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Duran Duran
By Rochelle Teotico
Most bands whose careers began in the 1980's also ended in that decade. Not so with Duran Duran. Despite the
changing trends in music, they've continually re-invented their style and sound as well as survived the scathing
remarks of critics who thought they would never last. And with the release of their new album, "Medazzaland,"
they've also managed to stay hip in the 90's.
Duran Duran first burst onto the American music scene in the early eighties with "Hungry Like The Wolf." They were five
young guys from Birmingham, England with a catchy tune and an exotic video. Other hit singles followed, and soon they
generated an hysteria not unlike their predecessors, The Beatles, did in the sixties. In fact, Rolling Stone magazine dubbed
Duran Duran "The Fab Five" just as The Beatles were "The Fab Four."
But times have changed. That was then, and this is 1997. "The Fab Five" are now a trio: lead vocalist Simon Le Bon,
keyboardist Nick Rhodes, and guitarist Warren Cuccurullo. Their original drummer, Roger Taylor, left the band early on as
did guitarist Andy Taylor, whom Cuccurullo replaced. And just this year, founding member and bassist John Taylor also left.
When asked how John Taylor's departure affected the band, Rhodes admits the split was amicable yet "very sad." He says
"they sort of knew it was going to happen" because Taylor had been living in California for the last three or four years to
work on his own solo projects.
It had become increasingly difficult for the band members to work in this transatlantic manner, with Taylor in the States and
Le Bon, Rhodes, and Cuccurullo in England. "In a weird way," says Rhodes, "his departure, I suppose, gave us a new life.
We sort of turned into a butterfly...we experimented."
That experimentation led to the creation of their 11th album, entitled "Medazzaland" -- in reference to a drug used on Simon
at the dentist's office. Their latest work mixes contemporary electronica with a grinding guitar and their signature synth sound.
Although many would feel "Medazzaland" is a departure from the Duran Duran sound, Le Bon says nothing has changed: "It's
all about music and words that touch you emotionally, that have an effect on people; something that comes from our deepest
parts. That really is it, and also that 'driving the technology' and all the musical skill that we bring into making an album. And if
you use that as a definition of the Duran Duran sound, then this album is really straight-on true to that."
Prior to their bassist's departure, the band had already been working on bits and pieces of the new album. But then they went
"out of focus" a bit as each had their own individual projects. It was only in the last year, when they lost Taylor, did they
really pull together and make sure "Medazzaland" was, says Rhodes, "an incredibly strong album." And they needed to do
that, even if it took them a long time to get it just right. "Doesn't seem like such a long time when you take into account people
like George Michael who can take up to five years between albums," retorts Le Bon. Their last record, released over two
years ago, was an album of covers. "Thank You" was heavily panned by critics whose distaste for it ranged from deeming it a
"disaster" to "the worst tribute album ever made."
With the pressure on the band to produce a commercially successful album, you have to wonder if, at any point, they felt
unable to make a good record. No, they say.
"We're extremely creative, especially when we work together. There's always someone who can pick up the slack from
somebody else. We make great music together," says Cuccurullo.
Although Duran Duran of late has not achieved the measure of success they had in the beginning of their career, Le Bon,
Rhodes and Cuccurullo don't seem to mind. Their only focus is to continue to create their brand of music.
"We're not slaves to any new style that comes out," adds Rhodes. "Duran Duran has actually sustained throughout a lot of
different changes in the music industry and really our sound -- we've experimented in a lot of different fields -- stayed true to
our original ideals, which was to cross over dance music, electronic music, and rock music."
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