To the rock critics who dismissed
Chic's music as disposable and mindless back in the late '70s: it might seem like a stretch to say that
Nile Rodgers and
Bernard Edwards had as great an impact as
Gamble & Huff,
George Clinton, and the folks at
Stax Records. But in fact,
Chic's music was that influential -- and its disco/funk/soul innovations would be having an impact long after the '70s ended. From
Madonna,
Change, and
Queen, to
Duran Duran,
Soul II Soul, and
ABC -- new wave, hip-hop, house, European Hi-NRG, Latin freestyle, and acid jazz -- you could write a book about all the artists who have been influenced by
Chic. This collection, which came out in 2000 and spans 1977-1982, is full of grooves that prove to be anything but disposable. Most of
Chic's essential hits are provided, including
"Good Times," "Le Freak," "Dance, Dance, Dance," "I Want Your Love," and
"Everybody Dance." Less than essential, but still likable and decent, are early '80s recordings such as
"Rebels Are We" from
Real People, and
"Stage Fright" from
Take It Off. By 1980,
Chic wasn't having as many hits and was feeling the sting of the death-to-disco movement. But disco never really died -- it simply changed its name to dance music and evolved into such forms as Hi-NRG, Latin freestyle and house. When that happened,
Chic's long-lasting influence was impossible to miss -- you could say that
Chic's influence lasted a lot longer than
Chic itself. For those who need a concise introduction to
Chic's legacy and want to hear some of R&B's most influential grooves,
The Very Best of Chic is highly recommended. ~ Alex Henderson
