Nile Rodgers 'never experienced anything like this' as surprised by Scouser's move

Ahead of next month’s show at the M&S Bank Arena, the legendary musician spoke to the ECHO in an exclusive interview about his special connection to the city.

Nile Rodgers has a special relationship with Liverpool. The legendary musician is loved the world over, but there’s something about his energetic brand of funk and disco classics that particularly connects with Merseyside crowds.

In an exclusive interview with echoThe 72-year-old actor explained that some of his favorite concerts were in Liverpool and that’s why he couldn’t wait to return to the city for CHIC’s concert in London. M&S Bank Arena next month. The concert, which will take place on 30 November, is part of the Act 1.5 series, which supports climate action to demonstrate that music events can be staged in an environmentally sustainable way.

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Nil told ECHO The fact that he supports a cause close to his heart while performing in Liverpool makes the show even more special. The singer-songwriter said: “Our last gig in Liverpool was amazing. Now to do this and not just be around people I love, but to collect data for a higher purpose and say, ‘This is possible.’ We can do these things at a high level.” concerts Provide the same amount of ear and eye candy and have the lowest carbon output possible.”

The event is part of Liverpool’s groundbreaking initiative to become the world’s first UN Accelerator City for climate action. Nile Rodgers and CHIC are part of a star-studded line-up that performs over three days, alongside IDLES and Massive Attack.

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The acts are taking an innovative approach to hosting concerts that will feature meat-free food at a discount. public transportation It will be for residents of the Liverpool City Region and will be powered by 100% renewable energy. Over the past decade, Nil has become increasingly conscious of his own carbon footprint and is always looking for ways to change his lifestyle to make a positive impact.

He laughed as he recalled asking during a concert in Liverpool last year whether there could be a way to bottle up the energy generated by a crowd of Scousers, enough to power an entire city. he said ECHO: “I thought to myself, how many thousands of people are dancing? How much energy are we producing? I wonder if there is a way to contain this energy, because as we know it never dissipates.”

However, the energy of Liverpool fans alone does not explain why Nil loves playing in the city. The Le Freak hitmaker has told how he is impressed by the friendly welcome he receives from Scousers every time he comes to Merseyside.

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Where is the musician from? new YorkHe said: “I love it. The performance part is very cool but what’s really cool and what makes Liverpool great for me is getting around.

“I go to the canals and the docks. We don’t have anything like that (in America). I meet people along the way and they invite me to their homes for tea. I’ve never experienced anything like this. The people of Liverpool are very friendly.”

Nil was in town regularly when he produced last year Zutons’ first album in 16 yearsThe Great Decision Maker. During his stay here, the funk guitarist was surprised to experience the Liverpudlian’s friendly nature first-hand.

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As Nil tried to return to his hotel with his heavy guitar set after a busy day of recording, a kindly Scouser stepped in to save the day. The disco legend said: “I was standing on the corner trying to hail a taxi. For some reason my Uber connection was taking too long.

“Then a man came and said, ‘Do you want me to let you go?’ “I said okay, I said okay, and we just went down the block.” The driver was initially unaware of who he was helping, but his friend in the passenger seat was stunned when he realized they were in the presence of music royalty.

Nil said: “They were very friendly.” He added: “Liverpool has a different vibe. The Scouser thing is very cool. I don’t know how to explain it but I realized it’s different and Liverpool is very special.”

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Nile Rodgers and CHIC will play their wide range of classics at M&S Bank Arena next month

Nil has had an incredible career in music that spans six decades. He is considered one of the most important names in the industry and is the brains behind some of the biggest songs of all time from artists such as David Bowie, Coldplay and Madonna.

Nile’s popularity and influence show no signs of diminishing as his music continues to connect with new generations of people from all backgrounds. The I Want Your Love songwriter attributes this to his music always coming from truth.

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“When I try to analyze it, I think on some level (fans) appreciate it on a first level. It’s just a feeling of dancing and having fun,” he told the ECHO.

“And then they start to understand lyrics. And the level of electricity and whatever message we’re trying to convey.

“The reason I use this phrase deep hidden meanings, even though it sounds so trite most of the time, is because songs always have to mean something to me, otherwise I can’t write. To be honest, I’m not smart enough.”

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Nile recalled the story that inspired the hook of his iconic hit Le Freak as an example of this. He said: “‘Go crazy’ because something realistic happened. One guy told me ‘fuck you’.” He laughed: “I couldn’t hear that on the radio in those days, so I changed it to ‘freak out’.”

Despite being in the business for over 50 years, Nile’s passion and creativity show no signs of slowing down; as he still regularly collaborates with the biggest artists and performs live to fans around the world. The artist never takes anything away from his busy life show business This is normal as he remembers how he was given a new chance at life after surviving cancer for the second time in 2017.

She said: “I am a two-time cancer survivor. This was the first time I had shared something on social media. The love and support I received made me start posting every day because I wanted to reassure people that cancer wasn’t necessarily a death sentence.

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“Then I just started talking about cancer my whole life and I was like ‘no’. So I didn’t post. I was just posting to say this is what I’m doing today and this is my progress.”

But Nil is thrilled that his recovery means his focus now returns entirely to music. The iconic artist is excited to see what the rest of his 70s will bring because he doesn’t plan on retiring anytime soon because the creative spark that inspired him to pursue a career in music still burns brightly.

He said: “I love music and I have no fear or fear of failure. That’s really what it’s all about. I believe that in every situation with music I have something to contribute.”

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Nile Rodgers & CHIC will perform at Liverpool M&S Bank Arena on Saturday 30 November. Tickets are on sale now via www.gigsandtours.com

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