The full early CHIC Organization
The CHIC Organization exists because we've made our music for "the people" even when our record company didn't understand it. I have ALWAYS had personal contact with my audience and now that it's my first time in Australia, I'd like to meet and greet as many folks as possible.
Many of you don't know that I was attacked by very aggressive prostate cancer just over a year ago and I'm thankful to be alive. All of my male colleagues in the full early CHIC Organization photo have passed away except me. I'm the sole flag bearer from the original crew, and every time I take the stage it's in their honor.
It's not normally my style to do this, nor do I want to step on any toes, but I'm taking it upon myself to personally ask folks to come out and have the time of your lives with us. At each of the Sydney (The Metro Theatre) and Melbourne (Billboard) shows, I'm going to have a FREE Book Signing event, which means YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY TO COME TO IT!
We can meet and talk about the music I've produced (six #1 singles in Australia alone). I'll play, talk, and demonstrate the origin of our process called DHM (Deep Hidden Meaning), the secret to ALL of our songs. This is the opposite of an after-party, it's a before-party starting at 5:00pm.
Here's a partial set list of the planned night's songs but because CHIC is live, you never know what we'll do: but whatever it is, "It's Got To Be Funky!"
Hover over the dots and enjoy!
Hover over the dots and enjoy!
Every time The CHIC Organization takes the stage, we honor our funky fallen colleagues
Every time we take the stage it's in their honor
Every time we take the stage it's in their honor
Every time we take the stage it's in their honor
Every time we take the stage it's in their honor
Every time we take the stage it's in their honor
Every time we take the stage it's in their honor and It's Got To Be Funky!
Here's our Australian tour book
Here's our Australian tour book. The Playground Weekender was rained out (sad face). Now our first gig will be Monday, March 5 at The Metro Theatre, 624 George Street, Sydney.
I've gotten the promoter to agree to allow me to have a FREE BOOK SIGNING before the concert. It will begin at 17:00. We didn't travel all this way to let you or ourselves down.
If you were planning to go to the Playground Weekender please come to The Metro. We will funk TWICE AS HARD to keep you dancing to the point of delirium.
Here's the current set list (and the artists I originally did them with to refresh your memory). We'll also keep some other gems in reserve just in case you still have an ounce of energy left at the end of the night. See You On The Dance Floor!
Hover over the dots and enjoy!
Hover over the dots and enjoy!
Currently en route to Australia with The CHIC Organization for a string of show dates. Let's catch up after this 15 hour flight from Los Angeles, CA to Sydney Australia since there will be No WiFi On-Board.
Yesterday I had to do a number of interviews, so I spent the whole day in the kitchen in my House
Yesterday I had to do a number of interviews, so I spent the whole day in the kitchen In my House. In between every phone call I'd dance around and break into House songs, which made perfect sense to me.
"That's The Way Love Is" by Ten City was the jam that kicked off my kitchen party, followed by Inner City's "Good Life," Moloko's "Sing It Back," Snap's "The Power," and Raze's "Break 4 Love." Of course that last song popped into my head naturally because I had a little break before my last interview.
After I chatted with the final journalist I sang "Lady" by Mojo. This song's built on a sample of CHIC's "Soup For One," how apropos. In between the last two interviews I had a bowl of chicken soup In Da House.
Ten City "That's The Way Love Is"
Inner City "Good Life"
Moloko "Sing It Back"
Snap! "The Power"
Raze "Break 4 Love"
Modjo "Lady (Hear Me Tonight)"
CHIC "Soup For One"
My NYC Apartment's master bedroom
I spent yesterday morning resting in my NY apartment. I realized I was feeling much better than the previous two days and walked briskly for almost a mile.
I went over to Sony Music for a great meeting. After the meeting, I headed back to Le Crib Studio in Connecticut and worked on some productions.
Today, I'll do last minute preparations for the Australian tour. I'm really looking forward to playing our new show, seeing the lads in INXS, and meeting up with other friends old and new - like Tina Arena and Sam Sparro. I'm now in a Countdown To Good Times.
Approaching the Sony Music building
After the meeting, I headed back to Le Crib Studio in Connecticut and worked on some productions
INXS
Tina Arena
Sam Sparro
The crowd in Brussels before the show, counting down to Good Times
Today we had our second and final rehearsal before we go to Australia - Me, Folami and Ralph
Today we had our second and final rehearsal before we go to Australia. I'm still feeling sick and more tired than usual, but playing the music temporarily made me feel better.
We always rehearse at SIR, as do many artists - and some of them have autographed posters on the walls. They even had one by INXS, whom I will see in a few days.
Today we had our second and final rehearsal before we go to Australia - Jerry and Selan
Today we had our second and final rehearsal before we go to Australia - Kim and me
Today we had our second and final rehearsal before we go to Australia - Rich
We always rehearse at SIR
Signed INXS poster on the wall at SIR
I'm still a little sick and more tired than usual, but music always makes me feel better
Rehearsing at SIR with my Plexiglass Guitarman
Today is the first day of rehearsal for Australia and I feel very sick
There is no shortage of irony in my life. A little over a year ago, CHIC was playing its very first gig with Earth, Wind & Fire. I've been wanting to play with them for most of my life. The night of the show, I was stricken with a neurological event that caused me to loose muscle strength in my right hand. I couldn't hold my guitar pick and played the entire night with my fingers. It was almost impossible to imitate my normal "chucking" style with my fingers, but somehow I got through the show. It was one of the worst nights of my life.
Yesterday, I woke up with a fever and felt very sick. It was the first day of rehearsal for our upcoming gigs in Australia. I've been looking forward to playing Australia ever since our sophomore album and it's lead single "Le Freak," which went triple platinum and #1 on the Australian charts. We leave in just two days and I'm deathly ill.
Music has always given me extra strength to overcome incredible odds and I'm depending upon it to pull me through again. Everything's been going so well lately and I guess this is part of the Yin Yang of life. Whenever I think things are perfect, something bad happens that catches me off guard. I'm doing everything I can to try and nurse myself back to health. I'm very happy in general but sometimes I think, This Could Only Happen To Me.
Earth, Wind & Fire
"Le Freak" single sleeve
Music has always given me extra strength to overcome incredible odds
Yesterday's rehearsal stage plan
I feel horrible but I'm trying to get through rehearsal
I can always depend on The CHIC Organization to prop me up on Platinum crutches
No matter what I feel like, as long as there's an once of breath in me I'm going to give it my all
My Final Night in Bremen on our last tour, and though I was really sick and the doctor had just visited me, we still gave a strong performance
My chucking style is almost impossible to imitate with my fingers
Though I'm generally happy, ironically I think sometimes This Could Only Happen To Me
Yesterday I couldn't wait to get to the studio and play on Scissor Sisters' new record
Yesterday I played on the Scissor Sisters song that I'd heard the day before but couldn't record on it because I was booked for an important meeting. I haven't had the time to indulge in my old life of producing records lately because I've been writing my book and composing two musicals over the last few years.
Going to a recording studio and playing on a new record almost masquerades as my old life. I get to create the parts and carefully craft the textures with the artists, producers, and engineers.
A little more than a year ago I was diagnosed with very aggressive cancer, and my future was uncertain. Now, I'm writing, performing, and playing on more records than I have in quite some time.
After being attacked by The Big C, everyday of my life feels great and I Can't F-ing Believe It.
Being in the studio almost masquerades as my old life
I get to create the parts, and carefully craft the textures with the artists, producers, and engineers
Now I'm writing, performing, and playing on more records than I have in quite some time. Me a few days ago doing another record
Jake from Scissor Sisters taking a picture of me taking a picture of him
Mark Ronson in the studio producing Scissor Sisters
Me, Jake Shears, and Mark Ronson in the studio
And I get to wake up to this every morning - I Can't F-ing Believe It
Like most days this season, today was warm
I woke up today and it was like most other days this season - warm. My handyman Nick was fixing the kitchen cabinets and I asked him to come outside and take a few pictures of me at the dock. Though it’s February, if the boat were unwrapped we’d have taken it for a spin.
The phone rang and it was musician/producer extraordinaire Mark Ronson. He asked if I could come down to the studio because he wanted me to play on a record. Just imagining it thrilled me. I’m at my happiest when I have a guitar in my hands. The only problem was I had a prior engagement - a big meeting with some big-thinkers held by the cutting edge independent ad agency Droga5. The guest of honor was Morten Albæk, CMO of Vestas (wind turbine company). One of the best things about my life is that there’s always so much going on.
I went to the studio to say hello to Mark and members of one of my favorite acts of the last few years - Scissor Sisters. I didn’t have time to play on the record and do the Droga5 meeting, but I hung out for as long as I could and they played the song for me. The song was hot and as they played it, I jammed along on a 12-string guitar. I wanted to record with them but sadly I couldn’t do it. Fu**. I Can’t Believe This...
(To be continued)
I asked my handyman Nick to take a few shots of me at the dock
If the boat were unwrapped, we’d have taken it for a spin
Musician / Producer extraordinaire, Mark Ronson
A big meeting with some big-thinkers held by the cutting-edge ad agency, Droga5
The guest of honor was Morten Albæk, CMO of Vestas (wind turbine company)
I went to the studio to say hello to Babydaddy and some Scissor Sisters peeps
Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters
The 12-string guitar I was jamming on and some Scissor Sisters gear
Taking a quick photo while waiting for the elevator as I was leaving
I had to go to my apartment in NYC for a meeting with a producer
Many people who are new to my daily blog, which is a celebration of being alive since I was diagnosed with cancer last year, don't know that I sing to myself all day long.
Yesterday, I had to go to my apartment in NYC for a meeting with a producer for the musical that I'm composing. Before my journey, I rummaged around my house looking for my favorite white sneakers. I've been wearing them almost all winter because it's been unseasonably warm. I'd kicked them off the night before and I didn't remember where they were.
I took pictures because I thought they'd be in a stupid place and I wanted to document it and show my housekeeper. I'm always influenced by things that I see and songs just pop into my head to underscore the situation. It's weird, but I Can't Help Some Crazy Things I Do.
The living room was spotless - No sign of sneakers and I was singing Luther's version of "House Is Not a Home"
They were not in the asian puppet room - I was still singing the Luther song
The gym was spotless - I was singing "Pump Up the Jam" by Technotronic
I knew they were not in the studio guest bedroom, but I checked anyway because it's near the gym
I found my sneakers under my kitchen table and started singing "Running Away" by Roy Ayers and went to NYC
During my meeting, workers on a scaffold dropped past my window.
I ran outside and snapped the workers while singing "(I Want To Take You) Higher" by Sly and the Family Stone
When I returned home I'd gotten an email from Mark Ronson who was in the studio
I've known Mark almost his whole life - Here he is at my house WAY back in the day