The Big Apple Band

Walking on Planet C

The Big Apple Band

I just saw this video for the first time in my life today. It's The Big Apple Band, which is us pre-CHIC playing live in a video recording studio. It was made by Kenny Lehman, the co-writer of CHIC's debut single "Dance, Dance, Dance." Kenny was also a booking agent who was trying to get us gigs doing high-school proms. We never got one prom gig but did lots of gigs on the chittlin' circuit, and the seeds of CHIC were being planted.

In my memoir "Le Freak," I tell how Bernard and I were developing into sophisto-funkers while others around us weren't quite convinced. Notice that only he and I are wearing suits while our band mates are more Rock & Roll casual. The band was forced to change its name after composer/arranger/producer extraordinaire Walter Murphy, had major success with a great disco reworking of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. He called it "A Fifth of Beethoven" by Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band.

Here, our Big Apple Band covers Earth, Wind and Fire's "Getaway." I believe the song's DHM is totally captured though we have no keyboards or horns. I tip my hat to both versions of The Big Apple Band.