Disco Legend Dies At 48

Tony Thompson, the drummer with seminal disco pioneers Chic, died last week aged just 48 after a long battle with cancer.

As well as being a founding member of the revolutionary dance band, the native New Yorker went on to become one of the 80s biggest session players, performing with David Bowie, Madonna and Power Station. His Chic drum parts were also regularly sampled by rap and hip-hop producers, though his latter years were financially tough, as a lack of medical insurance meant his illness struck him hard.

Chatting about Chic's origins before his death, he revealed the band's route into club culture had been practical rather than organic.

"Disco was another way of getting our foot in the door," Thompson said. "We were meant to be a rock band, but nobody wanted to hear us" (The Guardian).

Chic's legacy also helped spawn 80s electro disco, according to Duran Duran's John Taylor (who went on the play with Thompson in the Power Station).

"In 1978, it was the year of 'disco sucks' and I felt I should be at a therapist saying 'I have this guilty love of disco'," Taylor told the Observer..

"I thought Chic were fantastic. That's why I became a bass player."
Tags