Easiest Website Builder ever! · Build your own toolbar · Free Talking Character · Email Marketing
powered by
bravenet.com
|
|
Duran `back' with album, summer tour
Date: TUE 08/10/93
By BRUCE WESTBROOK
For months we've heard and read it: Duran Duran is back. Like Elvis sightings, the band is being hailed as if returning from
oblivion. "But as far as we're concerned, we never left," said keyboardist Nick Rhodes. "We've been working hard all the
way through."
That work will continue Wednesday, when Duran Duran will perform at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. With Terence
Trent D'Arby opening, the show is expected to sell out. So it's back to business for the pop juggernaut of the early '80s.
The problem is, when you've been likened to the Beatles in adoration, as Duran 's "Fab Five" was in its early days, stiff
standards can dog your career. And Duran 's career has run cold as well as hot.
Regardless of their musical merit, the lads from Birmingham, England, became known as pretty-boy MTV darlings a decade
ago, when they pioneered elaborate music videos and attracted millions of frenzied femme fans worldwide.
But soon after briefly splintering into side projects Arcadia and Power Station, then losing founding members Andy and
Roger Taylor, the group fell upon harder times as a threesome. Though its 1986 "Notorious" album fared fairly well, the next
two - 1988's "Big Thing" and 1990's "Liberty" - began a commercial slide.
"Actually we felt those albums were good musically, and we stand by them," Rhodes said. "Big Thing is one of our personal
favorites. You can't judge how good a record is by its commercial success." Nonetheless, with the sales slump, "MTV
abandoned us," Rhodes said. "And when they did, they left us with all these powerful images.
"I think many people - until this record, even - saw us standing on a yacht in bright-colored silk suits," he said, referring to
Duran 's Rio video of 1982. "But that's the only time in my life I've been on a yacht. I hate the damn things."
No longer pop darlings, the band kept plugging, making management changes and adding American guitarist Warren
Cuccurullo, formerly of Missing Persons. He joined Rhodes, singer Simon Le Bon and bassist John Taylor, who formed
Duran 13 years ago, naming it after a movie character in "Barbarella."
They took their time writing the new album and recorded it largely at Cuccurullo's home in London, where they're all based.
Rhodes believes the key to its success "is we wrote a lot of strong melodies this time," notably for the ballad "Ordinary
World," a radio staple since January and a No. 1 song in 20 countries.
"It's one of those songs you don't hit on as a band very often," Rhodes said. "It's a pretty song, and people relate universally
to its sentiment - the feeling of being overwhelmed by the horror in the world and wanting to get back to something simple
and peaceful."
The second single was another ballad, "Come Undone," and this week brings the third, "Too Much Information." It shows
another side of the album: anger. In general, Duran attacks TV's pervasive power. In particular, it attacks MTV. (They've
kissed and made up, though, with MTV airing Duran 's new clips.)
"Whether it's the Gulf War or a rock band, everything is packaged and sold through TV," Rhodes said. "It can work for you,
but also against you. "Of course, we put ourselves in that position."
Other new tracks cover a wide spectrum, from a cover of Lou Reed's Femme Fatale to the jaunty slant of Brazilian
composer Milton Nascimento on "Breath After Breath" to the rock-funk blend of None of the Above.
On stage, the band will play about 100 minutes, mixing heavy helpings of the new album with ample chestnuts. "We've
reworked a lot of older songs," Rhodes said. "Hungry Like the Wolf sounds entirely different. We use a string section - two
violins and a cello - which gives a whole new texture."
Other older songs will be "Save a Prayer and Girls on Film." The touring group also includes backing singer Lamya, ormerly
of Soul II Soul, and drummer Fergus Gerrand, replacing the last tour's Sterling Campbell.
Duran also will bring a massive set designed by Stefanos Lazaridis, a Londoner who normally works in opera, theater and
film. The American dates began in early July and will continue through August. After a month playing Europe, Duran will
return to the States in October.
Rhodes said the band will film one performance on the tour, for release on TV or video. Also, more unreleased songs will
turn up on B-sides. "Ordinary World's" single, for instance, included a lush acoustic version of the song.
Rhodes said Duran also has recorded Neil Young's "The Needle and the Damage Done and Heart of Gold and the Doors'
Crystal Ship." He's 31 now, the others a bit older. And he's not sure if they still qualify as sex symbols.
"I've never taken that too seriously, though," Rhodes said. But thanks to their new spurt of popularity, Duran again is drawing
excited young fans. "The audience is a mix," Rhodes said. "Married couples who were there in the '80s are coming back with
their children."
He said the older fans bring "an incredible feeling of warmth to a show, in part, I think, because we've survived. "It's really
electric, and it's gotten the best performances out of us. It makes you give everything you can." Some may be surprised
Duran has endured, but the band isn't.
"I'm surprised at the success of the new record," Rhodes said, "but not that we're still around. I think we're a good
songwriting team, and we have a lot of energy and enthusiasm - as much now as we had early on.
"We've needed that to keep us going through the barrage of criticism, and we've taken heart if the music is good. We know
we're quite capable. We've proven it time after time, and we're proving it again." Duran Duran When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands Tickets: $40, $35 and $25 reserved; $15 lawn; at Ticketmaster
outlets, including Sears, Foleys, Sound Warehouse and Fiesta
Click here
to go back to the articles page.
Click here
to back to the front page.
bravenet.com