - My Forbidden Lover

1980 - 26

1980 - Rebels Are We

1980 - Real People

1981 - Stage Fright

1981 - Take It Off

1982 - I Feel Your Love Comin' On

1982 - Hangin'

1982 - Why (feat. Carly Simon)

1982 - Soup For One

1983 - You Are Beautiful

1983 - Give Me The Lovin'

1983 - Party Everybody

1984 - Chic Cheer (Remix 1984)

1987 - Jack Le Freak

1987 - Good Times For You...

1991 - Chic Mystique

1992 - Your love