Disco Delivery #58: Nile Rodgers - Adventures In The Land Of The Good Groove (1983, Mirage/Atlantic)

Nile Rodgers - Yum-Yum
Nile Rodgers - Beet
Nile Rodgers - Rock Bottom
Nile Rodgers - My Love Song For You (with Sarah Dash)
Nile Rodgers - Yum-Yum (12'' Version)

Just a note to begin: Halfway through this, I realized that: 1. This album will (finally!) be reissued on CD on the 21st of this month, so I'm only putting up a few of the songs and 2. I had accidentally saved my mp3s in 128 kbps, and didn't back them up (due to #1, since I'd ordinarily burn them to CD), so my apologies to those who care about bit rates and all. Anyway due to all that, this'll be a somewhat limited disco delivery installment, as far as songs go..

Released between Chic albums in 1983, on former Atlantic Records President Jerry Greenberg's Mirage label, a company which released many a post-disco dance classic in the early 80's; out of all the solo albums that Nile & Bernard did, I'd have to say this one is my absolute favourite. Perhaps because out of all of them, this one's the closest to the Chic sound of the time; after all, aside from Nile of course and notable outside guests like Sarah Dash and Rachel Sweet, Chic colleagues Bernard Edwards and Tony Thompson both appear on the album along with other Chic regulars like Rob Sabino, Raymond Jones and Fonzi Thornton.

That being said however, "..Land Of The Good Groove" is definitely more than just a Chic album under a different name. Aside from the fact that Nile himself took sole writing credit on all of the songs and takes on the bulk of the musical credits, there's a looseness to the groove on here, a playful eclecticism and sense of humour that not only echoes elements of the Chic sound, but drops hints at New Wave, Rock and straight-ahead pop in a way that none of the Chic albums of the time really did.

For one thing, It's probably highly unlikely that Nile himself, or any of them would have been able to get away with such odes to pussy as "Yum-Yum" and "Get Her Crazy" on a Chic album, particularly the former which contains what has to be some of Nile's most infamous lyrics: "poontang, poontang, where you want it..slept all night with my hands on it.. gimme some of that yum-yum before I sleep tonight..." I suppose it was lines like those which led The Trouser Press to remark that "Nile proves he can make a fair-to-middling one-man Chic (no mean feat), but a visionary he's not - unless you define vision as smug sexism" going on to describe "Yum-Yum" as "the album's most offensive meditation on the desirability of 'poontang'."

While on paper, it may seem to veer into the edge of Rick James territory, both tracks have an almost juvenile, cutesy, playful quality to them that makes up the difference. I suppose recording the intro in a schoolyard and getting Rachel Sweet to chime in (check the end of "Get Her Crazy") probably didn't hurt, since no matter how many times he says 'poontang,' "Yum-Yum," in all it's jingliness still ends up sounding less "Super Freak" and more nursery rhyme than anything else.

While I'm not sure if Bernard's even in the song (he was probably replaced by a synth), between a lyric like that and Nile's inimitable choppy guitar stylings as the centrepiece, the groove actually ends up sitting alongside even some of Chic's better efforts at the time.. The 12'' version is unfortunately not centered so much around Nile's guitar, being only slightly longer and a bit more synth-heavy than the album version, but still entirely worth it just for the solo after the four minute mark.

Continuing with the playful theme, "Beet," appropriately anchored by Tony Thompson's rhythmic precision, is another favourite of mine on here. Described in Rolling Stone's album review as "a sparse dance-and-roll" number, it can probably be divided in two parts; the first being a perky call-and-response ditty extolling the virtues of 'the beat' with some rather amusing lyrics "..the beat can make policemen dance (no ticket! no ticket! no..) and boy they're wicked when they dance (no ticket! no ticket! no..).." with the second half, barring the occasional filler vocal, being an instrumental which Nile and Tony largely get to themselves.

On Side Two, the second track, "Rock Bottom," would probably be my candidate for the best song on the album, or at least the one which the best guitar work. Opening with and never letting go of one of the more devastating, infectious guitar licks Nile must have had at the time (imagine the possiblities, had it been saved for a Chic record), it's probably the catchiest song to ever have a refrain with the lyrics "I've hit rock bottom." Best of all, of all the songs on the album, Bernard's buoyant basslines get an ample spotlight on this track, rising to the top of the mix by the second half of the song, right alongside Nile's rock guitar tangents.

Much less treacly than the title makes it seem, the lone ballad on the album "My Love Song For You" is another highlight on the album. Sarah Dash duets with Nile on this one, and her angelic voice (along with the airy production on the background harmonies) pretty much makes this song, in what must be one of her finest post-Labelle moments. While Chic's approach in the studio, their stressing of spontenaity may have left some of their ballads sounding like lagging afterthoughts at times, they definitely did get better with time, in my opinion. This one, capturing a sweetness and sincerity that ranks up there with the finest of Chic's balladry (see "You Can't Do It Alone"), makes this song in particular, feel like the best ballad Chic never recorded.

Music aside, the pig-latinized map of Manhattan on the album cover by illustrator Robert Van Nutt (whose evidently become a fairly prolific illustrator of children's books) is one of my favourite things about the album. One of those things best admired in it's full 12'' glory; some of the placements on the map, namely New Jersey (Nova Joysea) and Brooklyn (Terra Incognita) are good for a little chuckle..

Although overshadowed by Chic and David Bowie's "Let's Dance" which Nile had produced, evidently Bowie himself thought quite highly of the album. In his book, "Everybody Dance: Chic & The Politics of Disco", Daryl Easlea relates a quote from Nile on how this album basically led to Nile's Bowie collaboration.

...what cinched the deal for Bowie was Rodgers' own recorded work, especially his first newly-finished solo album; "I think that must have come from him meeting me that first night. Him feeling my spirit and energy - and then I played my solo record for him, which is what sealed the deal. I played him 'Adventures In The Land Of The Good Groove.' I'll never forget it, he was in my apartment and he said to me after it had finished playing 'if you do for me a record half as good as that, I will be very happy."

In reading the comments from Rob Sabino and Tony Thompson in Daryl Easlea's book, the clash between Nile's thirst for the cutting edge (ie. the use of drum machines) and Bernard Edwards' more traditionalist approach was apparently one of the main irritants within Chic at the time. It's probably why on this album, free of some of the tensions within the fold, that the marriage between the well-honed Chic rhythm section and the additional synthesized elements sounds and feels much more comfortable on here (the title track on here being a prime example) than it did on even Chic's "Believer" (1983, Atlantic) LP, which followed in the same year. Out of all the records he was involved with at the time, this album is perhaps the one record which manages to occupy the perfect middle-ground between Nile Rodgers of Chic and Nile Rodgers the 1980's super-producer, capturing the best of both - the essential simplicity of the Chic sound, at the same time highlighting his own individual style in a way that was eclectic without being excessive.

Although even the high points of Chic's 1980's output continue to be relatively underrated, this album is perhaps one of the most. Evidently not one of the more well-known (or at least well-acknowledged) Chic-associated efforts, in fact it's the only one out of the Chic solo albums that hasn't (at least until now) seen a CD release, "Adventures.." still remains one of the hidden jewels in Chic's associated output.

A note about the reissue: The small reissue label Funky Town Grooves is set to reissue this album on CD January 21st, with the 12'' versions of "The Land Of The Good Groove" (which I didn't even know existed) and "Yum-Yum" to be added as bonus tracks. Aside from some of the other Mirage Records releases that Funky Town Grooves has reissued on CD lately, in other Chic-related news, Funky Town Grooves is also set to release (also on January 21st) a Mirage Records compilation, entitled the "Mirage Records Soul & Funk Collection, Vol. 1" which is set to include the highly sought-after 12" version of Carly Simon's Chic-produced single "Why." According to a posting on the discomusic.com forums by one of their representatives, noted remixer John Morales will be mastering both the Nile Rodgers reissue and the Mirage compilation.

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
FIREST WE SHAKE, THEN WE BREAK.. (SATURDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2008)
CHIC & JOHNNY MATHIS COLLABORATIONS TO FINALLY BE RELEASED? (TUESDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2008)
UPCOMING SISTER SLEDGE REISSUES (FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 2007)
BBC RADIO 2 - THE RECORD PRODUCERS: NILE RODGERS (SATURDAY JANUARY 6, 2007)
UPCOMING REISSUES & RELEASES (CHIC AND MORE!): (DECEMBER 1, 2006 - JANUARY 22, 2007) (SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2006)
UPCOMING REISSUES & RELEASES (APRIL 25 - MAY 30) (FRIDAY APRIL 21, 2006)
DISCO DELIVERY #2: NORMA JEAN WRIGHT - NORMA JEAN (1978, BEARSVILLE) (SATURDAY JANUARY 14, 2006)

PURCHASE:
NILE RODGERS - ADVENTURES IN THE LAND OF THE GOOD GROOVE (CD)
FUNKY TOWN GROOVES

LINKS:
THE GUARDIAN - MUSIC: THE GREATEST ALBUMS YOU'VE NEVER HEARD (FRIDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2006)
NILE RODGERS - ADVENTURES IN THE LAND OF THE GOOD GROOVE LP (REVIEW) @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE
NILE RODGERS - ADVENTURES IN THE LAND OF THE GOOD GROOVE LP (REVIEW) @ ROBERT CHRISTGAU
NILE RODGERS - ADVENTURES IN THE LAND OF THE GOOD GROOVE LP @ DISCOMUSIC.COM
NILE RODGERS - ADVENTURES IN THE LAND OF THE GOOD GROOVE LP @ DISCOGS
NILE RODGERS - ADVENTURES IN THE LAND OF THE GOOD GROOVE LP @ CHIC TRIBUTE
TROUSER PRESS - NILE RODGERS
STRANGE MAPS: 344 - ADVENTURES IN THE LAND OF THE GOOD GROOVE (DECEMBER 11, 2008)

CATEGORIES: DISCO DELIVERIES, REISSUES & RELEASES, DISCO NEWS

First we shake, then we break..

 

Listen:
Chic - Hangin' (1982, Atlantic)

 

While we're on the subject of Chic, I thought I might as well post the audio and video for "Hangin' " which I've always thought was one of the best singles from their latter period in the 1980's. Although I'd say "Take It Off" (1981, Atlantic) was Chic's best album of the 80's, I always thought this song and the "Tongue In Chic" (1982, Atlantic) album which it came from really showed them hitting their stride with their updated sound.. With a killer hook, horns centre stage and the cool, yet lively vocals from Bernard and the ladies; with Chic giving off just a little more 'street' and still maintaing their dance-appeal, this is definitely Chic at their funkiest. If I had my way, this would have been to the early 80's what "Le Freak" was to the late 70's.

As far as the video goes, I never in a million years expected to find one, but one day while poking around on YouTube, there it was.

Chic - Hangin'
Uploaded by PaulJD2006
Posted by the video's director himself, New York filmmaker and Emmy Award winning editor Paul Dougherty, the video is as much of a gem as the song is. With the Chic guys playing DJ, Luci and Alfa looking fly on the dancefloor, along with kids, club scenes, art groupies, and a little requisite pop-locking; it feels like a time capsule of New York and of Chic themselves in the early 80's. Director Paul Dougherty elaborates on the video in the directors notes from his YouTube page:

Though a little overwhelmed by this gig, I'm proud and lucky to have featured an early incarnation of hip-hop in this November 1982 production. I might add to this description but for now I'll just say that I met some of the players in the cast at New York's Fun Gallery. This scene was a hotbed of graffiti and hip-hop and because it was in the East Village, there was a lot a crossover, art meets the street, etc. There I met the guy I cast as the messenger, the legendary Kano and his young pal "On" aka On-ski (doing the ET dance in the tan outfit and ski hat). Also noteworthy is the disco setting which was the storied Roxy (roller-rink & disco) where c/o the nights that Kool Lady Blue organized there, white folks got some of their earliest exposure to hip-hop Chic was a pleasure to work with. I wish I could have hit one out of the park for them on this video but at least it's a fun time capsule that further ties them to the hip-hop sound they helped invent..

Whatever his reservations, as it is, this looks like one of the best visual documents of Chic's classic lineup out there, in one of the more overlooked phases of their career, no less. Aside from this video, Dougherty had directed or edited videos for the likes of Public Image Limited, Afrika Bambaataa, Whodini and The Beastie Boys, some of whch are listed on his YouTube playlists as well as his own website. Like Dougherty had alluded to at the end of his directors notes, this is one of those songs (and videos) in Chic's catalogue which perfectly situated them in between their disco heritage and the hip-hop movement which they, in part, had influenced. One of their underrated classics, in my opinion. In a little bit of side trivia: "Hangin'" was also covered in 1990 by the 'other guy' in Wham!, Andrew Ridgeley for his first and only solo album, "Son Of Albert" (1990, Epic), which I haven't heard, though I'm not expecting much. To add one more video treat before I finish off this post, evidently there was also a video for "Give Me The Lovin," one of the singles from their final album of the 80's (and witht heir classic lineup), Believer" (1983, Atlantic). Looking at this video, it seems obvious that the end was near, since Chic themselves aren't even in this one, having been stood-in for by a bunch of kids playing dress-up. One of the comments on YouTube suggests that the kids were a bit of a trend at the time, though given the waning status of the group, a fairly convenient one, it seems. That aside, still a cute little video.



Chic - Give Me The Lovin'
Uploaded by TheRedCarChannel

PURCHASE:

CHIC - REAL PEOPLE/TONGUE IN CHIC CD
AMAZON.COM | AMAZON.CO.UK | DUSTY GROOVE | CD UNIVERSE

CHIC - BELIEVER CD
AMAZON.COM | AMAZON.CO.UK | CD UNIVERSE

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
CHIC & JOHNNY MATHIS COLLABORATIONS TO FINALLY BE RELEASED? (TUESDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2008)
UPCOMING SISTER SLEDGE REISSUES (FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 2007)
BBC RADIO 2 - THE RECORD PRODUCERS: NILE RODGERS (SATURDAY JANUARY 6, 2007)
UPCOMING REISSUES & RELEASES (CHIC AND MORE!): (DECEMBER 1, 2006 - JANUARY 22, 2007) (SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2006)
UPCOMING REISSUES & RELEASES (APRIL 25 - MAY 30) (FRIDAY APRIL 21, 2006)
DISCO DELIVERY #2: NORMA JEAN WRIGHT - NORMA JEAN (1978, BEARSVILLE) (SATURDAY JANUARY 14, 2006)

LINKS:
CHIC TRIBUTE
CHIC @ DISCOGS
CHIC - REAL PEOPLE/TONGUE IN CHIC CD REVIEW @ DISCOMUSIC.COM
ALL MUSIC GUIDE: CHIC - TONGUE IN CHIC (REVIEW)
ALL MUSIC GUIDE: CHIC - BELIEVER (REVIEW)
PAUL DOUGHERTY - TV NOOK
PAUL DOUGHERTY ON YOUTUBE
ROXY NYC @ WIKIPEDIA
THE ROXY, NYC @ DISCOMUSIC.COM
THE ROXY, NEW YORK @ HISTORY IS MADE AT NIGHT

CATEGORIES: MINI DELIVERIES, VISUAL DISCO

Chic & Johnny Mathis collaborations to finally be released?

Updated 02/03/09

Those familiar with Chic and Nile and Bernard's more obscure productions are likely familiar with the unreleased album they had produced for Johnny Mathis in 1981, entitled "I Love My Lady." Even moreso than the reported Aretha Franklin sessions, which it seems were aborted even before they had began, this album, apparently an actual finished project, has become the undisputed holy grail of Chic Organization productions. Given that people in the Chic camp like Rob Sabino, the late Tony Thompson and Nile Rodgers himself have undyingly vouched for it's excellence, no one seems to have an official explanation as to why it continues to remain unreleased. It's been suspected that Chic's production was a much too radical change in direction for Mathis. In Daryl Easlea's excellent book, "Everybody Dance: Chic & The Politics of Disco," there are a few pages dedicated to the unreleased Mathis album. At the time, Mathis had just come off a very successful collaboration with Deniece Williams, with Rodgers and Edwards apparently drawing inspiration from the aftermath of his comeback. In Easlea's book Nile Rodgers explained the inspiration and his theory as to why the album was pulled:

"He had been this big superstar, then his light dimmed a little, and then he came back after that massive record with Deniece Williams. His popularity rekindled, he went on this reckless tear - partying and hanging out; it really frightened the people closest to him. When we did this record, it was so exciting and youth oriented. All his people went 'oh my god.'... The Johnny Mathis record to me sounded like Al Jarreau meets Chic. It didn't sound like Johnny Mathis to me - it was even more edgy than I'd ever heard him.. That's why it was pulled. His audience at the time was like middle-aged women who would go out to Vegas, and this was pushing his envelope." (pgs. 191-2)

Apparently the shelving of the album project didn't stop Mathis from breaking out somewhat. The apparent 'reckless tear,' that Rodgers talks about possibly gives some context to him coming out as a gay man the following year..

However, as elusive as the album is, apparently there are some out there with copies of the recordings, one of them being Ralph Tee of Jazz FM in the UK, who recently played the title track on his radio show this past Sunday (November 9th). I recently came across a post on the discomusic.com forums by a mystery poster from the UK who had put up a link to a rip of the radio stream. Listen for yourselves..

Johnny Mathis - I Love My Lady (unreleased) (link updated)

At the end of the clip, Ralph Tee says that this and two more tracks from Chic's Johnny Mathis album will be given an official release on a Chic box set, supposedly planned for next year. I haven't been able to find any further details so far, so hopefully those will be forthcoming...

As it is though, this track sounds like one of the finest things Chic did in the 80's, like a slightly Brazilian flavoured, sparer version of the classic Chic sound.. Despite the breezy, laid-back arrangement, the Chic groove and elegance is unmistakable. While the 80's had seen Chic moving with the times, ditching the ever present Chic strings (which appear here in their understated spendour) in favour of synths, horns and a generally more funk-centred sound; this track instead echoes both the classic Chic disco sound of the 70's and some of their more adventurous acoustic efforts in the 80s ("You Can't Do It Alone," "Tavern On The Green" and some of the other tracks off the Soup For One Soundtrack to name some examples). Although I can't help but wonder how this could have sounded with a full "I Want Your Love" or "Upside Down" type of treatment, this song occupies a wonderful middle ground between the two acts. With Johnny Mathis adopting a bit of Chic's urbane edge, and at the same time giving the Chic Organization an opportunity to further expand, experiment and redefine their sound in the post-disco landscape, this is ultimately a welcome revelation. Hopefully we'll be hearing more soon..

UPDATE 02/03/09: And apparently we are hearing more.. Courtesy of the Chic Tribute site, another track, entitled "Sing" has just leaked. Unfortunately it's only a one minute snippet this time, but a pretty promising one nonetheless.. Go to the Chic Tribute News page to hear the sample.

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
BBC RADIO 2 - THE RECORD PRODUCERS: NILE RODGERS (SATURDAY JANUARY 6, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #2: NORMA JEAN WRIGHT - NORMA JEAN (1978, BEARSVILLE) (SATURDAY JANUARY 14, 2006)
UPCOMING SISTER SLEDGE REISSUES (FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 2007)
UPCOMING REISSUES & RELEASES (CHIC AND MORE!): (DECEMBER 1, 2006 - JANUARY 22, 2007) (SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2006)
UPCOMING REISSUES & RELEASES (APRIL 25 - MAY 30) (FRIDAY APRIL 21, 2006)

LINKS:
JOHNNY MATHIS - I LOVE MY LADY @ CHIC TRIBUTE
CHIC TRIBUTE NEWS: NEW MATHIS TRACK (FEBRUARY 2, 2009)
DARYL EASLEA INTERVIEW @ CHIC TRIBUTE
TONY THOMPSON - THE MAN WHO PUT THE BACKBONE IN CHIC (ECHOES MAGAZINE INTERVIEW) @ CHIC TRIBUTE
EVERYBODY DANCE: CHIC & THE POLITICS OF DISCO (BY DARYL EASLEA) @ AMAZON.CO.UK | AMAZON.COM
CHIC @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE
CHIC @ DISCO-DISCO
CHIC @ DISCOGS

CATEGORIES: DISCO NEWS, MINI DELIVERIES