Every few years, articles start circulating proclaiming how the guitar is dead and gone from pop music. Then there are articles celebrating how the guitar is back. Have you felt demand for guitar wax and wane in your career?

Not for me because as a musician, if you dont need me playing on your record, you probably dont need me as a producer. I play on 95 percent of the records Ive ever made, even if theres a guitar player in the band. Ive played on record where there were two guitar players in the band. I play on everything I produce almost.

I cant even remember a record that I produced that I didnt play on. Im sure it exists!

Day before yesterday, I was reading somewhere, talking about a B-52s song called Topaz. They were saying, Wow, listen to how great Keith Strickland has developed. And its true, Keith is playing and he did develop. But Im saying, They part that youre actually talking about is me playing!

I didnt want to say anything because I think Keith has really stepped up.

What else is going on in your world? Are you going to try and get back on tour as soon as possible?

I live for the live show. Ever since I was a child, I always envision myself as a live performer. Its really interesting.

I put up a post yesterday on Instagram of a show that I have never put up before. Its just because I was going back and looking at stuff from the beginning, and I was going, Wow, we were killing!

At the beginning of certain songs I would just improvise and play whatever until the crowd is with me, and I forgot how much fun that is and how wonderful that is. Its that moment that I have to talk directly to a person for a minute.

Im not really known as a guitar player who just goes off [and solos]. I did that when I was a kid playing behind my back and stuff. One day I might do it, just for the fun of it cause it is fun to watch, but it is a little silly.

Fortunately, youre known for doing a much simpler thing. Joe Satriani has to eat his guitar strings every night.

(Laughs) Yeah, youre right.

Its funny that some of the most fun times I have are playing with guys who have to do that, cause then I get a chance to open up and do that. Playing with Steve Vai, I have the time of my life. Playing with Dweezil Zappa, I have the time of my life. Or with Keith Urban, I have the time of my life cause were just trying to rip each other.

My mission is to make people feel good. I write music to make people feel happy. I dont write music to show off. Thats not what I do.

To me, when Im here at home, playing by myself, thats when I show off.

Someone asked me, If you could have anything in life, what would you want it to be? I said, Oh, thats easy. Id like to play better. Thats why when I got to bed at night, I play stuff thats impossible for me to play.

I just wrote this song that Ive nicknamed Arpeggio City. The reason why I wrote it is because its impossible to play. Its like ridiculous.

But you know what? In two months, Ill be able to play that bad boy like its nothing, and Ill be like fire all over this thing. But its not a commercial song, its an exercise. Its harmonically and melodically quite stable, but theres no kid that saying, Oh, I cant wait to buy that song Arpeggio City.

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Nile Rodgers On The Immortality Of Guitar, Why He's Writing More Than Ever | Q104.3 | Q104.3's QN'A - iHeartRadio