FEATURE:
A Buyer’s Guide
PHOTO CREDIT: John Swannell
Part Eighty-Four: Duran Duran
___________
I have not included these legends yet…
so I thought it was about time that I included Duran Duran in this A Buyer’s Guide. Before recommending the four essential albums from the band, the underrated gem, the latest album and a selected book, it is worth bringing in some biography about one of the most iconic and legendary bands ever:
“Duran Duran epitomized the sleek, fashionable side of new wave, specializing in danceable, synthesized pop delivered with visual flair -- a talent crystallized in a series of groundbreaking music videos from the early 1980s. The group had the good fortune to deliver their debut album in 1981, the same year MTV began broadcasting, and their success was intertwined: Duran Duran gave the network clever, cinematic clips for "Rio" and "Hungry Like the Wolf," which MTV played ceaselessly, helping to turn the Birmingham, England-based band into global superstars. Between 1982 and 1985, the band were fixtures on the British and American charts, with "Is There Something I Should Know?," "Union of the Snake," "The Wild Boys" and the James Bond theme "A View to A Kill" reaching the Top Ten on both sides of the Atlantic. Unlike many of their new wave peers, Duran Duran managed to sustain a career that lasted for decades, withstanding a shifting lineup -- the duo of keyboardist Nick Rhodes and vocalist Simon Le Bon were the only two members to stay with the group throughout the years -- and changes in musical fashion. The group forged an alliance with Chic's Nile Rodgers for 1986's funky Notorious, then refashioned themselves as mature balladeers in 1993 and landed one of their biggest hits with "Ordinary World." The original lineup from the New Romantic era reunited for 2004's Astronaut, a move that helped revive the band's profile. Over the next decade, they collaborated with a number of prominent modern hitmakers, including Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Mark Ronson, and Blur's Graham Coxon, who featured prominently on their 2021 album Future Past.
Inspired by David Bowie and Roxy Music, as well as post-punk and disco, schoolmates Nick Rhodes (keyboards) and John Taylor (guitar) formed Duran Duran in 1978 with their friends Simon Colley (bass, clarinet) and Stephen Duffy (vocals). Taking their name from a character in Roger Vadim's psychedelic sci-fi film Barbarella, the group began playing gigs in the Birmingham club Barbarella, supported by a drum machine. Within a year, Duffy and Colley both left the group -- Duffy would later form the Lilac Time -- and were replaced by former TV Eye vocalist Andy Wickett and drummer Roger Taylor. After recording a demo, John Taylor switched to bass and guitarist Alan Curtis joined the band, only to leave within a matter of months. The group placed an ad in Melody Maker, which drew the attention of Andy Taylor, who became their guitarist. However, Duran Duran were still having trouble finding a vocalist. Following Wickett's departure in 1979, a pair of singers passed through the group before Simon LeBon, a former member of the punk band Dog Days and a drama student at Birmingham University, joined in early 1980.
By the end of 1980, Duran Duran had become popular within the burgeoning new romantic circuit in England and had secured a record contract with EMI. "Planet Earth," the band's first single, quickly rose to number 12 upon its spring 1981 release. Immediately, Duran Duran became the leaders of the new romantic movement, and media sensations in the British music and mainstream press. The group's popularity increased through its cutting-edge music videos, especially the bizarre, racy clip for "Girls on Film." Although the BBC banned the Godley & Creme-directed video, the single became the group's first Top Ten hit, setting the stage for the fall release of its eponymous debut album. Duran Duran reached number three upon its release and stayed in the charts for 118 weeks. The band quickly followed the album with Rio in the spring of 1982. Rio entered the charts at number two, and its singles -- "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Save a Prayer" -- became Top Ten hits. By the November release of the remix EP Carnival, the bandmembers were superstars in Europe, but only just beginning to make headway in America. Their exposure in the U.S. was helped greatly by the emergence of MTV, which put the group's stylish videos into heavy rotation. MTV's constant playing of the videos paid off, and "Hungry Like the Wolf" became a Top Ten hit early in 1983. Rio followed that single into the Top Ten, eventually selling over two million copies.
Duran Duran mania was in full swing across America, with "Is There Something I Should Know" reaching the Top Ten -- it became the group's first English number one that summer -- and the group's first album climbing its way to number ten. Duran Duran capitalized on their popularity by releasing Seven and the Ragged Tiger in time for 1983's holiday season. The record hit number one in the U.K. and number eight in the U.S., spawning the hit singles "Union of the Snake" and "The Reflex," their first number one U.S. hit and their second British chart-topper. The band took an extended break after completing its year-and-a-half-long international tour in the spring of 1984. In November, the group released the non-LP single "Wild Boys," which reached number two in the U.K. and the U.S., where it was added to the live album Arena.
By 1985, Duran Duran fever was beginning to cool off, and after completing the title track for the James Bond film A View to a Kill, the group went on hiatus. Andy and John Taylor formed the supergroup the Power Station with vocalist Robert Palmer and former Chic drummer Tony Thompson in January, releasing their eponymous debut album in the spring; it spawned the Top Ten singles "Some Like It Hot" and "Get It On (Bang a Gong)." The remaining members of Duran Duran -- Nick Rhodes, Simon LeBon, and Roger Taylor -- responded with their own side project, Arcadia, releasing an album called So Red the Rose in the fall of 1985; the album launched the Top Ten hit "Election Day." Early in 1986, Roger Taylor announced he was taking a yearlong sabbatical from the group; he never returned. Several months later, Andy Taylor also left, reducing Duran Duran to a trio. Late in 1986, the band released Notorious, its first album in nearly three years. While it was relatively successful, going platinum in the U.S. and generating a Top Ten hit with the title track, it was noticeably less popular than their earlier records. For the remainder of the decade, Duran Duran's popularity continued to decline, with 1988's Big Thing producing "I Don't Want Your Love," their last Top Ten single for five years.
The greatest-hits album Decade was released late in 1989, followed several months later by Liberty, the first Duran Duran album to fail to go gold. By that point, former Missing Persons guitarist Warren Cuccurullo had become a permanent member of the group. In 1993, the band returned from a prolonged hiatus with Duran Duran [The Wedding Album], a mature, layered record of lite funk and soulful adult contemporary pop that became a surprise hit. "Ordinary World" and "Come Undone" became Top Ten hits in America and the U.K. as well; the album itself climbed into the Top Ten on both continents and went platinum in America. Not only did the record restore their commercial status, but it earned them some of their best reviews of their career. The group followed the album with one of its poorest-received efforts, 1995's all-covers Thank You, which managed to go gold in America despite negative reviews. While Duran Duran were recording the follow-up to Thank You in 1996, John Taylor left the band to pursue a solo career, leaving the group a trio of LeBon, Rhodes, and Cuccurullo. That follow-up, Medazzaland, was released in 1997 but failed to produce any major hits. Released in 2000, Pop Trash suffered a similar fate.
In March 2001, the three Taylors -- Andy, John, and Roger -- met up in Wales and worked with each other for three weeks. Around this time, rumors of a five-member reunion began to circulate. Two months after Rhodes and LeBon denied the rumors, the reunion was confirmed. Duran Duran recorded on and off for a new album over the next three years and also toured sporadically. After signing with Epic, they released Astronaut in October 2004. Red Carpet Massacre, produced by Timbaland and without Andy Taylor, followed in 2007. In 2011, Duran Duran delivered their 13th studio album, the Mark Ronson-produced All You Need Is Now; it was greeted with positive reviews and debuted at 11 on the U.K. charts and 29 in the U.S.
Duran Duran began recording for their 14th album in 2013 and worked on it over the next two years. When it finally materialized in September 2015, Paper Gods bore tracks produced by both Mark Ronson and Nile Rodgers, alongside additional contributions in this area from Mr. Hudson and the band's engineer of choice, Josh Blair. The album also included vocals from Janelle Monáe, Kiesza, and Mew's Jonas Bjerre, as well as guitar from former Red Hot Chili Pepper John Frusciante. The record was their first to be issued through Warner Bros. and its release date coincided with a headline slot at Rob da Bank's Bestival event on the Isle of Wight.
Duran Duran supported Paper Gods with an extensive tour, then turned their attention to recording its sequel in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the release of the ensuing Future Past until October 2021. Largely produced by DJ Erol Alkan and featuring Blur's Graham Coxon on guitar, Future Past was their first record for BMG”.
To honour Duran Duran’s continued popularity and influence, I will recommend the four albums that I think are must-own, the latest studio effort from them, in addition to one that is lesser-celebrated. I have also chosen a book that is worth getting. If you need a guide regarding the legendary Duran Duran, then I hope that my guide is…
OF some use.
_________________
The Four Essential Albums
Duran Duran
Release Date: 15th June, 1981
Label: EMI
Producer: Colin Thurston
Standout Tracks: Planet Earth/Careless Memories/Sound of Thunder
Buy: https://www.discogs.com/sell/list?master_id=79018&ev=mb
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/2Tc7ILGF89w1PWOhzuZlqB?si=imiUK9-aTB2wy7sbeCDt5A
Review:
“Duran Duran's eponymous debut artfully coalesced the sonic and stylistic elements of the burgeoning new romantic movement they were soon to spearhead: pumping synths, glossy production, and seemingly impossible haircuts. Ultra-smart singles like "Girls on Film" and "Planet Earth" became instant smash hits both in the U.K. and America, and other fine pop gems such as "Anyone Out There" and "Careless Memories" rounded out the album's stellar first side. Side two was a far more experimental and revealing affair, with primary songwriter Nick Rhodes leading the band through atmospheric mood-pieces like "Night Boat," "Sound of Thunder," and the instrumental "Tel Aviv," all of which are particularly reminiscent of mid-era Roxy Music (clearly one of Duran's biggest influences). The band's groundbreaking music videos would do the rest, securing them a unique standing as forerunners of the first MTV generation and cementing their status as one of the decade's most successful pop music icons. [The band's first U.K. number one, the non-album single "Is There Something I Should Know?," was added to the 1983 U.S. reissue of Duran Duran, which also featured different artwork.]” – AllMusic
Choice Cut: Girls on Film
Rio
Release Date: 10th May, 1982
Label: EMI
Producer: Colin Thurston
Standout Tracks: My Own Way/Hungry Like the Wolf/Save a Prayer
Buy: https://www.discogs.com/sell/list?master_id=79632&ev=mb
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/02tfQwJSOLP77oCd9U8bqm?si=0A3YAkykRTaqOVAWwHr5tg
Review:
“The album opens with the fourth and final single Rio. Opening with that familiar bassline. Simon Le Bon jumps in with the verse but it’s not really until the chorus that the song really gets going. 80s Obligatory Saxophone joins them for a mid-section instrumental before the track continues to climb up with the chorus, synths, and guitars. The track reached #9 in the UK singles chart, and it’s a belter, that surprisingly didn’t get higher.
This is followed by lead single My Own Way, which swaggers in with a funky bass and some growling guitars. This gave the band a #14 hit single, and it’s definitely a more muted track in comparison to Rio. It’s perhaps a bit catchier though in beats and bass, but lyrically less so.
Lonely In Your Nightmare follows this, easing gently in with synth and twanging guitars. Le Bon’s distinct vocal style soon comes in, and he’s complimented with some lovely vocal harmonies for the chorus. The drums sit back, and we’re treated to a lighter track, allowing those vocals space to shine. This is a much more mellow track.
Hungry Like The Wolf bursts in next, and this track is a perfect gem. The bleeping synth sounds, the growling guitars, the rockier drums, and the harder vocals all combined to give them their #5 hit UK single. This is the best track here so far.
Chugging guitars lead into Hold Back The Rain. Again, it’s an upbeat track with plenty of nice harmonies and backing vocals, giving Le Bon plenty of opportunity to show off his vocal power and range. The track races off at quite a pace, pulsating to the end of Side One.
Side Two opens gently amidst a swirl of synths of New Religion. This is a gentler start to this second side, and unfortunately not particularly a strong track.
Last Chance On The Stairway is next, and this track has the same energy as Hungry Like The Wolf, along with some wonderfully swirling synth-scapes in the background. The result is a great sound, that probably could have made it as a better single than On My Way.
A delicious synth sound brings in the beautifully sounding Save A Prayer which gave them a #2 hit in the summer of 1982, and was their biggest hit so far by that point. The wandering bass, the drifting slower tempo, Simon’s vocals, the gentle percussion, and the choice of synths makes this track a sheer delight to hear. Perfect.
The album closes with The Chauffeur, a song written back in 1978. Again, synths usher this one, and it’s joined by bass and piano in quite a quirky sound. Le Bon’s vocals dominate this slightly weird sounding song, and he really shows off his vocal range here. It’s hypnotically good” – Pop Rescue
Choice Cut: Rio
Duran Duran
Release Date: 11th February, 1993
Label: Parlophone
Producers: Duran Duran/John Jones
Standout Tracks: Too Much Information/Come Undone/Femme Fatale
Buy: https://www.discogs.com/sell/list?master_id=79090&ev=mb
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/0PqCkTvKFJxzr9uujq7a3T?si=4Zyh340bTd2DD187S1K_gQ
Review:
“Duran Duran came back out of nowhere in early 1993 with a new album and a huge hit, "Ordinary World." The group sounds more relaxed and mature than it did during their glory days, but not all that much has changed; instead of personifying the days of early-'80s synthesized dance-pop, the music is smooth dance pop for the '90s. Taken on its own terms, Duran Duran (The Wedding Album) works every bit as well as Duran Duran, Rio, or Seven and the Ragged Tiger. "Ordinary World" and "Come Undone" are wonderful pop singles that sit between some passable album tracks and the occasional embarrassment, namely the wretched cover of the Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale." In other words, Duran Duran are back and as good as they ever were” – AllMusic
Choice Cut: Ordinary World
All You Need Is Now
Release Date: 21st December, 2010
Label: Tape Modern
Producers: Mark Ronson/Duran Duran
Standout Tracks: All You Need Is Now/Leave a Light On/Other People's Lives
Buy: https://www.discogs.com/sell/list?master_id=295391&ev=mb
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4wZK4hmMRl3GmGOWu24meb?si=IMJ7zOX6Sm648eaYj2mQPw
Review:
“Following massive early success, ego-fuelled side projects, line-up changes and yachting accidents, Duran Duran completed the full rock career trajectory in 1993 with a triumphant comeback. The Ordinary World single and its parent album rekindled public affection and critical acclaim for a band most had consigned to nostalgia shows. Since then the group’s creative flame has flickered fitfully, though 2004’s Astronaut and the Timbaland-assisted follow-up Red Carpet Massacre demonstrated that all was not lost.
For All You Need Is Now, Duran Duran have enlisted another celebrity producer, but this time one who understands them as a fan. Mark Ronson has never been shy about his love for the band, and here he brings out the best in Simon Le Bon’s voice. This is particularly clear on the restrained Leave a Light On; lyrics such as "You ease the lost cause out of me" even brushing the heights of their sublime Come Undone.
They have thankfully stopped seeking credibility, and it suits them. Their calling card here is the garage rock of the title-track (if you can imagine a garage band playing alongside Bentleys), which morphs into a soaring chorus reminiscent of Rio. Scissor Sister Ana Matronic slots perfectly into the disco-flecked Safe, an unashamed return to their original sound. They sound similarly well preserved on the slinky Being Followed, and Girl Panic! also mines their new wave roots.
Unsurprisingly for a band renowned for singles over albums, the 14 tracks include some misfires. Le Bon’s complaint about "glossy lifestyles staring out of magazines," on the plodding Other People’s Lives, particularly riles. Runaway Runaway is throwaway, while the perfunctory funk of Blame the Machines is a heartless grind until its middle eight, reminiscent of Ronson’s recent Record Collection, finds newsreader Nina Hossain telling the listener, "You’re not required to think".
Their Smash Hits days may be as over as Smash Hits itself, and further crossover appeal has probably passed, but their admirable persistence in recording new material has paid off. This album, Mark Ronson’s "imaginary follow up to Rio that never was", is their best for 18 years” – BBC
Choice Cut: Girl Panic!
The Underrated Gem
Seven and the Ragged Tiger
Release Date: 21st November, 1983
Label: EMI
Producers: Alex Sadkin/Ian Little/Duran Duran
Standout Tracks: New Moon on Monday/I Take the Dice/Union of the Snake
Buy: https://www.discogs.com/sell/list?master_id=87609&ev=mb
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/0jBIq5EY9zRBZJuCE9iuM1?si=XVVOPErSSEqhGIwW2QTM4w
Review:
“Seven and the Ragged Tiger went on to sell millions of copies worldwide and went to number one in several countries including their native England, which was the first and only time the band accomplished this on the album charts.
Simon, Nick, John, Andy and Roger really had something special and, for a two album stretch, they touched something magical that so many bands fail to ever reach.
The sound was helped along by producers Alex Sadkin and Ian Little. Contributing musicians such as sax player Andy Hamilton, percussionists Raphael DeJesus and Mark Kennedy helped the bands sound evolve. Another aspect to this album’s sound are back-up singers BJ Nelson and Michelle Cobbs. Mixed all together, it produced a warm, full sound.
In November of this year, the album turned 35 years old. While I’ve made new memories with the songs on this album, I will never forget the energy and excitement I felt listening to it back in 1984. Life is better in so many ways today but there was something simpler back then. Simpler in that I didn’t feel the need to be connected all of the time or distracted by technology. Just a pair of hand-me-down headphones and a beat up old record player that had a needle so worn I had to put a stack of quarters on the arm just to make sure the record didn’t skip.
In my world of top tens, Seven and the Ragged Tiger will always have a place on my personal list of all-time favorite albums” – Sound Vapors
Choice Cut: The Reflex
The Latest Album
FUTURE PAST
Release Date: 22nd October, 2021
Labels: BMG/Tape Modern
Producers: Erol Alkan/Joshua Blair/Duran Duran/Kaz Haga/Peter Karlsson/Hannie Knox/Mathieu Kranich/Giorgio Moroder
Standout Tracks: GIVE IT ALL UP (ft. Tove Lo)/ANNIVERSARY/FUTURE PAST
Buy: https://www.discogs.com/sell/list?master_id=2347705&ev=mb
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/7GyGHJ1jv0v2Sa0pcgs4fD?si=KN--v4AiS-ehGMZqQnZMKQ
Review:
“Duran Duran were a burst of colour amid the cavalcade of negative headlines in the early 80s. The unemployment soaring and inner city riots, their care-free songwriting provided an outlet for escapism, and playful adventure. ‘Future Past’ – their first album in six years – follows in this tradition, reflecting some of the intensity of its surroundings while also offering some of the band’s most direct, and downright catchy songwriting in decades.
Perhaps it helps that ‘Future Past’ is such an outward-looking, communal experience. The production is beefed out by Mark Ronson and Erol Alkan, while hugely experienced disco icon Giorgio Moroder was also brought on board. The guests, too, present a remarkably varied palette – Blur’s Graham Coxon assists on guitar, while vocalists range from pop queen Tove Lo to incendiary rapper Ivorian Doll via Japanese garage-pop outfit CHAI.
The highs are effervescent. The funky opening spell that dominates ‘All Of You’ segues into the delirious disco that drives The Tove Lo enhanced ‘Give It All Up’. ‘Beautiful Lies’ is an unashamed piece of retro dancefloor flair, and CHAI amplify the ecstatic exuberance of ‘MORE JOY!’ to overwhelming levels.
Yet it’s not all incandescent pop bullseye moments. In truth, ‘Tonight United’ is quite cheesy, and the Bond theme ambiance of ‘Wing’ plods along without ever really raising the pulse – granted, it does shows off Simon le Bon’s still impressive chops.
The band’s first album since ‘Paper Gods’ in 2015, ‘Future Past’ is the work of a group resurgent. While many of their peers have opted for merch-stalling fillers as they grind out another Greatest Hits tour, Duran Duran have opted to challenge themselves. Frothy, neon-soaked entertainment, ‘Future Past’ – when it works – is a blast of ridiculous 80s themed fun” – CLASH
Choice Cut: INVISIBLE
The Duran Duran Book
Duran Duran's Rio (33 1/3): 156
Author: Annie Zaleski
Publication Date: 1st July, 2021
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Synopsis:
“In the '80s, the Birmingham, England, band Duran Duran became closely associated with new wave, an idiosyncratic genre that dominated the decade's music and culture. No album represented this rip-it-up-and-start-again movement better than the act's breakthrough 1982 LP, Rio. A cohesive album with a retro-futuristic sound-influences include danceable disco, tangy funk, swaggering glam, and Roxy Music's art-rock-the full-length sold millions and spawned smashes such as "Hungry Like the Wolf" and the title track. However, Rio wasn't a success everywhere at first; in fact, the LP had to be buffed-up with remixes and reissued before it found an audience in America. The album was further buoyed by colorful music videos, which established Duran Duran as leaders of an MTV-driven second British Invasion, and the group's cutting-edge visual aesthetic. Via extensive new interviews with band members and other figures who helped Rio succeed, this book explores how and why Rio became a landmark pop-rock album, and examines how the LP was both a musical inspiration-and a reflection of a musical, cultural, and technology zeitgeist” – Waterstones.co.uk
Order: https://www.waterstones.com/book/duran-durans-rio/annie-zaleski/9781501355189