CHIC: STILL UNIQUE?

CHIC: STILL UNIQUE?

DAVID KEEPS

"If you're a fan of Chic," they exclaimed way back when, "consider yourself unique."

Well, no more. You may have laughed at the group who taught the world Le Freak (c'est Chic), a mid-'70s dance craze whose Detroit mutation—the Freaky Deakey—was so nasty that it could result in death if performed with an inappropriate partner. I laughed too. But we never realized that it was a warning shot of Bernard Edwards's and Nile Rodgers's wizardry as songwriters and soundcrafters. If you loved Bowie's "Let's Dance," Debbie Harry's "Backfired" or anything by Sister Sledge, your agenda's already been amended by the Chic Organization. They even produced the best records Carly Simon ("Why") and Diana Ross ("Upside Down" and "I'm Coming Out") released during the '80s.

Chic reeks of sophistication; blending romanticism and street sass, lush musical arrangements and rock-out funk into something smooth and creamy, yet tart. No crudely sexual basslines or spaceman outfits here, Chic is a disco rarity, a class act. Nile's stuttering guitar scratchings do all the dirty talking in uptempo innuendos that hint at that more primal rhythm, and the group look is more G.Q. than Gee whiz, European tailoring with a taste of New York sartorial flash. Chic embodied the glamour idealism of the late '70s Disco Boom—naughty equals nice; dancefloors as movie sets.

Bernard Edwards (bass, vocals, coproducer) and Nile Rogers started gigging on the early '70s Max's Kansas City rock circuit, and spent three years backing one hit wonders, New York City ("I'm Doing Fine Now"). In 1977, they became Chic, augmenting their partnership with drummer Tony Thompson and vocalists Alfa Anderson and Luci Martin. Their first single, the carnival barkering "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" went gold, as did the debut LP and follow-up single ("Everybody Dance"). Hitting the road with the charismatic Chic strings—Marianne Carrol, Karen Milne and Cheryl Hong—they supported the Isleys, Rufus and Trammps, incorporating rock heroic strutting and cocktail party vivacity into memorable live performances. In '78, "Le Freak" made Chic a household name, with its clarion call of dance mania, "Aaaah freak OUT!"

1979 was the year of "Good Times," a departure from previous exhortations to boogie, and the sonic starting point of modern rap music. (The Organization did, in fact, eventually receive writer's credit for the first rap hit, "Rapper's Delight") Chic's popperfect lyrics soared to new heights of disposable genius: "Don't be a drag, participate/Clams on the half shell and roller skates, roller skates." Chic's classy styling of Sister Sledge resulted in chartstormers like "We Are Family"; their partnership with the much overlooked Sheila and B. Devotion produced a cult disco record that's really perfect latter day pop vinyl—with tales of love and race car drivers, credit cards, and a guy she simply calls a "Spacer."

Each year, another hit album and summer single, now that's organization:

1980—"Rebels Are We" from Real People (plus side projects with Diana Ross and Sheila and B.j; 1981—"Stage Fright" from Take It Off (Debbie Harry on the side);

1982—"Soup For One" from the samenamed movie soundtrack and a studio LP called Tongue In Chic (plus Sister Sledge, Teddy Pendergrass and Carly Simon);

1983—Rodgers's Number One production on Bowie's Let's Dance, solo albums from Bernie and Nile, and a forthcoming album, (and likely single release) Believer.

At the age of six, Chic seems to know all the tricks; they've defined the disco ethic— be pretty and par-toy—while fashioning new pop structures that have changed the tenor of modern dance music. Soy you're searching for something urban, urbane, and infinitely wearable? Say Chic.