About a year ago, I stumbled onto Nile Rodgers’ Twitter account. Yes, that Nile Rodgers. I can’t remember how it happened. I remember him talking about how he was recently struck with cancer. He was in treatment, after surgery, and spoke about his doctor-prescribed daily walking therapy. The part that interested me is the way he narrated his daily walks. They were spotted with “we did this here” and “that was recorded there”. Of course, these references were always about some of my favorite soundtrack-to-your-life artists.

Of course I knew of Chic, Nile’s band along with Bernard Edwards and Tony Thompson and the ladies. I remembered roller skating to them on Friday nights and dancing to them in my room as a young teenager. I knew of Nile’s far-reaching producing efforts (Madonna, Duran Duran, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Sister Sledge) and of course Bernard and Tony’s crucial contributions in Power Station but it wasn’t until reading his daily blog, and seeing wonderful vintage photos, that I realized how extensive Nile’s musical reach was into the fabric of the soundtrack of my life.

Last year when I was going to spend a long weekend in New York I thought “How wonderful would it be to run into Mr. Rodgers on one of his daily walks?” We had batted a tweet back and forth, about what I can’t remember, but he did start following me and I always appreciated that. The accidental meet up never occurred, unfortunately. Probably because I was way downtown in Chelsea and not waking up until the afternoon and I think Nile is up on the Upper East Side somewhere. And judging by the pictures he took of him bundled up from the cold on his daily walk, it seemed he started pretty early in the morning. No worries.

Tonight, I saw Nile post a tweet to Miss Jody Watley (swoon) about loving to play on her new album. I noticed he accidentally made a typo (@ jodywatley instead of @jodywatley) and I realized she wouldn’t get the message. I retweeted his tweet, correcting it so it would show up in her feed. This is what he sent back to me:

What a helluva guy. Maybe one of these days I’ll be in New York and accidentally run into Mr. Nile Rodgers and I would love to shake his hand. Shake his hand and say “Thank you, sir”, thank for all the wonderful music you have given to me.

You can read Nile’s Planet C blog here and his homepage here. You can also purchase his autobiography, Le Freak, (which I haven’t started reading yet) here.

Be well.

styx
veruca salt
inxs
jesus jones
oasis
a flock of seagulls
eric b. & rakim
kismet
madonna
sharon redd
depeche mode
david bowie
heart
fleetwood mac
george michael
oak ridge boys
nine inch nails
blur

More on Nitevisions, the Duran offspring band and some speculation of a Spandau Ballet offspring band and a new battle that could reign supreme on the UK pop charts can be found here and their Twitter feed is here. In America maybe the closest pop battle we’ve had would maybe be Madonna vs Michael Jackson in the 80s? Unlike the Brit counterparts of the early 80s and mid 90s (Blur and Oasis battling it out for Britpop) there wasn’t a lot of public mudslinging, just a race to see how could sell more albums. Maybe a Britney vs Christina battle comes to mind? Possibly. I guess times have changed now and they let others do their mudslinging for them.

Here’s the infamous battle on Pop Quiz between Duran and Spandau:

The forecast for yesterday was rain: showers in the morning, showers in the afternoon. I kept a watchful eye outside and it does look wet and windy. Drat. I was hoping to avoid taking an umbrella with me all day but it seems a necessity now. I had a six-block walk from my arrival bus stop to the Corcoran for Todges’ (Todd Hodges) gallery show and silent auction and didn’t want to arrive wet.

It hit me on the bus that I didn’t know the faces of the friends of Todges’ that I have been talking with on the phone and emailing to/from for the past month. Will there be nametags? Will we have to publicly introduce ourselves?

As I Twittered yesterday, I decided to listen to Madonna on the bus ride over, as Todges was just about the biggest Madonna fan I’ve ever met. And I’ve met some big fans. The Madonna music was to continue throughout the day, played at the ceramics studio and the restaurant.

I arrive at the Corcoran where I immediately run into Robert (Bob) Devers, Todd’s ceramics instructor. Todges and I went to a showing of Bob’s work in March 2007. Bob had a picture of of me and Todges together that he had hung up in the ceramics studio, above the chalkboard. So I guess we’ll always be looking down on the studio which is kind of nice.

After speaking with Bob briefly the introductions to other people starting flowing, even people I had never met. It was a warm and friendly reception which I was thankful for. Some people had landed here on futurejunkie during their google searches so they were a little familiar with who I was.

The main reason for this reception was the silent auction of Todges’ ceramic pieces. Todges had given me a piece of his work, one of his rattles, that is a devil on one end and the Virgin Mary on the other. I was thinking I would bid on a companion piece. I really wanted to get a piece titled “The Gunslinger” but I was afraid that it seemed so fragile and might end up being broken as I don’t really have a place to display it. So I didn’t bid on anything, I’m just going to keep the piece that Todges gave me and I think that means more.

During the auction I was able to meet Tip, Todges’ #1, and Steven, Todges #2. I had spoken with Steven on the phone and it was nice to put a face to his voice. He offered me a ride over to the memorial service and I was glad that I wouldn’t have to try and find a cab in the rain.

At Finn & Porter’s, where the actual service was to be held, I was introduced to more friendly folks, Myrna and Todges’ mom, Pat. Myrna is a warm soul and first met Todges like 16 years ago or something. She told me about how, after moving here from Panama, Todges opened up her eyes (and eventually her family’s) to people of all kinds without prejudice or discrimination. How’s that for a legacy? But most importantly, I was able to meet Todges’ mother and receive a little more information on T’s last days, his upbringing and lots of other pieces that filled in the puzzle.

I had originally felt guilt when I heard of Todd’s passing, that maybe I wasn’t being as good of an ex-boyfriend and current friend as I could have. But after speaking with all these people and hearing the same story from everybody, it comes down to Todd not wanting people to know how sick he was, including his own mother and his current roommate. I guess some people have the advantage of being able to take themselves out of the game on their own rules and this is what Todges did. So this eased my mind a little.

And this was something totally Todges: in the center of the buffet table was a four-foot Gucci ice sculpture, complete with vodka shot shoots for two. Practically everybody got in on those action eventually, to the point where instead of running back and forth from the bar for shotglass refills the bartender brought the bottle over and stuck it in the ice. We all thought that Todges would think that it was fabulous.

Presiding over the ceremony portion was the minister? chaplain? spiritual guidance advisor? who was with Todges at GW Hospital while he was in ICU. In addition to her comforting words, she ended with these words, quoting the “great philosopher”:

You must be my lucky star
Cause you shine on me wherever you are
I just think of you and I start to glow
And I need your light and baby you know

You must be my lucky star
Cause you make the darkness seem so far
And when I’m lost you’ll be my guide
I just turn around and you’re by my side

You may be my lucky star
But I’m the luckiest by far.

During lunch today I noticed I had a voicemail from a non-descript 703 number, which means whomever called was not in my Address Book. I thought it might be my brother, calling me from his work phone in Crystal City, since he had called last night. It wasn’t. I didn’t know who it was, and she did not leave her name. What she did mention, however, was that it concerned Todd Hodges, whom you all know I lovingly always called “Todges”.

This did not sound like a good call to be getting, much less returning.

Was Todges in the hospital? In jail? Had he gone missing? The worst fears came about when she informed me that Todges had passed away on September 2nd. I found myself pacing in the courtyard where I was outside, having finished lunch and half of a BSG Season IV episode. It’s windy and hard to hear, my heart is pounding and my body’s going a bit numb and I’m still trying to listen to all the facts.

Peggy (that’s her name who left the message) says Todges succumbed to a lung infection (still waiting on verification from this—I heard it was lung-something. Verification: cancer, of lung & throat.) and friends have divided his phone and Address Book and were calling the people in them, of which I was one.

Although Todges and I had spoken infrequently and ran into each other seldomly since having our 20 Dates together, we were still friendly to each other and had we had more time apart, I think would have become even better friends. We attempted to get together for a drink in July, but that fell through. I wish we would have had that drink together now.

Things I will always remember about Todgie: his undying lurv for Madonna (stages beyond the normal), he was a great cook and an even greater sculptor, his ability to know designer pieces—whether these be clothing or furniture, the way he called his phone a “fome”, how he loved incredibly spicy hot thai food.

The Corcoran, where he studied and also taught, will be holding a celebration of his life and retrospective of his work on Saturday, October 25th at 1pm. A private memorial service will be held later that day at the Embassy Suites at the Convention Center, Finn and Porter Restaurant, Private Event Room at approximately 2:30pm.

For donations to the M. Todd Hodges Memorial Fund, please contact Corcoran Gallery of Art/Corcoran College of Art + Design, Attention: Development Office/Janice Marks—enclose letter or add to memo line: “M. Todd Hodges Memorial Fund”, 500 Seventeenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20006. Contributions can also be made online through the Corcoran’s website: http://www.corcoran.org/campaign/gift_tribute.htm

RIP, Todges, 1968–2008.

UPDATE: Todges’ Blade obit is here and his Washington Post obit is here.

iTunes has posted the Season Pass for Mad Men, Season 2. Dang if I wasn’t too busy burning through three seasons of Strangers With Candy to have been refreshed on MM, S1 already. I think I can probably skip the recap and dive straight into S2. Like, tonight.

Vanity Fair has posted their full May 2008 interview with Madonna. They’ve also posted a slideshow retrospective of her photoshoots beginning from 1986.

Music video for Tears for Fears Mad World is here. The video for the cover by Gary Jules, taken from the Donnie Darko soundtrack, is here.

Dadgonemad.com Just what it says.