Thursday, September 30th, 2004

How Chic Saved Civilization

Got the DFA comp this week which is great, but prompted me to go back to my Chic records, which taught me a couple of things.

1) Topper Headon’s drum sound on London Calling and Sandinista is straight up bitten from Tony Thompson on the first three Chic records. Prove to me it isn’t.

2) Generations of bands have now made a virtue of being completely unable to play or compose anything as technically difficult or breathlessly perfect as “Everybody Dance”. You can take Queen, the Clash, Go4, let alone Pigbag, Soul II Soul. Maybe even Arthur Russell.

More soon…

posted by Jeff Chang @ 12:26 pm | 6 Comments

6 Responses to “How Chic Saved Civilization”

Sean says:

September 30, 2004 at 5:44 pm

You’re not wrong about the Headon rip. You’d probably know better anyway, but let’s just say it’s an homage to an amalgam of styles. That’s a little more diplomatic, no?
Jeff says:

September 30, 2004 at 6:56 pm

Yeah, I think that’s a much fairer way of putting it. I’m a huge Topper Headon fan, if that’s not alrady clear. Maybe it has to do with the way they mixed the drums too–very dry, even the cymbal and hi-hat work.
Anonymous says:

October 2, 2004 at 3:38 am

“Chic Saved Civilization”

-I completely agree 😉

“unable to play or compose anything as technically difficult or breathlessly perfect as “Everybody Dance””

-And to think they did almost everything in just one take!

“1) Topper Headon’s drum sound on London Calling and Sandinista is straight up bitten from Tony Thompson on the first three Chic records.”

-I hadn’t thought about that…I know Clash bass player were influenced by CHIC, but maybe the drummer too?

-btw: I run the site http://www.chictribute.com and there are more samples and influences on this page: http://www.chictribute.com/disco/emul.html

-If you have anything to add please mail me at pocat@chictribute.com
Anonymous says:

October 4, 2004 at 11:02 am

Excellent site!
David says:

October 6, 2004 at 10:23 pm

Everybody Dance is my favorite fucking Chic record! That shit is so beyond classic.
j. brotherlove says:

October 14, 2004 at 5:15 am

Don’t get me started on Chic. There music is too fantastic and influential to contain in one page of text. Just listen to the bass work on “I Want Your Love”.

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