Exclusive: Sam Smith Talks Disclosure, Nile Rodgers Team Up

"He is truly a legend!"

Sam Smith has spoken to Clash about his recent studio sessions with Nile Rodgers and Disclosure.

The resurgence of Nile Rodgers has been one of the year's more heart warming stories. Beating cancer to notch up a global hit single with Daft Punk, the guitarist is a beacon of contentment in an often cynical industry.

Seemingly collaborating with whoever rattles his Inbox, Nile Rodgers recently confirmed that he was heading into the studio with Disclosure. Using Twitter to chat with fans, the guitarist said:

Rising vocalist Sam Smith was also present at the sessions, following his work on Disclosure's debut album. Remarkably, Clash had a phoner booked in with the singer today (September 19th) and was able to get an update on those sessions from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

"It was really mad!" he beamed. "We had our first session on Tuesday. It's been in the diary for a couple of weeks, so I've been freaking out and we didn't tell anyone (but) then he was tweeting about it anyway".

"He is truly a legend! It was great to hear his stories, like who he has he worked with" Sam Smith continued. "And the big one for me was: 'did you ever work with Whitney Houston?' and he replied: 'I never worked with her, but I was best friends with her'. For me that was just crazy to be in the company of people that I have looked up to my whole life. It's been very very surreal."

A fountainhead of pop experience, Nile Rodgers has not been slow in offering advice to both Disclosure and Sam Smith. "He was speaking a lot yesterday about how he was treated by the pop industry ages ago when Chic was just coming out. He was explaining how Chic was seen as underground music and how some people just didn't get it" Smith continues. "So I guess that was a lesson on sticking to your guns and I suppose overall he was telling me and Disclosure boys to base our music on the reaction of the fans instead of commercially orientating our music. That was his main lesson."

"But really he just played his guitar and we just sat there dribbling in happiness. He was just playing all these classics on his guitar and its was truly special to be with a musician that is such an expert at what he does."

Check out a previous Clash interview with Nile Rodgers HERE.

Sam Smith x Clash interview by Matthew Bennett

Get the best of Clash on your iPhone – download the app here

-
Join the Clash mailing list for up to the minute music, fashion and film news.