7_Songs: Duran Duran

Duran Duran have been around for four decades now, with great music and a whole variety of styles and transformations. Formed in Birmingham in 1978, they were broadly speaking a New Wave band that rode the New Romantic trend to end up as the leading force in the Second British Invasion of the US in the early 80’s. If you didn’t hear them on the radio, you saw them on TV as they were the ultimate poster boys for a whole new generation. With their fancy good looks and sharp fashion styles, they mastered the medium of the music video and in a way became MTV’s best ambassadors. At the height of their career, they were even referred to as the new "Fab Five" who managed to blend glam, disco and punk, making rock music ready for dance floors. 

The group was formed by keyboardist Nick Rhodes and bassist John Taylor, with the later addition of drummer Roger Taylor, and after numerous personnel changes, guitarist Andy Taylor and lead singer Simon Le Bon joined, which eventually became the band’s classic line-up. The group never disbanded, but underwent several line-up changes throughout their career, which also resulted in several offshoot projects, both in the 80’s and 90’s, including The Power Station, Arcadia, The Devils and TV Mania.  

Duran Duran have released 14 studio albums and 39 singles in total. Their best-selling albums are Rio, released in 1982, and Seven and the Ragged Tiger from 1983. These two albums also contain Duran Duran’s most successful singles, “Hungry Like the Wolf” and “Rio” and “The Reflex”, and also mark the band’s classic era. The group have had 14 singles in the UK Singles Chart top 10 and 21 in the US Billboard Hot 100, selling over 100 million records worldwide. 

Even though their career peaked way back in the 80’s, the band has been around in the last decade, teaming up with a great line-up of producers and artists. Their album All You Need Is Now was even released to critical acclaim. We are positive that their musical story is not over yet and expect the 20’s to bring new, exciting prospects. 

The seven selected tracks which are featured below do not necessarily reflect our favorite Duran Duran tunes, although they have a slight tendency to this. Moreover these are milestone records with interesting stories behind the music, video production or something else. And of course the idea of this feature is to have the whole artist career and discography on display.  

>>>>> Duran Duran Videography >>>>>

Planet Earth (1981)

"Planet Earth" is Duran Duran’s futuristic debut single released in January 1981. It was fairly a hit in their native UK, but also did surprisingly well in Australia where the band was relatively unknown. Hailing from Birmingham which was also considered as one of the strongholds of the New Romantic movement, the band illustrated such visual image with flamboyant  and eccentric fashion style as well as by the sharp and atmospheric synth sound of which was typical for this genre.

 Girls on Film (1981)

The wild "Girls on Film" finally got the band a breakthrough in the UK top 10 and the controversial music video for the song, which beside others, featured a naked female models in a pillow fight, certainly helped in gaining prominence. It was too hot and spicy for early MTV's and also got banned on BBC, but an edited version was adjusted to keep the high up in the daily airplay. Over the years, "Girls on Film" has become a staple of the encores for Duran Duran's live performances.

Save A Prayer (1982)
The release of Duran Duran’s second album Rio and its success meant slowly parting from the New Romantic, more towards a jet set image style. With more investment in their visual image the group went to travel around the world, in between touring, and delivered vivid travelogues with their music videos. The video for “Save a Prayer” was recorded in Sri Lanka illustrating the island's monuments and beauties on a bed of dreamy synths and flirty guitars.

Rio (1982) 
Next stop for Duran Duran was the Caribbean sea and the beauties of Antigua where the band recorded their video for the song “Rio”. It looked like a luxurious yacht ride with the group members wearing Antony Price suits while some of them even got seasick. The song was driven on a carbonated synthesizer and bass was breaking on the tenor sax waves. The b-side song “Chauffeur” also received the video interpretation and it was the completely opposite if “Rio”, dark and intriguing more akin to the Depeche Mode catalogue of late 80’s.

New Moon on Monday (1983)
Band’s commercial success followed with the release of their third album Seven and the Ragged Tiger when Duran Duran grew into a full-on teen heart-throb status. Their single “New Moon on Monday” was not the most successful single to be taken from this album, yet it remains as one of Duran Duran’s all-time favorites. In the music video, the band appear as members of an underground resistance movement in France.

Ordinary World (1992)
After some boisterous years in the first half of the 80’s a more quiet period followed for Duran Duran in which the band member worked on different projects. When the band reunited – now under a different line up – they could not really regain the old popularity until the release of “Ordinary World” in 1992. The song was a surprise hit when no one really expected it could make such an impact when Grunge and Brit pop artists were ruling the charts. By the release of “Ordinary World”, Warren Cuccurullo was already a standard member of the band and he arranged the remarkable guitar solo in the song. He remained in the band until the end of the 90’s.

Girl Panic (2011)
Duran Duran were having another career peak in 2011 with the release of their 13th studio album All You Need is Now which seemed like a return to the old charm. "Girl Panic" was the second single to be released from the album and it was released on Record Store Day. The music video was directed by Jonas Åkerlund featured appearances of 90's top models Naomi Campbell, Eva Herzigova, Cindy Crawford, Helena Christensen, and Yasmin Le Bon who were portraying Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Roger Taylor, and Dominic Brown, respectively.

Singles cover photos courtesy of discogs.com

For the complete Duran Duran discography, as documented in music videos, please check the following playlist below.

Duran Duran's 'Girls on Film - 1979 Demo' Released

Cleopatra Records has released a rare debut recording by Duran Duran which was recorded in 1979. The four song EP is entitled 'Girls on Film - 1979 Demo' features the group's early frontman Andy Wickett alongside with the original members Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Roger Taylor. It includes the original version of the smash hit single “Girls On Film" plus “See Me Repeat Me,” which would later become “Rio,” and 2 other songs that the group shopped around to various labels, eventually signing with EM. The EP was released on December 29th 2017.

Duran Duran to Release 'Girls on Film' Demo EP

Los Angeles based record label Cleopatra Records has announced the release of 'Girls on Film Demo' 1979 EP. This release is an evidence of early Duran Duran recording material when the band was still unsigned and featured Andy Wickett on vocals. Two years later the band will release their official debut album and EP. "Girls on Film" might a bit raw and DIY compared to the later version which will score an international hit for Duran Duran. The EP is already out in the USA and will be relased in the UK on April 29th. 

Duran Duran's Album 'Paper Gods' set for Release in September

So a quick update on the new Duran Duran album release. The album will be entitled 'Paper Gods' and for now there are only five songs confirmed.The producer line will include some old and new names including Nile Rodgers and Mark Ronson as well some new collaborations which are yet to be announced. The band signed a world wide deal with Warner Bros and the album is expected to be released on September 14th.

Mad World- A Brand New Oral History of New Wave Out Now

A little bit of something to get back on our 80's track. A brand new New Wave book is out. It is entitled Mad World and it is a highly entertaining oral history that celebrates the New Wave music phenomenon of the 1980s via new interviews with 35 of the most notable artists of the period. Each chapter begins with a discussion of their most popular song but leads to stories of their history and place in the scene, ultimately painting a vivid picture of this colorful, idiosyncratic time. Mixtape suggestions, fashion sidebars, and quotes from famous contemporary admirers help fill out the fun. Participants include members of Duran Duran, New Order, The Smiths, Tears for Fears, Adam Ant, Echo and the Bunnymen, Devo, ABC, Spandau Ballet, A Flock of Seagulls, Thompson Twins, and INXS. Authors are Lori Majewski and Jonathan Bernstein with an foreword by Nick Rhodes and afterword by Moby.

 madworldbook.com

Best of 1982 - The Singles List

After having been propelled further by the New Romantic movement and becoming much easier to handle, Synthesizers became dominant in pop music and a possible formula for future success. The Human League were still ruling the charts and won the BRIT Award for the best Breakthrough act. Following their success story other bands like Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Soft Cell adopted synthesizers as main instruments which had an impact in launching of the Second British Invasion in the US. This brought the new styles, rhythms and stars to the States including Duran Duran, The Human League, Eurythmics, Billy Idol and more. Sadly some of the great bands from late 70s and early 80s disbanded which included most notably Blondie, Adam and The Ants, ABBA and Japan.

01. Yaz(oo)- Don't Go 

02. Tears for Fears- Mad World 

03. Heaven 17- Let Me Go 

04. Talk Talk- Talk Talk 

05. Yazoo- Situation 

06. Duran Duran- Rio 

07. Tears for Fears- Pale Shelter 

08. Eurythmics- Love is a Stranger

09. A Flock of Seagulls- I Ran (So Far Away) 

10. Japan- Ghosts 

11. The Psychedelic Furs- Love My Way 

12. Visage- The Damned Don't Cry 

13. New Order- Temptation 

14. Soft Cell- Torch 

15. Simple Minds- Promised You A Miracle 

16. The Stranglers - Golden Brown

17. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark- Maid of Orleans 

18. Modern English - I Melt with You 

19. Duran Duran- Save a Prayer 

20. ABC- Poison Arrow 

John Taylor- In The Pleasure Groove- New Book

New item for the Duran Duran fans is out now, in particular for John Taylor fans. His latest book is entitled 'In The Pleasure Groove: Love, Death and Duran Duran' and in his frank, compelling autobiography, John recounts the highs and troubles during his career with Duran Duran. Told with humour, honesty and hard-won wisdom, and packed with exclusive pictures, 'In the Pleasure Groove' is a fascinating, irresistible portrait of a man who danced into the fire... and came through the other side. 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/In-The-Pleasure-Groove-Death

 

Yazoo and Duran Duran Release Late Summer Best ofs

The brand new Yazoo collection of hits has been released by Music Club Deluxe. It marks the 30th anniversary of hits such as "Don't Go" and "Situation" which filled the 80's dance floors. This two CD compilation features Yazoo's biggest hits as well as 12" versions and stunning dance remixes. 

 Duran Duran have also released a new best of compilation entitled Duran Duran 'The Biggest And The Best'. This 2CD collection focuses on the period 1981-1990 and features some key album tracks, alongside 20 Top 40 hits and twelve Top 10 hits. 

Wired for Sound- The New Book About 80's Music Childhood

This summer Simon & Schuster Ltd have released 'Wired for Sound' by Tom Bromley who is know for his mixture of fiction and non-fiction, mainly with a pop culture slant. 

'Wired For Sound' chronicles the rise and fall of eighties music, from the Band Aid highs of Duran Duran, Wham! and U2 to the Band Aid II lows of Bros, Jason Donovan and Wet Wet Wet. In loving detail, it explores the themes that defined the charts of the time: from music videos to VW badges, synthesisers to stadium rock and from Radio One to Frankie saying "Relax". 

Tom Bromley captures, too, the experiences of the small town boys and girls who grew up listening to the music: a generation of 'Smash Hits' readers and Sony Walkman owners, 'Top of the Pops' viewers and C90 cassette compilers. Evoking an era when it really mattered who was number one, Wired for Sound is an affectionate celebration of both a musical youth and the decade when young guns really went for it.  

www.tombromley.co.uk
 

Retrovision: Duran Duran- Save a Prayer

Duran Duran released their sixth single "Save A Prayer" thirty years ago. The song was the third single from the band's second album 'Rio'. It became Duran Duran's biggest hit to date Singles Chart reaching #2. The video was filmed by director Russell Mulcahy among the jungles, beaches, and temples of Sri Lanka in April 1982. Scenes were filmed atop the ancient rock fortress of Sigiriya, among the ruins of a Buddhist temple at Polonnaruwa and the island's southern coastline. 

Best of 1982 - The Album List

The rise of synthesizers continued to shape the landscape of pop music, gaining dominance and emerging as a potential formula for future success. The Human League maintained their chart-topping presence and received the BRIT Award for Best Breakthrough Act, solidifying their status as pioneers of the synth-pop movement. Inspired by their success, other bands such as Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and Soft Cell adopted synthesizers as primary instruments, contributing to the launch of the Second British Invasion in the United States.

This musical invasion introduced new styles, rhythms, and stars to American audiences, with acts like Duran Duran, The Human League, Eurythmics, Billy Idol, and more making a significant impact. However, the era also saw the dissolution of some iconic bands from the late '70s and early '80s, including Blondie, Adam and The Ants, ABBA, and Japan, marking the end of their influential musical journeys.

Duran Duran- A Diamond In The Mind (Live Video)

Duran Duran will release 'A Diamond in the Mind', a stunning live performance filmed at the Men Arena in Manchester on December 16, 2011. This performance combines great music with amazing visuals and iconic style which has been the band’s trademark throughout their career The live set includes new songs from their latest album 'All You Need is Now' as well as classic Duran Duran hits. The release date is set for July. 

www.duranduranmusic.com
 

Best of 1981 - Top 50 Singles List

Following the tragic death of John Lennon in December 1980, the world was still in mourning after the loss of one of the most influential musical masterminds of all time. All this did also had impact on the charts as where his biggest hits "Woman" and "Imagine" could be found again. Even Roxy Music paid tribute to him by covering "Jealous Guy".

Apart from this, the charts were still dominated by the rising stars of 1980, Adam and the Ants, while The Police had more hits. Human League re-formed this year, exiting the dark phase and releasing "Don't You Want Me Baby" which together with Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" helped to emblem the music style which would in the coming years be known as Synth-pop.

Along with the increasing popularity of synth driven music, the New Romantic movement slowly grew to fame as new kids adopted synths and started wearing lipstick. Perhaps the biggest event of the year was the launch of MTV, which aired "Video Killed The Radio Star" by The Buggles. The song became a huge hit and a symbol for the new platform, which would give the music industry a new face and dimension.

 

01. Ultravox- Vienna 
02. The Cure- Charlotte Sometimes 
03. The Human League- Don't You Want Me 
04. Siouxsie and the Banshees- Spellbound 
05. New Order- Ceremony 
06. Soft Cell- Tainted Love 
07. Talking Heads- Once in a Lifetime 
08. Duran Duran- Planet Earth 
09. Ultravox-The Voice 
10. Japan- Quiet Life 
11. Depeche Mode - Just Can't Get Enough 
12. Simple Minds- Love Song 
13. Kraftwerk- Computer Love 
14. The Specials - Ghost Town 
15. Heaven 17 -We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang 
16. David Bowie - Up The Hill Backwards 
17. Kim Wilde - Kids in America 
18. Depeche Mode- New Life 
19. Men At Work - Down Under 
20. Soft Cell - Memorabilia 

Best of 2011- The Singles List

Another great year is coming to an end. Here are the highlights from our monthly round ups and the year-end list with Top 30 official single releases. The album list coming up next week!

01. Austra - Spellwork
02. The Horrors - Still Life
03. The Ropes - Lack of Technology Made Me a Killer
04. PJ Harvey - The Glorious Land/ On Battleship Hill
05. Duran Duran - Girl Panic
06. Twin Shadow - Changes
07. Still Corners - Cuckoo
08. Section 25 - Colour, Movement, Sex & Violence
09. Brett Anderson - Brittle Heart
10. A Terrible Splendour - Slaves To The City

Duranies, Supermodels and Glamour

The new exclusive video by Duran Duran for the song "Girl Panic" has arrived. It features model superstars Naomi Campbell, Helena Christensen, Yasmin Le Bon, Cindy Crawford and Eva Herzigova role-playing as different Duran Duran band members. This is also the first video to see all the supermodels reunited in one video since George Michael's "Freedom" and "Too Funky" in the 90's. The video was directed by Jonas Åkerlund and it is their second promotional video for one of the songs from their big comeback album "All You Need is Now" released in December 2010.

 

Best of 1981- The Albums List

The year 1980 was marked by a profound sense of loss with the tragic death of John Lennon in December. The music world mourned the passing of one of its most influential figures, and Lennon's iconic hits like "Woman" and "Imagine" reappeared on the charts as a tribute to his enduring legacy. Roxy Music also paid homage with a cover of "Jealous Guy."

Despite the somber atmosphere, the charts were still lively with the sounds of rising stars like Adam and the Ants, while The Police continued to dominate. Human League made a notable return, emerging from a dark phase and releasing "Don't You Want Me Baby." This, coupled with Soft Cell's "Tainted Love," played a crucial role in defining the emerging genre known as Synth-pop.

Simultaneously, the New Romantic movement began to gain traction, with young artists embracing synthesizers and distinctive fashion choices, including lipstick. A groundbreaking moment in the music industry occurred with the launch of MTV, featuring "Video Killed The Radio Star" by The Buggles as its inaugural video. This song became a symbol of the new platform that would reshape the music industry, ushering in a new era of visual storytelling and musical dimension.

Mark Hollis and Talk Talk

Talk Talk is an English band which was formed in the early 80’s consisting of Mark Hollis (vocals), Simon Brenner (keyboards), Lee Harris (drums) and Paul Webb (bass guitar). The group released five brilliant studio albums and several hit singles during their ten year existence. In the early years, they were generally associated with the New Romantic movement and their music was mainly based on synthesizer sound. Due to some line-up changes, the band managed to transform their music into the authentic Talk Talk and to serve more complex and organic sound. On both tracks, the band remains as one of the most influential bands in the music history.

The group was formed around a nucleus of drummer Lee Harris, bassist Paul Webb, and singer and chief songwriter Mark Hollis. Previously Mark had been in the band the Reaction until its disintegration in 1979. Mark Hollis continued to write music and he was offered some studio time to demo his song writing in 1981. Rehearsals with Hollis's new material went well, Simon Brenner was introduced on keyboards and the band officially became a four–piece group Talk Talk. The band's demo material and a couple of gigs secured them a session on Radio One, and a subsequent deal with EMI.

Talk Talk's first line-up released a self-titled debut EP in 1982 which was quickly expanded into a full-length album entitled ‘The Party's Over’ which was produced by Colin Thurston who was also producing albums for label mates Duran Duran. The album itself was not a huge success upon release and reached 21 after the single “Today” topped the charts. ‘The Party’s Over’ remained the only album on which writing credits were shared by the entire band.

In 1983 Simon Brenner left the band, just after the non-LP single “My foolish Friend” was released as a single. Later he was replaced by Tim Fries-Greene who became Talk Talk’ unofficial fourth member, Hollis frequent songwriting partner and a major contributor to the band’s studio output. Friese-Greene did not regularly play with the band during live shows or appear in publicity material and the band was officially a trio.

Nothing further was released for a year and Mark Hollis spend the whole year writing new material and assembling musicians to record a follow-up. Talk Talk became a looser more flexible creative unit and abandoned synthesizer s as the main instrument of the band. Their second album ‘It’s my Life’ was released in 1984 and two songs from the album, "It’s my Life" and "Such a Shame" became top ten hits around Europe, but were largely ignored in their native UK. Their new sound featured more melodic arrangements and guitars for the first time. Things went quiet after the third single release and Talk Talk came up with a mini LP release which featured extended and remixed versions of the previously released singles.

The band started recording again throughout 1985 and their first result was the stunning new single “Life’s What You Make It”, released in 1986. The album was released a month later. Instead of synthesizers the, ‘The Colours of Spring’ was a record of rich textures and featured natural instruments and more organic sound. The album went gold and became their biggest studio album success in the UK. Talk Talk launched a major world tour to promote it. Most notable among those concerts was the one at the 'Montreaux Jazz Festival'.

The success of ‘The Colour of Spring’ afforded the band a bigger budget and schedule for the recording of their next album. Their next record ‘Spirit of Eden’ was released in 1988, on EMI's Parlophone label. The album was assembled from many hours of improvised instrumentation that Hollis and Friese-Greene had edited and arranged using digital equipment. The result was a mix of rock, jazz, classical, and ambient music. Although the album made the UK Top 20 upon release, the band declared they would not tour in support of it. During the making of ‘Spirit of Eden’, Talk Talk manager Keith Aspden had attempted to free the band from their recording contract with EMI, and after many months of litigation, the band ultimately succeeded in extracting themselves from the contract. EMI then sued the band, claiming that 'Spirit of Eden' was not "commercially satisfactory", but the case was thrown out of court.

With the band now released from EMI, the label released the retrospective compilation ‘Natural History’ in 1990. It peaked at number 3 on the UK album chart and was certified Gold by the BPI for sales of over 100,000 copies, and eventually went on to sell more than 1 million copies worldwide. The 1984 single "It's My Life" was also re-released, and this time became the band's highest charting single in their native country, reaching number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. A re-release of the single "Life's What You Make It" also reached the Top 30. Following up on this renewed popular interest in the band, the label then released ‘History Revisited’ in 1991, a compilation of 12 inch singles and alternative versions which made the Top 40, an unusually high placing for what was effectively a remixes album. The band sued EMI for releasing the remixed material without their permission.

In 1990, Talk Talk signed a two-album contract with Polydor Records. They released ‘Laughing Stock’ on Polydor's Verve Records imprint in 1991. The album crystallized the experimental sound the band started with ‘Spirit of Eden’ and adopted an even more minimalist style than its predecessor.

Note:The artist James Marsh designed the first cover image for It's My Life based on the band's name. He followed the theme for subsequent singles, remaining the band's artistic frontman and creating all their covers and posters throughout their career.

After Laughing Stock, Talk Talk disbanded in 1992. Paul Webb rejoined Lee Harris, and the two went on to form the band .O.rang, while Tim Friese-Greene started recording under the name Heligoland. In 1998, Mark Hollis released his self-titled solo début 'Mark Hollis', which was very much in keeping with the minimalist post-rock sound of 'Spirit of Eden' and 'Laughing Stock'. Hollis retired from the music industry shortly afterwards.

Twenty years after Talk Talk disbanded, EMI has reissued a double CD compilation which features the group’s most successful albums to date, ‘It’s My Life and ‘The Colour of Spring’. In his recent blog entry Alan Wilder announced that he has recorded a cover track for the upcoming Talk Talk tribute album. Full updates will be up as the project is confirmed.

On February 24th, it was reported on social media that the lead singer and the creative mastermind of Talk Talk has passed away. The news was confirmed the next day. His former manager confirmed that his death after two days saying that Hollis died  after "a short illness from which he never recovered"

Source:
Wikipedia (edit)
Mark Hollis Unofficial (edit)
News about Talk Talk Tribute Album

Girl Panic on Record Store Day

Yet another internationally celebrated Record Store Day is here. Hundreds of recording and other artists are  participating in the day by making special performances and issuing of special vinyl and CD releases along with other promotional products to mark the occasion. And on this occasion Duran Duran has made another track form their latest album available. Long time rumored as a second single, the song "Girl Panic" has not yet been officialy confirmed as a second single but the release features artwork, the album version of the song as well as the remix by David Lynch.

Duran Duran Sound, David Lynch Vision

First Installment of Unstaged 2011 will feature Duran Duran's performance coinciding with the release of the band’s 13th studio album and their first official tour since 2008. Duran Duran are also excited to confirm special guests Mark Ronson and Kelis at the American Express UNSTAGED Event on March 23rd (today) live from LA. Award-winning filmmaker David Lynch has been enlisted to capture the performance, providing fans with a visually stunning home viewing experience.

http://duranduranmusic.com/

Duran Duran- All You Need is Now- Out

The first single from the upcoming Duran Duran album 'All You Need Is Now' is available on the iTunes Store. The vibrant video for this title track is set for release on iTunes on December 21, 2010. It was shot in and around London and was helmed by celebrated director Nick Egan, whose previous work includes Duran Duran’s "White Lines" and "Ordinary World" videos.

The album (cover artwork below) is out on December 21, 2010.

www.duranduran.com