Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco and Destiny

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What surname was shared by the recording artists whose top charting UK singles were 1966's When a Man Loves a Woman and 1985's Frankie? His childhood was very hard to receive as cavalierly as he shared it, however when it came time to him sharing his music, there are three words that come instantly to mind. Oh – My – God!

Nile Rodgers has kind words for EVERYBODY in his autobiography. For his Chic partner Bernard Edwards with whom they traveled so far together, for Andy Warhol, with whom he shared an emergency room, for his grandmothers Goodie and Lenora, their boyfriends (one of whose was a convicted killer, while another gave him his biggest "high" ever when he tuned his first guitar), for his often not very well behaved siblings, for his mom Beverly, for her boyfriends and lovers, he even has good things to say for (yet another) convicted killer who raped his mother. During these crazy times, I have indulged myself by finding things I wouldn't have the time for...like finding wonderful shows on YouTube not aired here in the States. One of them is Portrait Artist Of The Year 2020. It is a competition for artists where through a series of "Paint Offs", the final winner is commissioned to paint a portrait for the chosen subject to hang in the infamous Albert Hall. This year's subject is Nile Rodgers. A relaxed trail session means the trail will be adapted to suit those with additional needs such as autism. For example, strong flashing lights, loud sound effects and smoke effects will be temporarily deactivated. You are able to enter Westonbirt from your chosen time until the start of the next timeslot. You are then welcome to stay as long as you like on the day, however please be aware of the closing time for facilities on the day of your visit. Still, the thing I took away from this book, more than the music, more than the partying and more than the amazing story of what determination and talent can do for a young boy that grew up between two ghettos, was the endless optimism that has run through Nile Rodgers' life.Born in New York City in 1952, legendary musician, composer, and record producer Nile Rodgers has been a powerful force in the pop music industry for over four decades. Best known for his work as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the band Chic – which helped shape the disco movement of the ’70s – he’s also celebrated for his numerous collaborations with notable artists like David Bowie, Madonna, Duran Duran, Daft Punk, and Lady Gaga. Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco, and Destiny is one of the most engaging, entertaining, profound, and relatable memoirs that I've yet read. Nile Rodgers had a complicated, rewarding, and a see-saw-like music production career. And he details that career in Le Freak, which is one of the best autobiographies or biographies you'll ever read.

Miles by Miles Davis and Quincy Troupe (also rec’d by David Byrne, RATM& Questlove) “This is the all-time heavyweight champ of musician biographies for me. Having known Miles and his no-nonsense inability to edit himself, I can see the man, the child and the innovator in every paragraph. Miles takes you on an in-your-face journey more outrageous than any you’ve ever travelled. Before I read this book, I worshipped his musical genius. This bold and revealing book validated my eternal devotion to the man himself.” -NR Painted in 2022, at the junction of Cross Street and Station Road, a mural of which sportsperson is in Newport Pagnell? Welcome to Enchanted Christmas at Westonbirt Arboretum, where the magic of the festive season comes to life in spectacular illuminated fashion!

In celebration of the memoir’s release, Rodgers sat down with The Guardian to recommend ten of his all-time favorite books on music. “If you look at my book,” he says, “it’s really about my life: music just happens to be a large part of it. And the books I love are also about people’s lives – all of the titles I’ve chosen offer real insights into the personalities behind the music.” Completed by Dave McCabe (guitar, lead vocals), Abi Harding (saxophone, vocals) and Sean Payne (drums, vocals), the forthcoming album follows on from the three LPs the multi-platinum selling band released between 2004 and 2008, and is one "born under the weight of family tragedies". Eric Dolphy: A Musical Biography and Discography by Vladimir Simosko and Barry Tepperman “I became very aware of Dolphy aged 17, when he’d already been dead five years – but his music sounded like the future. I found it fitting that the book starts with his death. He was a compulsive, focused, and driven man who suffered from diabetes. I couldn’t help but wonder if he had a sense that his days were numbered, hence the compulsivity. The book has a detailed discography and a record of his performances that I found almost textbook-like – not a bad thing because there doesn’t seem to be a lot written about him. The cast of characters is a virtual Who’s Who of innovative musicians – and in this crowded pool Dolphy stands out.” -NR Through his inspiring keynote presentations; The evolution of Ideas and The Power of Creative Collaboration, Nile Rodgers explores not only his insanely successful career, but also his fair share of personal obstacles that he has had to overcome, from addiction to cancer.

Daft Punk Release Random Access Memories (Drumless Edition): Stream The re-release arrives at the 10th anniversary of their final studio album I opened Nile Rodger’s memoir and honestly, had it not been for the Vine Program I would have missed out on enjoying one of the best books I’ve read this year. Daft Punk have released Random Access Memories (Drumless Edition) via Columbia Records. The re-release, which has removed all drums and percussive elements from their final studio album, arrives at the 10-year anniversary of the 2013 Grammy-winning Album of the Year. Stream the album below.This is the story of Motown Records, as told by the ex-wife of its legendary CEO Berry Gordy. They say, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" and Raynoma is furious here. The things that kept me reading are the familiar songs, characters, and the detail. Being a musician herself, Raynoma's writing has a very lyrical and – dare I say hooky? – quality. If half of this salacious material is true, which she says, "As god is my witness", every word of it is – it could change the way you feel about some true music icons. 7. Eric Dolphy: A Musical Biography and Discography by Vladimir Simosko and Barry Tepperman

I worked with Dylan on the film Feeling Minnesota and thought I had a good sense of who he is. This book revealed many things I didn't know. Dylan was one of the main spokesmen for the 60s counterculture. He confesses he was reluctantly drafted into this position. His greatest motivation was simply to be a musician/songwriter and earn a living doing so. The Americana he wrote about so passionately were mainly events that had happened long ago – but he wrote about them as if they were "current events". This is a fascinating look into a fascinating musical mind. 4. Beethoven's Letters The technology was pioneered at the UK’s National Holocaust Centre and Museum, where Coward previously worked, to make survivors’ testimonies interactive and lasting. She was so excited by its promise that she left to launch Forever, which is now branching out into the arts. The next iterations will be in the arenas of music, sport, education and health and, as the museum is a major shareholder, their success will be helping to fund the fight against racism and prejudice in the UK.With over 200 production credits to his name, including Let’s Dance by David Bowie, Notorious by Duran Duran and Like a Virgin by Madonna, his work has sold over 200 million albums and 50 million singles worldwide. I was aware of Nile Rodgers from his Chic days (although slightly too young to catch the disco explosion, I caught up on it), then through his connections with Debbie Harry (he co-produced her “Koo Koo” album), David Bowie (I loved “Let’s Dance”) and finally INXS, with “Original Sin”. These career highlights, which might be enough for most producers, barely scratch the surface of Nile Gregory Rodgers’ creative life.