Forever In Vogue (1)

Nile Rodgers, b.19 September 1952, was a guitarist who had studied classical music and jazz, and became a member of rock group New World Rising before joining the Apollo Theatre house band. Bernard Edwards, b.31 October 1952 - d.18 April 1996, had studied tenor saxophone but was forced to switch to electric bass when a band member was drafted into the Vietnam War, and attended the New York School of Performing Arts.

In 1972 they both became members of the Big Apple Band, the backing band for New York City, and quickly found a rapport. During the touring duties that came with the groups massive Thom Bell produced hit I'm Doin' Fine Now the following year they began recording demos together. When New York City split in the mid 70s they considered forming a Punk-Rock band. That didn't come about, but their demos started moving towards the now dominant Disco sound. Undaunted by record company rejections, they began circulating tapes of one recording, Dance Dance Dance (Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah), under the Chic monicker. One New York club deejay started playing the track and, unsurprisingly, generated great interest in the band.

The song was quickly issued by the Atlantic label in 1977, and became a massive hit on both in America and the UK, where it reached number 6 in the charts. Tony Thompson, drummer, and Norma Jean Wright and Luci Martin, vocalists, joined to become the official line up. Dance Dance Dance already had much of the trademark sound. It had the simple female chants and soaring string arrangements that would become typical, even if Nile's and 'Nard's playing was not quite as distinctive as it would soon become. With Everybody Dance the sound became more recognisable. The foundation is 'Nard's bass, relentlessly driving the song along until it hits the verse, where he relaxes, then picking up again at the chorus. Equally successful, they released their first album, simply entitled Chic.

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