99.9% of people would have no idea if they saw this guy on the street that he brought us SO many hits songs of the 80's and 90's. Too many to list really.
I have considered myself somewhat knowledgeable about musicians and artists, but I don't know how Nile Rogers slipped by and me not knowing that he wrote a lot of songs for _other_ artists. Thank you Mark for sharing your knowledge ❗
Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards = unrecognized architects of 80s pop. Madonna, Duran Duran, Diana Ross, Robert Palmer, INXS, David Bowie, the list is endless.
It's great to hear a famous person in any field, give credit to the less and unknown people often doing the hardest tasks behind the scenes, like the engineer on Let's Dance, who are essential in making shit happen. Nile Rogers tops it off by giving thanks to all that payed enough attention to realize his talent, utilize it, and give him the opportunity to solidify his place on the map. They made a very wise choice.
@Slack...Totally hit the nail on the head. He totally rewrote the fucken song and made it a hit. There is no comparison between what Bowie played and Rodgers version.
I love Nile Rodgers! From his Chic days to his production days. The thing I love more than his music, is that he is a teacher. He opens up his process for all to see.
"Everything was done with passion and from the heart". That's the way it should be! This man has a beautiful soul, and we're lucky to get to witness Nile's talents.
2:24 is when the song became something worth checking out. Bowie shoulda called Nile into the spotlight to play what is really HIS song. What a master musician!
His impression of Bowie’s original version reminds me of “Heroes”. His 2nd verion reminds me of Maxine Nightingale’s dance hit “Right Back Where We Started From”. His next iteration sounds incredible.
Nile is up there with all the greats and he keeps on staying up to date with music. ‘Loose yourself to dance’ is a good example of that. I can listen to that riff all day long! And he seems like a down to earth guy he would definitely be a “if you could invite anyone to a dinner party” guest of mine
MrBruinman86.... how could a "fan" of both of them not know they worked together on Let's Dance? Simple. You aren't a fan, you just bought the record....maybe.
That’s an instant classic in my collection of favorite stories behind the music! Now I have to go listen to Let’s Dance for the 597th lifetime count! 🎸👍🏾
Adrian Fell David Bowie had many seasoned musicians saying “what? You want me to play that? Ok” but, as I️t all came together, I️t was even something they were shocked to hear..I️t was completely NOT standard but I️t was AMAZING..So many that worked with him initially thought he was crazy..then realized he was crazy genius! And ahead of so many..Truly just one of a kind..
As much as I am a stone-cold Bowie fan, "Let's Dance" is basically Nile's song, (from a musical and not lyrical sense). Nile has what so few few musicians have and that's a death grip on music theory. But it's only in the break that you can tell it's Bowie's composition. Props to Bowie for recognizing and synthesizing soul (he called his music "plastic soul"... *plastic in the true sense of the word, able to be synthesized* ) and his uncanny knack to surround himself with the best personnel around to achieve his vision. There's nothing wrong with this...all art builds on what comes before, there's no creation in a vacuum. What "came before" was Nile's solid reputation as a funk master. The result, the synthesis was "Let's Dance".
@@electrix6751 I love Stevie Ray's contribution to the song, but it's a bit of a stretch to say that his solo is what made it a hit. As Rogers makes clear in this video, it was a collaborative effort between Bowie, Rogers, Bob Clearmountain (the engineer), Stevie Ray, and others. Nobody gets sole credit for making it a hit.
If you watch Bowie do Let's Dance live at Glastonbury (2000) you can see just how much it really was his sing. Bowie had an incredible ability to be curious about anything relating to performance and music. It meant he had a knack for going along with a better idea and bringing it together to create something special. I don't take anything away from Nile though - his credits on so many different artists music, and his own, make him someone that I sit up and take notice of when I hear he is/was involved. I can be sure it's going to be enjoyable. Cooler than Cool.
I'm thrilled he mentioned working with INXS. Nile produced most of The Swing. I bought that album when it was released and I was addicted to it and it will always be one of my 3 albums I would take on a deserted island.
I love these stories we all listen to music and love it but have no idea about its origins and how many ppl come together to create the music we know and love . great story xx
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[46] David Bowie - lead vocals; producer; engineer; assistant mixing; horn arrangements Nile Rodgers - guitar; producer; engineer; assistant mixing; horn arrangements musicians Stevie Ray Vaughan - lead guitar Carmine Rojas - bass guitar Bernard Edwards - bass guitar on "Without You" Omar Hakim, Tony Thompson - drums Sammy Figueroa - percussion Robert Sabino - keyboards, piano Stan Harrison - tenor saxophone; flute Robert Aaron - tenor saxophone Steve Elson - baritone saxophone; flute Mac Gollehon - trumpet Frank Simms, George Simms, David Spinner - backing vocals
I grew up loving Nile Rogers' style, with huge collaborations with Diana Ross, Chic, Sister Sledge to name a few. His music transcends the races and age groups. Just pure brilliance.
thanks very much for sharing this superb video... imho this is a very special glimpse into the petri dish of the crafting of an iconic musical piece.... they do not no the result until they hear it evolve within their samplings around where they feel the song should go... they move the notes, chords, and scale each a little here and there, separately and sometime in unison... until they just feel it is right! I am always in total awe of the creative process of artists...
Just two sleeps before seeing Nile and Chic at the Royal Festival Hall!Just 46 YEARS since seeing Bowie for the first time at Guildford Civic Hall. #RIP Ziggy(played guitar)
Nile, sir, you are a sweetheart of a guy. You have superb stories to tell. You were great on TV on "that Monday". This is awesome. Loved your China Girl story too. You work hard. My salute. So much affection for Bowie from you and Garson.
SebaChannel producers and arrangers don't get near the credit the deserve. There is a producer named Mutt Lange who literally had the Midus Touch. He produced Acdc Back in Black, Def Leopard Hysteria and Shania Twain Come On Over. All 3 were smash hits.
Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards gave us the magic… I miss that magic Nile... I know life goes on for all of us living here in this little world. Just do your thing.. Magic in respect for yourself and Bernard!
Incredible hearing Nile Rodgers ream off the artists with which he would blow to smithereens our now richer little rocky world, after conjuring the hook for the title track of the Late Great David Bowie's seminal "Let's Dance" from a mere hint of an inkling to FULLY COMPLETE RECORDED MASTERED ALBUM IN 17 DAYS?!? Are you freakin kidding me, of course that's why @4:32 his "...career got a big boost." LMAO! His "string of really cool records" reads like a top forty countdown of my life at 14years old in 1985 INXS "Original SIn", Duran Duran's "The Reflex" "Wild Boys" "Arena" "Notorious", Madonna's "Like A Virgin", Robert Plant's "The Honeydrippers" David Lee Roth. Wow, what a Legend!!
It's actually not as hard as you think when you have teams of people. These days, every kid is used to doing everything himself in garage band so it takes years but I do a lot of session work with some big producers from the 80s and they love to talk about how they spit out entire albums back then like water because the major label budgets could afford teams of people. And not just teams, but people who were phenomenal at their jobs, so no time is wasted. I've heard stories about songwriters writing the stuff, handing it off to the producers who had engineers setting up the recording sessions. The session musicians playing the stuff, the engineers recording it, then handing it off to the mixers to mix it. While all this is going on, the songwriters are writing the next song. By the time they hand off the song to mix, the songwriters are done with the second song. and the process starts over again. A lot of dance music in the early 80s that were hits were done like this. An entire album of dance stuff was done in 2-3 days and then they'd bring in the artists and the rest of the week or so was spent with her learning her parts and and recording her vocal tracks. It's a great way to work but sadly the economics of today can't afford it.
Haha! What a great story Nile!! LOVE this song! R.I.Paradise David Bowie. God Bless you and Thank you from the bottom of my heart for so many fantastic, kick ass songs!!!
Saw Nile Rogers jamming real hard jazz in a New York Bar. Absolutely brilliant player. Fluid, Rhythmic, Melodic, inventive. One of the best nights of improvised live Music I have heard.
My favorite David Bowie song ever. I'm grateful Nile Rodgers made his mark in my favorite Bowie song AND my favorite Duran Duran song. To me, Nile Rodgers is the king of guitar funk. He rocks!
Just like David Bowie and Stevie Ray, Nile is an absolute genius. Fantastic to hear him explain how that classic track came to be!
99.9% of people would have no idea if they saw this guy on the street that he brought us SO many hits songs of the 80's and 90's.
Too many to list really.
So many hits for so many artists!
Nile is the hidden talent behind so many....
I have considered myself somewhat knowledgeable about musicians and artists, but I don't know how Nile Rogers slipped by and me not knowing that he wrote a lot of songs for _other_ artists. Thank you Mark for sharing your knowledge ❗
Rodgers has always been so underrated except to a few who knew his talents. He's just a friggin' genius.
Yes, the guy known throughout the music industry as the Hitmaker is definitely not getting the recognition he deserves.
What a load of old tosh. Underrated my arse.
He's a producer.
Underrated ? For you ? sleep further. Steve , under your stone. 😝😝😝😝😝
Love Nile's humor undertone he had with Bowie...... such a life changing meeting, to create a lifestyle changing SONG🎵 ....❤❤
Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards = unrecognized architects of 80s pop. Madonna, Duran Duran, Diana Ross, Robert Palmer, INXS, David Bowie, the list is endless.
fact. it sounds almost like the disco kings revenge from the 70s motto disco suxxs
It's great to hear a famous person in any field, give credit to the less and unknown people often doing the hardest tasks behind the scenes, like the engineer on Let's Dance, who are essential in making shit happen. Nile Rogers tops it off by giving thanks to all that payed enough attention to realize his talent, utilize it, and give him the opportunity to solidify his place on the map. They made a very wise choice.
Wow, this was almost as nice as listening to this emblematic song itself. He's a natural story teller.
One of my favorite guitarists of all time.
For real
And so much music theory behind it. He KNOWS theory!!
The notes jump off of his guitar and make you want to move no matter the song.
One of the best for sure
I agree
Nile Rogers is such an interesting person. I love listening him talk about his creative processes.
without Nile Rodgers so many songs just wouldnt have been the same.
I know right? I wish I was as cool as Nile Rodgers........
Don't forget Bernard Edwards!
Slack. Can you imagine ! Niles Rodgers on rythm and SRV in lead.
Without Niles songs wouldn't exist
@Slack...Totally hit the nail on the head. He totally rewrote the fucken song and made it a hit. There is no comparison between what Bowie played and Rodgers version.
I love Nile Rodgers! From his Chic days to his production days. The thing I love more than his music, is that he is a teacher. He opens up his process for all to see.
RIP David, forever loved, forever missed. But so happy Nile seems to have won his own cancer battle. Amazing man.
"Everything was done with passion and from the heart". That's the way it should be!
This man has a beautiful soul, and we're lucky to get to witness Nile's talents.
Nile Rodgers is a national asset and a loving human.
It’s so cool and amazing how he embraces the weird and finds beauty
Nile is such a talented musician. I love hearing his anecdotes too, they always make me smile.
I could listen to all his stories. He basically helped shape our music culture. ✌
This guy was the guru behind most of the music that was ever worth listening to. So many sounds so many genres. Amazing song writer
Nile Rodgers is the man who gives eternal life to music, which without his contribution would go unnoticed, like millions.
I could watch Nile play for hours. So damn funky.
With pretty simple cords his signature sound , he is one of the great producers of our time
That is one of my favorite behind the scenes stories EVER ! Thanks for posting
2:24 is when the song became something worth checking out. Bowie shoulda called Nile into the spotlight to play what is really HIS song. What a master musician!
NR plays rhythm like no one else. Le Freak riff is hands down one of the best ever.
His impression of Bowie’s original version reminds me of “Heroes”. His 2nd verion reminds me of Maxine Nightingale’s dance hit “Right Back Where We Started From”. His next iteration sounds incredible.
jesus...stories like this make me miss bowie even more...
Me too
fuck bowie. it's Nile thats the genius.
+Caroline Tewley-Forth fuck you
+Caroline Tewley-Forth Leave the normal and not insulting about an artist and return to the swamp.
Clearly they were both geniuses.
Niles Rodgers was the sound of early 80's pop music. You couldn't turn on a radio for 20 minutes without hearing one of his songs.
But I never knew it back then. Now I can think of some songs and wonder if Nile Rogers had something to do with them.
Him and Trevor Horn were the secret weapons of music production for the 80s.
He was the sound of the late 70's too. Chic was all over the radio.
@@dusygibbons Yep!
Nile is up there with all the greats and he keeps on staying up to date with music. ‘Loose yourself to dance’ is a good example of that. I can listen to that riff all day long! And he seems like a down to earth guy he would definitely be a “if you could invite anyone to a dinner party” guest of mine
Rodgers is a great storyteller! I can listen to his anecdotes all night.
Been a fan of Rogers and Bowie for many decades and never knew Lets Dance was a collaboration between the two. Great story. RIP David. So Bummed.
MrBruinman86 Stevie Ray Vaughan did the solo work on this in the studio on the album
MrBruinman86.... how could a "fan" of both of them not know they worked together on Let's Dance? Simple. You aren't a fan, you just bought the record....maybe.
@@tc1817 Jepp, I thought it was obvious that Nile Rodgers is on the guitar on Let´s dance. Everybody must hear it and recognize his beautiful style.
@@tc1817 Stop with the gatekeeping
@@fuckinrobbie what are you yapping about?
Still one of the coolest songs on this planet…period
Niles is the SOUL behind all the music I love...I’m finding out. What a connection!
That’s an instant classic in my collection of favorite stories behind the music! Now I have to go listen to Let’s Dance for the 597th lifetime count! 🎸👍🏾
Bowie & Nile Rodgers combine to create an impossible vortex of cool that sucks the whole world in. In a good way.
Adrian Fell amen to that!
Adrian Fell David Bowie had many seasoned musicians saying “what? You want me to play that? Ok” but, as I️t all came together, I️t was even something they were shocked to hear..I️t was completely NOT standard but I️t was AMAZING..So many that worked with him initially thought he was crazy..then realized he was crazy genius! And ahead of so many..Truly just one of a kind..
It was also cool to have Stevie Ray Vaughn play a guitar solo too.
Its amazing how musicians instantly know when they have a hit.
This guy is a genuine genius.
As much as I am a stone-cold Bowie fan, "Let's Dance" is basically Nile's song, (from a musical and not lyrical sense). Nile has what so few few musicians have and that's a death grip on music theory. But it's only in the break that you can tell it's Bowie's composition. Props to Bowie for recognizing and synthesizing soul (he called his music "plastic soul"... *plastic in the true sense of the word, able to be synthesized* ) and his uncanny knack to surround himself with the best personnel around to achieve his vision. There's nothing wrong with this...all art builds on what comes before, there's no creation in a vacuum. What "came before" was Nile's solid reputation as a funk master. The result, the synthesis was "Let's Dance".
+Gregory Prusak Stevie Ray Vaughan's guitar solo is what made that song the hit it was.
@@electrix6751 I love Stevie Ray's contribution to the song, but it's a bit of a stretch to say that his solo is what made it a hit. As Rogers makes clear in this video, it was a collaborative effort between Bowie, Rogers, Bob Clearmountain (the engineer), Stevie Ray, and others. Nobody gets sole credit for making it a hit.
It’s interesting that Bowie gets sole songwriting credit. The uniqueness of those chords Nile came up with added so much.
Bowie gave Carlos Alomar a songwriting credit on Fame
If you watch Bowie do Let's Dance live at Glastonbury (2000) you can see just how much it really was his sing. Bowie had an incredible ability to be curious about anything relating to performance and music. It meant he had a knack for going along with a better idea and bringing it together to create something special. I don't take anything away from Nile though - his credits on so many different artists music, and his own, make him someone that I sit up and take notice of when I hear he is/was involved. I can be sure it's going to be enjoyable. Cooler than Cool.
I've watched this 100 times, Nile Rodgers is my favorite guitarist on the planet! :)
I'm thrilled he mentioned working with INXS.
Nile produced most of The Swing. I bought that album when it was released and I was addicted to it and it will always be one of my 3 albums I would take on a deserted island.
Love them all. I miss Bowie SO much. 🙏🏻💜🕊
I love this man so much and Bowie was my all time favorite artist ever. Thanks for sharing this with us fans. oxox
Living legend talking about an incredibly missed legend.
This is such a remarkable story. And I think that record is a brilliant creation
I love these stories we all listen to music and love it but have no idea about its origins and how many ppl come together to create the music we know and love . great story xx
I come back to this every so often just to watch Nile play guitar.
RIP David :(
Love you Nile. Thank you for all the memories.
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[46]
David Bowie - lead vocals; producer; engineer; assistant mixing; horn arrangements
Nile Rodgers - guitar; producer; engineer; assistant mixing; horn arrangements
musicians
Stevie Ray Vaughan - lead guitar
Carmine Rojas - bass guitar
Bernard Edwards - bass guitar on "Without You"
Omar Hakim, Tony Thompson - drums
Sammy Figueroa - percussion
Robert Sabino - keyboards, piano
Stan Harrison - tenor saxophone; flute
Robert Aaron - tenor saxophone
Steve Elson - baritone saxophone; flute
Mac Gollehon - trumpet
Frank Simms, George Simms, David Spinner - backing vocals
I am so amazed Nile is so humble, good for him!
Just in awe of so much talent and modesty! Great guy, fantastic to hear the story behing Let's Dance. Cool people, cool track
RIP David Bowe, you will be missed. Another great legend gone :(
Rodgers is a genius, deserve to be here in Montreux this summer.
I grew up loving Nile Rogers' style, with huge collaborations with Diana Ross, Chic, Sister Sledge to name a few. His music transcends the races and age groups. Just pure brilliance.
thanks very much for sharing this superb video... imho this is a very special glimpse into the petri dish of the crafting of an iconic musical piece.... they do not no the result until they hear it evolve within their samplings around where they feel the song should go... they move the notes, chords, and scale each a little here and there, separately and sometime in unison... until they just feel it is right! I am always in total awe of the creative process of artists...
R.I.P. Stevie Ray Vaughan...
Most people probably won't understand why you're posting that here, but that's okay.
Augustus Betucius because steve ray vaughan play on the album.
I am aware of that. But most people aren't aware of that fact. That was my point.
Augustus Betucius Oh you are such a wise man who knows things no one else knows, you are soo bright...fuck you asswipe.
@Cody Alexander he played on the whole Let's dance album
Just two sleeps before seeing Nile and Chic at the Royal Festival Hall!Just 46 YEARS since seeing Bowie for the first time at Guildford Civic Hall. #RIP Ziggy(played guitar)
Went to see him in Scarborough in the UK outdoors. It was a summers evening, the sun came out. It was magic. He is so talented.
love this man... great player
Two geniuses collaborating to bring us music that will stand the test of time. Peaceful journey to you Ziggy
Thanks so much, Lindsey, for sharing this special moment!!
Such an awesome player and producer. Always looked to Nile for new ideas and inspiration.
I bow to you in joy Nile! Thanks for the music bro!
Nile, sir, you are a sweetheart of a guy. You have superb stories to tell. You were great on TV on "that Monday". This is awesome. Loved your China Girl story too. You work hard. My salute. So much affection for Bowie from you and Garson.
so nile just turn into gold everything that he touches
SebaChannel producers and arrangers don't get near the credit the deserve. There is a producer named Mutt Lange who literally had the Midus Touch. He produced Acdc Back in Black, Def Leopard Hysteria and Shania Twain Come On Over. All 3 were smash hits.
Except Jeff Becks Flash album. Regarded as Beck's worst.
Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards gave us the magic… I miss that magic Nile... I know life goes on for all of us living here in this little world. Just do your thing.. Magic in respect for yourself and Bernard!
I loved watching this "Behind the scenes" story !
This guy is a legend ! Nile rocks !
Incredible hearing Nile Rodgers ream off the artists with which he would blow to smithereens our now richer little rocky world, after conjuring the hook for the title track of the Late Great David Bowie's seminal "Let's Dance" from a mere hint of an inkling to FULLY COMPLETE RECORDED MASTERED ALBUM IN 17 DAYS?!? Are you freakin kidding me, of course that's why @4:32 his "...career got a big boost." LMAO! His "string of really cool records" reads like a top forty countdown of my life at 14years old in 1985 INXS "Original SIn", Duran Duran's "The Reflex" "Wild Boys" "Arena" "Notorious", Madonna's "Like A Virgin", Robert Plant's "The Honeydrippers" David Lee Roth.
Wow, what a Legend!!
the list is a mile long but the I also loved his riffs on daft punk's "lose yourself to dance" :)
+Aaron Phillips His list is a "Nile" long ;)
+Aaron Phillips My favorite track with Nile's on RAM is Give Life Back to Music.
+sixwhip14 I will definitely check it out! Thanks!
It's actually not as hard as you think when you have teams of people. These days, every kid is used to doing everything himself in garage band so it takes years but I do a lot of session work with some big producers from the 80s and they love to talk about how they spit out entire albums back then like water because the major label budgets could afford teams of people. And not just teams, but people who were phenomenal at their jobs, so no time is wasted.
I've heard stories about songwriters writing the stuff, handing it off to the producers who had engineers setting up the recording sessions. The session musicians playing the stuff, the engineers recording it, then handing it off to the mixers to mix it. While all this is going on, the songwriters are writing the next song. By the time they hand off the song to mix, the songwriters are done with the second song. and the process starts over again.
A lot of dance music in the early 80s that were hits were done like this. An entire album of dance stuff was done in 2-3 days and then they'd bring in the artists and the rest of the week or so was spent with her learning her parts and and recording her vocal tracks.
It's a great way to work but sadly the economics of today can't afford it.
Wow Nile helped David to make Lets dance A hit!! big friends Nile and David at that time respect!
Great clip. thanks
Haha! What a great story Nile!! LOVE this song! R.I.Paradise David Bowie. God Bless you and Thank you from the bottom of my heart for so many fantastic, kick ass songs!!!
I can listen to Nile talking about music all day long.
Thank you Lyndsey Parker for sharing this video of Nile Rodgers. It means a lot to me. :)
The record is just so cool. Bowie + Nile + SRV = bluesy-disco awesomeness
After this interview I love David even more
This was an unexpected treat. I feel ashamed for not knowing anything about Nile Rodgers. I'll have to correct that.
You will be amazed . 🙂
One of the coolest rhythm guitarists ever.
Chad Long. Him and SRV on the same track. Killer ! Just Killer!
Saw Nile Rogers jamming real hard jazz in a New York Bar. Absolutely brilliant player. Fluid, Rhythmic, Melodic, inventive. One of the best nights of improvised live Music I have heard.
Nile Rodgers is my spirit animal
amazing story Nile! You are the man
I got to meet him at the Verizon theater in Grand Prairie Texas. Super nice and extremely talented gentlemen.
could listen to these type of stories all night...
Talented guitarist and somehow music just flows naturally from this guy. I mean its like music was invented for him to exist.
Two enormous artists
The first Album I desperately wanted as a kid
Nile is the type of guy that you want to have a big dinner with, and just listen to his stories all night.
Your food will get cold because you won't be touching it.
that is such a cool story. the creative process is so fascinating. r.i.p. david & thanx niles 4 sharing.
THANK YOU FOR THIS POST!! The HISTORY behind the songs is very enlightening!
Amazing man and composer, all round good guy
Really great song, I just wish the late SRV got more time on it!
This is cool! Very talented and enjoyable musician to listen to!
Nile Rodgers = Living Legend !!.
I can just listen to back stories to songs for the whole weekend.
That man does more with 4 chords and a strat than any musician who's ever lived.
Matt Dickey nope
David gilmour
More..More...
wouldn't go as far lmao
This video never gets old
This dude up there with the greatest composers of all time
Hugely talented and very inspiring man... Well, actually both of them :)
All The Great Artist are leaving us with some of this best remembered Licks, and Riffs and songs , wow Bowie see you on the other side ....
It is so cool to be that creative, to make something out of nothing that will last forever and move millions of people.
My favorite David Bowie song ever. I'm grateful Nile Rodgers made his mark in my favorite Bowie song AND my favorite Duran Duran song. To me, Nile Rodgers is the king of guitar funk. He rocks!
Lon Tanner. That be true. Mon frere !
Much respect for Nile Rodgers and David Bowie.