WELCOME
Uncover insights from a lifetime in music as you meet Nile Rodgers face to face in this virtual encounter. From personal challenges to public triumphs, you can ask Nile over 300 handpicked questions that uncover his remarkable journey to becoming one of the world’s most influential songwriters, artists and producers.
Inspiring and engaging, this new voice-interactive experience for music lovers includes extensive exclusive footage, bringing you closer than ever to the man whose career stretches from the advent of disco and hip-hop, to Diana Ross, David Bowie, Madonna, Daft Punk and beyond.
Explore the content guide below and then ‘meet Nile’ to enter the room for this special experience.
EXCLUSIVE CONTENT GUIDE
For committed music aficionados, and exploring newcomers, here is your guide to help uncover top questions and exclusive insights found in over 5 hours of exclusive footage.
FIND SOME GREAT QUESTIONS
TO ASK NILE RODGERS
1952
NILE IS BORN
Nile was born on 19th September to his teenage mum. Find out how strong women have played a part in Nile's life and work.
1957
STARTED COMPOSING
He was only 5 when he started composing music. But where did Nile's love of music come from? Hear how a special present from his grandmother helped start a lifetime's passion.
1961
FIRST JOB
Nile gets his first job - and it wasn't in music! Find out what Nile's first job was, and be introduced to 'Guss the Pickle King'...
1968
ANDY WARHOL
Nile meets Andy Warhol in the strangest of places.
1969
BLACK PANTHER PARTY
At the age of 16, Nile gets political and joins the Black Panther Party.
1970
BIG BIRD
Find out what Nile's first professional job was and why Big Bird features.
1971
FIRST COMPOSITION
At only 19, Nile writes his first composition that will end up being recorded.
1973
'THE HITMAKER'
Nile buys his Stratocaster, which would eventually come to bear the name 'The Hitmaker.' It's currently made £1.3 billion worth of music alongside the man himself!
1976
CHIC
Find out how Roxy Music's fashion sense inspired the creation of CHIC.
1978
'LE FREAK'
The inspiration for 'Le Freak' comes from the most unlikely of places, as Nile is turned away at the door at Studio 54.
1979
'GOOD TIMES'
'Good Times' shot to No. 1, bucking the trend of the 'Disco Sucks' movement. Find out why it was one of two songs that made the biggest difference in Nile's life.
1983
DAVID BOWIE
What could you achieve in 17 days? Nile produced David Bowie's best-selling album 'Let's Dance'. Hear more about how Nile worked with Bowie on this iconic album.
1984
DURAN DURAN
Did Nile know that remixing Duran Duran's biggest-selling single, 'The Reflex' would be a hit straight-away? Yes he did!
1984
MADONNA
Nile witnesses Madonna's intense work ethic when he produced the best-selling album, 'Like a Virgin'.
1993
COLLABORATION
Nile continues his successful collaboration with David Bowie with the 'Black Tie White Noise' album. Find out from Nile what it was like to collaborate again with Bowie.
2010
ILLNESS
Nile is diagnosed with prostate cancer, which he overcame with the help of his blog, with over 400 consecutive daily posts.
2012
DAFT PUNK
Nile collaborates with another band who, like CHIC, are largely anonymous outside of their stage identity. The result was 'Random Access Memories' released the following year.
2014
THE GRAMMYS
Nile, Daft Punk and Pharrell scoop three Grammys for Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Ask Nile to show you how he produced the Get Lucky sound.
2016
LADY GAGA
Nile collaborates with Lady Gaga to remake CHIC's hit 'I Want Your Love'.
2018
ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS
Nile joins Abbey Road Studios as Chief Creative Advisor. Find out what his role is at the iconic London studio.
FIND SOME GREAT QUESTIONS
TO ASK NILE RODGERS
The Road to Becoming a Musician
- How old were you when you started playing music?
- What other jobs have you done, apart from musician?
- What instrument did you learn to play first?
- How old were you when you realised you had a special talent for music?
- What was your first professional music job?
- Why did you choose Beatles music to learn to play the guitar?
- When did you realise music was going to be central to your life?
- How did you get into music as a kid?
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- Who taught you to play the guitar?
- What music did you play when you were young?
- Did you study music when you were young?
- How did you get your first professional music job?
- Why did you choose to play the guitar?
- How long did it take you to learn to play the guitar?
- What is the best advice you have ever been given?
- Tell me about the time you met Andy Warhol
- What advice do you have for artists and songwriters starting out in the music business?
- When and how did you discover your unique style?
- What advice would you give to your younger self?
- Do you still have your first guitar?
- Do you have any music qualifications?
- Is your sense of rhythm learnt, or are you born with it?
- What was the moment you knew that music was your destiny?
- What songs did you learn to play first as a kid?
- Tell me about jamming with Jimi Hendrix
- What was life like as an artist before your first success?
Outlook
- How did the presence of strong women in your childhood help shape your life?
- How would you describe your outlook on life?
- What do you enjoy most about being a musician?
- How would you describe 'funk'?
- Describe your work ethic
- What qualities or characteristics do you love to see in emerging artists?
- What makes you happy like Pharell's 'Happy'?
- What are the downsides to your job?
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- What frankly winds you up?
- Do you have any lucky charms?
- How would you describe your humour?
- Tell us about your relationship with your mother
- What do you think about artists trying to remain anonymous?
- How important has financial security been to you?
- You always come across as a positive and happy person. Are you?
Interests
- If you hadn't gone into music, what do you think you would be doing now?
- What were your other interests growing up aside from music?
- Have you ever researched your family tree?
- What's the most expensive thing you've bought?
- Do you play classical music?
- What's your favourite food?
- How do you relax?
- What's your favourite meal?
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- What car do you drive?
- Can you tell us about your amazing outfit?
- Which fashion designers excite you?
- Where do you like to spend your free time?
- What makes New York so special to you?
- What makes LA so special to you?
- What type of music do you have on your phone right now?
- You've got no plans for the evening. How do you spend your time?
- What are you reading at the moment?
- Which cities do you like to hang out in?
- What movies do you like to watch?
- How would you describe your fashion style?
- Which fashion designers excite you?
- Why did you get involved with the Black Panthers?
Inspirations
- Where did your love of music come from?
- Who inspired you the most growing up?
- Who were the people who were most important to you growing up?
- What song reminds you of your childhood?
- Who or what influenced you musically as a kid?
- How do other people's lyrics inspire you?
- Which jazz musicians have most influenced you?
- What inspired you to start writing music?
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- Has working in Abbey Road Studios influenced your music in any way?
- Which classic albums of other artists do you like to listen to?
- What genres of music do you listen to?
- What current artists are you listening to right now?
- Tell us three guitarists we really should listen to other than yourself!
- Who are you inspired by?
- Which are your top 5 instruments to listen to?
- What genres of music are most appealing to you?
- Who were your childhood heroes?
- Are you a classical fan?
- Which composers do you particularly like?
- Name some of your musical influences over the years
- Which people have had a big impact on your music?
- Do you have any musical heroes?
- Are there any artists that you never tire of listening to?
- Is there a piece of music that acts as your pick-me-up?
- Who have you seen perform that has most impacted you as a musician?
- What music do you listen to when no-one's around?
- Which voices send tingles down your spine when you hear them?
- Which rock and blues guitarists have influenced you?
- Who are your producer peers that you admire?
- What do you think of Bowie's music?
- How did punk and the advent of hip-hop affect you?
Songwriting
- Are there any musical instruments you want to learn?
- Why would you have liked to have learned the piano?
- What's the first song you ever wrote?
- How old were you when you wrote your first song?
- Can you read music?
- Is it important to be able to read music?
- Did you use other instruments to compose music when you were young?
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- What do you do when you get writer's block or lack inspiration?
- How do your lyrics inspire you?
- How much time do you spend composing now?
- What inspired you to start writing music?
- What was your music writing process when you were working with Bernard Edwards?
- What's your favourite way of making music?
- Which song did you have the most trouble writing?
- What are the origins of the 'Le Freak' lyrics?
- How important was your knowledge of jazz in developing your skill in pop?
- You said you wrote your first commercial song when you were 19, what was it?
- What's the secret behind the 'Nile Rodgers' sound?
- How did you come up with the guitar riffs for Greatest Dancer?
- Can you show me how you play the 'Le Freak' Guitar riff?
- Which instruments best suit funk?
- Could you explain about the Deep Hidden Meaning in your songs?
- Do you know if a song is going to be a hit straight away?
- What's the fastest time it's taken you to write a song?
- Which of your records do you think are your hidden gems?
- How did you develop Let's Dance?
- How would you describe your music?
- Describe your creative process
- Is there one of your tracks that has more significance to you than the rest?
- We all know and love your hits. Do you have any songs you reserve just for you and no-one's heard?
- Would you say that there's a 'best practice' for music composition?
- If you could revisit any tracks you've made, which ones would they be?
- What's your process when composing for a number of instrumental parts?
- How do you balance the creative and the commercial sides of making music?
- Can you show us how you developed the Get Lucky sound?
- Has your pleasure in writing changed through your career?
- Do you rework songs from the archives?
- Do you have any songs that you are particularly proud of?
- How do you work with someone with a completely different style?
- Have you ever experienced a eureka moment when creating in the studio?
- Could you name just some of the instruments that you can play?
- Are there any songs that you think... Wow, I wish I'd written that?
- Music then lyrics, lyrics then music. How do you like to work?
- On average, how long does it take to write a track?
- At what point in the songwriting process do you know it's ready?
- Are there any particular songs that you found challenging to write?
- Will you stop creating music?
'The Hitmaker' Guitar
- What's the name of your guitar?
- Describe your relationship to 'The Hitmaker'
- How long have you had 'The Hitmaker'?
Recording & Production
- Analogue or Digital for the best sound reproduction?
- Do you prefer playing live or recording?
- Where do you feel most comfortable, on stage, or in the studio?
- What do you think makes a great Producer?
- When did you decide to work producing for other artists?
- How do you resolve creative differences in the studio?
- What studios do you like to record in?
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- What do you think people like about working with you?
- What's the DNA or essence of a good track for you when you're producing?
- What does your role as producer entail?
- As a producer how do you get the most out of a session with an artist?
- How do technical constraints impact the creative process in the studio?
- Were your skills as a producer learnt on the job or taught?
- What piece of kit couldn't you do without?
- Who are your producer peers that you admire?
- How did you develop your production process when you worked with artists like Bowie and Madonna?
- Have you ever experienced a eureka moment when creating in the studio?
Performance & Touring
- Do you prefer playing live or recording?
- What do you like about playing live?
- Do you plan to keep on touring?
- Where do you feel most comfortable, on stage, or in the studio?
- How do you communicate with the rest of the band on stage?
- Tell me about a memorable stage costume
- From all of Chic's songs, which ones do you enjoy performing most today?
- How often do you go and watch live music yourself?
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- Which songs do you love to play live?
- Where do you like to perform?
- You're putting together a new line-up for a one-time gig. Who would be in it?
- How does the reception to musicians vary across the globe?
- How has touring changed over the years?
- What kind of venues do you like to play?
CHIC
- If Bernard were alive today, what would you want to play with him?
- Tell us something we never knew about your partner in Chic, Bernard Edwards
- Do you still have tracks laid down with Bernard that were never released?
- What was your music writing process when you were working with Bernard Edwards?
- What are the origins of the 'Le Freak' lyrics?
- How did you come up with the name Chic?
- What was the single highlight working and performing with Chic?
- Will Chic carry on making albums?
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- Did you expect Chic to be as impactful as they are?
- What are the origins of Chic?
- What do you think was the secret to Chic's success?
- Can you sum up what it was like being involved in Chic during the 70s?
- From all of Chic's songs, which ones do you enjoy performing most today?
- Why was being anonymous so important to you?
- How did you come up with the guitar riffs for Greatest Dancer?
- Can you show me how you play the 'Le Freak' Guitar riff?
Diana Ross
- How did you approach the production of Upside Down?
- Tell us about your work with Diana Ross
David Bowie
- What was it like reconnecting with David Bowie on Black Tie White Noise?
- How did you meet David Bowie?
- How did you develop Let's Dance?
- How did working with David Bowie affect you?
- After the success of Let's Dance, did you work on anything else with David Bowie?
- How did you develop your production process when you worked with artists like Bowie and Madonna?
- What do you think of Bowie's music?
- What was David Bowie like to work with?
Daft Punk
- How did you use live musicians for the Daft Punk album?
- Can you show us how you developed the Get Lucky sound?
Duran Duran
- Why did you choose to work with Duran Duran and what were they like to work with?
Beyoncé
- What was Beyoncé like to work with?
- Tell us about your work with Beyoncé
Madonna
- What was Madonna like to work with?
- Tell us about your work with Madonna
Other Collaborations and Collaborating in General
- Which artist do you wish you had collaborated with but never got the chance?
- What was it like working with Hall and Oates?
- Describe your collaborative process
- What other musicians we might know do you have on speed dial?
- Do you ever turn down opportunities to collaborate?
- Can you name some of the amazing singers you have worked with?
- Do you hang out with your collaborators past and present?
- How does your creative process vary depending on who you're working with?
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- What do you think people like about working with you?
- Tell me about Stevie Ray Vaughan
- What kind of briefing do you have before collaborating with someone? Is it mainly listening to their work or is there more?
- Has there ever been a time in a session with an artist when you've had to leave the room?
- What's the process of deciding who you collaborate with?
- Are your working days primarily focused on collaboration?
- How do you work with someone with a completely different style?
- Why did you choose to play in bands rather than as a solo artist?
- Which artists have you enjoyed working with?
- From all of the collaborations you've been involved with, what would you say is your most surprising experience?
- How do you prepare yourself before meeting a new collaborator?
- Which artists have you collaborated with several times, or would want to again?
- What would be a dream collaboration for you?
- How do you keep the collaboration process fresh and everyone motivated?
- What's the best part of a collaboration?
- Do you have plans to work with any previous collaborators again?
- You worked with many great artists. How do you spot talent?
- Do you have collaborators that you work with regularly?
- What was Prince like as a friend and to work with?
- How did you end up working with Madonna?
Success Across Genres and Decades
- How did it feel hearing your music on the radio for the first time?
- How does it feel now when you hear one of your songs on the radio?
- What was your first hit record?
- How did your mother feel about your fame and success in music?
- What are your thoughts on retirement?
- What is your greatest single memory at Abbey Road?
- Do you plan to keep on touring?
- How do you keep yourself grounded?
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- What has gone wrong in your career?
- What's your connection with Hipgnosis?
- How have you managed to stay relevant and current over your long career?
- What are your ambitions for the future?
- Will Chic carry on making albums?
- How would you like to be remembered?
- Did you invent house music?
- How do you feel about the impact of streaming on the music industry?
- Have you had any surprise hits?
- How do you feel about talent shows?
- Who would you say has produced a real standout sampling of your work?
- Which of your works do you think have stood the test of time?
- Have you ever been star struck?
- How would you describe your music?
- How do you think disco changed music history?
- Why is your work sampled so much?
- Which decades in music do you rate the highest?
- How do you stay passionate about your work?
- Why do you think your music is so popular?
- What does success mean to you?
- How has your reputation as a hitmaker helped you keep working with fresh talent?
- Is there a difference in creativity and lyrics between the Seventies and today?
- How do you balance the creative and the commercial sides of making music?
- When did you realise you had hit the big time?
- Tell us about a couple of your career highlights so far
- How does the reception to musicians vary across the globe?
- How has touring changed over the years?
- Is there hope for younger artists in the age of streaming music?
- How did punk and the advent of hip-hop affect you?
- Every career has key moments. What would you say your most defining moment has been?
- What were the musical and cultural ingredients of disco?
- Have any notable failures turned out to shape your success?
- What was the most challenging and rewarding period in your life?
- Which direction would you like to take your music in the future?
Connecting with Fans & Communities
- How does it feel knowing that millions of people have heard and love your music?
- How do you feel about your music being embraced by the LGBTQ community?
- What's the question you are asked most often?
- How do you accommodate your fans on social media and in the flesh?
- Did you find social media cathartic during your recovery?
- What would you like to be asked about in interviews but never have been?
- Which of your records do you feel has made the biggest difference?
Recognition
- How many hits have you had?
- Tell me about your role at Abbey Road Studios
- Where do you keep all your awards?
- You've won many awards over your career. Do you have any standouts?
The Basics
- Where does your name Nile originate?
- Where were you born?
- Describe your average day.
- When do you sleep?
- Where do you live?
- What is your date of birth?
- Can you go out unrecognised?
- What age are you now?
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- Do you eat breakfast?
- Who do you hang out and work with on a regular basis?
- What's your health routine now?
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THE EXPERIENCE
HEAR NILE'S TOP HITS AND COLLABORATIONS
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