Showing posts with label disco. Show all posts
Showing posts with label disco. Show all posts

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

Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco, and Destiny
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Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco, and Destiny ReviewAn excerpt in the New York Times magazine had me excited to read this autobiography, in which Nile Rodgers maintains a bemused and conversational tone. He was born to a 13 year-old mother, raised by an assortment of relatives, and ran around both coasts as a skinny, brainy, insomniac, asthmatic child with a gift for music and a knack for survival. Dealers, users, hit men all make appearances, and are taken in stride as just part of his young life.
Even if he hadn't become the successful artist and producer, his early years make for a great story, though he bounces around a bit in the telling of it. The book really comes to life when Rodgers talks about his role in the rise of disco and the world of the New York dance club scene. That part of the story reads like the fall of the Roman Empire, a last-days bacchanal.
When disco "died" (though of course, as Rodgers points out, it never really did), he could have retired forever on his earnings, but he brought his music back working as a hit-maker for artists like David Bowie, INXS, Duran Duran, Madonna, and more. He offers his experience with of music's heavy hitters, and his portraits of David Bowie, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson and Madonna are candid and believable. He's not dropping names; he's just talking candidly about his friends. His portraits are honest but diplomatic. In other words, even while discussing drug binges or wild times, Nile Rodgers is a gentleman.
I remembered while reading this that my sister had met him years ago while he was producing the first Dan Reed Network record in NY. She said he was quiet, funny, brilliant, and that he never seemed to sleep. He told her the pretty guys with the braids weren't doing the singing for Milli Vanilli, and I remember being shocked by that. I was impressed that she'd met him, but I really didn't understand just how impressive Nile Rodgers is until I read this book. He imparts a list of accomplishments that is mind-boggling, but he keeps that same relaxed, easy, humble tone, as if he's as surprised as anyone else by how much he's managed to accomplish.
His life's work is staggering in amount and diversity, and this book is fascinating.Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco, and Destiny Overview

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Fortune's Fool: Edgar Bronfman, Jr., Warner Music, and an Industry in Crisis Review

Fortune's Fool: Edgar Bronfman, Jr., Warner Music, and an Industry in Crisis
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Fortune's Fool: Edgar Bronfman, Jr., Warner Music, and an Industry in Crisis ReviewThe demise of the music industry is a topic of continuing interest - Goodman's excellent book using Bronfman as the central theme - nicely captures the utter disregard for both the customer and artist, the genius of Steve Job's iTunes/iPod platform and the scramble - still in progress to redefine what the inevitably volatile music business will be in the future now that the big companies have milked all they can from reissuing everything they can on CD. I remember the period when Elvis' first recordings - titled the Sunrise collection - were rereleased by RCA every year with "newly" discovered material.
I was interested that one of Lyor Cohen's label heads had to scout strip clubs to understand what was happening in the music scene - says something about where society is going. Incredible amounts of money exchanging hands for trivial and thoughtless strategies. Goodman appropriately focuses on the central role of Ahmet Ertegun as the last of the old school of record and label makers.
As to Bronfman - he comes across as very wealthy with any ascribed successes coming from throwing enough against the wall that something sticks. $50 million bonuses and losing $130 million in 3 months trying something appear to be par for Bronfman's course. Wonder how he missed the Brooklyn Bridge.
As the other reviewer noted, the cast of characters lack the charm and idiosyncrasies of the record men of the 50s and 60s - Sid Nathan, Hy Weiss, Jerry Wexler, Berry Gordy etc. and the 80s not to ignore Malcolm McLaren. Not a business for the pure of heart.
Good book.Fortune's Fool: Edgar Bronfman, Jr., Warner Music, and an Industry in Crisis Overview

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