Pin-Up Boys
Meet the unexpected breakout band of the year, Duran Duran.
By Michael Musto
Photographs by Jake Chessum // Styled by Luigi Tadini
Duran Duran are getting their first rave reviews since... ever! "We've never been in favor with the press until now," admits drummer Roger Taylor, 51, at the Mercer Hotel, where the band stayed while promoting their 13th studio album, All You Need Is Now.
The '80s survivors -- once dubbed "the prettiest boys in rock" as they toyed with headbands, eyeliner and hypnotically seductive songs like "Rio" and "Hungry Like The Wolf " -- are finally getting some cheering critics to match the larynx-shattering screams from their rabid female fans (aka "Durannies"). The Guardian gave the album a great review while NME printed their first favorable writeup in years. "Planet Earth" is looking more and more welcoming to these spruced up old-timers.
All You Need Is Now has topped download charts in 15 countries and paved the way for South by Southwest and Coachella appearances, a Dior "Be Iconic" campaign using their title track and general vindication all around. Their new-found relevance can be partly attributed to the album's producer, Grammy-winning hipster hitmaker Mark Ronson. As lead singer Simon Le Bon tells me, Ronson urged the guys to take note of the ascendance of the Killers, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand and other bands heavily influenced by early Duran. "This is your territory," Ronson decreed. "I want you to reclaim that territory."
So, hungry for the airplay, they dutifully obeyed. With songs from the hard-driving "Girl Panic!" to the sweetly plaintive "Leave A Light On," and guest stars like Kelis and Ana Matronic, the unofficial follow-up to their classic 1982 album Rio combines the familiar and the new in a wall of sound that Le Bon calls "fresh and raw" à la the Duran of "naïve and less craftsmanlike" days.
The band's previous album, 2007's Red Carpet Massacre -- produced by Timbaland, Danja and Justin Timberlake -- was pretty much rejected by fans wanting more Duran and less production, though Le Bon swears it's a "great" record. Not all the other guys agree. "It was a lot of machines," offers keyboardist Nick Rhodes, 49. "Timbaland was terrific to work with and we learned a lot from it, but it was very, very different. Mark was a little old school in his approach. He just wanted us all in a room together, all playing. This album is much more organic."
"We put our heart and soul into it," adds eternally teen idol-looking John Taylor, 50. John Taylor says Ronson was very seductive but rigorous and made sure every song said something and every part had to be performance-level.
"As a kid, I was drawn to Duran because they had incredible pop songs and they looked cool and otherworldly," Ronson recalls. "When I listen to it now, it's easier to understand exactly what it is that speaks to me on such a level: the awesome combination of a rhythm section of white boys who thought they were in Chic, a guitar player who wished he was in the Sex Pistols, a keyboard player who thought he was in Kraftwerk and a leadsinger whose voice and sense of melody was unique and hooky enough to glue it all together."
In addition to Ronson's magic touch, the band is now getting specialized treatment on S-Curve, an independent label, rather than being caught up in the corporate machine of Epic Records (which for them translated to epic fail). "We're working with people that care about music," says Rhodes, "instead of an overweight, sinking corporation who can't afford their lunch bills anymore."
Helping calm the old grudges are the waves of new young and fabulous fans who openly admit to liking the band, even though that might be perilously close to admitting you worship Miami Vice, Short Circuit and A Flock of Seagulls. But Duran has finally gone beyond guilty pleasure and into the realm of durable entertainment. Rhodes says this development has been extremely flattering because it means that their music, style and personalities have been communicated to kids that are in bands now, just like Duran was inspired by musicians before them.
And the miracle of downloading has only helped the intergenerational connection. Le Bon, who's 52, thinks that kids are a lot less ageist about their music choices today because of the availability factor. "There's not so much baggage attached to a piece of music when you download one song you hear," he says, "as opposed to going into a record store and buying the whole album." Thanks to this phenomenon, his and wife Yasmin's 16-year-old daughter Tallulah listens to a diverse platter of Lady Gaga, Foo Fighters, David Bowie, George Harrison and of course Duran Duran. A good-taste gal!
Duran Duran's own influences, when they were founded in Birmingham, England, in 1978, were left-of-center acts like Bowie, Roxy Music, Lou Reed, the Sex Pistols and the Clash. "They were all pretty stylish," says Rhodes, sans his trademark eyeliner. "You needed a certain look to get into this band originally," recalls Roger Taylor. "Although Andy did join the group with a pair of dungarees on, we soon dealt with that!" He is referring to Andy Taylor (none of these Taylors are related), the troubled guitarist who left the band in 2006 after some rocky times (depression over the death of his father combined with tense relations with management) and bad jeans.
The Durans always had their eye on the visuals, both by pioneering music videos as an art form and using clothing as a flashy signifier. At their early peak, they helped start fashion trends like shoulder pads, skinny ties, bold colors and poufy hair, often doing so unintentionally. John Taylor (who's married to Juicy Couture cofounder Gela Nash-Taylor) used to roll his sleeves up to play bass more comfortably, launching a wave of copycats. However, when Simon hung weird bells from his sleeves, that didn't catch on at all; too noisy. "You'd hear him coming down the corridor, ringing," laughs Roger Taylor.
Are they embarrassed by any of their old looks? No, swears Rhodes, though he's adamant about the fact that he'd draw the line at wearing lederhosen. ("We probably shouldn't do that. Ever," he says cackling.)
These days, the trend that Duran Duran is embracing most aggressively is social networking -- a valuable tool for promoting the band as well as a way for the guys to feel more plugged in on the road. They made a conscious decision to use social media to push the album. As John Taylor explains, "I found, to my shock, that I was having a lot of fun with it. I'm enjoying the interconnectivity that comes about from tweeting and getting tweets back. We have a better sense of where we're at in relationship to our audience today."
Le Bon is loving Twitter too. (It's obviously the hardest drug seized on by today's been-there rockers.) "It's an instant two-way street," says Le Bon. "We have a lot of opinionated fans that tell us, 'You don't want to do that. Do this!'"
Imagine if the Internet had existed at the height of the group's early worldwide fame. "It would have been terrifying!" Rhodes exclaims, eyes flaring. Yeah, the mass downloads probably would have crashed computers from here to Timbuktu, though it still would have been supremely welcome. The guys remember how awkward it was to be '80s pop stars without instant communication. Rhodes recalls being on tour and having to stop at a "call box" to report stuff like, "I think we're about two hours late."
By now, the Durans even know how to talk to each other. And not via Twitter! "What's gone," Roger Taylor says, "is the passive aggressive behavior. We didn't really know how to communicate. I don't think we were taught as kids. So over the years we've come to understand each other. Everything's upfront now. If we don't like something, we'll say it."
When they exploded into worldwide success, they were too busy recording, primping, promoting and primping some more to deal with all the bubbling-under personal differences, which threatened to turn the band into a real-life "union of the snake."
Roger Taylor says that when Andy was in the group, there were daily blowups for a stretch. "But since then, calm was restored very quickly," he adds. "Yeah," agrees John Taylor. "All these issues come along and he wasn't prepared to work as hard as he needed to in order to be a functioning member of our society."
How perfect that a group who relishes in obscure, dreamy, sexy imagery thinks of itself as a society. How sci-fi! Fortunately, it sounds like the guys mainly explode with mutual admiration these days. In fact, when they recently discussed what song to do on an Italian TV show, John Taylor suggested "The Reflex" and Le Bon (who wrote the words) winced and said he hates the lyrics, so John had to assure him that they're actually quite brilliant. "We do need reassurance," Taylor tells me, doe-eyed.
Hopefully, the warm reception that's greeting All You Need Is Now is providing just that. "I'm hoping this puts an end to those ups and downs," says John Taylor, referring to the rollercoaster ride the band's been on for decades as they've gone from critically dismissed phenomenon to comeback kids to potential Hall of Famers. "You've got to prove yourself over and over again. We've been proving since 1985 that we're relevant and have something to say. It's very satisfying being able to get it all out on this album."
So they're finally grown up? Rhodes erupts into one more bout of hysterical laughter. "Grown up? Are you kidding?"
Photographed at Daylight Studios
Grooming by Sarah Appleby using Bumble and Bumble
Stylist's assistants: Kelly Govekar and Briana Affen
Photographer's assistant: Andrew Sutherland
Fashion coordinator: Diane Drennan-Lewis assisted by Brittaney Barbosa
Photo 1: (l-r) Nick Rhodes wears a tuxedo and a pocket square by Tom Ford and a tie by Salvatore Ferragamo. Simon Le Bon wears a tuxedo and a shirt by Burberry, a bow tie by Tom Ford and a pocket square by Alexander Olch. Roger Taylor wears a jacket and a shirt by Dior Homme and a bow tie by Calvin Klein Collection. John Taylor wears a jacket by Rag & Bone, a shirt by Dunhill and a tie by Calvin Klein Collection.
Photos 2 and 7: Simon wears a suit by Giorgio Armani, a shirt by Gucci, a tie by Alexander Olch and shoes by Mark McNairy.
Photos 3 and 10: Nick wears a suit by Black Fleece for Brooks Brothers, a shirt by Giorgio Armani and a tie and a pocket square by The Hill-Side.
Photos 4 and 9: Roger wears a tuxedo by Salvatore Ferragamo, a shirt by Calvin Klein Collection and a tie and a pocket square by Alexander Olch.
Photos 5 and 8: John wears a suit by Salvatore Ferragamo, a shirt by Gucci and cuff links by Van Cleef & Arpels.
Photo 6: (l-r) Roger wears a suit by Versace, a shirt by Dior Homme and a tie by Calvin Klein Collection. John wears a suit and a shirt by Salvatore Ferragamo. Simon wears a suit and shirt by Dior Homme and a tie by Alexander Olch. Nick wears a suit by Burberry, a bowtie by Calvin Klein Collection and a pocket square by Alexander Olch.
The '80s survivors -- once dubbed "the prettiest boys in rock" as they toyed with headbands, eyeliner and hypnotically seductive songs like "Rio" and "Hungry Like The Wolf " -- are finally getting some cheering critics to match the larynx-shattering screams from their rabid female fans (aka "Durannies"). The Guardian gave the album a great review while NME printed their first favorable writeup in years. "Planet Earth" is looking more and more welcoming to these spruced up old-timers.
All You Need Is Now has topped download charts in 15 countries and paved the way for South by Southwest and Coachella appearances, a Dior "Be Iconic" campaign using their title track and general vindication all around. Their new-found relevance can be partly attributed to the album's producer, Grammy-winning hipster hitmaker Mark Ronson. As lead singer Simon Le Bon tells me, Ronson urged the guys to take note of the ascendance of the Killers, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand and other bands heavily influenced by early Duran. "This is your territory," Ronson decreed. "I want you to reclaim that territory."
So, hungry for the airplay, they dutifully obeyed. With songs from the hard-driving "Girl Panic!" to the sweetly plaintive "Leave A Light On," and guest stars like Kelis and Ana Matronic, the unofficial follow-up to their classic 1982 album Rio combines the familiar and the new in a wall of sound that Le Bon calls "fresh and raw" à la the Duran of "naïve and less craftsmanlike" days.
The band's previous album, 2007's Red Carpet Massacre -- produced by Timbaland, Danja and Justin Timberlake -- was pretty much rejected by fans wanting more Duran and less production, though Le Bon swears it's a "great" record. Not all the other guys agree. "It was a lot of machines," offers keyboardist Nick Rhodes, 49. "Timbaland was terrific to work with and we learned a lot from it, but it was very, very different. Mark was a little old school in his approach. He just wanted us all in a room together, all playing. This album is much more organic."
"We put our heart and soul into it," adds eternally teen idol-looking John Taylor, 50. John Taylor says Ronson was very seductive but rigorous and made sure every song said something and every part had to be performance-level.
"As a kid, I was drawn to Duran because they had incredible pop songs and they looked cool and otherworldly," Ronson recalls. "When I listen to it now, it's easier to understand exactly what it is that speaks to me on such a level: the awesome combination of a rhythm section of white boys who thought they were in Chic, a guitar player who wished he was in the Sex Pistols, a keyboard player who thought he was in Kraftwerk and a leadsinger whose voice and sense of melody was unique and hooky enough to glue it all together."
In addition to Ronson's magic touch, the band is now getting specialized treatment on S-Curve, an independent label, rather than being caught up in the corporate machine of Epic Records (which for them translated to epic fail). "We're working with people that care about music," says Rhodes, "instead of an overweight, sinking corporation who can't afford their lunch bills anymore."
Helping calm the old grudges are the waves of new young and fabulous fans who openly admit to liking the band, even though that might be perilously close to admitting you worship Miami Vice, Short Circuit and A Flock of Seagulls. But Duran has finally gone beyond guilty pleasure and into the realm of durable entertainment. Rhodes says this development has been extremely flattering because it means that their music, style and personalities have been communicated to kids that are in bands now, just like Duran was inspired by musicians before them.
And the miracle of downloading has only helped the intergenerational connection. Le Bon, who's 52, thinks that kids are a lot less ageist about their music choices today because of the availability factor. "There's not so much baggage attached to a piece of music when you download one song you hear," he says, "as opposed to going into a record store and buying the whole album." Thanks to this phenomenon, his and wife Yasmin's 16-year-old daughter Tallulah listens to a diverse platter of Lady Gaga, Foo Fighters, David Bowie, George Harrison and of course Duran Duran. A good-taste gal!
Duran Duran's own influences, when they were founded in Birmingham, England, in 1978, were left-of-center acts like Bowie, Roxy Music, Lou Reed, the Sex Pistols and the Clash. "They were all pretty stylish," says Rhodes, sans his trademark eyeliner. "You needed a certain look to get into this band originally," recalls Roger Taylor. "Although Andy did join the group with a pair of dungarees on, we soon dealt with that!" He is referring to Andy Taylor (none of these Taylors are related), the troubled guitarist who left the band in 2006 after some rocky times (depression over the death of his father combined with tense relations with management) and bad jeans.
The Durans always had their eye on the visuals, both by pioneering music videos as an art form and using clothing as a flashy signifier. At their early peak, they helped start fashion trends like shoulder pads, skinny ties, bold colors and poufy hair, often doing so unintentionally. John Taylor (who's married to Juicy Couture cofounder Gela Nash-Taylor) used to roll his sleeves up to play bass more comfortably, launching a wave of copycats. However, when Simon hung weird bells from his sleeves, that didn't catch on at all; too noisy. "You'd hear him coming down the corridor, ringing," laughs Roger Taylor.
Are they embarrassed by any of their old looks? No, swears Rhodes, though he's adamant about the fact that he'd draw the line at wearing lederhosen. ("We probably shouldn't do that. Ever," he says cackling.)
These days, the trend that Duran Duran is embracing most aggressively is social networking -- a valuable tool for promoting the band as well as a way for the guys to feel more plugged in on the road. They made a conscious decision to use social media to push the album. As John Taylor explains, "I found, to my shock, that I was having a lot of fun with it. I'm enjoying the interconnectivity that comes about from tweeting and getting tweets back. We have a better sense of where we're at in relationship to our audience today."
Le Bon is loving Twitter too. (It's obviously the hardest drug seized on by today's been-there rockers.) "It's an instant two-way street," says Le Bon. "We have a lot of opinionated fans that tell us, 'You don't want to do that. Do this!'"
Imagine if the Internet had existed at the height of the group's early worldwide fame. "It would have been terrifying!" Rhodes exclaims, eyes flaring. Yeah, the mass downloads probably would have crashed computers from here to Timbuktu, though it still would have been supremely welcome. The guys remember how awkward it was to be '80s pop stars without instant communication. Rhodes recalls being on tour and having to stop at a "call box" to report stuff like, "I think we're about two hours late."
By now, the Durans even know how to talk to each other. And not via Twitter! "What's gone," Roger Taylor says, "is the passive aggressive behavior. We didn't really know how to communicate. I don't think we were taught as kids. So over the years we've come to understand each other. Everything's upfront now. If we don't like something, we'll say it."
When they exploded into worldwide success, they were too busy recording, primping, promoting and primping some more to deal with all the bubbling-under personal differences, which threatened to turn the band into a real-life "union of the snake."
Roger Taylor says that when Andy was in the group, there were daily blowups for a stretch. "But since then, calm was restored very quickly," he adds. "Yeah," agrees John Taylor. "All these issues come along and he wasn't prepared to work as hard as he needed to in order to be a functioning member of our society."
How perfect that a group who relishes in obscure, dreamy, sexy imagery thinks of itself as a society. How sci-fi! Fortunately, it sounds like the guys mainly explode with mutual admiration these days. In fact, when they recently discussed what song to do on an Italian TV show, John Taylor suggested "The Reflex" and Le Bon (who wrote the words) winced and said he hates the lyrics, so John had to assure him that they're actually quite brilliant. "We do need reassurance," Taylor tells me, doe-eyed.
Hopefully, the warm reception that's greeting All You Need Is Now is providing just that. "I'm hoping this puts an end to those ups and downs," says John Taylor, referring to the rollercoaster ride the band's been on for decades as they've gone from critically dismissed phenomenon to comeback kids to potential Hall of Famers. "You've got to prove yourself over and over again. We've been proving since 1985 that we're relevant and have something to say. It's very satisfying being able to get it all out on this album."
So they're finally grown up? Rhodes erupts into one more bout of hysterical laughter. "Grown up? Are you kidding?"
Photographed at Daylight Studios
Grooming by Sarah Appleby using Bumble and Bumble
Stylist's assistants: Kelly Govekar and Briana Affen
Photographer's assistant: Andrew Sutherland
Fashion coordinator: Diane Drennan-Lewis assisted by Brittaney Barbosa
Photo 1: (l-r) Nick Rhodes wears a tuxedo and a pocket square by Tom Ford and a tie by Salvatore Ferragamo. Simon Le Bon wears a tuxedo and a shirt by Burberry, a bow tie by Tom Ford and a pocket square by Alexander Olch. Roger Taylor wears a jacket and a shirt by Dior Homme and a bow tie by Calvin Klein Collection. John Taylor wears a jacket by Rag & Bone, a shirt by Dunhill and a tie by Calvin Klein Collection.
Photos 2 and 7: Simon wears a suit by Giorgio Armani, a shirt by Gucci, a tie by Alexander Olch and shoes by Mark McNairy.
Photos 3 and 10: Nick wears a suit by Black Fleece for Brooks Brothers, a shirt by Giorgio Armani and a tie and a pocket square by The Hill-Side.
Photos 4 and 9: Roger wears a tuxedo by Salvatore Ferragamo, a shirt by Calvin Klein Collection and a tie and a pocket square by Alexander Olch.
Photos 5 and 8: John wears a suit by Salvatore Ferragamo, a shirt by Gucci and cuff links by Van Cleef & Arpels.
Photo 6: (l-r) Roger wears a suit by Versace, a shirt by Dior Homme and a tie by Calvin Klein Collection. John wears a suit and a shirt by Salvatore Ferragamo. Simon wears a suit and shirt by Dior Homme and a tie by Alexander Olch. Nick wears a suit by Burberry, a bowtie by Calvin Klein Collection and a pocket square by Alexander Olch.
Your Comment
Posted at 12:13 on May 03, 2011
As a lifelong Duranie, I am very happy to see the amount of positive press and accolades the band is getting, finally. It is good to see them being recognized as the influential band they always have been. It is also satisfying to see how damn gorgeous they all still are. Especially when you compare them to most of the other bands that started when they did. Thank you for adding to my ever-growing collection of sexy pictures of the members of Duran Duran. Your spread is breathtaking.
Posted at 1:44 on May 03, 2011
Just wish to second what MissNovemberTuesday so eloquently stated. Bravo all around!
Posted at 2:25 on May 03, 2011
Great piece, Michael! I had the profound pleasure of seeing Duran at a tiny venue (1,300) last week. Easily the best show I've ever seen: no video screens; no explosions; no major effects. Just an amazingly solid show by exceptional performers.
I'm sure it's not only the Lads who feel vindicated by this "sudden" critical acceptance but we Duranies as well. It's so satisfying, years later, to have others recognise that, pretty as the still are, Duran Duran have always rocked because their music was and is great. The eyeliner was just (ever so pretty) icing.
Amazing. Thank you for a great ride, Gentlemen. It's been a great 3 decades; can't wait to see what's next!
Posted at 2:26 on May 03, 2011
Dont ever put an age on good music they just keep on makin it good!!!!!
Posted at 2:54 on May 03, 2011
That is a great picture of all of you.
Posted at 3:35 on May 03, 2011
The new album can stand on its own as brilliant -- there isn't a bad song in the bunch. That coupled with Duran Duran's rich history of hits makes this story and the reverance of the writer all the sweeter to see their comeback. I saw their inaugural show at SXSW and it didn't disappoint by any measure. And now that the group members are using Facebook and Twitter to reach out to and be touched by fans? Brilliant ... Bravo, Roger / Simon / John / Nick / Dom !
Posted at 3:54 on May 03, 2011
I am a lifelong Duranie as well. I am pleased to see the positive press finally for Duran Duran. They have put out an album that I love and that my almost teens LOVE too. They know every track and what number they are on the CD. They listen in the car and on their IPODS and are very much looking forward to a concert. Thank you for recognizing what Duranies have seen for 30 years. We love Duran Duran, the music, the men, all of it!
Posted at 4:34 on May 03, 2011
I truly have been a fan of Duran Duran since their first LP and I can honestly say there has never been an album I have not loved. Great to see favorable press here for the greatest band, they derserve it and we all love them very much.
Posted at 5:03 on May 03, 2011
gorgeous
Posted at 5:47 on May 03, 2011
I love the new Duran Duran album. My daughters like it too. Its a lot like their earlier stuff that took us by storm in America, and the boys still look really good.
Posted at 5:55 on May 03, 2011
Two thumbs up for this article and the photos. Awesome!!
Posted at 6:02 on May 03, 2011
Love the bare feet John!!! Love all the photos of the guys. I really like the new album, so glad they are getting recognized for such a great album.
Posted at 6:26 on May 03, 2011
What a fantastic article!!! I have been a major Duranie since the very beginning and it thrills me to no end that not only are they back but they are better than ever! I love reading John's Tweets and seeing the pure joy that they have in everything. I was lucky enough to catch their show at Foxwoods last month (my very 1st DD show) and man do they still have it!
Looking foward to seeing them again and hopefuly another amazing album!!!
Posted at 6:27 on May 03, 2011
Great photos and great comments. They are still the hottest guys in the music world ( Simon is still the man of my dreams - still, after 30 years!). So many people say RCM was a disaster but I think it was great. I love every album they have ever made. It is true that AYNIN is a return to the Duran Duran early on but sometimes you have to change and try different things to bring you back to the beginning. I appreciate all of their albums. Thanks guys for all the years of music, videos and style that no one else can match ( or come close ). One word to describe them: HOT!!!!
Posted at 6:47 on May 03, 2011
Awesome, underrated band!
Posted at 6:50 on May 03, 2011
ever growing elegance, and packed with more punch than ever...the band reflect the album and vice versa...the best band currently, hehe and always!!!!!
Posted at 9:05 on May 03, 2011
It was 1982 and I was a teenager living in Iran, when my best friend introduced me to a couple of videos by Duran Duran. For me, it was love at first sight. I instantly fell in love with their music, not to mention their good looks. It is 2011, and it's been 27 years since I've lived here in the U.S., and I've been a true Duran Duran fan. Their music has been with me through the ups and downs, and I would like to thank the band for bringing so much pleasure and joy into my life. I am very grateful to be alive today and be able to hear such beautiful music from the band. It was an absolute pleasure to see you at the Ogden in Denver, and I look forward to seeing you here again.
Congratulations boys, you deserve all the recognition and the praises that you are receiving. I wish you the best, and I LOVE YOU DURAN DURAN.
Posted at 10:08 on May 03, 2011
awesome.. no better looking band on Earth.. Plant earth that is...lol
Posted at 11:04 on May 03, 2011
I love your article. I agree with everyone else, finally Duran Duran gets the honors they deserve. I have said for years they deserve to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Love you guys and thank you for the wonderful music all these years.
Posted at 11:32 on May 03, 2011
It's nice to see the boys we knew have grown in to men we can still like and are still having fun as adults making music that we all can enjoy. The pic show off their playfulness and still so sexy as every!!!!
Posted at 12:29 on May 04, 2011
the album is absolutely amazing!!they shouldve released the man who stole a lep as the first single
Posted at 12:36 on May 04, 2011
Love the new album & those photos have made this woman of a certain age very very happy indeed.
Posted at 12:39 on May 04, 2011
MissNovemberTuesday says all I want to say--you've always been my favorite band! Glad to see others are finally as wise as the fans.
Posted at 1:55 on May 04, 2011
Great! Just f*cking fabulous! When they started out they sold millions of records and the critics hated them. Now the critics love them and the best this amazing new release can muster is #29 on the Billboard 200, before dropping off altogether!? WTF is wrong with this picture!Hey music critics: can you all please start dissing the band again as a bunch of tired old farts flogging the same old bollocks for the last 20 years. That should get the record back on the charts in no time!
OK, maybe I'm a bit jaded from having been head of A&R for a subsidiary of Columbia Records in the 80's, but it galls me that this record isn't selling better, iTunes downloads not withstanding.
If you're reading this and were ever a fan of this band's music, this is the record you've been waiting for... so go buy it!
Posted at 2:10 on May 04, 2011
TERRIFIC article, hi hi hi
Duran Duran for ever on my life
Posted at 7:15 on May 04, 2011
Invitation to hop on accepted, John! Sorry, couln't resist that. Where is my mind at???
Posted at 7:59 on May 04, 2011
The new album takes me back to being 17 again. It sounds like the one that should have come after Rio. Reminding me of places and people from the mid 80's. At the time I could never admit to anyone that I liked Duran, because I was devoted to punk, but Rio was my favourite album of that year. All you need has had the same effect, the difference being, I'm now not too cool to say it.
Posted at 8:36 on May 04, 2011
Great article! Love me some Duran Duran! As a lifelong Duranie, glad to see my boys getting their due!
Posted at 8:56 on May 04, 2011
These guys are fantastic! I never thought in 1985 I would still be listening to brand new pop masterpieces from Duran Duran in 2011! Brilliant!
Posted at 3:57 on May 05, 2011
Coming back from beyond would be a little freaky. I like that they are not trying to sell to a teenage crowd, more so to a mature listener with an ear full of 25 years of everything. They will fit in as long as it is not" Rio 2". Use some original sounds modernized, make it sexy. Have fun and make it feel good.
Posted at 8:19 on May 05, 2011
Awesome and amazing!
Posted at 8:34 on May 05, 2011
Yes it's brilliant
but stuff all this 'best since Rio" nonsense.
The Boys have done a ton of excellent stuff since then, not just "Ordinary Day"
Come Undone, Notorious, Do You Believe in Shame?, Reach up for the Sunrise......give me 5 minutes and I could name another 20 songs I've loved and still play regularly
But just to be clear..."All You Need is Now" is superb
Posted at 10:36 on May 07, 2011
All You Need is Now is by far their best ever - not a bad song on the album!
Posted at 5:13 on May 09, 2011
@wesome
Posted at 2:11 on May 09, 2011
Duran Duran rules!!
I have been a fan of Duran Duran for about three years, since I was thirteen. Yes, I am 16( well almost 17) and I love Duran Duran. Their new album is so awesome and there isn't a single song by them that I don't like. :)
Their music is my only escape from the world and it makes me feel great. None of my freinds know who they are but I learned about them from listening to their music in the car with my mom.
I think they are the greatest band in the entire world, probably the entire universe( most definitly the entire universe). :)
Favourite songs are Mediterranea and pretty much everything else.
They have changed my life, and I don't know what it would like right now without them.
So, thank you Duran Duran....and Roger is my favourite, cause he's quiet like me. :)
LONG LIVE DURAN DURAN, the most underated band ever and the greatest :)
Posted at 6:55 on May 09, 2011
I don't wish to dismiss Mark Ronson alltogether, being as he is supposedly a fellow duran fan, but the guys have never needed anyone to 'help' them make great music and I would never think of these trendsetters as desperate for a comeback nor as 'dutifully obeying' anyone but themselves. (They've never gone away, so there's nothing to come back from.) "Leave a Light on" is my fave song on the latest album and it was written by LeBon, Rhodes, Taylor and Brown. And certainly AYNIN can stand on its own merit and does not need to be touted as the follow-up to Rio. Albeit having young, current, up-and-coming popsters make a guest appearance is sometimes a good idea, their guestlists have yet to top "So Red The Rose." These guys have been making music for over thirty (yes, 30!) years, and I'm hoping for at least thirty more. KOLD2
Posted at 9:34 on May 10, 2011
what a fantastic article!I have been there since the beginning and I agree this album brings us back to the days of RIO (my fave...I have a tattoo!) I really enjoyed Red Carpet Massacre as well...saw the show at the Barymore theater on broadway and it was the most phenominal Duranie experience!Keep up the great work....you guys will never disappoint me!The only disappointment is I never hear airplay in my town!So not fair!
Posted at 9:57 on May 10, 2011
I just hope they have a follow-up to AYNIN. They're a great band. But many people don't understand D2. Each album is unique. While RCM wasn't made for fans. Some songs like DGM, RCM, TV. Were 100% DD.
The band made a good album. But not a Duran Duran album. Like the Dandy Warhols Monkey House. WTTMC was a Duran Duran album. But the Dandy fans rejected it.
Personally I don't care about album reviews. I just hate the wait for the next 3.5-5 yrs. for the next album. Duran Duran are great. But when U2 uses synths in thier music. Critics love them. But when D2 does it, and DOES IT RIGHT! The music elite, put them down.
Duran has some great 90's albums. Medazzaland, TWA, Lib. It won't be too long before newer bands copy from thier 90's years.
Posted at 12:28 on May 11, 2011
great article! Great band! Love the Look!
Posted at 3:49 on May 11, 2011
The most amazing band
Posted at 4:32 on May 15, 2011
Bringin it back.
Posted at 2:58 on May 16, 2011
I just love it when the boys, at last, are getting the credit they have deserved for so long. 28 years after Sgt Pepper, the songs sounded dated, even though it was a groundbreaking album at the time. 28 years after Rio the sound is as fresh as this morning.
Posted at 3:10 on May 16, 2011
Oh yes, and btw, there are no "dogs" on AYNIN. Every song is bona fide winner. I don't think I've ever said that about any of their records, and I am one of those fans who would buy a record of them singing their grocery lists (am I dating myself by not saying "CD"?). If you haven't bought it yet, run, don't walk, to your nearest record store; or pay Amazon to expedite delivery. It's worth it.
Posted at 3:21 on May 16, 2011
The new album is amazing! thank you for the great article and the beautiful photos! DD forever!
Posted at 3:51 on May 20, 2011
This band is totally brilliant, I have been a hard core fan since the earlier 80-ties, and have seen a lot of gigs of these guys. Like so many of the DD songs, the All You Need is Now album breaths the romantic, dreamy world so common for DD songs. Artistically they have matured to a high level, as do their live performances. Can’t wait to see them in June in the Hague
Posted at 6:33 on May 26, 2011
Must say having been a fan more many many years and hearing both sides of the issues with Andy, I find your article very derogatory towards him. Both sides has issues and one in particular in he band seemed to have it in for him. Not a very fair article.
Posted at 2:40 on May 30, 2011
the story and styling are just wonderful! congrats for the team! :)
Posted at 2:45 on Jun 01, 2011
It was 1983 when my cousin Alex (DJ Alex Lauterstein) returned from a holidays in Canada with Rio Album in his hands and I fell in love with Duran´s music. The spell continues until today, Its been alomost 30 years of great albums and songs. They were 4 times in Argentina were I live and the four shows were amazing. And now with almost 40 years and a doughter (she is also a fan) i´m like a teenager waiting to see the new show in BUE.
By the way, Great article and excellent photos!!!
Rod
Posted at 5:48 on Jul 21, 2011
Love DD. The best band ever. The new album is fantastic but Andy is sorely missed. Make up and bring him back.