Nile Rodgers Tells The Story of "Let's Dance" | Fender Artist Check-In

Nile Rodgers Tells The Story of "Let's Dance" | Fender Artist Check-In | Fender

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4 жыл бұрын

Nile Rodgers invites fans into his home studio to tell the story of how he and David Bowie worked together to write the iconic riff for Bowie's "Let's Dance."
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Nile Rodgers Tells The Story of "Let's Dance" | Fender Artist Check-In | Fender
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Пікірлер: 873

@drewxiii 4 жыл бұрын

Did anyone else get chills when the delay kicked in!? Forever a legend

@stelloyd4266 4 жыл бұрын

Yep!!! Gotta admit I got them chills...Niles is a legend 🤘

@klascojoe 4 жыл бұрын

I didn’t even recognize what song he was playing until the delay. Then it was as plain as day

@davida6889 4 жыл бұрын

Oh yes when the delay kicked I heard the song...genuis guitar work. Backed by a stellar bass line

@sergiocartayaperez3707 4 жыл бұрын

@@stelloyd4266 .

@gustavocruz4824 4 жыл бұрын

TOTAL CHILLS!! right away. What a cool story behind such piercing recognizable riff

@GeoffryLEBOWSKI 4 жыл бұрын

Fun fact: When Nile had completed the drums and presented the track to David, Nile asked him "Have I made it too funky?" Bowie replied "Is there such a thing, Nile?"

@elterrible2007 3 жыл бұрын

"Nile, Darling. Is there such a thing??"

@Kaff231 4 ай бұрын

BEST RESPONSE EVER!😂❤

@esoterrorhythm 3 жыл бұрын

Nile Rogers for president

@Davefranzin 4 жыл бұрын

Every Guitarist should study Nile Rodgers....master of funk, dance riff.

@dougstrong5452 3 жыл бұрын

Simply a true virtuous dude.

@rrdream2400 3 жыл бұрын

one of the reasons he's so good is because he understands jazz and plays a lot of jazz chords, he just plays them in a funky modern way that they sneak through the radar and make it on to pop records.

@grxengine6188 8 ай бұрын

Let’s Dance is an other worldly kind of funk. It merges a blues thing, a funk thing and a pop thing. It was a hit almost 40 yrs ago & it still can straight CRASH a dance floor. I came here after watching Nile Rodgers on NPR’s Tiny Desk.

@remnant1018 3 күн бұрын

☺️Same. That ending made my day.

@BARTFUNKBASS 4 жыл бұрын

*Nile deserves a documentary on your channel!*

@SlapMyBass3825 4 жыл бұрын

This guys is one of the greatest session musicians to ever live. Has Fender done a signature strat for him yet?

@jahazielmuniz2677 4 жыл бұрын

Not a signature model but a custom shop model

@craigusselman546 4 жыл бұрын

@@jahazielmuniz2677 2014 Hitmaker custom shop.

@RealReado 2 жыл бұрын

A new Hitmaker Strat has just been released.

@motofish312 2 жыл бұрын

YES AND IT HAS THE STUPID CBS HEADSTOCK....

@gregkosinski2303 Жыл бұрын

@@motofish312 I don’t mind the look of the CBS headstock at all, but the three neck bolts are a problem, and I don’t like the shape of the cbs neck which I’m assuming it has.

@benjic80 4 жыл бұрын

The chords Bowie came in with sounded like Heroes. Unbelievable what Nile made out of that simple idea.

@samfrito 4 жыл бұрын

Bowies previous albums all had some folksy songs. I have to believe Nile was the perfect choice to guide Bowie from Scary Monsters "Fashion" to Lets Dances "Putting Out Fire". Two different expressions of jazz rock with funky breaks.

@Tony-lv8uh 4 жыл бұрын

I could watch this stuff all day everyday. The evolution of a song is fascinating!

@GeriDoc8 4 жыл бұрын

I swear I was just thinking of commenting the same exact you've text

@Weshopwizard 4 жыл бұрын

Agreed. This guy just has a feel and he really does interesting stuff. Responsible for so much great music.

@Vichedges 4 жыл бұрын

There's another vid here on KZfaq where Bowie's guitarists talk about writing with him, it's longer and has Nile and a couple of other guitarists in it. You should look for it if you liked this. I can't remember the title but if I come across it I'll come back and edit a link into this post.

@Vichedges 4 жыл бұрын

@@GeriDoc8 Yeah, think about all the big hits from back in the day where every artist did a version. It's interesting to listen to different versions of basically the same song and try to work out why one version was a big hit and others weren't. A good example is Harper Valley PTA. The famous hit version is just one of several that were released at the time and I've listened to several of the other versions and they just didn't have "it". Basically the same song, just with different players and producers and one version crackles and the others are just "meh". A lot of hits that are covers of older songs are like that too. Like Without You (the Badfinger song). Their original version (according to Wiki) wasn't even released as a single in the US or Europe but Harry Nilson's ballad version of it was a monster hit. It's just interesting how songs can evolve or change from "OK-ish" to hits when different people work on them.

@KevyNova 4 жыл бұрын

If you want “an album of hits” then you can do no better than hiring Nile Rodgers to produce it. It also didn’t hurt having Stevie Ray Vaughan play lead guitar. When I first heard the song, it was the guitar solo that really struck me, and I had no idea who SRV was yet!

@cactuscanuck6802 4 жыл бұрын

Amen to that, brother! Bowie basically launched SRV into the big time after the nitwits at the Montreaux festival booed SRV off the stage... joke was on them!

@swaggercat 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I can't believe he just told that whole story and left Stevie Ray Vaughan out of the mix.

@willhouse 4 жыл бұрын

Been listening to this song for what... almost 40 years? & I only found out about SRV just now.

@allen6924 3 жыл бұрын

@@cactuscanuck6802 But every star of the show came to SRV late night show. Because they're all fans of da' Blues baby. And knew they were seeing a great player emerging.

@allen6924 3 жыл бұрын

@@swaggercat it was never SVR best solo recorded. It was pretty toned down. Because he really wasn't into being a Bowey sideman.

@jonsimon5779 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Nile. Your talent gave us so many classics! Loved his work with Duran Duran on their NOTORIOUS album as well.

@fredharvey2720 10 ай бұрын

He also did their early stuff.

@poppycock6572 2 жыл бұрын

How can anyone not like this guy? Living legend that is masterful at his craft.

@steverherb 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah, Nile wrote the guitar riff for this song. Bowie just provided him with a seed. Great story and Stevie Ray was a great addition to Bowie's sound as well.

@DavidSmith-ss1cg 4 жыл бұрын

In an interview with a guitar magazine, SRV said that he was blown away by Bowie's star status and couldn't feel the song, and was thinking, "what am I gonna do?" and so he thought, "I know, I'll play some Albert King licks, Albert King goes with anything!" And so when Bowie heard it, he loved it, and said it was just what he was looking for. And then "Let's Dance" became a big hit, and Albert King was listening, and he was thinking, "Who's this young guy, making a big hit record playin' my shit?" And the next time SRV saw Albert King, he copped to it. That was the start of his brilliant career.

@riccibungag4257 4 жыл бұрын

Bowie, Nile, Omar, Carmine, SRV. That seems to be an awesome session...

@stephenbrown7545 4 жыл бұрын

All true..but Omar Hakim was not the only drummer on the album...what about the awesome powerful Tony Thompson ?...he was a monster and his work on the Let's Dance Tour is fantastic.

@dfgvegas 4 жыл бұрын

Nile you are one of the remaining great ones still among us. God bless you my Brother and thank you for touching Our Lives..

@strictlynorton 4 жыл бұрын

Nile sites fellow Chic founder Bernard Edwards with teaching him the "chucking" style he used on all of the huge Chic hits... Between the two of them they rewrote R&B history. Stella artists both. R.I.P. Bernard you were the greatest bassist. Thank you Fender for making the tools that crafted that much magic!

@ruechel 4 жыл бұрын

Nile is not only a genius but one of the coolest cats on the planet. 5-star human being. his music is the soundtrack of my early youth. THANK YOU NILE RODGERS

@cjc363636 Жыл бұрын

I'm in my, uh, "later" 50s, and the music of my entire life - Mr. Rodgers left his mark on it. Just a legend and awesome man to hear tell his stories.

@letfreedomring6906 3 жыл бұрын

Nile Rodgers is a musical genius, and his guitar playing is brilliant.

@BassByTheBay 4 жыл бұрын

I've heard Nile tell this story before, and I'll gladly listen to him tell it again. Been a fan nearly all my life -- since "Dance, Dance, Dance". He's an American treasure.

@fender 4 жыл бұрын

We couldn't agree more. 🎸🔥

@davideastlee9983 4 жыл бұрын

this is the creative process. this is a perfect example of just what he says, he describes and gives examples of...applicable to all genres

@chrisp8856 2 жыл бұрын

Nile, you have got to be the most unpretentious Producer, Musician, Writer, ever. Great video! Love all of your work, and really enjoy the stories.

@marquisdeceasd Жыл бұрын

Now this is what it means to be a true composer!!! Oh, my god, that's pure genius. Its no wonder its in my top two Bowie songs. Brilliant work!!!

@davidwonpu353 4 жыл бұрын

Why is Hitmaker such a great sounding guitar? Because of the dude playing it.

@laartwork 4 жыл бұрын

True.

@stitchbiatch3715 4 жыл бұрын

He can probably make a Hello Kitty guitar sound brilliant

@PhillipLandmeier 4 жыл бұрын

@@stitchbiatch3715 Indeed. I've seen demonstrations of just that kind of thing with guitarists and drummers. It's 95 percent skill and talent and 5 percent equipment.

@Jude74 3 жыл бұрын

Amen!!!

@tonyiommi2380 3 жыл бұрын

Players make guitars. Guitars don't make players

@parttroll1 4 жыл бұрын

The genius of Nile Rogers. It’s incredible that just moving the progression up a semi-tone would have made such a difference as the original version sounds light years away from what it became.

@panavisionnot7180 3 жыл бұрын

Powerhouse of visual and sensory class! Nile Rogers is to funk / disco what The River Nile is to Egypt ! - it's lifeline..

@brittdavid8591 3 жыл бұрын

That's why Milwaukee Musicians Love NILE 👊🏾

@Skoshi33 3 жыл бұрын

This is the dopest KZfaq music related clip I have ever seen. The birth of a big tune. I love it...

@budgetguitaristcom 4 жыл бұрын

I can remember when Fender's KZfaq channel was awful. But these days, Fender is killing it with their channel! Great video - Nile is the MAN.

@Ryan-mi3xt Жыл бұрын

Yes!!!

@IztokGolob-Naklo 4 жыл бұрын

I just felt this powerful sensation of being 13 again. Thanks.

@Ralph2 4 жыл бұрын

I could listen to Nile talk and play all day long.

@anthonywhite5306 4 жыл бұрын

Nile Rodgers the coolest man on the planet 🎼

@catherinerobson5482 3 жыл бұрын

Holy mother, fabulous Nile Rodgers.

@jamescornwell7655 4 жыл бұрын

Nile..you took Bowie, Duran Duran and so many other bands to the NEXT LEVEL back in the 80s..you're so awesome!!!

@barryUFF Жыл бұрын

Bowie 1970s = Ziggy Stardust, Hunky Dory, Low, Heroes, Young Americans, Station to Station, the Man who Sold the World, Diamond Dogs, Aladdin Sane, Lodger, 1969 Space Oddity, 1980 Scary Monsters.... All absolute classics recorded in an 11 year period,,,, Let´s Dance is a nice pop album. The other 3 Bowie albums from the 80s are NOT very good..... Bowie himself said his 80s work was basically rubbish and certainly a sell out... Nile Rodgers IS great though, but no way did he bring Bowie to the "next level".. Rodgers helped him make one nice pop album :)

@EdBlakeslee 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Nile, Thank You For My Lifetime Enjoyment Of SO Much Beautiful Music, You Are The Best !!!

@PhotogV 3 жыл бұрын

Nile is the Master!

@henok8191 4 жыл бұрын

"I was like, 'OK, cool, I...think I can do hits with David Bowie; that's, that's an awesome project." Bit of an understatement haha

@circuitsandcigars1278 4 жыл бұрын

I remember listening to Chic as a kid. Nile is a legend

@ScrapwoodCity 4 жыл бұрын

Really awesome approach! So creative and also proof that a simple idea can develop into an amazing one, if you put the time and effort in it!

@chu8139 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, that's what Nile said

@pawanjogi8092 2 жыл бұрын

@@chu8139 वल

@pikiwiki Жыл бұрын

one of the greatest dance hits of the eighties. Nile Rodgers is a gentleman

@michaelaronson9447 22 күн бұрын

Could listen to him all day! Bless you.

@jnucleo 4 жыл бұрын

Music seems to reflect the times. "Let's Dance" definitely reflected happier times.

@misterschubert3242 4 жыл бұрын

All I saw was "Nile Rodgers" and I hit the like button...

@SteveOuimette 4 жыл бұрын

Really doesn't get any better than this. The brilliance of turning a folky idea into one of the most iconic and memorable tracks is just one more reason Nile is the Hitmaker. Thanks Bob Clearmountain for the amazing, bouncing delay. So good.

@johnviolette5511 Ай бұрын

This is one of the songs that changed my life as well Mr. Niles....

@AnonYmous-jp8uu 3 жыл бұрын

just realized how much influence Nile had on my sound and approach to playing, etc. before I even started

@invx 4 жыл бұрын

I've watched numerous videos of Nile explain this story of this hit, and the many others that he's played on and/or produced- and I always love hearing his creative process, and will never get sick of it.

@n.2ndgen4runner98 4 жыл бұрын

This man is one of my favorites!! What a fantastic artist

@HankGrill 3 жыл бұрын

I could listen to him talk all day and I have zero idea how to play guitar. I just appreciate listening to master craftsmen talk about their work.

@MikeJBlues 3 жыл бұрын

Lets dance was a world changing song . fantastic

@masterofsparkshwy6974 4 жыл бұрын

Wow.. couldn't wait to watch this. I love Nile Rogers. Pure badass.

@zingo1010 4 жыл бұрын

I don't know why I watched this video. I cannot play any instrument, nor read or understand music scores. Ok as a kid i did C, G, F, and A minor on a guitar. But soon got bored. Now..I remember that tune you demonstrated. Yes that old. Well done for taking me down memory lane.

@CustomAnthemsMusicProductions 4 жыл бұрын

Could listen to his stories all day

@paulwhetstone0473 8 ай бұрын

This is a brilliant example of compositional process that Niles demonstrated and explained with simple eloquence.

@ahktoongbaybi1735 3 жыл бұрын

Best “Artist Check-In” yet. Bravo Fender, Niles & David.

@grampabob6115 4 жыл бұрын

Hey Fender, you give Nile Rodgers only 5:40 mins, shame on you, far too short.

@pedersenist 4 жыл бұрын

That is KZfaq

@ethanhill9460 4 жыл бұрын

The explanation was cogent. The craftsman spoke.

@ukebox00oftheworld63 4 жыл бұрын

What a guy, a huuuuge part of contempary music who leaves his mark wherever he goes.

@dirtydave2691 4 жыл бұрын

@@ethanhill9460 I think Niles is so cool and talented 5 minutes is just enough for us to get the vibe of the story.

@justicekeyes308 4 жыл бұрын

Really! SMH

@lindabuono7893 8 ай бұрын

I love Let's Dance" Every time I hear it I have to get up and dance. Amazing song!

@CudavidO1123 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Nile for all the great music over the years. We are blessed to have you in the world.

@lisalisa-703 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for "ARRANGING" it, Niles! xoxo!

@subbbass 4 жыл бұрын

and if you have NILE everything works. i love this man's music

@ItUnidentified 4 жыл бұрын

Born in 1990 here I love niles he’s ones of my fav guitarist and Bowie is one of my Fav lyricist and songwriters hearing little stories like this inspire me to play even more! I love how modern music regurgitates classics, nolstalgia and trying to always fine the in between lofi and high production tones meshing together. As a listener I love it that it makes me get up and play! like someone said once Nile hit that delay it was magic.... I had to put my phone down and pick up my fender and jam to this

@adamflax2012 4 жыл бұрын

From his early work with Chic, you knew this cat was something special. So musical, he transcends genre. The appreciation in these comments is just great to see, so well deserved.

@moradghaemi7496 2 ай бұрын

Everything Nile touches gets so funky!

@nickbriard 4 жыл бұрын

The albums and songs that guitar inspired and recorded are truly amazing

@seanriopel3132 2 жыл бұрын

It's amazing to see how such iconic songs evolve so naturally and almost effortlessly.

@Bsquared1972 3 жыл бұрын

...and SRV's touch made it perfect. What a great song.

@gilliantracy7991 4 жыл бұрын

What a great story! Always loved this song. "Put on your red shoes and dance the blues". Thank you!

@jguitar29 4 жыл бұрын

Met Niles heading into the studio in NYC couldn’t have been more of a Nice Guy...

@stephenlennartz3466 4 жыл бұрын

Yes. Makes sense! Love that album. Has a great groove. Killer production. This song even has a cool visit from SRV. What's not to love?

@Whalebone471 4 жыл бұрын

Give him more time 😍

@bartlettpsj 4 жыл бұрын

What a unique player. The guitar is all buzzy, but with a wonderful neck tone - yet in the mix and with Nile's touch you get magic. A lesson for us all - not what we play, but how we play it.

@VeroniqueBinon 15 күн бұрын

I ❤ u, Nile Rodgers 😘. You are the best artist ever all over the universe

@uyuyuy_bajura 4 жыл бұрын

Whoa... Just Whoa. Never looked at a piece of history of pop music, and a marvelous description of delicate and tasteful music composition of this kind. Thanks Nile and Fender for sharing this. I feel so humbled. Thanks forever too, Mr. Bowie!!!!

@CentaurusRelax314 3 жыл бұрын

The dude is a brilliant musician. Able to translate the complex down to the simple, and *make* hits over the course of decades, in multiple musical genres. That's amazing and rather unique. And all with that smile. That Chic album was the first LP i ever bought, when i was still in elementary school. I'm kinda proud of that-i knew good shit when i was a kid....

@LeeGee 4 жыл бұрын

Hero. This was wonderful. Please - more!

@kennedyjimenez3406 4 жыл бұрын

Nile Rodgers is as legendary as it gets!!! Love that hitmaker!!!!

@boljef1 3 жыл бұрын

Nile has always ,since the late 70's, been my mentor when it comes to guitar method I'm a funk/disco player from way back

@edwardwilliams2438 11 ай бұрын

The musical mindset.... is an amazing tool. As we novices listen to the original tune and think nothing of it...Nile's genius mind is already working out chords...riffs..melodies and beyond. And this... is just on a single song...Wow! To have such intuitive talents shows advanced forward thinking and musicality. Now...we all know the finished product and how Iconic it is....I am just overwhelmed at the humble gifts of Mr.Rogers. Kudos...to the backstory...we are amazed to hear the thought process. Thanks!

@thisislogout 3 жыл бұрын

Nile Rodgers is so inspiring. I just finished his autobiography and it was a blast to read. Mr. Rodgers is in the building!

@vanseventy 4 жыл бұрын

That song was huge and the collaboration of Nile, Bowie and SRV. Perfect early 80’s song for this era of music.

@AndreaCasano 2 жыл бұрын

Two legends of our century, stop.

@miketeeveedub5779 4 жыл бұрын

What a fantastic demonstration showing the progression to what David started with, to what Nile's eventually came up with. Then adding SRV made it one of the most memorable songs of the 80s. Great job Niles!

@silentforest7147 4 жыл бұрын

I could watch stuff like this all day. I love hearing about the evolution of songs, particularly when they go from hum drum strummy folk stuff to something entirely different. Plus, I really like this guy. He seems like he would be a fantastic person to work with in the studio.

@fideliusconcrete4871 3 ай бұрын

Nile is such a nice and humble person and he made so many of us very happy with his music - a BIG Thank you to him!

@ryananthony4840 2 жыл бұрын

I love Nile! I can never get tired of this story!!

@FacheChanteDeux 3 жыл бұрын

Hope Nile has had a smooth recovery❤. Thanks for all of the great music from Chic to Duran×2 to Bowie and so on. All great stuff.

@normandecaesen286 4 жыл бұрын

INCREDIBLE!!! Thank You Mr. Niles Roger's. So glad I bought a Strat last fall. I have admired your guitar playing for many years now. Thank you for sharing what I consider Rock and Roll History ☆♡☆♡☆♡☆

@wiscan 3 жыл бұрын

Nile - I can't tell you how much I love seeing you perform. You are beyond legendary. Music obeys you rather than the other way round.

@craigusselman546 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Nile and The Hitmaker-makes me proud to play the. Stratocaster.

@bernardofernandes2226 4 жыл бұрын

Jesus Christ!!! Mr. Nile Rodgers, you are so generous when you say that "If you have a Strat, you can make it work!". I have a Strat and it is the most versatile guitar ever made! BUT... You and only You can make these anthems echoes in peoples souls the way you do! I am a humble and huge fan of your work! I thank God for your life! Keep on shining! Greetings from Brazil!

@KevinRedGorman 4 жыл бұрын

Great story! Love hearing how songs are made

@mr.corazon4765 8 ай бұрын

Nile + David = Genious. More stories please!!!! So inspiring....

@marsha-madness-super-badness 10 ай бұрын

Love Nile's work. Legendary 🤎

@d5u2ke 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Niles! That was awesome!

@stooge81 4 жыл бұрын

How can you not f_cking love this? This is music.

@Kendo276 Жыл бұрын

Simply awesome! What a great musical journey to end up with a classic hit. Truly great story.

@XLBiker13 4 жыл бұрын

Amazing story! Gotta love Nile Rodgers. Genius.

@jpdocumentary 4 жыл бұрын

omg. this needed to be longer. please. this man is a living treasure.

@estebanposadaduque6415 4 жыл бұрын

...AGREE .... a living legend ....

@user-jp5lu2sf9p 4 ай бұрын

The funniest and heartwarming thing about Bowie is that his speciality lies in writing folk music. The origins of some of his funkiest songs originate from basic open chord patterns on a 12 guitar. Carlos Alomar and Earl Slick turned golden years from a folk to a funk song. Ashes to ashes was original called “King of the city” and sounded very folksy, and let’s dance started off very folk sounding into his funkiest song yet.