Duran Duran

DuranDuran

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If anyone is interested, some remastered albums are being released. This is from the band's Myspace page:

EMI's special-edition reissues of DURAN DURAN (1981) and SEVEN AND THE RAGGED TIGER, as well as SO RED THE ROSE by ARCADIA, are out in Europe now, and they're coming out in the U.S. soon -- Arcadia on April 20 and the two DD albums on May 18.
 
Duran Duran (1981)

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CD 1:

The original album:
1. Girls On Film (3.39)
2. Planet Earth (3.57)
3. Anyone Out There (4.02)
4. To The Shore (3.47)
5. Careless Memories (4.08)
6. Night Boat (5.25)
7. Sound Of Thunder (4.06)
8. Friends Of Mine (5.40)
9. Tel Aviv (5.16)

The B-sides:
Late Bar (2.56)
Khanada (3.28)
Fame (3.18)
Faster Than Light (4.29)

CD 2:

The AIR Studios versions (recorded on 29th July, 1980):
Girls On Film (3.57) *
Tel Aviv (6.02) *
Recorded at AIR Studios on 29th July, 1980
Produced by Jon Walls
Engineered by Jon Walls and Rick Isbell

The Manchester Square Demos (recorded on 8th December, 1980):
Anyone Out There (4.09) *
Planet Earth (5.00) *
Friends Of Mine (5.52) *
Late Bar (3.02) *

+ Radio 1 Peter Powell session (recorded 19th June, 1981 transmitted 11th August, 1981):
Night Boat (5.12) *
Girls On Film (3.38) *
Anyone Out There (3.54) *
Like An Angel (4.52) *

+ mono

The Versions:
Planet Earth (Night Version) (6.20)
Girls On Film (Extended Night version) (5.43)
Planet Earth (Night mix) (6.15)
Girls On Film (Night mix) (5.41)

* Previously unreleased

DVD:
The videos:
Planet Earth (Club version)
Planet Earth
Careless Memories
Girls On Film (Long uncensored version)
Girls On Film (Short censored version)
Night Boat
A Day In The Life featurette

BBC footage:
Planet Earth – Top Of The Pops 5/3/81 *
Careless Memories – Top Of Pops 21/5/81 *
Girls On Film – Top Of The Pops 30/7/81 *

Old Grey Whistle Test (7/7/81):
Night Boat *
Anyone Out There *

Get Set For Summer (8/8/81):
Girls On Film *

Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (27/2/81)
Friends Of Mine *
Girls On Film *

* Previously unreleased

Special edition limited LP 180gram:

Record 1:
Original album:
Side 1:
1. Girls On Film (3.39)
2. Planet Earth (3.57)
3. Anyone Out There (4.02)
4. To The Shore (3.47)
5. Careless Memories (4.08)

Side 2:
1. Night Boat (5.25)
2. Sound Of Thunder (4.06)
3. Friends Of Mine (5.40)
4. Tel Aviv (5.16)

Bonus 12″ (33 1/3)
Side 1:
Planet Earth (Night Version) (6.20)
Girls On Film (Extended Night version) (5.43)

Side 2:
Planet Earth (Night mix) (6.58)
Girls On Film (Night mix) (5.41) *

* Previously unreleased

Digital download only:
BBC In Concert recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon 17th December, 1981, transmitted 13th April 1982
1. Anyone Out There
2. Planet Earth
3. To The Shore
4. Late Bar
5. Last Chance On The Stairway
6. Khanada
7. Night Boat
8. Sound Of Thunder
9. Faster Than Light
10.My Own Way
11.Careless Memories
12.Girls On Film
13.Planet Earth
 
Seven And The Ragged Tiger

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CD 1:
Original album
1. The Reflex (5.28)
2. New Moon On Monday (4.18)
3. (I’m Looking For) Cracks In The Pavement (3.39)
4. I Take The Dice (3.15)
5. Of Crime And Passion (3.50)
6. Union Of The Snake (4.20)
7. Shadows On Your Side (4.03)
8. Tiger Tiger (3.20)
9. The Seventh Stranger (5.23)

CD 2:
Non album singles and B-sides
1. Is There Something I Should Know? (4.11)
2. Faith In This Colour (4.07)
3. Faith In This Colour (alternate slow mix) (4.06)
4. Secret Oktober (2.45)
5. Tiger Tiger (Ian Little remix) (3.25)
6. The Reflex (single version) (4.25)
7. Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) (Live) (4.54)
8. New Religion (live at the LA Forum 9/2/84) (4.52)
9. The Reflex (live at the LA Forum 9/2/84) (5.52)

Mixes
10.Is There Something I Should Know? (Monster Mix) (6.40)
11.Union Of The Snake (Monkey Mix) (6.21)
12.New Moon On Monday (Dance Mix) (5.59)
13.The Reflex (Dance Mix) (6.35)

Special edition limited LP 180gram:
Record 1
Side 1
1. The Reflex (5.28)
2. New Moon On Monday (4.18)
3. (I’m Looking For) Cracks In The Pavement (3.39)
4. I Take The Dice (3.15)
5. Of Crime And Passion (3.50)

Side 2
1. Union Of The Snake (4.20)
2. Shadows On Your Side (4.03)
3. Tiger Tiger (3.20)
4. The Seventh Stranger (5.23)

Bonus 12″ (33 1/3 r.p.m)
Side 1
Is There Something I Should Know? (Monster Mix) (6.40)
Union Of The Snake (Monkey Mix) (6.21)

Side 2
New Moon On Monday (Dance Mix) (5.59)
The Reflex (Dance Mix) (6.35)

DVD:
As The Lights Go Down:
Intro: Tiger Tiger (1.26)
Is There Something I Should Know? (4.41)
Hungry Like the Wolf (4.03)
Union of the Snake (4.12)
New Religion (5.34)
Save a Prayer 20.11
Rio
The Seventh Stranger (5.00)
The Chauffeur (5.19)
Planet Earth (4.35)
Careless Memories (4.23)
Girls On Film (6.16)

The videos:
Is There Something I Should Know?
Union Of The Snake
New Moon On Monday (E.P Version)
The Reflex

Bonus video -
New Moon On Monday (movie version) (17.27)

Top Of The Pops performances:
Is There Something I Should Know? 23/3/83
The Reflex 26/4/84

Digital Download audio only:
As The Lights Go Down
1. Intro/Tiger Tiger
2. Is There Something I Should Know?
3. Hungry Like The Wolf
4. New Religion
5. Save A Prayer
6. Rio
7. The Seventh Stranger
8. The Chauffeur
9. Planet Earth
10.Careless Memories
11.Girls On Film
 
Arcadia ~ So Red The Rose (1985)

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Arcadia were formed by three members of Duran Duran, Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor. They released one album ‘So Red The Rose’, which went Platinum, and reached #30 in the UK & #23 in the US. The album featured four singles, ‘Goodbye Is Forever’, ‘The Promise’, ‘The Flame’, and UK/US Top 10 hit, ‘Election Day’.

Along with three Duran Duran members, there was also a wide range of famous guests on ‘So Red The Rose’ including; David Gilmour, Sting (backing vocals on ‘The Promise’), Herbie Hancock & Grace Jones (spoken word on ‘The Flame’ & ‘Election Day’).

The additional DVD was originally released on VHS in 1987. It follows the filming of five clips from the album ‘So Red The Rose’ & the fascinating combination of directors, locations, behind the scene footage & photographic montages which come together to give an insight into the world of video production. The collection of videos including Arcadia’s first single ‘Election Day’ are shown in full, including Dean Chamberlain’s rarely seen interpretation of the song ‘Missing’.

All Music Guide describe ‘So Red The Rose’ as “the best album Duran never made”.

Tracklisting
CD1 – Original album, remastered
1. Election Day (2010 Digital Remaster)
2. Keep Me In The Dark (2010 Digital Remaster)
3. Goodbye Is Forever (2010 Digital Remaster)
4. The Flame (2010 Digital Remaster)
5. Missing (2010 Digital Remaster)
6. Rose Arcana (2010 Digital Remaster)
7. The Promise (2010 Digital Remaster)
8. El Diablo (2010 Digital Remaster)
9. Lady Ice (2010 Digital Remaster)
10. Say The Word (Theme from ‘Playing For Keeps’) (7″ Edit) (2010 Digital Remaster)
11. Election Day (Single Version) (2010 Digital Remaster)
12. Goodbye Is Forever (Single Mix) (2010 Digital Remaster)
13. The Promise (7″ Mix) (2010 Digital Remaster)
14. The Flame (7″ Remix) (2010 Digital Remaster)
15. Say The Word (Theme from ‘Playing For Keeps’) (Soundtrack Version) (2010 Digital Remaster)
16. She’s Moody And Grey, She’s Mean And Restless (2010 Digital Remaster)

CD2 – Bonus disc with rare tracks
1. Election Day (Consensus Mix) (2010 Digital Remaster)
2. Goodbye Is Forever (12″ Extended Mix) (2010 Digital Remaster)
3. The Promise (Instrumental)
4. Rose Arcana (Extended ) (2010 Digital Remaster)
5. The Flame (Extended Remix) (2010 Digital Remaster)
6. Say The Word (Theme from ‘Playing For Keeps’) (Extended Vocal Remix) (2010 Digital Remaster)
7. Election Day (Cryptic Cut) (2010 Digital Remaster)
8. The Promise (12″ Mix) (2010 Digital Remaster)
9. Goodbye Is Forever (Dub Mix) (2010 Digital Remaster)
10. Say The Word (Theme from ‘Playing For Keeps’) (Extended Instrumental Remix) (2010 Digital Remaster)
11. Election Day (Early Rough Mix) (2010 Digital Remaster)
12. Flame Game (Yo Homeboy Mix) (2010 Digital Remaster)

DVD – Original VHS, released 1987
1. Introduction (2010 Digital Remaster)
2. Filming ‘Election Day’ (2010 Digital Remaster)
3. Election Day (2010 Digital Remaster)
4. Filming ‘The Promise’ (2010 Digital Remaster)
5. The Promise (2010 Digital Remaster)
6. Filming ‘Goodbye Is Forever’ (2010 Digital Remaster)
7. Goodbye Is Forever (2010 Digital Remaster)
8. Filming ‘The Flame’ (2010 Digital Remaster)
9. The Flame (2010 Digital Remaster)
10. Filming ‘Missing’ (2010 Digital Remaster)
11. Missing (2010 Digital Remaster)
12. Credits (2010 Digital Remaster)
 
More 2010 reissues

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CD 1:

Original album
1. Notorious (4.18)
2. American Science (4.43)
3. Skin Trade (5.58)
4. A Matter Of Feeling (5.56)
5. Hold Me (4.31)
6. Vertigo (Do The Demolition) (4.45)
7. So Misled (4.04)
8. Meet El Presidente (4.20)
9. Winter Marches On (3.25)
10.Proposition (4.56)

Single versions and B side
11.Notorious (45 mix) (3.58)
12.Skin Trade (radio cut) (4.24)
13.We Need You (2.49)
14.Meet El Presidente (7″ remix) (3.38)

CD 2:
Duran Goes Dutch E.P. (recorded at the Ahoy, Rotterdam, May 7, 1987)
Notorious (live) (4.15)
Vertigo (Do The Demolition) (live) (5.28)
New Religion (live) (5.31)
Hungry Like The Wolf (live)(5.02)
American Science (live) (4.57)

Mixes:
Notorious (extended mix) (5.14)
Skin Trade (Stretch mix) (7.36)
Meet El Presidente (Presidential Suite mix) (7.12)
American Science (Chemical reaction mix) (7.40)
Skin Trade (Parisian mix) (8.10)
Notorious (Latin Rascals mix) (6.16)
Vertigo (Do The Demolition) (Mantronix mix) (6.35)
Notoriousaurus Rex (8.15)

DVD:
Working For The Skin Trade:
Intro
A View To A Kill
Notorious
New Religion
Vertigo
The Chauffeur
Save A Prayer
Skin Trade
Hungry Like The Wolf
Wild Boys
Outro

The Videos:
Notorious
Skin Trade
Meet El Presidente

Top Of The Pops:
Notorious 6/11/86

Special edition limited LP 180gram:

Record 1:
The original album

Side 1:
1. Notorious (4.18)
2. American Science (4.43)
3. Skin Trade (5.58)
4. A Matter Of Feeling (5.56)
5. Hold Me (4.31)

Side 2:
1. Vertigo (Do The Demolition) (4.45)
2. So Misled (4.04)
3. Meet El Presidente (4.20)
4. Winter Marches On (3.25)
5. Proposition (4.56)

Bonus LP

The Master Mixes:

Side 1:
American Science (Chemical reaction mix) (7.40)
Vertigo (Do The Demolition) (Mantronix mix) (6.35)
Skin Trade (Parisian mix) (8.10)

Side 2:
American Science (Meltdown dub) (7.33)
Vertigo (Do The Demolition) (B-boy mix) (6.07)
Notoriousaurus Rex (8.15)

Digital only E.P.:
Skin Trade (S.O.S dub) (7.16)
Meet El Presidente (Meet El Beat) (5.30)
American Science (Meltdown dub) (7.33)
Vertigo (Do The Demolition) (B-boy mix) (6.07)

Digital download only live album:
Live at The Beacon Theater, New York City, August 31st, 1987
1. Introduction/A View To A Kill
2. Notorious
3. American Science
4. Union Of The Snake
5. Vertigo (Do The Demolition)
6. New Religion
7. Meet El Presidente
8. Election Day
9. Some Like It Hot
10.The Chauffeur
11.Skin Trade
12.Hold Me (incorporating Dance To The Music)
13.Is There Something I Should Know
14.Hungry Like The Wolf
 
Big Thing

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CD 1:
Original album
1. Big Thing (3.40)
2. I Don’t Want Your Love (4.06)
3. All She Wants Is (4.36)
4. Too Late Marlene (5.07)
5. Drug (It’s Just A State Of Mind) (4.36)
6. Do You Believe In Shame? (4.22)
7. Palomino (5.19)
8. Interlude One (0.32)
9. Land (6.12)
10.Flute Interlude (0.32)
11.The Edge Of America (2.37)
12.Lake Shore Driving (3.04)

CD 2:
Singles and B-sides
1. I Don’t Want Your Love (7” mix) (3.47)
2. All She Wants Is (45 mix) (4.36)
3. I Believe All/I Need To Know (Full version) (6.21)*
4. The Krush Brothers LSD Edit (3.30)
5. God (London) (1.40)
6. This Is How A Road Gets Made (0.47)
7. Palomino (edit) (3.30)
8. Drug (It’s Just A State Of Mind) (Original version) (4.18)
9. Big Thing (7” mix) (3.53) *

Mixes
10.I Don’t Want Your Love (Big mix) (7.24)
11.All She Wants Is (US master mix) (7.19)
12.Big Thing (12” mix) (6.40) *
13.All She Wants Is (Eurohouse mix) (7.34)

* previously unreleased

Special edition limited LP 180gram:
Record 1

Side 1
1. Big Thing
2. I Don’t Want Your Love
3. All She Wants Is
4. Too Late Marlene
5. Drug (It’s Just A State Of Mind)

Side 2:
1. Do You Believe In Shame?
2. Palomino
3. Interlude One
4. Land
5. Flute Interlude
6. The Edge Of America
7. Lake Shore Driving

Bonus 12″ (33 1/3 r.p.m)

Side 1
1. I Don’t Want Your Love (Big mix) (7.24)
2. All She Wants Is (Eurohouse mix) (7.34)

Side 2
1. All She Wants Is (US master mix) (7.19)
2. Big Thing (12” mix) (6.40) *

Download only Dub E.P.:
1. I Don’t Want Your Love (Dub mix) (7.36)
2. All She Wants Is (Euro Dub mix) (7.34)
3. All She Wants Is (Eurohouse dub) (7.07)
4. All She Wants Is (US master dub) (6.43)

DVD:
Big Thing Live – Palatrussardi, Milan, Italy, December 12, 1988
1. Introduction/God (1.57)
2. Big Thing (4.10)
3. I Don’t Want Your Love (4.43)
4. Hungry Like The Wolf (4.28)
5 .Do You Believe In Shame? (4.39)
6. All She Wants Is/Planet Earth (5.47)
7. This Is How A Road Gets Made/Winter Marches On (4.20)
8. Palomino (5.47)
9. Too Late Marlene (5.52)
10.Girls On Film (3.43)
11.Notorious (4.54)
12.Skin Trade (5.58)
13.Is There Something I Should Know? (4.56)
14.The Wild Boys/Drug (8.02)
15.Band Introduction/Save A Prayer (7.48)
16.The Reflex (4.03)
17.Rio (3.41)
18.The Edge Of America (9.42)

Duration: 94 minutes approx.

The videos:
I Don’t Want You Love
All She Wants Is
Do You Believe In Shame?

Digital Download audio only:
BBC In Concert
Live At The Manchester Apollo recorded 25/4/89, broadcast 25/5/89
1. Big Thing
2. I Don’t Want Your Love
3. Hungry Like The Wolf
4. Palomino
5. A View To A Kill
6. Skin Trade
7. Girls On Film
8. Notorious
9. Save A Prayer
10.Get It On
11.The Reflex
12.Rio
 
Roger Taylor ~ June 5, 2010

Roger is discussing the new Duran album that is being recorded now.
[youtube]6-1ujoYPNVk&fmt=18[/youtube]
 
Rio {1982}

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CD 1:
Original UK album – released May 1982

1. Rio
2. My Own Way
3. Lonely In Your Nightmare
4. Hungry Like The Wolf
5. Hold Back The Rain
6. New Religion
7. Last Chance On The Stairway
8. Save A Prayer
9. The Chauffeur


Original US album mixes released on Harvest/Capitol – released November 1982
10. Rio (US album remix)
11. My Own Way (Carnival remix)
12. Lonely In Your Nightmare (US album remix)
13. Hungry Like The Wolf (US album remix)
14. Hold Back The Rain (US album remix)


CD 2:
The Manchester Square demos (recorded 28th August 1981):
1. Last Chance On The Stairway
2. My Own Way
3. New Religion
4. Like An Angel


Non-album singles and b-sides:
5. My Own Way (original 7” version. UK single a-side released November 1981)
6. Like An Angel (UK single b-side released November 1981)
7. Careless Memories (live. UK single b-side released May 1982)
8. The Chauffeur (Blue Silver – early version. UK single b-side released November 1982)


Versions & Mixes:
9. My Own Way (Night version – UK 12″ single a-side released November 1981)
10. Hungry Like The Wolf (Night version – UK 12″ single A side released May 1982)
11. Rio (Night version – Dutch 12″ Carnival E.P. released September 1982)
12. New Religion (Carnival remix – Japanese 12″ Carnival E.P. released September 1982)
13. Hold Back The Rain (Carnival remix – US 12″ Carnival E.P. released September 1982)


*Digital only extras:
14/My Own Way (Instrumental version) (6.32)
15/Hold Back The Rain (Alternate remix) (6.38)


Original UK album on heavyweight Vinyl
Side 1:
1/ Rio
2/ My Own Way
3/ Lonely In Your Nightmare
4/ Hungry Like The Wolf
5/ Hold Back The Rain
Side 2:
1/ New Religion
2/ Last Chance On The Stairway
3/ Save A Prayer
4/ The Chauffeur


Original US album mixes on heavyweight 12”
Side 1:
1/ Rio (US album remix)
2/ My Own Way (Carnival remix)
3/ Lonely In Your Nightmare (US album remix)
Side 2:
1/ Hungry Like The Wolf (US album remix)
2/ Hold Back The Rain (US album remix)


DVD/CD: Live at Hammersmith ’82
DVD
Rio
Hungry Like The Wolf
Night Boat
New Religion
Save A Prayer
Planet Earth
Friends Of Mine
Careless Memories
Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)
Girls On Film
Extras
Rio era videos -
My Own Way
Hungry Like The Wolf
Save A Prayer
Lonely In Your Nightmare
Rio
The Chauffeur

Top Of The Pops Performances:
Hungry Like The Wolf (May 13th, 1982)
Rio (November 18th, 1982)


CD
Rio
Hungry Like The Wolf
Night Boat
New Religion
Save A Prayer
Planet Earth
Friends Of Mine
Careless Memories
Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)
Girls On Film


DIGITAL DOWNLOAD ALBUM: Live at Hammersmith ’82
Rio
Hungry Like The Wolf
Night Boat
New Religion
Save A Prayer
Planet Earth
Friends Of Mine
Careless Memories
Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)
Girls On Film
 
Here's a snippet of a tune from their upcoming album.
[youtube]nsplzuVTY0Q[/youtube]
 
They were on TV last night. They did a made for TV concert: One Night Only show mixed w/interview coverage. I thought of you DD :) Maybe it will show up on YT. They are actually touring in the UK in April & May.
 
First known interview in 1981

[youtube]KUILyX5z6JE[/youtube]
 
Duran Duran & Nile Rodgers Talk New Album


By Keith Caulfield | September 22, 2014 9:23 PM EDT


'I couldn't be happier to be working with my band again,' Rodgers says of reuniting with 'Wild Boys' collaborators.

Thirty years ago, Duran Duran and Nile Rodgers teamed for the band's iconic hit single "The Wild Boys." Now, that pairing is back in action, recording Duran Duran's new studio album, which is due for release in first half of 2015.

"The record is coming along great," says Rodgers. "I couldn't be happier to be working with my band again. They're like my second CHIC." (Rodgers -- who topped the Billboard Hot 100 twice with his band CHIC -- also co-produced Duran Duran's Notorious album, and remixed their Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single "The Reflex" to great success.)

Also on board for the new album: Mark Ronson, who co-produced Duran Duran's last album, 2010's All You Need Is Now. Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante has previously contributed guitar work, and Mr Hudson has also been in the studio with the band.

"We've got different collaborators on different songs," says the band's John Taylor, "and they are also sort of intermixing, you know? I don't really want to talk about that, yet: the various formulas and the various interactions that are happening, because it's not finished yet."

While Taylor did not elaborate on the direction of the new music (as they are still "assembling the various pieces that make the album"), the band's Nick Rhodes has been slightly more forthcoming about the set's sound. "I think we know where we want to be, and it's right in the center of the dance floor," he recently told the Associated Press. "That's what we're aiming for together."

As the band is not under contract with a record company, they are in discussions with a number of labels for the release of the album, according to their management. For their last album, the band partnered with Apple, giving its iTunes Store the exclusive right to sell the album for its first three months. Then, the group signed a deal with S-Curve Records to issue an expanded version of All You Need Is Now to all retailers.

Next up for the band: They'll play the Formula 1 Grand Prix Weekend Fan Fest in Austin, Texas, on Nov. 1. It's the group's only ticketed U.S. concert of 2014. However, don't expect new music at the show, as Taylor says it's "very unlikely" that they'll surprise the audience with new tunes from the forthcoming album. "When you're coming out with something new," he says, "you want people to hear it really the way that it's meant to be heard. And that's probably not going to be a first-time live performance."


http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6259205/duran-duran-nile-rodgers-new-album-interview
 
This is the new single from their upcoming album Paper Gods
[video=youtube;5qFhSWA9Cz4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qFhSWA9Cz4[/video]
 
Last edited:
By Katherine Turman
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
duran_vv.jpg

Back in September of 1981, Simon John Charles Le Bon, 23, along with his band of sharp-dressed music-makers, hit American shores for the first time as Duran Duran.

Though the British quintet had only two club shows booked in the NYC area — one at the Spit in Long Island, the other at the Peppermint Lounge on West 45th in Manhattan — the group’s 1981 self-titled debut featured “Girls on Film" and “Planet Earth" as its first and second songs. So, reminisces Le Bon fondly, “By club standards, we arrived to a massive following; it was brilliant.”

Also brilliant? Their debauched adventures in the pre–Rudolph Giuliani–ized Big Apple. “Drugs, mostly. Sex. Booze. You know, that sort of thing,” Le Bon says, cheekily. “[A] normal Eighties rock 'n' roll lifestyle.”

If Duran Duran’s cheekbones-and-hair-gel presence and oeuvre seem omnipresent today, historical context sets the stage for the band’s first stateside foray: In 1981, their genre was “New Romantic.” There was no internet. Then-president Ronald Reagan was shot in March of that year. “Bette Davis Eyes” was topping the charts. The first recognized cases of AIDS were discovered. It was the year Amy Schumer was born.

Yes, it was that long ago that the Duranies — in their original core lineup of keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor, drummer Roger Taylor, and guitarist Andy Taylor (now joined, since 2006, by touring guitarist Dom Brown) — set hearts and radios aflame. Nearly 35 years later, Duran Duran are back with the captivating and contemporary fourteen-cut gem Paper Gods, out September 11, rife with a sound that mines and expands on their infectious early pop-dance style to fine effect.

The road from Rio to Paper Gods began with 2010’s All You Need Is Now, as Le Bon explains. “[Producer] Mark Ronson’s brief to Duran Duran for that was, ‘I want Duran Duran to reclaim the Eighties.’ That was how he felt.” The boys in the band didn’t disagree. “We were listening to this stuff like the Killers and Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand, who kind of have an Eighties sound, and Mark said, ‘You’re one of the originals of this sound; you should have it. It should be yours.' "

They figured why not, and gave it a go. Following the poorly received “urban” outing Red Carpet Massacre, All You Need “worked a treat,” the frontman says. “It was really great for us. We won a lot of fans back; we connected very much with our following with that record.”

That sort of throwback experiment can be easier said than done (successfully), but it worked, so when it came time to do a follow-up, Ronson was back on board. But a few weeks into the album, Ronson had to leave to make Uptown Special, his record that would spawn the massive hit “Uptown Funk.”

But a boost came from an unlikely source: Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante. “John Taylor got a message from John Frusciante, and the message was this: ‘I heard Duran Duran are back in the studio making a new album. I would love to play on the album.’ We were like, ‘YES PLEASE.’ He’s one of the most individual-sounding and iconic guitarists who has ever lived,” Le Bon raves. “He’s right up there with Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, all the Jimmys,” he laughs. “Nile Rodgers and Dave Gilmour, these absolute gods of guitar. He’s in the top ten as far as I’m concerned…AND John Lee Hooker must go in there.”

Frusciante was the catalyst that sped up Paper Gods, another fortuitous collaboration being Ronson’s suggestion of Rodgers, the Chic co-founder and in-demand guitarist and producer. Then came U.K. singer/songwriter/producer Mr. (Benjamin) Hudson. There was a geographical kinship with the latter, as he was a “Brummie as well; you know, the band is a Brummie [from Birmingham] band,” explains Le Bon. Yet they tested him. "Ben comes down, we don’t play him anything, we just felt, ‘Put your money where your mouth is.' And we bang out three songs in a row — ‘You Kill Me With Silence,’ his first offering, within half an hour," says Le Bon, still sounding incredulous. "Then we do ‘Paper Gods,’ then ‘Sunset Garages.' The songs had so much freshness and power. Ben just went, ‘OK, I think the album is finished.’ He was the big gel that pulled the whole album together. He was massively, massively important.”

The title track is arguably the album’s strongest, though initially Le Bon, in a snit, ignored the tune. “The band had done the song without me in the studio, and presented it to me. I’m always like, ‘I don’t like it, you did it without me.' And I kinda walked away and went to the toilet. So while I was in the loo having a piss, I started singing the melody, the main chorus melody,” he says, launching into the song. “Because the chords were still going round in my head. I came back and said, ‘OK guys, let me try something before we throw it in the bin. I started singing it on the microphone and it turned into what it is: the best song on the album.”

Lyrically, it’s pure Duran Duran, high-society social commentary you can easily rock at karaoke. Lyrics include: “Find peace with matching bag…So hang it out online, confess and you’ll feel fine...And if you got the time to spare, we want to know which name you’re wearing.” Le Bon, who has been married to former model Yasmin since 1985, calls it “very Duran Duran because there’s a little kind of play, a vagueness.”

Actually, it’s more New York Fashion Week than vague — more Vogue than vague, even — but as Le Bon notes, “It just looks at different aspects of modern life, things that maybe distract us from more important things. The paper gods are ephemeral. Maybe it’s fashion, maybe it’s money: all this stuff that really doesn’t matter that we seem to get so crazy about.” In Brit-speak: a piss-take. “It’s not a criticism; it’s a commentary, a snapshot,” he affirms.

The architects of “Girls on Film” know their snapshots. And when asked to look back at those early days — especially as they play their 30-year-old hits in concert — Le Bon turns thoughtful, and speaks in the third person. “If I was a Duran Duran fan, I’d feel ripped off if they didn’t play ‘Rio’ and ‘Hungry Like the Wolf,’ because they’d be two of my favorite songs. And we’re all mindful of that,” he says, returning to himself. “There was a time when [past hits] felt like millstones around our necks. But the beauty of them and the resilience of them is something to be proud of. You play them now and think, ‘We ****ing wrote this song, this is us.’ There’s a lot to be said for that. I’d rather it was Duran Duran who wrote songs than anybody else.”
 
Andy Taylor

D2 is so cool! What happened to Andy?
According to Andy's autobiography, it had something to do with the management not getting him a US visa, or at least that was the final straw. So he quit. I think he wasn't getting along too well with Nick and Andy was rumored not liking the direction the album they were recording at the time Red Carpet Massacre was going with Timbaland. I think they had been making another album before this, that was scrapped.
 
What's In My Bag? {June 20, 2016)

Here's a new What's In By Bag? video. If you're not familiar with it, What's In My Bag? is a series of videos by the Amoeba Records store in Los Angeles. Different musicians and sometimes actors talk about records and/or DVDs they bought in the store.
 
Duran Duran & Nile Rodgers Talk "NOTORIOUS" 30th Anniversary (Nov 2016)

 
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