Elton John and The Song Tina Turner Rejected: Act of War

You Did You Know

The Song Tina Turner Rejected: Act of War

“Act of War” is a song written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin and released in 1985 on the album Ice on Fire. The track was originally conceived as a duet with Tina Turner. According to documented sources, Tina Turner declined the offer because she did not like the song. After her refusal, Elton John recorded the track as a duet with Millie Jackson, which became the officially released version.

Stuart Epps served as the recording engineer for “Act of War”, responsible for capturing the performances and handling the audio engineering during the studio sessions. Gus Dudgeon was the producer of the song and the Ice on Fire album, overseeing the entire production of the track.

The studio recording of “Act of War” features three guitarists credited on the track: Davey Johnstone, Fred Mandel, and Nik Kershaw. While all three are officially listed as guitar players on the session, no available studio documentation, liner notes, or interviews specify which guitarist performed the final guitar solo heard at the end of the song. This detail remains undocumented in reliable published sources.

In my view, the final guitar solo on “Act of War” does not sound like Davey Johnstone’s playing style. Although Davey is officially credited as one of the guitarists on the track, the tone, phrasing, and overall feel of the solo differ from the characteristics commonly associated with his work on Elton John recordings from that period. To my ears, the solo seems closer in style to either Fred Mandel or Nik Kershaw, even though there is no official documentation confirming which guitarist performed this specific part.

The final guitar solo of “Act of War” stands out as a unique moment in Elton John’s catalog. It is the only track in which a guitar solo clearly adopts a speed metal–influenced aesthetic, something completely outside the standard of his discography.

Although the song itself remains rooted in pop-rock, the final solo of “Act of War” uses a guitar language typical of speed metal. The solo is marked by very fast execution, continuous and aggressive picking, linear phrasing with little blues influence, and a strong sense of urgency and attack—hallmarks of mid-1980s metal guitar aesthetics.

In the mid-1980s, this kind of fast, forceful, and highly technical guitar playing was closely linked to the rise of speed metal and related heavy metal styles. Bands such as Metallica, Judas Priest, Motörhead, and Accept were defining a new guitar language based on speed, precision, and intensity.

Nik Kershaw built his career primarily as a singer, songwriter, and pop artist during the 1980s. Although widely known for his vocal work and hit singles, he also plays guitar on his recordings and live performances.

Fred Mandel, on the other hand, followed a very different path. He never released solo albums under his own name and did not pursue a career as a front-line artist. Instead, he established himself as a highly respected session musician and touring sideman.

This contrast between Nik Kershaw’s career as a recording artist and Fred Mandel’s profile as a session musician helps explain why identifying the guitarist behind the final solo of “Act of War” remains so difficult.

Reference:

https://sir-elton-john.fandom.com/wiki/Act_Of_War

Fred Mandel interview reference:

Nik Kershaw interview references:

The Six-Part Release Strategy Behind “Act of War”:

Part 1 – Commercial single version

Part 2 – Instrumental B-side

Part 3 –

Part 4 –

Part 5 –

Part 6 –

#EltonJohn #ActOfWar #IceOnFire #TinaTurner #MillieJackson #BernieTaupin #NikKershaw #DaveyJohnstone #FredMandel #YouDidYouKnow #MusicHistory #EltonJohnTimeline

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Elton John and Nile Rodgers from CHIC

CHIC – History, Legacy, and the Connection with Elton John 

The history of the band Chic

The band Chic was formed in 1976 in New York by musicians and producers Nile Rodgers (guitar) and Bernard Edwards (bass). Emerging at the height of the disco era, Chic quickly stood out for combining musical sophistication, precise funk grooves, and elegant production, influenced by soul, R&B, and European dance music.

Unlike many groups of the disco era, Chic was always regarded as a band of highly skilled musicians rather than just a commercial project. Nile Rodgers developed an extremely influential rhythmic guitar style, while Bernard Edwards redefined the role of the bass in pop and funk music.

Chic not only dominated dance floors in the late 1970s but also influenced entire generations of artists, from hip-hop to contemporary pop.

Major hits by Chic (with official YouTube videos)

Le Freak (1978)

One of the biggest disco hits of all time, born from a real-life experience lived by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXgSHL7efKg

Good Times (1979)

Perhaps Chic’s most influential song. Its bass line was used in “Rapper’s Delight,” a foundational moment in commercial hip-hop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er9xGRolrT4

Everybody Dance (1977)

The band’s debut single, already showcasing the sophisticated DNA that would define Chic.

https://youtu.be/aKmJxpKKvYM?si=iGiI0Gs17TgjLJRN

I Want Your Love (1978)

One of the most elegant tracks of the disco era, featuring refined orchestral arrangements.

https://youtu.be/rpuPCcw-cDU?si=2hkx79Msi6Ku6DUt

Dance Dance Dance

https://youtu.be/OTCv4xJ6mRo?si=bVFczLcTUtaS3TfW

The legacy of Nile Rodgers beyond Chic

After Chic’s commercial peak, Nile Rodgers became one of the most important producers in music history, working with artists such as David Bowie, Madonna, Diana Ross, Daft Punk, and many others. His style became synonymous with quality, groove, and artistic longevity.

Elton John and Nile Rodgers – A retrospective of the artistic relationship

Early intersections and mutual respect

Elton John and Nile Rodgers belong to the same generation of artists that emerged in the 1970s, although in very different musical worlds. Elton came from British piano rock and baroque pop, while Rodgers dominated American funk and disco.

Despite these differences, there was always mutual respect and professional admiration, with both artists circulating through the same events, award ceremonies, and charitable causes over the decades.

Nile Rodgers has stated in interviews that he has played alongside Elton John around twenty times over the years, often in live settings and charity events, highlighting their long-standing friendship and mutual respect.

https://www.plasticosydecibelios.com/elton-john-cree...

2006 – Elton John feat. Chic (We Are Family Benefit)

A landmark moment, little documented for many years, occurred in April 2006 at the “We Are Family” benefit event held at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York.

What happened: Nile Rodgers and Chic performed live

Elton John joined them on stage as a special guest

There was more than one song and more than one video recording

The event was charitable, not commercial

This encounter took place more than a decade before any official studio collaboration between Elton John and Chic.

2015 – Jam session at an Elton John AIDS Foundation event

In February 2015, during a benefit event linked to the Elton John AIDS Foundation in Los Angeles, Nile Rodgers and Chic performed live, and Elton John joined them for a jam session, performing “Good Times” together.

2018 – The official collaboration: Queen

The relationship was formally sealed in the studio in 2018, when Chic released the album It’s About Time.

The album includes the track “Queen,” featuring performances by Elton John and Emeli Sandé.

This recording represents decades of mutual respect and occasional encounters finally becoming an official collaboration documented in their discographies.

The fate of the original Chic members

Bernard Edwards
Co-founder, bassist, and principal composer of Chic.
Fate: Deceased.

Bernard Edwards died in 1996 at the age of 43 in Tokyo, shortly after performing with the band Power Station. The cause of death was pneumonia. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest bass players in popular music history, and his style continues to influence generations of musicians.

Tony Thompson
Original drummer of Chic.
Fate: Deceased.

Tony Thompson passed away in 2003 at the age of 48 due to complications from kidney cancer. Beyond Chic, he was also known for his work with Power Station and for collaborating with major rock and funk artists.

Norma Jean Wright
Original lead vocalist during Chic’s early period.
Fate: Alive.

She left the group in the late 1970s to pursue a solo career. Norma Jean Wright remains active and is closely associated with the preservation of disco-era music and Chic’s legacy.

Alfa Anderson
Classic Chic vocalist who joined in 1977.
Fate: Alive.

Her voice became one of the most recognizable elements of Chic’s sound. She later pursued a solo career and continues to participate in projects related to disco music and Chic’s history.

Luci Martin
Vocalist during Chic’s commercial peak.
Fate: Alive.

After leaving the group, she stepped away from mainstream music but remains acknowledged as part of Chic’s classic lineup.

Historical summary

The early loss of Bernard Edwards and Tony Thompson profoundly affected the original Chic lineup. While the vocalists remain alive and connected to the group’s legacy, the rhythm section that defined Chic’s foundational sound was cut short prematurely. Despite this, Chic’s music continues to endure as a cornerstone of disco, funk, and modern pop history.

#Chic #NileRodgers #BernardEdwards #DiscoMusic #FunkMusic #GoodTimes #LeFreak #EverybodyDance #IWantYourLove #DanceDanceDance #WeAreFamily #HammersteinBallroom #EltonJohn #EltonJohnAIDSFoundation #MusicHistory #LiveCollaboration #CharityConcert #DiscoEra #FunkLegacy #PopHistory

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