Watched the documentary about them on BBC4 yesterday (it's from 2000 but still a good history up to that point) and it suddenly struck me that a group who were arguably the biggest British pop band on the planet between about 1981-85 they only had two no. 1 hit singles ("Is There Something I Should Know?" and "The Reflex") and one no.1 album ("Seven and the Ragged Tiger") and that's quite astonishing.
I think that's probably testament to how tough and competitive the pop world was back in the 80s. These days it seems that anyone can have a no.1 hit if they've got more than 100 fans but back then it didn't matter how popular you were, there was never a guarantee of massive chart success, e.g. "Wild Boys" was kept off the no.1 spot by Chaka Khan's "I Feel For You" and the "Rio" album couldn't elbow its way past Roxy Music or Madness.
I always liked them but it was suicidal in my peer group to be a boy and admit to being a Duran fan. I still think "The Chauffeur" is one of the best songs of the 80s though.
Save a Prayer
New moon on Monday
Reflex
Girls on film
Something I should know
Planet Earth
Hungry like the wolf
Wild Boys
View to a kill
Ordinary World
Electric Barbarella
Reach up for the Sunrise, which think got released about a decade or so ago.
Must dig out their greatest hits Cd that I got floating about. Thanks OP for starting this topic
The Chauffeur. What a bloody brilliant song. I watched a documentary where Bob Geldof said they were actually really decent musicians despite being thought of as pop dollies. I agree with him.
Save a Prayer
New moon on Monday
Reflex
Girls on film
Something I should know
Planet Earth
Hungry like the wolf
Wild Boys
View to a kill
Ordinary World
Electric Barbarella
Reach up for the Sunrise, which think got released about a decade or so ago.
Must dig out their greatest hits Cd that I got floating about. Thanks OP for starting this topic
You're welcome! I'd recommend, if you haven't already got it, the Arena live album.:D
Watched the documentary about them on BBC4 yesterday (it's from 2000 but still a good history up to that point) and it suddenly struck me that a group who were arguably the biggest British pop band on the planet between about 1981-85 they only had two no. 1 hit singles ("Is There Something I Should Know?" and "The Reflex") and one no.1 album ("Seven and the Ragged Tiger") and that's quite astonishing.
I think that's probably testament to how tough and competitive the pop world was back in the 80s. These days it seems that anyone can have a no.1 hit if they've got more than 100 fans but back then it didn't matter how popular you were, there was never a guarantee of massive chart success, e.g. "Wild Boys" was kept off the no.1 spot by Chaka Khan's "I Feel For You" and the "Rio" album couldn't elbow its way past Roxy Music or Madness.
I always liked them but it was suicidal in my peer group to be a boy and admit to being a Duran fan. I still think "The Chauffeur" is one of the best songs of the 80s though.
The Chauffeur is a brilliant song by any reckoning.
I had the same problem at school; possibly doubly bad as I was at an all boys school, and being a Duran fan was stupidly un-cool.
Being beaten in a weekly sales race by Chaka Khan (doing a prince cover!) or Roxy Music (who must have at least partially inspired D2s style) is acceptable.
I'm just hoping that they release an album and tour in the next year .... despite being a fan since '83, I've yet to see them live
One of their members is some bit of a pornstar now
You're talking about Warren, he had a brief dalliance with adult work (there are a few videos out there), that finished in 2004.
So way to go there in talking about something that happened over 10 years back and making it sound like "now". You should be working for the Daily Mail.
Oh me, too. I love them, but I've never seen them live either. Nile Rodgers and Mark Ronson are working on their new album. That sounds great!
Simons contribution on Ronsons album was pretty good (very tongue in cheek), and if Nile can bring in some of the Notorious era magic .... eeeek, it'll be brilliant! Or at least I hope it will be
Simons contribution on Ronsons album was pretty good (very tongue in cheek), and if Nile can bring in some of the Notorious era magic .... eeeek, it'll be brilliant! Or at least I hope it will be
Notorious was great: The title track, American Science, Skin Trade, Vertigo, Proposition, fabulous stuff!
I love DD. Their recent album All You Need is Now was a real surprise of an album (I was very disappointed after Red Carpet Massacre).
I still think their first two albums are their best but I have a real soft spot for 'Big Thing' despite the dodgy interludes
Some of my favourite Duran songs: Friends of Mine, Sound of Thunder, Rio, Last Chance on the Stairway, Palomino, Land, American Science, Ordinary World...
Watched the documentary about them on BBC4 yesterday (it's from 2000 but still a good history up to that point) and it suddenly struck me that a group who were arguably the biggest British pop band on the planet between about 1981-85 they only had two no. 1 hit singles ("Is There Something I Should Know?" and "The Reflex") and one no.1 album ("Seven and the Ragged Tiger") and that's quite astonishing.
I think that's probably testament to how tough and competitive the pop world was back in the 80s. These days it seems that anyone can have a no.1 hit if they've got more than 100 fans but back then it didn't matter how popular you were, there was never a guarantee of massive chart success, e.g. "Wild Boys" was kept off the no.1 spot by Chaka Khan's "I Feel For You" and the "Rio" album couldn't elbow its way past Roxy Music or Madness.
I always liked them but it was suicidal in my peer group to be a boy and admit to being a Duran fan. I still think "The Chauffeur" is one of the best songs of the 80s though.
Yeah, having a number one single was actually a big deal back then- it actually meant something.
First saw them live a couple of days before Xmas 1988 at Wembley and they were brilliant. Saw them again the following Spring then again several times throughout the 90's and then again when they fully reformed as 5 piece in 2004 and the last time I saw them was at the 02 in London about 4 years ago.
Only ever been disappointed once which was in '94 when they decided to do a different take on their songs, it's not what the audience wanted, a lot walked out well before the end.
I've got all the albums, the last one was exceptional and the single Girl Panic which got a Fair bit of AirPlay should have been a huge hit, it was classic Duran.
You're talking about Warren, he had a brief dalliance with adult work (there are a few videos out there), that finished in 2004.
So way to go there in talking about something that happened over 10 years back and making it sound like "now". You should be working for the Daily Mail.
Warren is a bit of a weird one, but he's a good guitarist. I liked what he did with them. He really helped them make a big comeback in the 1990's. He was involved in writing Ordinary World and Come Undone. He is also a founding member of Missing Persons.
Duran Duran are a bit of an enigma in the the fact that although I liked their early work, my two favourite tracks are after their heyday (Ordinary World and Come Undone)
Interestingly, my 3 favourite DD singles were all 11-12 years apart ie Planet Earth from 1981, Ordinary World from 1993 and Sunrise in 2004. I hope they release another classic in 2015 or 2016, especially if it relates to the solar system again!
Comments
I think that's probably testament to how tough and competitive the pop world was back in the 80s. These days it seems that anyone can have a no.1 hit if they've got more than 100 fans but back then it didn't matter how popular you were, there was never a guarantee of massive chart success, e.g. "Wild Boys" was kept off the no.1 spot by Chaka Khan's "I Feel For You" and the "Rio" album couldn't elbow its way past Roxy Music or Madness.
I always liked them but it was suicidal in my peer group to be a boy and admit to being a Duran fan. I still think "The Chauffeur" is one of the best songs of the 80s though.
Save a Prayer
New moon on Monday
Reflex
Girls on film
Something I should know
Planet Earth
Hungry like the wolf
Wild Boys
View to a kill
Ordinary World
Electric Barbarella
Reach up for the Sunrise, which think got released about a decade or so ago.
Must dig out their greatest hits Cd that I got floating about. Thanks OP for starting this topic
You're welcome! I'd recommend, if you haven't already got it, the Arena live album.:D
The Chauffeur is a brilliant song by any reckoning.
I had the same problem at school; possibly doubly bad as I was at an all boys school, and being a Duran fan was stupidly un-cool.
Being beaten in a weekly sales race by Chaka Khan (doing a prince cover!) or Roxy Music (who must have at least partially inspired D2s style) is acceptable.
I'm just hoping that they release an album and tour in the next year .... despite being a fan since '83, I've yet to see them live
Oh me, too. I love them, but I've never seen them live either. Nile Rodgers and Mark Ronson are working on their new album. That sounds great!
You're talking about Warren, he had a brief dalliance with adult work (there are a few videos out there), that finished in 2004.
So way to go there in talking about something that happened over 10 years back and making it sound like "now". You should be working for the Daily Mail.
Simons contribution on Ronsons album was pretty good (very tongue in cheek), and if Nile can bring in some of the Notorious era magic .... eeeek, it'll be brilliant! Or at least I hope it will be
Notorious was great: The title track, American Science, Skin Trade, Vertigo, Proposition, fabulous stuff!
I still think their first two albums are their best but I have a real soft spot for 'Big Thing' despite the dodgy interludes
Some of my favourite Duran songs: Friends of Mine, Sound of Thunder, Rio, Last Chance on the Stairway, Palomino, Land, American Science, Ordinary World...
Yeah, having a number one single was actually a big deal back then- it actually meant something.
hit after hit after hit ..... not heard any of their new stuff ..... and no love for ARCADIA?
election day is ubersmoooooooooooth :cool:
I use to spend time with them at the Rum Runner
First saw them live a couple of days before Xmas 1988 at Wembley and they were brilliant. Saw them again the following Spring then again several times throughout the 90's and then again when they fully reformed as 5 piece in 2004 and the last time I saw them was at the 02 in London about 4 years ago.
Only ever been disappointed once which was in '94 when they decided to do a different take on their songs, it's not what the audience wanted, a lot walked out well before the end.
I've got all the albums, the last one was exceptional and the single Girl Panic which got a Fair bit of AirPlay should have been a huge hit, it was classic Duran.
Warren is a bit of a weird one, but he's a good guitarist. I liked what he did with them. He really helped them make a big comeback in the 1990's. He was involved in writing Ordinary World and Come Undone. He is also a founding member of Missing Persons.
But their songs withstood the test of time, and sound amazing even now. The Chauffeur is one of my all time faves, IMO it's almost the perfect song.
What happened?
:cool::D
Tony Blackburn... when Duran Duran got their first single into the top 40
Tony first pronounced them 'duran duran' - sounding like 'urun urun' but with a D in front