Walking on Planet C
Folks Who Like It Here Too!
Sunset at Amanyara in Turks & Caicos
I started coming to Turks & Caicos about fourteen years ago. I love It Here. I've met a lot of people who add to the flavor of this special little group of islands. I'm not going to give you a long history lesson, just some Folks (I know) Who Like It Here Too!
Dick Clark Likes It Here
Prince Likes It Here
David Copperfield Likes It Here
Kelly Ripa Likes It Here
Ziggy Marley Likes It Here
Bruce Willis Likes It Here
Paul Simon Likes It Here
Arnold Schwarzenegger and.. oh, right! I already said Bruce Willis Likes It Here
Zac Efron Likes It Here
I Like It Here... and
Bryan Ferry Likes It so much he gigged on New Year's Eve and got married here. Welcome my friend
Add a comment Add a comment
"Miracle Goodnight"
The album "Black Tie White Noise" includes "Miracle Goodnight"
Over the last few days I've been thinking a lot about David Bowie. When people ask me about the one record that I like the most that I've done, I always shift between "Good Times," "We Are Family," and "Let's Dance" - not because they are truly my favorites but because of the impact they had on my life.
My life is filled with many miracles. Some of my favorite records are the songs that never became big hits, but move me in a very special way. Today I had one such song playing in my head all day - David Bowie's "Miracle Goodnight."
David Bowie "Miracle Goodnight" - Produced by Nile Rodgers
Me, singing
Leaving my villa for breakfast this morning as I was singing
Bowie, playing tribute to Buster Keaton
Bowie combing his hair
David Bowie in the video for "Miracle Goodnight"
I got back to the villa after a beautiful day
My bed before I hop in for a "Miracle Goodnight"
Add a comment Add a comment
Yesterday, David Turned Sixty-Five
Me and David
Yesterday, David Bowie turned Sixty-Five years old and I'm happy to be alive. Both of these facts are amazing! I've had countless medical emergencies, most resulting from an excessive Rock-N-Roll lifestyle.
I gave up drugs 17 years ago but was attacked by aggressive cancer last year and I'm very thankful to be alive.
David and I have many shared colleagues in music who are no longer with us. I'm reflecting on a few of them now because Yesterday, David Turned Sixty-Five.
David, Stevie Ray Vaughan and me - We first worked together on Let's Dance and I produced Stevie's last project, The Vaughan Brothers
Luther Vandross with David - Luther was in CHIC from the beginning and with David in Young Americans
CHIC with Luther - an early tour
David and Mick Ronson - Mick worked with us right before he passed away
Bowie with our vocal choir - Lamya al Mugheiry is on David's left
Me, Bernard Edwards and David - 'Nard played on the Let's Dance album and was my partner for 20 years
Tony Thompson played with CHIC from the beginning and is also on David's Let's Dance album and Serious Moonlight tour
Yesterday, David Bowie Turned Sixty-Five
Add a comment Add a comment
Chill Out!
As soon as I arrived at my Amanyara villa, I kicked back and relaxed
As soon as I arrived at Amanyara I kicked back. It's the first time in many years that I've not been writing my book. I posted some pics to remind me of how lucky I am and to take this opportunity to Chill Out!
This is me the last time I was in Turks & Caicos - I was fiercely editing my memoir Le Freak
Chilling out in Turks & Caicos at Amanyara last May
Doing kung-fu forms for exercise at Amanyara last May
Judgement Day came and went last May. Oops! How did I miss that?
My friend Patrick's Amanyara Villa right next door to me
About to have breakfast in my pajamas at Amanyara
Add a comment Add a comment
Once Is Not Enough
At the Westport train station going to see "Once"
Last night I went to New York's East Village see a show called "Once". It's based on the Academy Award winning film "Once". A musician in the show is my old friend Rob Preuss.
Rob used to be the Music Director of Mama Mia and he also used to be in a Canadian band I produced called Spoons. While doing the Spoons in Toronto, I met the band INXS and produced "Original Sin." Rob and I have been friends ever since.
"Once" is supposed to be amazing but I never saw the show because last night was the one time it got cancelled. The show's lead "Guy" had gotten sick. I took a one hundred-twenty mile round trip from Connecticut to an empty set. The show's moving to Broadway and I'll attempt to see it again. Once Is Not Enough.
Spoons "Tell No Lies" - Produced by Nile Rodgers
INXS "Original Sin" - Produced by Nile Rodgers
The show called "Once"
"Mama Mia" on Broadway
The cover of the Spoons album I did
INXS "Original Sin"
The empty set of "Once"
The film called "Once" Is Not Enough
It's about sixty miles from my house to Astor Place
And another sixty miles back to Westport, CT
Rob Preuss back in the day - he's on the Yamaha DX7 Keyboard on the right
Add a comment Add a comment
Stand, Stand, Stand!
"Stand, don't you know that you are free, well at least in your mind if you want to be. Stand, Stand, Stand!"
~ Sly & The Family Stone
"Stand, don't you know that you are free, well at least in your mind if you want to be. Stand, Stand, Stand!"
~ Sly & The Family Stone
These words are on a poster that I did for an HMV campaign called My Inspiration. Many people, places, and things inspire me.
I chose those lyrics because when I was attacked by aggressive cancer last year, I needed inspiration to tackle the long and daunting road ahead of me. Cancer wanted me but I wanted to be free.
I think of myself as fairly positive and thankful in general - but we all can use a bit of extra inspiration every now and then. Though I've had three post-op test that have all been cancer-free, I'll never take life for granted again. I'm inspired.
I promise to try and live every day as if it's my last because one day it will be. Stand, Stand, Stand!
My mom inspired me, especially back in the day
Working on my musical Double Time is inspiring
A portion of the Berlin Wall called "Stay Free" is inspiring
Sharing stories about situations that have inspired me
Giving a speech at Studio 54 was inspiring
Add a comment Add a comment
Here and Back Again
Here I'm leaving my apartment for a meeting
I had some wonderful meetings in New York yesterday - one was with an Israeli journalist. This was unique because Mahmoud, a Global Teen Leader from my We Are Family Foundation charity program Three Dot Dash, was arriving from Palestine and they both deal with the same newspaper. Amazing coincidence.
At one point during the interview the reporter asked me about cancer and how I was feeling. I told him about my walking therapy and how it makes me feel like the old Nile is returning. I thought that just for fun I'd show you pictures of my trip from my living room and coming home to find Mahmoud. I metaphorically call it Here and Back Again.
Heading out of my lobby
Crossing Broadway
Almost to Cafe Luxembourg
Cafe Luxembourg
Crossing back over Broadway
Coming back from Cafe Luxembourg
Back to the elevator
Here I'm back in my living room
Mahmoud and me hanging at my NYC apartment after I got back
Add a comment Add a comment
An Amazing Start
Waiting for the train to go into NYC on the coldest day of the season
Today was the coldest day of the season. Though I don't like cold weather, it was nice to be reminded that it's winter because the weather's been unusually warm.
I'm in the process of planning my next projects. Since being attacked by cancer about a year ago life is more important than ever. Over the last twenty-four hours I've had a ton of interviews and meetings that all went well. This New Year is off to An Amazing Start.
Sitting up in my bed on the coldest day of the season
I spent hours occupying 120 Wall Street doing an interview with Harry Allen at WBAI
Theatrical producer Robert Fox with whom I lunched, laughed, and walked with on the coldest day of the season
Riding on the commuter train to NYC - part 1 of An Amazing Start
Add a comment Add a comment
Game On!
Getting my Game On in the library
At the end of the year, as part of my service to the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, I have to play and consider the music in the best video games of the year.
During my decades in the entertainment business, I've won many awards and served on many panels. Though the AIAS is not as well known as the Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, or Golden Globes yet, this panel and it's members are top shelf in the gaming world.
Video game composers are some of the most talented and hard working people I know. Game On!
Four shelves of Pop music awards
A few of my G.A.N.G. awards for gaming soundtrack music
Five more of my G.A.N.G. awards
Getting my Game On in the library
The AIAS Award
The library is the best spot in my house to get my Game On
A few of my gold and platinum records and songwriting awards
The old projection screen TV reserved for the Playstation
Add a comment Add a comment
It Still Feels Like Spring
At the end of my walk it Still Feels Like Spring
As I left for my morning walk today, it was 54 degrees Fahrenheit. Though the calendar says it's winter - It Still Feels Like Spring.
I started this daily blog to help me get through the ordeal of aggressive cancer, but it seems to have had the added benefit of helping others with various maladies.
Every day I communicate with someone whose life has been affected and today was no exception. After a few heart wrenching emails, texts, and DM's I went out for my walk.
This is how it looked on this January day in my neighborhood, because It Still Feels Like Spring.
Here's the ducks on my dock
Here's the mid-morning sunshine
Here's the sign at the bridge
Here's the harbor police boat - back in the day, I used to crack racial profiling jokes to them
The water's so clear, I can see the shells on the rocky bottom four feet down
Here's a house along my walking route
Here's a really happy me because It Still Feels Like Spring
Le Freak:
An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco, and Destiny
Written by Nile Rodgers
Category: Biography & Autobiography - Personal Memoirs; Biography & Autobiography - Composers & Musicians; Music - Popular
Format: eBook, 336 pages
On Sale: October 2011
Price: $ 12.99
ISBN: 978-0-679-64403-3 (0-679-64403-2)
Available as a hardcover and eBook.
You will hear a Nile Rodgers song today. It will make you happy.
Today's pop music—genre-crossing, gender-bending, racially mixed, visually stylish, and dominated by dance music with global appeal—is the world that Nile Rodgers created. In the 1970s and 1980s, he wrote and produced the songs that defined that era and everything that came after: "Le Freak," "Good Times," "We Are Family," "Like a Virgin," "Modern Love," "I'm Coming Out," "The Reflex," "Rapper's Delight." Aside from his own band, Chic, he worked with everyone from Diana Ross and Madonna to David Bowie and Duran Duran (not to mention Mick Jagger, Debbie Harry, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Prince, Rod Stewart, Robert Plant, Depeche Mode, Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, Grace Jones, Bryan Ferry, INXS, and the B-52's), transforming their music, selling millions of records, and redefining what a pop song could be.
Read more about order the memoir here:
"Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco, and Destiny"
Add a comment Add a comment