DURAN DURAN SHARE ‘ANNIVERSARY’ FROM FORTHCOMING NEW ALBUM, ‘FUTURE PAST’

SET TO PERFORM AT GLOBAL CITIZEN LIVE SEPTEMBER 25

HEADLINING AUSTIN CITY LIMITS MUSIC FESTIVAL
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3 & 10

‘FUTURE PAST’ OUT OCTOBER 22 (TAPE MODERN FOR BMG)
PRE-ORDER/ADD/SAVE

LISTEN ‘ANNIVERSARY’

Today, Duran Duran share the anthemic ‘ANNIVERSARY’, produced by the band along with British DJ/producer, Erol Alkan and the third song taken from their fifteenth studio album, ‘FUTURE PAST’, set for global release on October 22 via TAPE MODERN for BMG. Pre-order/save/add HERE.

‘ANNIVERSARY’ is Duran Duran at their exhilarating best and continues to show why they’re still one of the most exciting and progressive bands on the planet. Celebrating their 40th anniversary this year, the song is sure to be a massive live favorite. Listen HERE.

Speaking from London, where they are rehearsing for a string of upcoming UK dates, Duran Duran bassist and founder member John Taylor said today:

“‘ANNIVERSARY’ is a special song for us. Obviously we were conscious of our own impending 40th anniversary of making music together, but we wanted the song’s meaning to be inclusive in the broadest possible way. After playing and working together for so long, we very much appreciate what ‘being together’ and ’staying together’ can really mean, it’s not something we would have thought song worthy 40 years ago but we do today! It was also fun to build a track with hints of previous Duran hits, they’re like Easter eggs, for the fans to find.”

The internationally acclaimed, multi-platinum, award-winning pop legends recently announced a headlining slot at this year’s Austin City Limits Music Festival, where they will perform on the main stage on Sunday, October 3 and 10. The band will also be playing at the upcoming Global Citizen LIVE on September 25.

Enrolling the help of some of the most exciting names of the last 50 years, with ‘FUTURE PAST’ Duran Duran has delivered yet another incredible genre-spanning piece of work that once again sets them apart from the pack. Working alongside British DJ / producer Erol Alkan and pioneering Italian composer / producer Giorgio Moroder, the band has enlisted the help of some of the most unexpected and inspiring names in pop – including multi-platinum Swedish hit-maker Tove Lo, ‘Queen of Drill’ Ivorian Doll, and Japan’s CHAI on ‘MORE JOY!’. In addition, Blur’s Graham Coxon co-wrote and lends his guitar to several tracks on the record, and David Bowie’s former pianist Mike Garson adds an exquisite sonic layer to album closer ‘FALLING’. The record, which was recorded across studios in London and LA over lockdown, also features long-time collaborator Mark Ronson who co-wrote and played on ‘WING’, and was mixed by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent.

Earlier this year, Duran Duran captivated American audiences with their spellbinding performance at the Billboard Music Awards where they debuted their single ‘INVISIBLE’ as well as classics, ‘Notorious’ and ‘Hungry Like The Wolf,’ (WATCH). They also recently played on NBC’s The Today Show (WATCH) and just days ago paid a visit to Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live! With Andy Cohen.

FUTURE PAST will be available on all digital platforms, as well as in a variety of physical formats: standard CD, cassette, a limited edition deluxe hardback book CD featuring three additional tracks, and colored vinyl.

Watch the video for ‘MORE JOY!’ feat. CHAI HERE
Watch the video for ‘INVISIBLE’ HERE

WHO: Duran Duran
WHAT: Live at O2 Institute Birmingham 14th & 15th September 2021

The iconic multi-platinum and award-winning British band, Duran Duran, announce two intimate performances in their hometown of Birmingham, at the O2 Institute. Duran Duran will play on 14th and 15th September 2021 ahead of the release of their highly anticipated album ‘FUTURE PAST’, due 22nd October. Tickets go on sale for their September performances at 9am Friday 27th August at LiveNation.co.uk

With ‘FUTURE PAST’ Duran Duran have produced another incredible genre-spanning piece of work that once again sets them apart from the pack. Working alongside legendary producers Erol Alkan and Giorgio Moroder, the band have also enlisted the help of some of the most exciting names in pop at the moment – including Swedish hit-maker Tove Lo, ‘Queen of Drill’ Ivorian Doll and Japan’s CHAI on ‘MORE JOY!’; alongside Blur’s Graham Coxon who lends his guitar to several tracks on the record and David Bowie’s former pianist Mike Garson on album closer ‘FALLING’. The album, which was recorded across studios in London and LA over lockdown, also features Mark Ronson who co-wrote and played on ‘WING’, and was mixed by long-term friend and collaborator Mark ‘Spike’ Stent.

FUTURE PAST will be available on all digital platforms. As well as the standard CD, a limited edition Deluxe hardback book CD format will be available featuring three additional tracks. The album will also be available on coloured vinyl. The official album store will offer exclusive vinyl and cassette formats. [PRE-ORDER/ADD/SAVE ‘FUTURE PAST’]

The band also continue the trend of being trailblazers across both technology and music with a special collaboration with 360 Reality Audio, a new immersive music experience using Sony’s spatial sound technologies. A separate version with 360 mixes will be released of ‘FUTURE PAST’, together with new 360 versions of their back catalogue. 360 Reality Audio is on supported streaming services Amazon Music HD, TIDAL HiFi, and Deezer HiFi.

TICKETS:

General on-sale for Duran Duran live at the O2 Institute Birmingham will be 9am Friday 27th August at LiveNation.co.uk

Members of the Duran Duran VIP Community will have first access to tickets on Tuesday, August 24th at 9am local venue time. For more information members should log in and click the pre-sale page at http://duranduranmusic.com.

TOUR DATES:

14th September 2021 O2 Institute Birmingham
15th September 2021 O2 Institute Birmingham

Later in September, the band will play their own show at the Scarborough Open Air Theatre, on Friday September 17th, and headline the Isle of Wight Festival on Sunday September 19th. Ticket details at www.duranduran.com.

“It always blows my mind there is such a thing as ‘Duran Duran Appreciation Day’. We are very lucky monkeys indeed to have been showered with the love and appreciation that we have been, from you, fans and music lovers, for the length of our careers. We want to take this day to appreciate ALL OF YOU, without whom none of it would be fun or worthwhile. You all keep us on the road. Thank you! “ – John, August 10, 2021

Today, internationally acclaimed, multi-platinum and award-winning pop legends Duran Duran release their brand new track ‘MORE JOY!’ feat CHAI, taken from their upcoming fifteenth studio album ‘FUTURE PAST,’ set for global release on October 22 via TAPE MODERN for BMG. Listen HERE.

On the new track – ’MORE JOY!’ – Duran Duran channel just that; drilling down on their signature pop energy while adding a flavor of J-pop-disco-punk with collaborators CHAI, the fast-rising all-girl punk band from Nagoya, Japan. With ‘MORE JOY!’ Duran Duran show off all the reasons why they’re still one of the most exciting and forward-looking bands on the planet. With fast-paced synths, driving percussion and CHAI’s group chant of “more joy!”, the track does nothing but evoke pure elation.

Speaking from London about the new track, keyboardist Nick Rhodes said: “The song ‘MORE JOY!’ was born out of a crazy jam with Duran Duran, Graham Coxon and Erol Alkan. It was such an unusual piece we weren’t quite sure if it would fit in at first. It reminded me of one of those retro Japanese video games, which I always found quite uplifting. We came up with the chant “more joy” early on, and that became the key to the rest of the track. We all agreed that it would sound really great with Japanese female voices on it, and that’s when Simon had the inspired idea to ask CHAI if they would possibly collaborate with us. To our joy they agreed, and the result most certainly brought an incredible new energy to the song. They are so special!!

On bringing CHAI on board, Simon Le Bon reveals, “Nick suggested some girlish voices on ‘MORE JOY!’ and I knew exactly where to find them – CHAI, post-modern, all-girl Japanese punk band, whose energy and pure sense of fun might actually blow your ears off! We are honoured to have them sprinkle their pink neon magic spikey dust onto our song. Now it’s ‘MORE JOY!’ (feat. CHAI). CHAI – beloved forever!”

On being asked to collaborate, CHAI said; “We are full of joy! When Duran Duran asked us to join their new song, we listened to it and thought ‘this is lively, rock, cool and fun’, and we danced! We added our voices to their rock sound, making it even more ‘MORE JOY’! Because we are MORE JOY. Thank you Duran Duran!”

Enrolling the help of some of the most exciting names of the last 50 years, with ‘FUTURE PAST’ Duran Duran has delivered yet another incredible genre-spanning piece of work that once again sets them apart from the pack. Working alongside British DJ / producer Erol Alkan and pioneering Italian composer / producer Giorgio Moroder, the band has enlisted the help of some of the most unexpected and inspiring names in pop – including Multi-platinum Swedish hit-maker Tove Lo, ‘Queen of Drill’ Ivorian Doll, and Japan’s CHAI on ‘MORE JOY!’. In addition, Blur’s Graham Coxon co-wrote and lends his guitar to several tracks on the record, and David Bowie’s former pianist Mike Garson adds an exquisite sonic layer to album closer ‘FALLING’. The record, which was recorded across studios in London and LA over lockdown, also features long-time collaborator Mark Ronson who co-wrote and played on ‘WING’, and was mixed by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent.

Earlier this year, Duran Duran captivated American audiences with their spellbinding performance at the Billboard Music Awards where they debuted their single ‘INVISIBLE’ as well as classics, ‘Notorious’ and ‘Hungry Like The Wolf,’ (WATCH). They also recently played on NBC’s The Today Show (WATCH) and just days ago paid a visit to Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live! With Andy Cohen.

FUTURE PAST will be available on all digital platforms, as well as in a variety of physical formats: standard CD, cassette, a limited edition deluxe hardback book CD featuring three additional tracks, and colored vinyl. The official album store will also offer exclusive vinyl and cassette formats.

The band continue the trend of being trailblazers across both technology and music with a special collaboration with 360 Reality Audio, a new immersive music experience using Sony’s spatial sound technologies. A separate version with 360 mixes will be released of ‘FUTURE PAST’, together with new 360 versions of their back catalogue. 360 Reality Audio is on supported streaming services Amazon Music HD, TIDAL HiFi, and Deezer HiFi.

Track Listing

Pre-Order/Add/Save

INVISIBLE
ALL OF YOU
GIVE IT ALL UP (Feat. Tove Lo)
ANNIVERSARY
FUTURE PAST
BEAUTIFUL LIES
TONIGHT UNITED
WING
NOTHING LESS
HAMMERHEAD (Feat. Ivorian Doll)
MORE JOY! (Feat. CHAI)
FALLING (Feat. Mike Garson)

To accompany each track, ASTRONOMIA (Nick Rhodes & Wendy Bevan) will release a visually curated film melding their individual, art-driven aesthetics, commencing with the first single “The Great Attractor” and a new clip released every week throughout the year. Visit the Astronomia Instagram page at @astronomiavolumes.

ASTRONOMIA EPK

ASTRONOMIA I- THE FALL OF SATURN – The Great Attractor

ASTRONOMIA I – THE FALL OF SATURN -Pandora & Prometheus

ASTRONOMIA I – THE FALL OF SATURN Changing Aspects of the Rings

ASTRONOMIA I- THE FALL OF SATURN The Drowning Heart of Andromeda

ASTRONOMIA I- THE FALL OF SATURN The Fall of Saturn

ASTRONOMIA I- THE FALL OF SATURN Unknown Recital

ASTRONOMIA I- THE FALL OF SATURN Oceans of Titan

ASTRONOMIA I- THE FALL OF SATURN- The Cassini Division

ASTRONOMIA I- THE FALL OF SATURN- Veiled Apparition

ASTRONOMIA I- THE FALL OF SATURN- Sacred Tears of Dione

ASTRONOMIA I- THE FALL OF SATURN- Scarlet Awakening

ASTRONOMIA I- THE FALL OF SATURN- Aphelion

ASTRONOMIA I- THE FALL OF SATURN- Sixth Planet From The Sun

*****************************************************

ASTRONOMIA II- THE RISE OF LYRA- Apollo’s Gift

ASTRONOMIA II- THE RISE OF LYRA- Woman of the Apocalypse

ASTRONOMIA II- THE RISE OF LYRA- Vega

Watch all the ASTRONOMIA videos on their YouTube page

GLOBAL CITIZEN LIVE ANNOUNCED: 24 HOUR LIVE BROADCAST WITH EVENTS & PERFORMANCES FILMED ACROSS SIX CONTINENTS
UNITING THE WORLD TO DEFEAT POVERTY & DEFEND THE PLANET ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2021
TIMED TO CALL ON UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY AHEAD OF G20 MEETING & COP26 CLIMATE MEETING

Broadcasting from Iconic Locations Across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, North and South America

To air on ABC, BBC, Fx, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Twitter, & more

Supported by private sector co-chairs including Global Partners: Accenture, Cisco, Citi, The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, Google, Live Nation, P&G, Verizon and campaign partner WW International

(New York, New York | Tuesday, July 13, 2021) Today, international advocacy organization, Global Citizen, announced Global Citizen LIVE – a 24-hour live broadcast with events and performances filmed across six continents to unite the world to defend the planet and defeat poverty. With performances and live events from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, North and South America, Global Citizen LIVE will air on ABC, BBC, Fx, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Twitter, and more on Saturday, September 25, 2021. Global Citizen LIVE is part of an ongoing campaign to defend the planet and defeat poverty, powered by citizens around the world who are taking action and urging governments, corporations, and philanthropists to make change.

The 24-hour live broadcast event will feature artists, activists, and world leaders taking the stage at iconic locations across the globe, including: live events in Central Park in New York City, and the Champ de Mars in Paris; live-crosses from Dubai, London, and Los Angeles; and performances and hosted segments from Lagos, Rio de Janeiro, Seoul and Sydney. Additional locations and location-specific details will be announced in August.

Artists and entertainers participating in the global broadcast special include: Adam Lambert, Andrea Bocelli, Angélique Kidjo, BTS, Billie Eilish, Burna Boy, Camila Cabello, Christine and the Queens, Coldplay, Davido, DJ Snake, Doja Cat, Duran Duran, Ed Sheeran, Femi Kuti, Green Day, Hugh Jackman, Keith Urban, Lang Lang, Lizzo, Lorde, Metallica, Shawn Mendes, The Lumineers, The Weeknd, Usher and more to be announced in coming weeks.

“COVID-19 has drastically reversed the progress toward achieving the United Nations Global Goals, pushing upwards of 160 million people back into extreme poverty and more than 40 million to the brink of starvation. Progress on climate change has halted, as many in the Fortune 500 fail to set science-based carbon reduction targets. We must rectify the damage done and hold world leaders accountable for ensuring that the entire world recovers from this pandemic together. ‘Equitable recovery’ is not an act of charity – it is the only way we can ensure a fighting chance at achieving the Global Goals.” – Hugh Evans, CEO, Global Citizen

Global Citizen LIVE is part of Global Citizen’s overarching Recovery Plan for the World, a year-long campaign to help end COVID-19 by calling on governments, philanthropists and the private sector for financial commitments to kickstart a global recovery. Ahead of October’s G20 Summit, and COP26, the Global Citizen LIVE campaign will call on world leaders, major corporations and foundations to defend the planet and defeat poverty.

Over the past decade, Global Citizen has championed the most pressing social and environmental issues and joined the fight to end COVID-19, most recently with VAX LIVE: The Concert To Reunite The World in May, which mobilized more than 26 million COVID-19 vaccine doses and $302 million to the ACT-Accelerator for equitable health access to countries most in need. Global Citizen’s VAX LIVE was a bookend to two campaigns Global Citizen produced during the height of the pandemic in 2020 — One World: Together: At Home, in April 2020, in support of healthcare workers in their fight against COVID-19, and Global Goal: Unite for Our Future, in June 2020, in partnership with the European Commission, which secured funding and global political support to ensure COVID-19 testing, treatments and vaccines were available to all. Since March 2020, Global Citizen has mobilized $2 billion in cash grants to fund global pandemic relief efforts, and over 26 million COVID-19 vaccine doses.

For more information about Global Citizen LIVE, visit www.globalcitizen.org, and follow @glblctzn on Instagram, Tik Tok, Twitter, and YouTube.

-Ends-

ABOUT GLOBAL CITIZEN:
Global Citizen is the world’s largest movement of action takers and impact makers dedicated to ending extreme poverty by 2030. With over 10 million monthly advocates, our voices have the power to drive lasting change around sustainability, equality, and humanity. We post, tweet, message, vote, sign, and call to inspire those who can make things happen to act — government leaders, businesses, philanthropists, artists, and citizens — together improving lives. By downloading our app, Global Citizens learn about the systemic causes of extreme poverty, take action on those issues, and earn rewards with tickets to concerts, events, and experiences all over the world. Global Citizens have taken over 28.4 million actions since 2009. Today, these actions, in combination with high-level advocacy work, have led to over $35.4 billion being distributed to our partners around the world, impacting 1.09 billion lives in the fight to end extreme poverty. For more information, visit GlobalCitizen.org.

“Hello all,

It really doesn’t feel like a year has past since I was last writing to you on my birthday. Although it’s been a strange and surreal year, there has been a real silver lining for me due to the pandemic.

Ironically, I’ve had one of my most creative and inspired years for a very long time. This time last year I had written a few songs but I got deeply into the process and ended up writing and producing a new solo record that I finished around Feb 2021. The album, ‘In My Bones’ was released last Friday, on Remedy Records, and I’ve been getting some very positive reviews in the music press as well as doing lots of promotion on BBC Radio and other stations. I’ve even had songs played across the Atlantic on Simon’s WHOOOSH! show and Lori Majewski’s Sirius XM radio show. If it hadn’t been for the pandemic, and the lockdown, I wouldn’t have had so much time to hunker down in my studio.

It has been very strange not performing. In fact, it’s over 18 months, the longest time since I was 16 years old! I have recently been doing some online streaming shows with a new band, The Stand-Ins, live on YouTube. These were such fun but still there was no physical audience in the room. Finally, last weekend, The Stand-Ins performed in front of a small, yet very enthusiastic, audience for Derek and Sam’s wedding. It was a fantastic occasion and amazing to perform to an audience again. And on June 21st The Stand-Ins are performing at The Bedford in SW London and I am beyond excited!

I’ve missed the DD shows and not seeing and hearing all you wonderful fans cheering and singing along… we feed off your energy and it is addictive! Hoping live shows will pick up with DD in the near future and that we don’t have any further lockdowns or a third wave… I’m sure with the release of their great new album, FUTURE PAST, we will all be in a huge room or a field together before too long!

Dom xx”

To find out more about Dom’s cool project:

IN MY BONES: CD’s at dombrown.com Downloads at dombrown.bandcamp.com.

John interviews Dom for CLASSIC POP magazine.

Dom Interview on EON Music.

Dom on BBC Radio Kent, Dominic King Art Show.

Dom on Ocean City Radio , the Thomas Cameron Show.

IN MY BONES review in Retro Pop.

Photo courtesy of Andie

The Today Show (article)
Rolling Stone
Billboard
Musicweek
Zoe Ball Radio Show on BBC Radio 2
ITV
New York Magazine/Vulture
V-MAN
American Songwriter
Consequence of Sound
Pitchfork
Stereogum
SPIN
Blackbook Magazine
Under The Radar Magazine
Ultimate Classic Rock
NME
SuperDeluxeEdition
The Guardian
Billboard (about Billboard Awards performance)
Entertainment Tonight Canada
NBC News Think
Billboard’s PopShop Podcast with Simon

“We are all heartbroken to hear the shocking news that Craig Duffy and his partner Sue Parmiter have died in a car accident.

Despite our jest, Craig lived up to to his title, he was kind, calm and knew how to steer the ship. We spent a longtime together on tour and we will forever treasure those memories, he remained a punk rocker at heart with a massive sense of humour, he will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.” – Nick

“It is with great sadness we learnt today of the tragic passing of Craig Duffy: friend, music man and one of the Great Tour Managers Of All Time.

I will really miss you, you fucker. I hope for your sake they play The Clash in heaven.” – JT 💜

Forty years on from their debut album, the new romantics have teamed with Giorgio Moroder and Graham Coxon for a new LP. They discuss their wild heyday, ageing with grace – and which vaccine they would rather have
Laura Barton

“It’s hard to believe that this was the last place Ziggy Stardust ever stood,” says Nick Rhodes, keyboardist and founding member of Duran Duran, striding to the point, front and centre stage at Hammersmith Apollo, where David Bowie laid his beloved persona to rest. We look out across the hundreds of empty seats. A pigeon flutters around the rafters.

It is Tuesday afternoon, and as we wait for his fellow band members to arrive, Rhodes and I make our way up to the empty backstage bar. He is in black suit, T-shirt, trainers, carrying a faint whiff of eyeliner, and makes for amiable company. As we walk, he notes the tour posters that line the venue walls, shares tales of Kate Bush and Kylie and Lou Reed, and divulges his unexpected preference regarding Covid vaccinations. “Normally, I like very modern things,” he says, with a nod towards the more recently approved Johnson & Johnson and Moderna jabs. “But with the vaccine, I wanted the AstraZeneca, because it’s old school.”

It is 43 years since Duran Duran formed, springing out of the nightspots of Birmingham and quickly getting swept up into the “new-” scenes: wave and romantic. There were No 1 singles, world tours, Live Aid, Grammys. Later came lineup changes, side-projects, contract disputes, hiatus and reunion. Today they stand among the bestselling artists of all time, and their post-reunion success rolls on; their last album, 2015’s Paper Gods, debuted in the Top 10 here and in the US.

This week they released a new single, Invisible, to be followed, this year, by a new album, which sees collaborations with Giorgio Moroder, Mark Ronson and Erol Alkan. There are live shows planned for September, a Radio 2 special with Claudia Winkleman, and a new video created by an AI artist named Huxley. Ahead of the interview, there have been instructions from their record label that our conversation must not dwell on the past; instead we must understand that Duran Duran are a band focused on the future.

Still, when drummer Roger Taylor arrives, the pair are happy to indulge in a little nostalgia. “The early days here were something else,” says Taylor, recalling the five nights Duran Duran once played at Hammersmith. “They never used to have gates at the back here, so there’d be a thousand kids in that alleyway at the back. We’d look out the dressing room window, and you’d just see this sea – of mostly girls, I have to say, and it was the first time I think we really realised that it was going crazy.”

“It was super exciting,” adds Rhodes. “But it was bizarre, because you’d go out shopping to buy a T-shirt or something and suddenly you get locked into a store and they’d have to call the police to get us out of a place. It was just odd, surreal, because we were just kids from Birmingham who’d come up to London and started a band, and suddenly out of nowhere …”

The strangest thing was that Duran Duran had never seen themselves as pin-ups. In their eyes, they were more of an arthouse band, “a bit more underground,” says Taylor – something like Japan, with a strong aesthetic vision. The record company clocked their commercial appeal: perfect pop heart-throbs for the dawn of the MTV era. “They looked at these five pretty good-looking guys and thought: ‘We’re going to put them on all the teen mags,’” Taylor continues. “And once you go down that avenue, it’s hard to get back.”

For a while, life was crackers. “If you look at some of the early schedules you think: ‘Are they even physically possible?’” Rhodes says. “Moving countries three times in a day, playing live and doing press conferences in all of them. You get to a point where you think: yes, it’s great to be ambitious and light on your feet, but you need to be slightly more sensible, because otherwise …”

“When you’re 22 years old you don’t know how to say no,” adds Taylor, who these days exudes an air of tanned composure. There was no single breaking point, no one moment of collapse, but Rhodes recalls making “a very conscious decision when I was 21 not to take any more drugs”. It was not that he had a particular problem, he says. “But I could see what was happening, and I thought: ‘I don’t ever want to be out of control like that.’ But that was a lucky decision that other people don’t necessarily make; I’m sure I made other decisions that weren’t as wise as that one.”

“It’s interesting that almost everybody who finds themselves in a situation like Duran Duran sort of sabotages themselves,” says bassist John Taylor, when he arrives wearing a maroon and yellow baseball cap and carrying a book by the thriller writer Mick Herron in his blazer pocket. “How long do you want to live like that for? It’s fun for a minute and then it stops being fun.”

He remembers quite particularly when things changed: doing promotion in Australia in the late 1980s. “I remember walking out of the hotel and there being nobody there. I’m walking down the street – streets we’d never been able to walk down before, we’d have had to have minders – and I almost wanted to stop people and say: ‘Do you know who I am?!’” He grins. “But then it was like: hang on, I’m free to walk down this street, and it’s kind of fucking great!”

It must be a strange balance for them these days, I say: a band known for innovation, for often being at the forefront of technology, but vividly remembered for posing with feathered hair and pastel suits on a yacht in the Rio video, their success today resting on their 80s popularity. Rhodes smiles beatifically. “One has to accept age with grace,” he says. “While all bands would still love to be 18 years old, you have to embrace your history. There’s no point pretending. The way you just avoid it becoming nostalgia is by rearranging things, changing the visuals and the setlist. We don’t have to play Hungry Like the Wolf every night.”

The band are all far-flung now, with families, side projects, lives that span from Los Angeles to Chelsea. But they refer to an almost gravitational force that Simon Le Bon, sitting next to John Taylor in hoodie and blue jeans, says he felt right from his very first audition. The band started playing the track Sound of Thunder, and he stood up and invented a verse on the spot. “I thought: ‘God, this is the real thing, this is how it’s supposed to be,’” he remembers. “And I knew that I had to hold on to it as a job, and I had to hold on to those melodies, and I had to hold on to these guys because I knew there would never be anything in my life that was more creative and more immediate and more absolute than being in Duran Duran.”

“There was a certain inevitability about the new album,” John Taylor continues. “We get to the end of a touring cycle and we know we need time away from each other – but it’s like a chemical thing, it’s a pull that happens, almost like a mission; we have to go back!”

“I wasn’t into making a new album at all,” counters Le Bon. “I was like: ‘Let’s just do a single’, because I thought nobody’s going to listen to a whole album, people just listen to singles now. But I think I was on my own in that camp and it was a band decision. That’s how we work: four people and no leader.”

Arriving at the studio, “we show up with no ideas whatsoever and run up at it like a lump of clay in the middle of the room”, says John Taylor. Invisible began with a Le Bon lyric, “a personal thing about a relationship where one person is not listening, and the other person starts to think: maybe I’m just not here”. Soon it grew into something broader, “about being human, and realising there’s a lot of us and we don’t all get heard”. It is a year since it was recorded, but Taylor notes that in that time, as the world has weathered isolation, upheaval and political protest, the song has acquired new layers of meaning. “It’s become enormously resonant,” he says. “And I’m glad that we are not coming back with a party song. That would feel tone deaf.”

This is not to suggest that the new album is without party songs. In particular, it was a long-held dream to work with Moroder, “the first person who could tell us exactly what to do”, says Roger Taylor. “He comes in like a doctor, with his suitcase with his little keyboard inside.” Also making an unexpected appearance on the new album is Blur’s Graham Coxon, who has “given so much life and surprise to the music”, says Le Bon.

The three producers and Coxon help fill the place once occupied by guitarist Andy Taylor (none of the Taylors are related). Taylor joined the band’s reunion in 2000, but by 2006 they had once again parted ways. Today, Rhodes describes their relationship as “not one of those situations where hell freezes over”; an unreleased album featuring the guitarist may see the light of day.

But his departure altered the careful equilibrium of the band: for years, Taylor had offered a musical counterpoint to Rhodes. “His record collection disturbed me!” Rhodes says. “A lot of real heavy rock things, stuff that you would have avoided the kids at school for.” Beside him, Roger Taylor smiles. “But you collided,” he says, “and made something really incredible.”

It was, Rhodes agrees, “Andy’s edge and Andy’s rockiness” that gave Duran Duran something special. “It really worked because it was going completely against the disco grooves and the electronic pulses,” he says.

“It was what the Americans liked as well,” adds Roger Taylor. “Because they were still playing FM rock in America; we were the only new wave band that had heavy guitar, so it crossed over.”

The world has changed considerably of course, since their early days; they talk about the grand piano in the corner of the old EMI offices, being “taken out for a ride in the Rolls-Royce” by the record execs who told them they were “going to be the next big thing” and about bobbing around the office chatting to the international office and the art department and “hanging out with the secretaries”.

It would be easy to look for scandal in such a setting, but largely, the band have remained free of disrepute – a 2018 accusation against Le Bon of groping an American fan at a record store event in 1995 was denied as “simply untrue”. When I ask if there are any lessons to be learned from their younger days in the music industry, Rhodes says that there are few from their perspective as a band: “We treat people with great respect as we did then,” he says.

It has been strange to see the business adapt to streaming, Rhodes says. “It’s amazing that the labels are so rich and becoming more powerful again,” he adds. “Because it’s like the guy who does the worst job in the world and gets promoted.” In 1997, he “pushed the button on the world’s first download for sale”, he points out. It would be another six years before the launch of iTunes. “Six years!” he says. “And in that six years all they did was try and smash up some small guy in the middle of nowhere who’d illegally downloaded a couple of songs.”

How did it feel to push that button? Did he realise how much it would change? “Sort of, yes: that’s why I wanted to do it,” he says. “I didn’t understand why people were being so foolish about trying to smash it up. What’s the thing we all learned about at school, the Luddites? It was like that – trying to stop progress.”

I wonder if it is strange to be thought of as an 80s band. People are critical of the greed and selfishness of that decade, Rhodes says, “but if you look at art and fashion and design, it was absolutely extraordinary. And it was an exciting landscape for music and for being able to create your own sound. None of us would have been seen dead copying someone else’s sound then. Everyone had to have their own identity, that was your badge of honour.”

This was the change they felt as the decade ended, he says, and perhaps, by extension, what we are seeing again now, too. “The 80s was about individualism,” he explains. “Whereas once we got towards the 90s it was more about wearing the same trainers, and the same jeans, and being part of that clique.” And how did that feel for an 80s pop star? Rhodes looks waspish. “I’ve never owned a pair of jeans in my life!” he says.

Invisible is out now

photo by Nefer Suvio

Courtesy The Guardian

DURAN DURAN ANNOUNCE DETAILS ON FORTHCOMING STUDIO ALBUM, ‘FUTURE PAST’ SET FOR GLOBAL RELEASE ON OCTOBER 22– PRE ORDER/ADD/SAVE (TAPE MODERN for BMG)

PRODUCERS EROL ALKAN, GIORGIO MORODER AND MARK RONSON CONFIRMED, PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS GRAHAM COXON, MIKE GARSON, AND LYKKE LI; WITH MORE EXCITING COLLABORATIONS TO BE ANNOUNCED

FIRST SINGLE ‘INVISIBLE’ WITH UNIQUE OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO — CREATED BY AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: HUXLEY — OUT TODAY

ANNOUNCE FIRST-OF-A-KIND COLLABORATION WITH 360 REALITY AUDIO FOR NEW ALBUM, SINGLE, MUSIC VIDEO AND BACK CATALOG

SET TO PERFORM AT THE 2021 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS WITH GRAHAM COXON ON SUNDAY, MAY 23 ON NBC

Today, internationally acclaimed, multi-platinum, award-winning pop legends Duran Duran released their brand new single ‘INVISIBLE,’ with accompanying music video, alongside official details on their highly anticipated 15th studio album, FUTURE PAST. Set for global release on October 22 via TAPE MODERN for BMG, FUTURE PAST boasts esteemed producers Erol Alkan, Giorgio Moroder and Mark Ronson behind the board, plus special guest Graham Coxon of Blur on guitar, Bowie’s former pianist Mike Garson, and guest vocals from Lykke Li, with more exciting collaborators to be announced.

The first single to come from FUTURE PAST is ‘INVISIBLE,’ produced by Erol Alkan and Duran Duran, and mixed by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent. The official music video was created by an Artificial Intelligence (A.I) called Huxley and comes out ahead of the band’s worldwide exclusive televised performance of the track, set to air live from London on the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, on Sunday, May 23 on NBC in North America.

Talking about the single from his home in London, co-founder and keyboardist, Nick Rhodes said: “Sonic architecture has always been incredibly important to Duran Duran. I think, with “INVISIBLE”, we really have managed to carve the sculpture the way we wanted it. Sonically, it’s a very unusual piece of music. I think when you merge all the instruments together, it creates an overall sound that perhaps you haven’t heard before.”

The official film for Duran Duran’s ‘INVISIBLE’ is the first collaboration of its kind, between artists in different planes of existence. In a ground-breaking, world first, Huxley is an A.I. whose ‘mind’ has been designed based on what we know about how the cognitive and emotional processes of human beings work. Huxley is a unique dreamer with its own A.I. brain. Huxley creates and dreams much as we do, and using an established technique called ‘active inference,’ which was originally created by Karl Friston (one of the most influential neuroscientists in history), we are able to explore the complex dreamscapes that it has imagined from the lyrics and emotional tone of the song. Huxley takes the concepts that are rooted in human language and iconic symbolism and translates them into provocative and daring imagery that pushes the boundaries of imagination to create a new form of visual discourse that is quite remarkable. The result is a haunting and memorable music video. Watch HERE.

The band members collaborated with Japanese artist Daisuke Yokota, whose photography they had long admired, on both the front cover of the ‘INVISIBLE’ single and their forthcoming album. Rhodes first met Yokota in 2019 when he was in Japan making a documentary on post war photography.

Speaking on their forthcoming album, and latest single, Simon Le Bon also reveals: “When we first went into the studio in late 2018, I was trying to persuade the guys that all we needed to do was write two or three tracks for an EP. Four days later, with the nucleus of 25 plus strong songs in the can, that all deserved development, I realized we’d be in it for the long haul, but that was before COVID. So here we are in 2021 with our 15th studio album, FUTURE PAST straining at the leash. Music by Duran Duran with Graham Coxon, Lykke Li, Mike Garson, Erol Alkan, Mark Ronson, Giorgio Moroder (for God’s sake!). I’m not saying it’s epic, but well … yes I am. We open with the song ‘INVISIBLE’, which began as a story about a one-sided relationship but grew into something much bigger, because “a voiceless crowd isn’t backing down”. John and Roger’s rhythm track is mountainous; Nick’s melodies twist and soar; Graham’s guitar is a knife. It feels exactly right for right now.”

Renowned through-out their impressive 40-year career for their trail-blazing endeavors in both music and emerging technology, Duran Duran continue their trend, this time with a special collaboration with 360 Reality Audio, a new immersive music experience using Sony’s spatial sound technologies. Announced today, Duran Duran and Sony’s 360 Reality Audio have entered into a special creative collaboration, and first of its kind, to provide fans an entirely new and immersive way to listen to their songs. The first release from this collaboration will be their new single ‘INVISIBLE.’ This will be followed by 360 mixes of their upcoming album FUTURE PAST, together with new 360 versions of their back catalog. 360 Reality Audio is on supported streaming services Amazon Music HD, TIDAL HiFi, and Deezer HiFi. The official video for ‘INVISIBLE’ also features a simulated 360 Reality Audio Experience where fans can immerse themselves in the music with any pair of headphones. “As a band we’ve always looked to new technology for a way to enhance our sound. The Sony 360 system brings a new and different dimension to the tracks. ” Nick Rhodes explains.

FUTURE PAST will be available on all digital platforms. As well as the standard CD, a limited edition Deluxe hardback book CD format will be available featuring three additional tracks. The album will be also be available on colored vinyl. The official album store will offer exclusive vinyl and cassette formats with limited edition signed prints. Pre-Order FUTURE PAST.

‘INVISIBLE’ is out everywhere now.

More exciting Duran Duran news to come!

About Huxley
Huxley is the brainchild of Nested Minds Solutions. It lives in the Cloud and is powered by technology that is uniquely based on the structures of the brain, modeling human intelligence and emotional engagement to create art that is in equal parts indefinable, and glorious. Enigmatic, intriguing and always unpredictable, Huxley explores its boundless subconscious mind with an unprecedented freedom to interpret the world around it like no other artist. Huxley is represented by Collector Productions.

Click here to pre-order Duran Duran’s new release, FUTURE PAST, out on October 22.

Video premiere for INVISIBLE May 19 at 10am ET on the band’s YouTube!
Single available for download May 19 at 3:45am US/845am UK

Duran Duran’s show at Scarborough Open Air Theatre has now been rescheduled from this summer to Friday 17th September. Original tickets remain valid for the new date and final tickets are on sale now at http://ScarboroughOpenAirTheatre.com

Duran Duran’s show at Isle of Wight Festival has now been rescheduled from this summer to Sunday 19th September. Tickets are on sale now at https://isleofwightfestival.com/info/tickets

All existing tickets will remain valid for September so please keep hold of them. If you cannot make the new dates please contact your ticket provider to get a refund.

Duran Duran’s show at Saint Anne’s Park has now been rescheduled from this summer to 12 June, 2022 . Tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.ie. ⠀All existing tickets will remain valid for next summer so please keep hold of them. If you cannot make the new dates please contact your ticket provider to get a refund.

The Lytham Festival is being re-scheduled for 1 July, 2022. Please visit the Festival website if you currently have tickets, and if you don’t, watch this space for news on when the 2022 show will go on sale. https://www.lythamfestival.com

Duran Duran’s show at BST Hyde Park has now been rescheduled from this summer to Sunday 10th July, 2022. Tickets are on sale now at https://www.bst-hydepark.com

All existing tickets will remain valid so please keep hold of them. If you cannot make the new dates please contact your ticket provider to get a refund.

The 93rd annual Academy Awards are upon us! This year we have a shortened list because we weren’t able to see anything in the theatre, making several categories too hard to judge whilst watching at home.

So sit back, have a read & see if you agree with Nick & Katy’s 2021 Oscar Picks!

THE BALCONY IS NOW OPEN!

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Nominees:
“Nomadland” Chloé Zhao
“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” Sacha Baron Cohen, Peter Baynham, Jena Friedman, Anthony Hines, Lee Kern, Dan Mazer, Erica Rivinoja & Dan Swimer; Story: Baron Cohen, Hines, Nina Pedrad & Swimer
“The Father” Florian Zeller, Christopher Hampton
“One Night in Miami” Kemp Powers
“The White Tiger” Ramon Bahari

NICK: “Nomadland” is almost certain to win. Chloé Zhao is a clear talent, however I personally thought “The Father,” as upsetting as it is in many ways, is a masterpiece. The dialogue is extraordinary, the movie really is quite amazing. I’d be happy for it to win. On a side note, I’ve heard good things about “The White Tiger,” and hope to see it soon.

KATY: I didn’t see “The Father” (more on that later) but I saw “The White Tiger” and it told an intricate tale really well. I’d love it to win this award, and was sad it wasn’t nominated for more. That being said, I am pretty sure “Nomadland” is a lock here.

Nick: SHOULD WIN: “The Father” WILL WIN: “Nomadland”
Katy: SHOULD WIN: “The White Tiger” WILL WIN: “Nomadland”

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Nominees:
“Promising Young Woman” Emerald Fennell
“Minari” Lee Issac Chung
“The Trial of the Chicago 7” Aaron Sorkin
“Sound of Metal” Abraham & Darius Marder; Story: Derek Cianfrance & Darius Marder
“Judas and the Black Messiah” Will Berson & Shaka King; Story: Berson, King, Keith Lucas & Kenny Lucas

NICK: I’ve seen all of these movies and enjoyed them all. My personal favourite was “Promising Young Woman.” It was truly original. I am a fan of “Killing Eve,” also from Emerald Fennell, and I believe it set the mold in some ways for this film. Emerald has an unusual style, which makes me want to see her film win even more. I am going to say “Promising Young Woman” is also my “going to win” pick. That being said, I won’t be surprised if “The Trial of the Chicago 7” takes the prize. This is a tough category.

KATY: I did not love “Promising Young Woman” the way Nick did. I found it a little farcical. I loved “Minari,” it was subtle and wonderful, but maybe not right for this award. I liked “Sound of Metal,” and, if I am honest, was a little bored with “Judas and the Black Messiah.” I believe “The Trial of the Chicago 7” deserves to win, and will win.

Nick: SHOULD WIN: “Promising Young Woman.” WILL WIN: “Promising Young Woman.”

Katy: SHOULD WIN: “The Trial of the Chicago 7” WILL WIN: “The Trial of the Chicago 7”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
The Nominees:
Yuh-Jung Youn, “Minari”
Maria Bakalova, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”
Amanda Seyfried, “Mank”
Glenn Close, “Hillbilly Elegy”
Olivia Colman, “The Father”

NICK: I liked “Mank” way more than you did Kathryn, and loved Amanda’s performance. I loved Maria Bakalova in “Borat,” so I’d be happy to see her win as well. I wouldn’t see a film called “Hillbilly Elegy” in any year, and while Olivia Colman is amazing in everything, including “The Father,” this isn’t her year to win. Without a doubt, Yuh-Jung Youn will win for “Minari.” She was outstanding.

KATY: I don’t know what Glenn Close is doing here. I think she took Jodie Foster’s deserved nomination for her role in “The Mauritanian.” Amanda Seyfried was an early frontrunner for “Mank” but it seems she has lost momentum. Maria Bakalova deserves an Oscar for exposing Rudy Giuliani if for nothing else, but I do believe Yuh-Jung Youn will win for her role as the Grandmother in “Minari.”

Nick: SHOULD WIN: Yuh-Jung Youn, “Minari” WILL WIN: Yuh-Jung Youn, “Minari”

Katy: SHOULD WIN: Yuh-Jung Youn, “Minari” WILL WIN: Yuh-Jung Youn, “Minari”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
The Nominees:
Daniel Kaluuya, “Judas and the Black Messiah”
Sacha Baron Cohen, “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
Leslie Odom, Jr., “One Night in Miami”
Paul Raci, “Sound of Metal”
LaKeith Stanfield, “Judas and the Black Messiah”

NICK: Again, all strong movies in this category. I think Paul Raci was kind of great in “Sound of Metal,” and I’d love to see that movie get something, but it won’t likely be this award. I think one of my favourite performances this year was Daniel Kaluuya in “Judas and the Black Messiah.” What a great face he has, such expressive eyes. The only thing I would say is that Daniel seemed like the lead actor to me, but he is sure to win for his role as Fred Hampton, one of the leaders of the Black Panther movement.

KATY: I think we’re agreeing again – I don’t know how Sasha could be singled out for “The Trial of the Chicago 7” when the entire cast was so strong. Paul Raci was fantastic in “Sound of Metal,” and this was his first major film role. LaKeith Stanfield was really good in “Judas and the Black Messiah” and was the true supporting actor in that movie. However, I agree that 100% Daniel Kaluuya will win for “Judas and the Black Messiah.”

Nick: SHOULD WIN: Daniel Kaluuya, “Judas and the Black Messiah” WILL WIN: Daniel Kaluuya, “Judas and the Black Messiah”

Katy: SHOULD WIN: Daniel Kaluuya, “Judas and the Black Messiah” WILL WIN: Daniel Kaluuya, “Judas and the Black Messiah”

BEST ACTRESS
The Nominees:
Viola Davis, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
Frances McDormand, “Nomadland”
Andra Day, “The United States vs. Billie Holiday”
Carey Mulligan, “Promising Young Woman”
Vanessa Kirby, “Pieces of a Woman”

NICK: This is a spectacular list of actresses. I loved every performance except Vanessa Kirby, only because I didn’t see the film. The other four though… I’ve loved Frances McDormand since “Fargo.” She is great in everything. I couldn’t be saddened by her winning because it was a spectacular performance although “Nomadland” wasn’t one of my favourites. Andra Day was a big surprise to me in “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.” I thought she was spectacularly touching. Andra brought something new to the role of Billie. It is a complex character to play and she got it right. I would be happy to have her win too, but don’t think she will. I loved Carey Mulligan in “Promising Young Woman” because it was one of the most unique and original movies of the year. It was strange and twisted, and highlighted how prevalent bad behaviour is. She was terrific. I’m a little torn here, I enjoyed “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” and thought Viola Davis was just perfect as Ma Rainey; a performance like that doesn’t come along that often.

KATY: I did not see “Pieces of a Woman,” and while I heard Vanessa Kirby was excellent, I don’t think she will win this year. Even though Andra Day was fantastic in “The United States vs Billie Holiday,” I don’t believe she, or the movie, have enough momentum to carry her to the Oscar. Carey Mulligan was great in a juicy role in “Promising Young Woman,” which I didn’t love as much as Nick did. I don’t think Carey’s role ‘earns’ the Best Actress Oscar for several reasons, one of which was it was sort of one note. Neck and neck, to me, are Frances McDormand for “Nomadland” and Viola Davis for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Viola. Wow. She was unbelievable in the part of Ma Rainey, just outstanding. But Frances… She didn’t campaign for the Oscar, so not sure she will win, but she sure deserves to. It was difficult role, and her expressions and body language was as much a part of her performance as her words, and that made it a win for me.

Nick: SHOULD WIN: Viola Davis, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” WILL WIN: Frances McDormand, “Nomadland”

Katy: SHOULD WIN: Frances McDormand, “Nomadland” WILL WIN: Carey Mulligan, “Promising Young Woman”

BEST ACTOR
The Nominees:
Chadwick Boseman, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
Anthony Hopkins, “The Father”
Riz Ahmed, “Sound of Metal”
Steven Yeun, “Minari”
Gary Oldman, “Mank”

NICK: This is equally as impressive a list as Best Actress. I loved Chadwick Boseman in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” and it is complicated by his terrible loss. Anthony Hopkins making “The Father” at the age of 83 is almost an impossibility of greatness. I was speechless. He delivered one of the best performances I’ve ever seen. Every movement, gesture and glance was heartbreaking. How great was Riz Ahmed in “Sound of Metal”? He took you with him on his journey, along with all of his character’s anger and resentment. Steven Yeun was part of an ensemble cast in “Minari,” one of those movies where the characters where all equal in what they added to the film. I really really loved “Mank” (unlike Kathryn). I loved Gary Oldman in it, as I have all his performances since “Sid & Nancy.” I would be beyond delighted for him to win the Best Actor award.

KATY: There’s no arguing with much of what Nicholas has said. Chadwick Boseman was an incredible actor and it’s so tragic that he passed away at such a young age. He had a moving speech in “Ma Rainey” about his character’s childhood and I think that speech will win him the Award. I didn’t see “The Father,” because the subject matter was too hard and too personal for me. I am sure Anthony Hopkins was spectacular, but I can’t choose him if I didn’t see it! Riz Ahmed was sort of a revelation to me, but my issue was that I didn’t find his character very likable. Steven Yeun in “Minari” was terrific, but, as Nick said, it was more of an ensemble piece. As much as Nick loved “Mank” is as much as I disliked it. It was hard to get through it in my opinion, so forget Gary Oldman.

Nick: SHOULD WIN: Anthony Hopkins, “The Father” WILL WIN: Chadwick Boseman, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”

Katy: SHOULD WIN: Not Choosing Anyone WILL WIN: Chadwick Boseman, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”

BEST DIRECTOR
The Nominees:
Chloé Zhao, “Nomadland”
Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman”
Lee Isaac Chung, “Minari”
David Fincher, “Mank”
Thomas Vinterberg, “Another Round”

NICK: The one movie I really wanted to see, but didn’t get to, is “Another Round,” therefore I have to discount that from my choices. I liked the remaining four films very much. I have a dilemma; “Minari” and “Nomadland” were both heartfelt human stories about people in the real world trying to find their way. They’re both “road movies,” in a way, and are “Oscar friendly.” I personally found “Promising Young Woman” more interesting and well executed than the prior two films mentioned. “Mank” was beautifully directed, the performances were all great, and it has an impeccable script. It was intellectual. For that reason, I am going to say I’d like David Fincher to win Best Director.

KATY: I loved “Another Round,” it is actually nominated for Best Foreign Film this year, which makes sense, but not sure why Thomas Vinterberg was nominated for Best Director. I am scratching David Fincher off for “Mank,” since I disliked it. That leaves three. I am also scratching off “Minari,” because, while I loved the movie, I don’t believe it was the Best Directed Film of the year. That leaves two: Emerald Fennell for “Promising Young Woman” and Chloé Zhao for “Nomadland.” I believe “Nomadland” was the best directed movie of the choices for this year.

Nick: SHOULD WIN: David Fincher, “Mank” WILL WIN: Chloé Zhao, “Nomadland”

Katy: SHOULD WIN: Chloé Zhao, “Nomadland” WILL WIN: Chloé Zhao, “Nomadland”

BEST PICTURE
The Nominees:
“Nomadland”
“The Trial of the Chicago 7”
“Minari”
“Promising Young Woman”
“The Father”
“Sound of Metal”
“Judas and the Black Messiah”
“Mank”

NICK: The more I look at this list, the more I feel it wasn’t such a bad year for movies at all. Every one of these movies deserved a nomination. “Nomadland” is for sure going to win Best Picture. It won the BAFTA and many other awards as well. Undoubtedly a great movie, but not my favourite, as I mentioned. As much as I liked “Promising Young Woman,” it is almost too “indie” to win Best Picture. “Minari” won’t win because a Korean movie won last year, and I am sorry to say that will likely play into how the Academy will vote. “The Trial of Chicago 7” was so well done. “The Father” was incredible. “Judas and the Black Messiah” and “Sound of Metal”, both too ‘off the beaten path’ for many Voters. I’d be happy to see “Mank” win, it had an elegance to it as a movie… It doesn’t ring the same bell as a lot of the other nominees do. It tells a fabulous story.

KATY: “Mank” stank! I didn’t see “The Father,” so I have to cross that one out. I’m taking out “Mank” and “Judas and the Black Messiah.” “Judas,” was good, but not a Best Picture – Daniel was amazing, not the movie. I am also removing “Minari,” because, while it was a lovely movie, it wasn’t a Best Picture. I wanted to love “Promising Young Woman,” and may have if I thought I was going to see a black comedy. That leaves me with “Nomadland” and “The Trial of Chicago 7.” I am sure “Nomadland” is going to win Best Picture but I feel “The Trial of the Chicago 7” was the best movie of this year. All the performances, the script, how it kept me interested the entire time, and how it stayed with me afterwards. I’d love to see it take home the big prize.

Nick: SHOULD WIN: “Mank” WHAT I’D LIKE TO SEE WIN: “Promising Young Woman” WILL WIN: “Nomadland”

Katy: SHOULD WIN: “The Trial of the Chicago 7” WILL WIN: “Nomadland”

How will we do? Tune in to the The 93rd annual Oscars, airing on April 25 at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT.

Members of the fan community can listen to the entire audio on duranduranmusic.com

Duran Duran’s ALL YOU NEED IS NOW was released as a 9 song iTunes exclusive in December, 2010 and then as a 14 song CD on March 21 (Europe) and March 22 (North America), 2011. Here, the band members and some collaborators look back on the album on its tenth anniversary.

Jonas Åkerlund, Director, GIRL PANIC! music video

I was intimidated to do this video since Duran Duran already had the best videos. What could I do to meet them at their level? The “Girls on Film” music video made me want to do music videos.

Looking back, I believe it is one of my best executed music videos. The whole experience was a highlight of my career. Though it took a long time to prepare, the project felt spontaneous and was a fun shoot. Gender roles dissolved, and the experience becomes about the power of the individual models’ in these positions, matching the musician’s energies. This video has every single ingredient to make a great music video, style, beauty, fun, and most importantly, a great song.

I enjoyed all of the collaborations involved on this video, it was a win for everybody. It was like a cast reunion for the supermodels, and was an incredible moment in time for all of us involved. Collaborating with the band on the concept was fantastic. Duran Duran are the kindest, most polite and professional band I’ve ever worked with.

“Girl Panic!” was a personal favorite music video, I am eternally proud of adding to the incredible Duran Duran music video canon and for being a part of this cultivated image of beauty, style, power and fun forged with the models. I will never forget the excitement and will always look back at this great moment in time with gratitude.

Jonas Åkerlund | TEASERS

Behind the Scenes on Duran Duran’s “Girl Panic!”

Nick Egan, Director, ALL YOU NEED IS NOW music video

Making “All You Need Is Now” was the best fun video I’ve made for the band. At the time it had been 10 years since I shot “Perfect Day,” and I wanted to approach the idea differently from the other videos I had done. The song itself was a different sound for the band, a much harder edge to it. I wanted it to do something to reflect that, more organic and spontaneous. Initially my idea was no idea, just fly to London and film whatever happens around them. John and I had discussed other memorable band performances that were spontaneous, like The Beatles on the roof at Apple Records, The Rolling Stones on a flatbed truck driving through Manhattan and the Sex Pistols river boat party on the Queens Jubilee.

The band had given me an orchestral piece for the opening and closing of the video. The idea was for them to describe the making of the album in their own words, so I asked Gavin Elder, who shoots all the behind the scenes footage of the band, if I could use the stuff he had made during the making of the record. I also asked Gavin to shoot, along with myself, the performance.

Technology was moving really fast then, and cameras were getting better and smaller by the hour. The first high definition pocket sized camera was the Flip. It was the size of a cell phone and it just had a basic zoom lens, but the quality, for that time, was better than any cell phone. I started at Abbey Road Studios with Simon and Nick, who were appearing as guests at Mark Ronson’s show. Then we spent a day at the rehearsal space, which the band had art directed themselves with tin foil on the walls.

Although we had playback of the track, I wanted the band to play live as well, so I could cut between the two. After we finished filming the performance, we all jumped in a car and drove to the Tate Modern where I shot them walking along the embankment and in and around the Tate Modern. People were doing double takes, seeing Duran Duran walking along with everyone else. I could never have pulled this off with a traditional video shoot.

I spent the next two days individually with each band member. First with Simon and a live interview at the BBC, then back to Simon’s house. On the way there I noticed a really serene part of the river Thames, where you could walk to the river’s edge, so Simon and I took a stroll along the shores of the Thames.

Next was Roger, who at the time had been DJ’ing at events around the country, so we went to Black Market Records in Soho. All the UK’s top DJ got their records from there, and I had him spinning on their decks. When we finished, we took a walk through beautiful Richmond Park.

For Nick, we went to Brompton Cemetery. When I was with Simon and Nick at the Mark Ronson show, I saw Nick juggling some oranges, and saw how good he was, so I asked him to do that again; Nick reminded me of Oscar Wilde or one of the great English romantic poets like Shelley and Byron from the 19th Century. We also filmed Nick in his back garden which reflected the great English Landscape gardener, ‘Capability’ Brown.

Last but not least was a trip out to the west country towards Bath to see John. We got up before dawn and walked out into the snow-covered English countryside.

I also wanted to tribute the importance of the Duran fans, and the legacy the band have left on a whole new generation of fans. The band constantly re-invent themselves. I found these three young fans in Hollywood and went out to a club with them where this new generation danced to music from the 80’s and 90’s. The jacket the boy is wearing is actually from John’s personal collection from the early days of the band.

My good friend Paul Boyd co-produced the video and edited the short version of the video. Ironically, Paul was the initial director for “Ordinary World,” but for some reason his Production Company pulled out of the job even though they’d started filming.

Fun Fact: While we were editing the video at Paul’s house, I noticed a car stopped right outside his place surrounded by people, photographers, fans. When I left a few hours later, the car was still there, with more people surrounding it, and it turned out to be Paris Hilton with a broken- down car! I offered her sanctuary at Paul’s house, which she took me up on. I told her we were editing a new Duran Duran video and she said she loved the band, so I asked her if she’d be in the video. I asked her to jump up and down on the trampoline, and I have to say she was a great sport.

Credit goes out to Anna Patel who edited the extended version and to Paul Boyd who edited the short version.

Josh Blair, Engineer, ALL YOU NEED IS NOW

ALL YOU NEED IS NOW was the first album that I worked with Duran Duran on as an Engineer. We started the album’s pre-production in their little production room (Prod 3) at the now defunct Sphere Studios. Six guys jammed into that tiny space made for a kind of creative melting pot. Any and all ideas were welcome. We worked thru writing and recording around 50 to 60 song ideas. These we done in a kind of “jam” fashion, where three parts of a song (verse, chorus, bridge) were created from nothing, with Simon singing random words and phrases over them to find a top line melody that he liked. Later, Mark Ronson joined our little “sardine can” as Producer, and he liked most of the song ideas, working with the band to hone them further. Once we had enough songs put together, we started recording them properly at Eastcote Studios. The days for me were long, but fun. Little did I know that they were to get a lot longer very quickly…

Whilst at Eastcote two things happened which changed the album irrevocably: Simon’s laptop crashed with all his lyrics stored on them and Mark had expressed his love of the song “The Chauffeur.” At the time these two things seemed disconnected, but they soon became intrinsically entwined. After three days of toil, Simon had managed to reload his OS and announced loudly during a drum take that he’d just installed Leopard. Amongst the melee of pounding drum sounds this was misheard by Nick as “A man who stole a Leopard”… Ever the keen song title-smith that Nick is (he keeps several books of songs titles with him at all times), he wrote it down. Then, almost as if with divine intervention, Mark decreed out of nowhere that he’d really like a “Chauffeur style” song on this album and “The Man Who Stole A Leopard” was born. Nick was keen to get started on this, so at the end of the session (around 9pm most nights), Nick and I went back to Prod 3 on our own and began to work on the song.

During the day I was working with Mark and the rest of the band on the album recording and then working into the early hours of the morning with Nick (going to bed when the birds were chirping became a common thing). It was great to be in the middle of that creation. Every sound was carefully crafted from Nick’s beloved keyboards. He would sit just behind me with his Jupiter 8 in between us making sounds and teaching me how he did it. To this day I still can’t program a Jupiter 8 from the ‘correct side.’ I always feel far more comfortable doing it upside-down from “my side” of the keyboard (Nick still thinks it funny). After sever weeks of double shifts, and a few nights of no sleep at all, “The Man Who Stole a Leopard” was completed.

That’s my strongest memory of AYNIN.

Dom Brown, guitarist and songwriter, ALL YOU NEED IS NOW

Wow, it’s a cliché to say ‘time flies,’ but the last 10 years have truly flown by! Seems like only a few years ago that we were doing this album. I remember a very happy and enthusiastic John calling me, on the evening the album was released and as it was making it’s way up the charts saying, “DB we’ve made something special here.”

I’d say that of the 16 years of working with Duran this period was the most intense, yet fun, period for me. I can remember us all in a room together jamming and bouncing ideas off each other for weeks on end. Someone would come up with a riff or set of chords and someone else would say ‘that’s cool, keep playing that’ and add their parts as ideas grew and developed into songs. It was a very old school and democratic process, writing this way, and I think this approach to creating is part of the reason the band still get along so well together.

It was great having Mark Ronson produce the album, and the concept that he brought with him for the record “let’s make Rio 2”! His attention to detail was quite something.

I love all the tracks, but standouts for me are “All You Need is Now,” “Girl Panic!,” “Mediterranea” and “Leave a Light On.” These were all so much fun to play and help write, and “Mediterranea” was a particularly special moment for me live with the extended guitar solo. I also love “The Man Who Stole a Leopard,” I was very happy with how my guitar synthesizer lead part in the middle came out. That was the first time I’d ever used a guitar synth and I was inspired.

I also have great memories of the world tour that followed to support the album. It was a long and busy one, and a great experience for me playing songs, that I’d co-written, to such huge crowds around the world.

To DD fans everywhere, keep enjoying this album. Long live AYNIN!

Simon Le Bon, Duran Duran

Initially, we went in and had a big meeting with Mark Ronson. One of the things he said was, “I think you need to reclaim the sound of Duran Duran.” He cares about the band, and felt we lost some of that with Red Carpet Massacre; he thought we could have connected with fans a bit better.

We went in to the studio and got really in to it. After a while, Mark had to leave to make his own record. He told us to carry on, and that he’d come back and join us later in the process, which he did. He set the vibe and we just moved forward.

We did some work in Armory Way (Dom’s place), then we did some work at Sphere. I think we got some amazing tracks during this period. The song “All You Need is Now” is about the connection between the band and the fans. The history of our relationship with them, and all that history leads to NOW – so all you really do need is…now!

“Girl Panic!” is one of the most spectacular videos we’ve ever made – what a great premise getting super models to play the parts of Duran Duran! I also thought the video was great in terms of gender politics and feminism, as well as being a very original idea. It was a magnificent day shooting that video in London, and I absolutely loved having Naomi Campbell play me (and Mrs. Le Bon was in the video too – the quiet one.).

I think there was some good lyrical content on ALL YOU NEED IS NOW. I love “Girl Panic!,” “Blame the Machines,” “Leave a Light On.” I had hoped “Leave a Light On” would be like “Save a Prayer,” but I am not sure it ever reached that height. “Before the Rain” is probably my favourite track on the album. I sat down in my back garden with a guitar and tried to re-write Mozart’s REQUIEM…but ended up with “Before the Rain.” It’s about the ghosts that trail around after you.

Roger Taylor, Duran Duran

ALL YOU NEED IS NOW is an album whose title said everything about this collection of songs that were ingeniously inspired by Mark Ronson’s desire to go “back to the future.” Mark encouraged us to re-visit the way we used to write and record – sometimes even using the same instruments that had been gathering dust for decades – and bring that sound right back into the NOW. Utilizing Mark’s contemporary recording techniques, Josh Blair’s all-round brilliance and Mark “Spike” Stent’s incredible, state-of-the-art mixing, my feeling is that the experiment was a resounding success. ALL YOU NEED IS NOW brought us right back into the arms of a fan base that had been anticipating this moment for many years.

Nick Rhodes, Duran Duran

Being someone who always obsesses over details, I was thrilled to be able to join all the dots in a bizarre way with the cover artwork for ALL YOU NEED IS NOW and the song “The Man who Stole a Leopard.”

The photo on the front cover, used by Clunie Reid to create the art work, was one that I had taken in Palermo at Palazzo Valguarnera-Gangi where many scenes from Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard (Il Gattopardo), were filmed. On the track “The Man Who Stole a Leopard” I used an orchestral sample at the end of the piece which was licensed from the Luchino Visconti movie, Rocco and his Brothers. The soundtrack was written by Nino Rota, who happens to be one of my favourite Italian composers, so somehow, Luchino Visconti was reunited with a leopard both through the album’s artwork and its music.

It was a real thrill to make a whole album with Mark Ronson. I think he helped us find the pathway back to the roots of Duran Duran. It’s always great to have Mark in the room, he’s a fine source of inspiration and his musical knowledge is quite extraordinary. We had a lot of fun together recording my keyboard parts with vintage analogue synths. In fact, after the album was completed, Mark went on a spending spree and pretty much duplicated my keyboard collection for his own studio – I was of course most grateful because whenever I visited him, it saved me from having to transport my fragile synthesizers back and forth.

One of the highlights of the ALL YOU NEED IS NOW project, for me, was certainly the “Girl Panic!” video. I think it’s actually one of the most complicated things we have ever attempted to pull off. It was the tenacity of our wonderful manager Wendy Laister, that finally paid off when she miraculously coordinated the schedules of five supermodels, the four members of Duran Duran and film director Jonas Åkerlund to converge in London at the Savoy Hotel. Whilst our original plan was to release the video much earlier alongside the single, I am glad we did not did not give up on the idea and were able to follow it through a few months later.

The tour was long and had many highlights. I don’t usually speak during our live shows (aside from the occasional flippant remark during “The Reflex”), though on this tour I had been nominated to introduce a song; I chose “Blame the Machines,” a personal favourite from the album, which enabled me to tell absurd stories about locally invented technology. This worked particularly well in Australia, but I fear my stories were getting increasing longer as I could see John fidgeting on the other side of the stage.

John Taylor, Duran Duran

ALL YOU NEED IS NOW is the 10th studio album by Duran Duran, coming as it does after RED CARPET MASSACRE.

ALL YOU NEED IS NOW was produced by Mark Ronson and conceived as an alternative ‘follow-up’ to RIO. We employed similar production techniques and instrumentation.

It is one of my favorite Duran albums, having a fantastic energy and sense of authenticity and DD DNA.

I have many good memories from making this album: “Blame the Machines,” inspired by a news story about the trouble you can get into with a faulty GPS, “Safe (in the Heat of the Moment) – somewhere there is an early demo of that featuring an extemporizing Q Tip – love to hear that again – “Girl Panic!,” which inspired a GOAT video and “Runway Runaway.” I love this song! Wish that had made it to radio (and video).

The video for AYNIN was directed by our dear friend Nick Egan. It was a real ‘hands-on’ Warhol Factory style job, everyone involved like the early days. I love it! 

Also, a big fan of the cover art.

If you haven’t played this album lately, today is a good day to do so!

All photos by Nick Egan

Astronomia is a collaboration between the artists Nick Rhodes and Wendy Bevan. It is a creative collision of analogue synthesizers, violins, voices and orchestral arrangements fueled by their shared attraction to the Universe.

The Fall of Saturn; is the first of four albums in the Astronomia project, released on March 20, 2021, followed by three further releases, on the equinoxes and solstices for the remainder of the year.

Each individual piece is a sonic painting, a tapestry of rich textures and haunting melodies forming soundscapes with an otherworldly atmosphere. Looking to the transcendent beauty of the skies, this genre defying debut album explores the fluidity of human emotions.

Follow on Instagram: @astronomiavolumes
Order here: https://ada.lnk.to/Astronomia-I

Wendy Bevan:

‘Once we decided the universe was our subject matter, the sonic world we conceived became a space for dreams. We suddenly found ourselves free of boundaries; the concept opened a portal between the reality we were facing in our everyday lives and something other-worldly that we couldn’t quantify, gazing into the endless possibilities of the future.’

‘Inspired by the lustre of stars, we had the perfect setting to create a musical language. All fifty two pieces we wrote for the Astronomia project have become a memoir locked into a time capsule; musical notation to be released into the mysterious abyss.’

Nick Rhodes:

‘The Fall of Saturn is a musical allegory for these times. A moment to reflect upon our fragility, the way we treat each other and our planet. A symphony of hope and dreams for our future’.

‘In today’s world, we are besieged by information that is often manipulated or untrue, computer enhanced with the intention to draw us in and convince us about an alternate reality on offer… This has only served to make me want the real thing more than ever. Working with Wendy, together we have been able to circumvent the system of predictable and generic sounds. We have created our own unique solar system outside of convention and it feels natural, it has a pulse and a temperature. It will survive independently, each album orbiting out there on its own for anyone who is curious enough to tune in’.

Photo by Radka Leitmeritz

CREDITS

Lead Vocals: Simon Le Bon
Bass Guitar: John Taylor
Keyboards: Nick Rhodes
Drums: Roger Taylor
Backing Vocals: Anna Ross
Backing Vocals: BARLI
String Quartet: Solas Strings
Piano: Mike Garson

Director: Gavin Elder

Virtual Production Producer and Virtual Art Director: Scot Barbour
Virtual Reality Artist: Teek Mach
Producer: Mantissa Live

UK Film Crew
DOP: James Tonkin
Lighting Designer: Josh Adams
Video Assistant: Salo Schoonwinkel
Assistant Editor: Tom Ross

LA Film Crew
Unit Producer: Kerry Brown
Camera operators: Steve Hadrych III, Tristin Alexandria, Tyler Brown and Dexter Demme
Lighting Director: James Johnson
Production Assistants: Laura Diaz and Alyssa Lopez

Post Production and Visual Effects: Mercury Studios Consultancy
Post Coordination: Nicole Novak
Post and VFX Supervisor: John Attard
Post and VFX Producer: Mark Noland
Post and VFX Producer: Frances Eames Noland
Virtual Environment Software: Hassan Farhat

Production Director, UK: Ken Watts
Production Coordinator, UK: Orla Clarke

Costume: Jeffrey Bryant

To mark Duran Duran’s 40th anniversary, the band has come together to reflect on the songs and stories that shaped their iconic career. Join Simon, Nick, John and Roger, along with special guests Nile Rodgers and Mark Ronson on a journey through hits, fan favorites and more, with host Claudia Winkleman on Duran 40.

Listen here.

Duran Duran is celebrating its four decades of music this year — the band’s self-titled debut was released in 1981 — with new programs set to launch on on SiriusXM and Pandora.

“Duran 40,” an exclusive playlist on Pandora, will feature the band’s biggest hits and fan favorites, along with with commentary from the band and special guests. Its new format merges music and talk and will kick off on Jan. 28. Mark Ronson and Nile Rodgers are set to appear and “Duran 40” will be hosted by the BBC’s Claudia Winkleman. Broadcast versions will air on SiriusXM’s Volume (channel 106) and First Wave (channel 33).

Elsewhere at SiriusXM, Simon Le Bon will host “WHOOOSH!,” a weekly show on the Volume channel launching on Jan. 27. Joined by longtime associate Katy Krassner, the two will discuss new music that excites them, picking up from a series that appeared on the Duran Duran site during lockdown. ‘WHOOOSH!’ will also live as a podcast.

“It all began as a lockdown thing,” said Le Bon. “It dawned on me that the only music I was listening to was what I was working on, and the stuff that got me into a band in the first place. So I switched on my ears, and went on a trip down a sonic rabbit hole. What a revelation — there is so much great new talent, so much music out there…. And so a radio show is born.”

Added Scott Greenstein, president and chief content officer of SiriusXM: “Duran Duran is one of the most influential bands of the last 40 years. … Their hit songs, iconic videos, and extensive music catalog have been embraced by multiple generations of fans who can now hear the music and the great stories behind them from the band members themselves and an array of truly special guests.”

The band recently dropped a tribute cover of David Bowie’s “Five Years” and will release the official music video on Jan. 28 at 12 pm ET. Ahead of the premiere (at approximately 11:20 am ET), keyboardist Nick Rhodes will take to the Duran Instagram Live to answer questions from fans and bassist John Taylor will do the same in a live Q&A on the group’s YouTube channel.

To coincide with the band’s 40th anniversary, Duran Duran is scheduled to perform some live dates in the UK and Europe this summer.

Courtesy Variety

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Roland Presents Sixth-Annual Lifetime Achievement Award

Roland Lifetime Achievement Award Presented to Nick Rhodes for His Incredible Contribution to the Music Industry

Los Angeles, CA, January 21, 2021 —During NAMM’s 2021 virtual “Believe in Music Week,” Roland presented its sixth-annual Lifetime Achievement Award to the founding member and keyboardist of Duran Duran, Nick Rhodes, who has had a storied career spanning four decades. The Roland Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals for their invaluable contributions to the music industry while using Roland gear throughout their careers. Roland and BOSS’ global network of influencers now reaches more than 1,000 artists with a collective social reach exceeding 1 billion.

Gordon Raison, Director, CMO and CSO, Roland Corporation, presented acclaimed musician, songwriter, and producer Nick Rhodes with the Roland Lifetime Achievement Award. Best known as one of the driving forces behind the British band Duran Duran, Rhodes formed the group at 16 alongside bassist John Taylor. Known for his experimentation with analog synthesizers, Rhodes has a career spanning more than 40 years and resulting in 21 singles on the US Billboard Hot 100, more than 100 million records sold and innumerable GRAMMY, BRIT, MTV and Ivor Novello awards.

Artists from around the world celebrated Rhodes during the award presentation, including personal congratulations from Mike Garson, Jimmy Jam, Ben Folds, Giorgio Moroder, and many more. Raison also highlighted Rhodes’ instrumental role in making Roland a household name and praised how Rhodes’ “unique creativity, by shaping sounds without compromising melody, has resulted in songs and productions that will live on forever in the very fabric of popular culture.”

While congratulating Rhodes, David Baron of the Lumineers shared, “The first time I became aware of Roland gear was when you were using it so amazingly and innovatively with Duran Duran. Thanks for giving me a lifetime of love for analog synths and Roland gear.”

“Over the years, not only have you produced amazing songs, but you’ve changed the way we think about synthesizers while doing it,” offered Jordan Rudess of Dream Theater during his salute to Rhodes. “From sparkling, shimmering arpeggios to cool pads to nuanced synth sounds, it had a big effect on all of us.”

Roland Vice President of Global Artist and Influencer Relations Brian Alli added, “Nick represents so many things that we believe in as a company. He started as a kid with a dream. He and his best friend go out and chase that dream, and here we are 40 years later celebrating.” Alli continued, “Nick’s passion has been fueled by a mix of fashion, art, technology, film, and photography, and the strong influence of these different areas can be seen throughout the years, throughout their music, their legendary videos, and even this week with the release of their latest song cover – ‘Five Years,’ a tribute to David Bowie.”

Roland Executive Officer Synths Masahiro Minowa expressed gratitude to Rhodes on behalf of the Roland Corporation synthesizer product design team for the way Rhodes brought keyboard players to the front of pop music and for bringing ionic status to Roland synthesizers. Minowa added, “While I hope our instruments have inspired you, I also would like to thank you for inspiring us. Over the years, the ways you have used our instruments, and the unique and memorable sounds you have created, have driven our engineers to develop new instruments and new sounds. The relationship has been so important for us. We look forward to this creative cycle with you for many years.”

Rhodes commented, “Wow, a huge thank you to everyone at Roland for this glorious award. I am honored to receive it, particularly as Roland has been such a big part of my life since the beginning of my career. I started out in 1980 with a Roland System-100, then I graduated to a JUPITER-4, and shortly after to a JUPITER-8. You often hear guitarists talking about the ultimate Les Paul or the 1959 Stratocaster that they just can’t do without. Well, for me, this has always been the JUPITER-8. These were the instruments that really formed the sound palette that I developed my creativity from. I think, for all artists, these tools that we make music with are of the most importance, and I am very grateful to the developers at Roland for staying in touch with the way that music evolves.”

In other news, with 2021 marking the 40th anniversary of the band’s debut album release, internationally acclaimed, multi-platinum selling, award-winning pop legends Duran Duran will return to the stage this summer for a handful of live dates in the UK and Europe. The band recently released a poignant and highly praised tribute cover of David Bowie’s ‘Five Years,’ in honor of what would have been Bowie’s 74th birthday. Listen here.

You can watch the entire virtual presentation to Nick here.

“Duran Duran originally intended on spending 2020 on the road celebrating their 40th anniversary as a band. Instead, they had to yank all their plans, and bassist John Taylor came down with Covid-19. He’s all better now, and the group is working on its follow-up to 2015’s Paper Gods. It’s being co-produced by DJ Erol Alkan and Blur guitarist Graham Coxon. “It’s quite naked, raw. The grass is slightly sharp and twinkly rather than smooth,” said singer Simon Le Bon. “It’s groovy (and) modern and very honest. The lyrics are quite something.””

—Rolling Stone‘s 54 Most Anticipated Albums of 2021

SET TO PERFORM ON GLOBAL LIVE STREAMING EVENT ‘A BOWIE CELEBRATION: JUST FOR ONE DAY!’

ON JANUARY 8, 6PM PT, ADDITONAL PERFORMANCES CONFIRMED BY IAN ASTBURY, GARY BARLOW, BILLY CORGAN, ANNA CALVI, ANDRA DAY, PERRY FARRELL, PETER FRAMPTON, BOY GEORGE, RICKY GERVAIS, MACY GRAY, ADAM LAMBERT, DAVE NAVARRO, GARY OLDMAN, TRENT REZNOR, GAVIN ROSSDALE, TONY VISCONTI, RICK WAKEMAN, YUNGBLUD, AND MANY MORE

2021 UK AND EU TOUR DATES ON-SALE NOW

Today, internationally acclaimed, multi-platinum and award-winning pop legends Duran Duran kick-off their 2021 40th anniversary celebrations by going back to where it all began for them, with a stunning stand-alone cover of David Bowie’s timeless classic, ‘Five Years.’

“My life as a teenager was all about David Bowie. He is the reason why I started writing songs. Part of me still can’t believe in his death five years ago, but maybe that’s because there’s a part of me where he’s still alive and always will be.” Duran Duran’s front-man Simon Le Bon reveals. “When we got the Ziggy Stardust LP and put the needle in the groove, our first taste of its perfection was the song Five Years. I can’t begin to explain how honored I feel for Duran Duran to be given the opportunity to perform this icon, and to place our name alongside Bowie’s for this commemoration of his music.”

Listen to Duran Duran’s ‘Five Years’ HERE.

The song comes as part of the highly anticipated global streaming tribute event, set to take place on Friday, January 8, for what would have been the late and great Bowie’s 74th birthday, and 5th year anniversary of his passing. Duran Duran will be performing ‘Five Years’ live in what is set to be a spectacular and groundbreaking cinematic virtual experience. The track is available worldwide on all platforms from 12AM ET on January 8. The band will be performing a very special live version of it later that evening, on A Bowie Celebration: Just For One Day! A portion of ticket proceeds will go to the Save The Children organization, a charity important to Bowie. For more information, tickets, VIP packages and exclusive merchandise go to: http://rollinglivestudios.com/bowie. The release of the song is just one of 40 exciting initiatives taking place to celebrate the band’s rich and colorful four decade career, under the umbrella ‘Duran Duran 40’.

This Summer, Duran Duran will be making a welcome return to the stage for some very exciting live performances in Europe and the United Kingdom. For more information and tickets go to: http://duranduran.com

More exciting Duran Duran news to come!

Hear FIVE YEARS now…

Ahead of their performance at the virtual David Bowie tribute Just For One Day, Duran Duran have dropped their cover of the late legend’s “Five Years.”

The band kick up the synths for The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars rendition, as Simon Le Bon is bolstered by backup singers for the climatic chorus. “Your face, your race, the way that you talk,” he sings. “I kiss you, you’re beautiful, I want you to walk.”

“My life as a teenager was all about David Bowie,” Le Bon said in a statement. “He is the reason why I started writing songs. Part of me still can’t believe in his death five years ago, but maybe that’s because there’s a part of me where he’s still alive and always will be. When we got the Ziggy Stardust LP and put the needle in the groove, our first taste of its perfection was the song ‘Five Years.’ I can’t begin to explain how honored I feel for Duran Duran to be given the opportunity to perform this icon, and to place our name alongside Bowie’s for this commemoration of his music.”

The band will appear at Just For One Day on Friday, January 8th, on what would have been Bowie’s 74th birthday. Boy George, Adam Lambert, Michael C. Hall, Mott the Hoople’s Ian Hunter, Trent Reznor, Billy Corgan, and more will also perform.

“A Bowie Celebration is proud to announce they will donate $2 per ticket purchase to the Save the Children organization, a charity that was deeply important to Bowie. In 1997, the organization was the beneficiary of funds raised from Bowie’s sold-out 50th Birthday Concert held in Madison Square Garden and featuring many of the artists who are coming together for this event to honor a man who was their band member, friend, and inspiration.”

Duran Duran will celebrate their 40th anniversary with a brief tour overseas, kicking off on June 13th in Dublin, Ireland on June 13th. They’ll spend the summer making stops along the U.K., wrapping up in Ibiza, Spain on October 8th. More information can be found on the band’s website.

Courtesy Rolling Stone

The band will perform the cover live during “A Bowie Celebration: Just For One Day!” on Friday

Duran Duran is paying homage to David Bowie ahead of the fifth anniversary of his death this weekend.

On Friday, what would have been the late rock icon’s 74th birthday, the band will release a cover of Bowie’s 1972 song “Five Years.” They’ll then perform it live during the global streaming concert, “A Bowie Celebration: Just For One Day!”

“When we got the Ziggy Stardust LP and put the needle in the groove, our first taste of its perfection was the song ‘Five Years,'” lead singer Simon Le Bon tells PEOPLE. “I can’t begin to explain how honored I feel for Duran Duran to be given the opportunity to perform this icon, and to place our name alongside Bowie’s for this commemoration of his music.”

For Le Bon, 62, his “life as a teenager was all about David Bowie.”

“He is the reason why I started writing songs,” he says. “Part of me still can’t believe in his death five years ago, but maybe that’s because there’s a part of me where he’s still alive and always will be.”

Along with Duran Duran, PEOPLE announced on Wednesday that Boy George, Taylor Momsen, Ricky Gervais, Gary Barlow and Ground Control (a supergroup made up of Slipknot’s Corey Taylor, Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins and Jane’s Addiction’s Dave Navarro and Chris Chaney) have been added to the lineup for “A Bowie Celebration: Just For One Day!”

Previously announced performers include Andra Day, Adam Lambert, Gavin Rossdale, Michael C. Hall, Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor, The Smashing Pumpkins’ William Corgan, Yungblud, Peter Frampton, Gary Oldman, Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott, Jane’s Addiction’s Perry Farrell, Kind Heaven Orchestra vocalist Etty Lau Farrell, Macy Gray, The Cult’s Ian Astbury, Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale, Ian Hunter, Anna Calvi, Atticus Ross, Mariqueen Maandig Reznor, Gail Ann Dorsey, the Rolling Stones’ Bernard Fowler, Corey Glover, Lena Hall, Charlie Sexton and Catherine Russell.

Produced by longtime Bowie pianist Mike Garson, “A Bowie Celebration: Just For One Day!” will feature the artists — who all either worked with Bowie or were influenced by his work — performing brand-new renditions of the singer’s greatest hits, as well as treasured fan favorites.

The featured vocalists will join alumni members of Bowie’s bands spanning his 1969 self-titled album through his final album, 2016’s Blackstar.

In addition to the featured vocalists, viral drumming sensation Nandi Bushell, Guatemalan singer-songwriter Gaby Moreno, Fiction Plane frontman Joe Sumner, vocalist Simon Westbrook and The Section Quartet will make special appearances.

For every $25 ticket sold for the concert, $2 will be donated to the Save the Children organization, a charity that was deeply important to Bowie. In 1997, the organization was the beneficiary of funds raised from Bowie’s sold-out 50th Birthday Concert held at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

Starting at 9 p.m. ET on Friday, the concert will continue to play on loop and will remain available for ticket holders around the globe to enjoy for 24 hours after its initial stream.

Fans can visit the event page at http://rollinglivestudios.com/bowie to buy tickets, purchase VIP experiences and order exclusive merchandise.

Courtesy PEOPLE.COM

JOHN

Music of the Year

I am always all over the map, you know me. I really like the Megan Thee Stallion album, I listened to it a few times and started to warm to it. A few songs surprised me. I like Simon’s WHOOOSH! playlists, there’s always interesting. I watch quite a lot of TV and a really good TV show has a really good playlist.

Movie of 2020

I can’t remember seeing anything that blew my socks off. I liked “Hillbilly Elegy,” but I haven’t seen a lot.

Binged TV of 2020

It has been a good year for TV. I liked “Roadkill,” I loved “Queen’s Gambit.” “Dublin Murders” I was very into. I really liked “Mrs America.” “The Crown” is magnificent.

Podcast of 2020

I listen to “I’m Over It“.

Something that Happened in 2020 that You Hope to Never Experience Again

I am really glad to have the antibodies for COVID since I had it in March so…having COVID.

Something You Did in 2020 That You Hadn’t Done in a Long Time

(long long silence….) Wow. Can I call a friend? I have been doing my art work pretty consistently, so that wasn’t new. Maybe doing the Tutorials.

Event(s) of 2020

ZOOM. For all of the fault finding and criticism, it has been a sanity saver for me and many, many people I know. As much as we’d rather do this in person, and we’ve been stuck in our intimacy cells, ZOOM allows us to interface with a larger pool of friends. Not sure what I would have done without it.

Looking Forward to in 2021

I don’t want to get political, but I do want an end to all of this here in America. I’d like to play some concerts next summer. I’d initially been cavalier about all this, and then seeing how it unfolded… I take it one day at a time. All of us, psychologically, have been challenged. I just want to be able to look back on this period and know I didn’t handle it like a chump.

ROGER

Music of the Year

I don’t usually choose our own music but we have been mixing and updating the new record remotely and , I have to say, it sounds incredible. We have been so fortunate to have something to work on.

I am a little bit late to the table with Miley Cyrus, but I’ve really liked her new record! I really love “Nothing Breaks like a Heart,” what a voice she has. And , from Yorkshire, I really like Working Men’s Club. They remind me of early Simple Minds a bit.

Movie of 2020

I watched “1917” at the beginning of this year, and that’s my favourite of the year. I love a good war movie. I heard a lot about the war years growing up and we were brought up with it, so it’s interesting to see the detail of what happened back then.

Binged TV of 2020

We don’t really watch any TV in this house but what I have “binged” on was the News! In 2020, I’ve been glued to it!!

Best Books You’ve Heard or Read in 2020

I haven’t been able to read my yearly Biography, which is what I do when I travel. I did read “The Theatre for Dreamers” by Polly Samson and really liked it.

Something that Happened in 2020 that You Hope to Never Experience Again

I never want to go through a pandemic again! We’re used to freedom and that was taken away – for good reason – but it was hard to get used to.I have a real appreciation for our freedom.

Something You Did in 2020 That You Hadn’t Done in a Long Time

We played some checkers, that was a bit desperate! But actually, we bought a dog! And that was something I hadn’t done in years. I had a dog in my twenties, but I’d forgotten what beautiful animals dogs are and how amazing they are.

Event(s) of 2020

The arrival of the COVID vaccine, which, to me, is the light at the end of the tunnel.

Looking Forward to in 2021

Playing shows again with the band. We are really excited about it happening again! We have the feeling that by next summer, we will be out there and playing shows.

NICK

Music of the Year

I seem to have moved back toward my classical roots. Classical has been quite inspirational for me and , actually, I’ve created a lot of music. I’ve made 4 instrumental albums with Wendy Bevan, that I think we’re going to release quarterly starting in the Spring. I’ve also listened to a lot of ambient music, chill-out playlists, hip hop, and film music, especially Nino Rota.

Movie of 2020

Thus far, I’ve seen nothing significant in 2020. I’ve tried to re-mine fabulous movies of the past, and went through some French Surrealist films and Jodorowsky films. I also watched a lot of documentaries.

Binged TV of 2020

When this season of “Black Mirror” came out, I watched, and I think it was early 2020. I also decided to watch all the seasons of “Stranger Things“; I thought Winona Ryder was great. Of course I watched “Tiger King,” which I found both incredibly entertaining and horrifying.

Book of 2020

I started re-reading Dracula, but we all know how that ends! If I wasn’t reading art of photography books, then I was reading news about technology, music and theatre online.

Podcast of 2020

Nothing for me this year.

Something that Happened in 2020 that You Hope to Never Experience Again

A pandemic! We have never lived through such a catastrophic event and it showed we took a lot for granted. You could have never imagined that we’d end up in a state where the simplest things become so complicated. It has had a profound effect on everyone.

Something You Did in 2020 That You Hadn’t Done in a Long Time

Some positives were that I started to write music very freely. I also got the chance to log thousands of digital photos. I got to see my daughter more often, which was very nice. And I also transferred many of my written lists online!

Event(s) of 2020

Pre-pandemic:

*I went to the Scottish Highlands for Burns Night.
*I did some filming with Mark Ronson for his upcoming documentary.
*In February, I went to Pam Hogg’s Fashion Show at Victoria House.
*On March 10, John and I attended the Warhol Retrospective at the Tate Modern, which was beautifully curated.

Post-pandemic:

*Duran Duran received the Yuri’s Night award for the performance we did at the Kennedy Space Center.
*The US Presidential Election had a fair outcome.

Looking Forward to in 2021

Normality!
Joy!
Hope!
Sensitivity!
Regaining empathy around the world!
People caring more about the environment and other nations!
The end of this wretched virus!
Duran Duran putting out an album!
Duran Duran playing concerts!

SIMON

Music of the Year

I’d actually say it’s a track by FOR THOSE I LOVE with “I Have a Love.” It’s extraordinary, you have to listen to it. I was also turned on by Sinead O’Brien, another spoken word song. So many highlights for me: Blood Orange, Caveman, Working Men’s Club, the list goes on and on and on. I am very pleased, and invested, in WHOOOSH!, my show with Katy.

Movie of 2020

I saw Jojo Rabbit in 2020. I loved that movie. It was amazing, what an incredible piece of work by Taika Waitiki. It was a brilliant movie and it meant so much to me. It’s as valid as any other movie about World War II.

Binged TV of 2020

Absolutely genius – The Queens Gambit. I think Anna Taylor-Joy is a real talent.

Best Books You’ve Heard or Read in 2020

I’m still reading Milkmen. There are a set of 9 books by Len Deighton, three sets of three novels focused on Bernard Samson. I’ve listened to all 9 of them and the prequel.

Podcast of 2020

I like true crime podcasts, The Missing Cryptoqueen really stuck with me. It’s about a woman from Bulgaria that launched a so-called crypto currency on the world, but it wasn’t a proper currency in any way whatsoever. It’s so interesting.

Something that Happened in 2020 that You Hope to Never Experience Again

Corona Virus. Lockdown. We’ve had a shit year, but we’ve all just had to make the most of what we had to deal with.

Something You Did in 2020 That You Hadn’t Done in a Long Time

Listen to loads and loads of new band and artists.

Event(s) of 2020

The awful incident with George Floyd. The whole Black Lives Matter movement and how it developed. It awakened the world.

Looking Forward to in 2021

Releasing our new album, playing new shows, getting on the road with Duran Duran. Oh – and Hyde Park on July 11!

Duran Duran, Adam Lambert, YUNGBLUD, Peter Frampton, Andra Day and More Added to “A Bowie Celebration: Just For One Day!” Stream and “Save the Children” Beneficiary

Duran Duran, Adam Lambert, YUNGBLUD, Andra Day, Michael C. Hall, Ian Hunter, Anna Calvi, Atticus Ross, and more added as featured performers plus additional Bowie alumni including Peter Frampton, David Sanborn and Rick Wakeman

The extensive concert featuring an array of talent never before seen together streams globally for 24 hours only, beginning on January 8 at 6pm PT

“A Bowie Celebration: Just For One Day!” is the global streaming event to start 2021 off on a massive level on January 8 beginning at 6pm PT hosted by Mike Garson, David Bowie’s longest standing band member. The stream will bring together a dazzling ar-ray of artists who worked with Bowie, or were deeply influenced by him and his work, for a celebration on what would have been his birthday and weekend of the fifth anni-versary of his passing.

Artists just added to the already all-star lineup include the Grammy award-winning Brit-ish music icons Duran Duran, vocal sensation Adam Lambert, UK chart topping YUNGBLUD, three-time Grammy nominee Andra Day, actor/musician Michael C. Hall, Mott the Hoople icon Ian Hunter, singer-songwriter and virtuoso guitarist Anna Calvi, award-winning musician Atticus Ross, Kind Heaven Orchestra vocalist Etty Lau Farrell, and How to Destroy Angels vocalist Mariqueen Maandig Reznor.

They’ll join alumni members of Bowie’s bands spanning his 1969 self-titled album through his final album, Blackstar. Newly announced alumni returning to honor Bowie include Grammy Award-winning guitar legend Peter Frampton who was childhood friends with David and was featured on Bowie’s Never Let Me Down album and his Glass Spider tour. Also joining the show is Grammy Award-winning saxophone phe-nom David Sanborn who recorded on Bowie’s Young Americans album and was fea-tured on his 1974 Diamond Dogs tour. Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman also joins the special A Bowie Celebration stream on January 8 having played piano on Bowie’s Space Oddity, Hunky Dory and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars albums.

A Bowie Celebration is proud to announce they will donate $2 per ticket purchase to the Save the Children organization, a charity important to Bowie and the beneficiary of funds raised from his 50th Birthday Concert held in 1997 at a sold-out Madison Square Garden featuring many of the very artists who will be featured on January 8 during this special global streaming event.

Produced by Mike Garson in partnership with Stacey Sher and Kerry Brown together with Rolling Live Studios, A Bowie Celebration: Just For One Day! will not consist of a generic series of music videos featuring rectangular video contributions. Instead, this concert will be a beautiful cinematic experience with performances also featuring pre-viously announced artists including Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), William Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins), Oscar-winning actor Gary Oldman, Gavin Rossdale (Bush), Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction), Joe Elliott (Def Leppard), Grammy-winning singer Macy Gray, Ian Astbury (The Cult), Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Gail Ann Dorsey (David Bowie, Lenny Kravitz), Bernard Fowler (Rolling Stones), Corey Glover (Living Color), Tony-winner Lena Hall, vocal phenom Judith Hill (Grammy winner for 20 Feet From Stardom) and Charlie Sexton (David Bowie, Bob Dylan).

Additional amazing career-spanning artists joining the January 8 global stream in-clude Everett Bradley, Matt Chamberlain, Ava Cherry, Richard Cottle, Greg Errico, Mark Guiliana, Henry Hey, Emir Ksasan, Tony Levin, Geoff MacCormack, Andy Newmark, and Pablo Rosario plus previously announced alumni including Bowie’s final touring band of Mike Garson, Gail Ann Dorsey, Earl Slick, Sterling Campbell, Gerry Leonard and Catherine Russell along with Zack Alford, Carlos Alomar, Kevin Armstrong, Alan Childs, Robin Clark, Emm Gryner, Omar Hakim, Clare Hirst, Erdal Kızılçay, Tim Lefebvre, Martha Mooke, Holly Palmer, Mark Plati, Carmine Rojas, Charlie Sexton, Bowie’s longtime record producer and musician Tony Visconti.

Special guest appearances will also be made by Nandi Bushell, Mr Hudson, Gaby Moreno, Joe Sumner, Simon Westbrook, The Section Quartet and more.

Kicking off at 6 pm PT, the show will be available for ticket holders around the globe to enjoy live and for 24 hours after its initial stream. With such a wide-ranging lineup of extraordinary talent, the concert will offer over three hours of music, allowing fans to get comfortable at home, grab a drink and sit back to enjoy, reminisce and experience their favorite Bowie songs as never before — performed by David’s friends, band-mates, and those with whom he was the soundtrack to their lives.

Ultimate Ears Pro has partnered with Rolling Live Studios and A Bowie Celebration to provide artists with the industry standard in-ear monitoring solution for live perfor-mances. Fans can get their own set of collectible A Bowie Celebration inspired UE Pro earphones. The show will broadcast live on RollingLiveStudios.com via Lucra, a new live streaming platform built by Streamlabs. Ultimate Ears Pro and Streamlabs are a part of Logitech, a leading provider of audio and live streaming tools.

Fans can visit the event page at http://rollinglivestudios.com/bowie to buy tickets, purchase VIP experiences, and order exclusive merch. VIP ticket bundles offer fans a va-riety of exclusive opportunities and merchandise including everything from access to a pre-show soundcheck and an after-show Q&A with members of the band.

Additional artists are still to be announced. Artist lineup is subject to change. This sales promotion is conducted by A Bowie Celebration.

To learn more about A Bowie Celebration, visit Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

I am sad to hear that the great composer, musician and master of minimalism, Harold Budd has left us.

The beauty of his work was a gift to us all, calm and understated. I have spent endless hours listening to his collaborations with the Cocteau Twins and Brian Eno, which are sublimely elegant compositions. From the many gems he produced, for me it is The Pearl, that remains an unsurpassed masterpiece of its genre.

– Nick Rhodes, London, December 9th 2020

“I will never forget the feeling of hearing that news. I was stuck in London traffic, the December rain pouring. It was cold and I was lonely.”

John Taylor remembers John Lennon, and the Beatles album “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band’’

December 8, 2020 –

It’s forty years since John Lennon was shot dead. I will never forget the feeling of hearing that news. I was stuck in London traffic, the December rain pouring. It was cold and I was lonely. I’m grateful for the forty years of life I have had since that moment. I have had experiences that would never have occurred to me to desire were it not for John. Sometimes it bothers me, why some of us survive, and others, who often seem the better person, don’t. We do not get to choose. I try to do the best with the gifts I have, and I carry a little of John with me into every creative situation.

“Sometimes it bothers me, why some of us survive, and others, who often seem the better person, don’t.”

My friend Leonard (editor/publisher of the eBulletin) thought this was an appropriate moment for me to contribute something to this rag, perhaps a few words on the subject of the ‘Sgt. Peppers’ album?

Well, alrighty then.

Take the record off the shelf! It is perhaps the most iconic record of all time with the greatest cover of all time. By Britain’s greatest ‘pop’ artist, Peter Blake, working with photographer Michael Cooper. All those ‘icons’: Mae West, Lenny Bruce, Fred Astaire, Shirley Temple intermingled with wax models of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr. At the center of the album the men themselves, John, Paul, George, Ringo, The Beatles, because this is their work, their sleeve containing their music. What an exceptional milieu.

‘Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band’ sits above the group name, which is spelled out in flowers. The entire thing is explosive, wondrous, decadent.

These men have learned a lot during their time in the spotlight. It’s hard to imagine the ‘Love Me Do’ era Beatles putting Aleister Crowley or Karl Heinz Stockhausen on a record cover, but they haven’t forgotten anything either. Diana Dors, Stuart Sutcliffe, comic Tommy Handley, you can find many relics of the adolescent Beatles here too. The marching drum with the logo, ‘Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band’ sits above the group name, which is spelled out in flowers. High and Low, Smart and Final, sets the bar. Beat this, motherfuckers!

Turn it over for titles, ‘A Little Help From My Friends’, ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’, ‘A Day in the Life’. It’s hard to imagine a time when these were just songs, not icons in their own right. Lyrics. The Parlophone logo and another band pic, where Paul has his back to the camera. That’s confidence for you! Doesn’t matter because when you open the shiny gatefold you have the fabbest, vividest band portrait ever. 24’ x 12’, a first. Sincere, shy and humorous. Uniform but not really. Theatrical. Meta.

My boys, my lovely, lovely boys…

Thumb into the slit for the disc itself. What’s this? ‘Sgt. Pepper Cut Outs’. Kewl!! Not sure I will ever cut these out. Wonder who did at the time? Bet they wish they hadn’t. And here it is, the album. Dark, mysterious, powerful; black grooved vinyl. Two-sided. That Parlophone logo again, twice, Thirty-Three and One-Third RPM.

Amplifier to PHONO. Disc onto turntable. Speed on, needle to groove.

Audience sounds. Band in. They sound HEAVY. Heavy drum and bass, heavy guitars, vocals in. It’s Paul. A quick verse followed by a cutesy horn break. Kind of vaudeville, with the band vocalists singing all in together on the chorus. Damn that snare is loud!

The moment two-minutes are up the singer introduces “the singer … Billy Shears!” And the intro track pulls itself up, segueing into a plaintive ballad, sung by drummer Ringo, with very present supporting vocals from the group’s real singers, the titular ‘friends’. It’s a lovely, lonely and vulnerable lead vocal. I want somebody to love. Who doesn’t? The lyric was fresh off the Lennon & McCartney typewriter, less than a few hours old, when Ringo sang it. With a Little Help from my Friends.

This is a mystic river. Spooky sounds and vocals, weird words and a sense of displacement, otherworldliness.

Next song. Whoa … hold on! This is a mystic river. Then McCartney’s voice appears and we have the chorus to a Beatles song. But not for long, Lennon has the reins again and it’s almost making me want to get high again, sixties style… “Newspaper Taxis appear on the shore waiting to take you away…” Oh right,

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. LSD. He’s singing about having a psychedelic drug experience. Great vamp out. Now I’m ready for anything.

Getting Better. This is more like The Beatles we were used to. Great sounds, choppy guitars, warm, roving bass with perfect vocal balance. I’m ready to believe that it is, in fact, “getting so much better, every day”. More mysticism at the bridge with George’s sitar, but it’s short and now we are back to the song. Pure pop for now, people. Pure nonsense.

Fixing a Hole. This is Paul’s psychedelic drug experience song. I’m painting a room in a colorful way… Nice solo, is that George, or is it Paul? Paul was doing a bit of everything in the studio by now. God forbid you were late for a session, Paul would have already played your part.

Another Paul song, is it Eleanor Rigby? Oh no, that was an earlier album. Similar mood, like he had thought to himself, ‘I should write something like Eleanor Rigby’. This is called She’s Leaving Home. The song is evocative of bourgeois suburbia. John is behaving himself, dutifully singing the contrapuntal chorus part. These guys were always so generous when they contributed to the other’s songs. Like Queen. “We struggled all of our lives to get by…” If ever a song nailed the generation gap between the baby boomers and the war survivors that bore them, this is it. Lovely. A three-minute masterclass in songwriting and arranging.

But hold on, because John has the reins now and the band sounds like an entirely different beast. Love the bass and drums on this. More faux-vaudeville but it’s tough and dark. Way out there bridge with Calliope … brought back by da da da dadada, the tack piano brings us back to order as if to say, don’t get carried away, this is only a pop song. But then we are off again into a weird crevice of the singers mind and it’s a fairground.

Suddenly the needle is doing that repetitive ‘ohm/crick’ that tells me the side is over. Side A put forth a lot of ideas in a short time.

Within You Without You. Second side starts out with the sounds of India. This is how George’s psychedelic trip goes. And it’s very trippy, perhaps the trippiest Beatles trip track ever. George has built an Indian ensemble to support his lyrics of Indian philosophy. For most first-time listeners this would have been their first experience of what would become known as ‘World Music’, although not really, because it’s a Beatles song. However they are using their logo as a showcase for music from another world than theirs, which is cool. Having said that I bet it is the most skipped song on the CD version of the album. It’s quite didactic, which I find a bit annoying, the singer keeps telling me what is going to happen to me if I … do what exactly? Join the transcendence club.

Time for Paul to bring us back to a sense of normalcy? More faux-vintage, beautifully rendered of course. “And if you say the word, I could stay with you…” He makes the idea of late-life marriage sound so appealing. The Rolling Stones would have all of the 70s to blow up that myth. “Vera, Chuck and Dave…” Nick Rhodes’ most hated lyric of all time. When I’m Sixty-Four. I’ll get back to you on that.

The next song, Lovely Rita starts out like a Stones song. Then Paul is in, and it’s all a little too cute and cuddly for my taste. When they first came along The Beatles had the knack of making music that appealed to kids and their parents, especially mothers. Lots of Moms and daughters bonded over them; like Juicy Couture. Lovely, of course, perfectly rendered. These guys had amazing taste. Great bass and drums, they’re often underrated in that department, although, could the Beatles ever really be considered under-rated? John leads us out in a super-cool take-out that made me think of The Cure. His voice sounds permanently frosted, as if he got stuck on his last trip. It’s just effects of course but it sounds great, and the ending is, well, weird.

Next song. Farmyard sound effects, Good Morning Good Morning. Great song. “I’ve got nothing to say but that’s ok, Good morning …” John cut us all a break here, if he has days like this then I guess it’s ok that we all do, too. Great guitar break deserved of the adjective BLISTERING. More farmyard sounds to fade.

Paul counts in a stomping drum track, which reminds me of ‘Jumping Jack Flash’. Sgt Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band reprise, telling us we are nearly at the end. I had quite forgotten about that, is this a concept? Fade to…

David Bowie? “I read the news today oh boy…” A Day in the Life. Is this the greatest song I have ever heard? It’s definitely one of them. The perfect synthesis of lyric and singer and supporting ensemble, “I’d love to turn you on …” An orchestra winds up (Bet that was expensive) and suddenly it’s a Paul song. Ironic in the context. Meta again, a Beatles song within a bigger-than-a-Beatles-song. Sugar with the salt. John takes it back. “Ahhhhhh…” an ever-circling, growing vortex back to “ I read the news today oh boy…Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall… I’d love to turn you on” and the band is circling lower and higher with the orchestra… Hold on! A crashing Bb chord turns off the power. The End.

Wow. The entire listening experience was so quick I could barely type this in real-time. Amazing with so much creativity. A rather annoying loop catches on the run-out groove, like Steve Reich’s ‘It’s Gonna Rain’. Let me get that needle. The disc has stopped turning. The birds are singing and the sun is shining. I guess, I have to admit things are definitely getting better. I’m still breathing within the halo of great art. It will pass.

Is there a more towering edifice in the history of 20th Century popular music?

This is an album built of confidence, wealth and yes, talent. Give a man a fish he will eat today, teach him to fish he will eat forever. The Beatles were taught to fish. Because they were so loved, they got the keys to the kingdom. In truth, by the time they were working on the songs that would make up this album, they were (mostly) serving their own songwriting agendas, but at least they still knew how to best use their talents to support those (other) agendas. The White Album would be next, which really is four solo albums mashed together with a band name on the cover. But that is a whole other listening experience, one that cannot ever be taken lightly.

Love,
-John

Courtesy Addiction Recovery E Bulletin

American Express Presents: BST Hyde Park

Duran Duran’s Only London show in 2021! First London show in 6 years

Joined by Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Grace Jones, more acts to be announced

American Express presents BST Hyde Park returns in 2021, for what will be THE celebration of the summer in the heart of London! British icons Duran Duran are back, excited to play their hugely anticipated show on Sunday, 11th July. Joining them are music legends Nile Rodgers & CHIC and Grace Jones – both long-time collaborators and great friends of the band.

British Summer Time 2021 will be a huge and eagerly awaited celebration for the nation. BST Hyde Park has been at the centre of London’s summer since 2013, bringing the world’s biggest artists to the greatest outdoor venue in the world over two weekends, with a host of free activities in between. And we cannot wait to welcome everyone back.

“We are so happy to announce the new date for our return to Hyde Park. This will be our first London show in six years and we are honoured that two of our musical heroes, Nile Rodgers and Grace Jones, will be joining us on the bill. Seeing as we had to postpone the 2020 show, BST Hyde Park 2021 will be extra special to us. After the year that everyone’s been through, we’re aiming to make next summer into the kind of party we all deserve.”

– Simon Le Bon, Duran Duran

Duran Duran are one of the most successful and ground-breaking bands to come out of the UK in the past four decades, a group that defined a generation and continue to prove themselves timeless, always innovating and reinventing, while remaining ahead of the curve.

And thousands of fans who bought tickets to Duran Duran’s cancelled BST Hyde Park show in 2020 are guaranteed tickets if they rebook. There is also the option to split the cost of your ticket with the BST Hyde Park payment plan.

Comprised of singer Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor, Duran Duran have sold over 100 million records, with 21 UK Top 20 hits and 18 US charting singles. Few bands have celebrated such huge global success and still hold major headlining status. This is their BST Hyde Park debut and their only London show of 2021, so a milestone in itself. Their much-lauded live shows blend the best of new and classics including “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “Pressure Off,” “Rio,” “Girls on Film,” “(Reach Up For The) Sunrise” and “A View to a Kill.”

Their last album, 2015’s Paper Gods, was the band’s highest-charting release in 22 years and was hailed by critics and fans alike as their best body of work in more than two decades. Produced by Mark Ronson and Nile Rodgers, alongside Mr Hudson and Josh Blair, the record features collaborations with Janelle Monáe, John Frusciante, Kiesza and Jonas Bjerre (of Mew).

A global sold-out arena tour over three years followed, including their most recent appearance in The O2 Arena, London. They brought the world’s attention to Hyde Park in 2012 with a special live concert celebrating the start of the London 2012 Olympics. Next summer is their big return to this iconic location for their only show in London, and their first in the city for 6 years!

A longstanding collaborator of Duran Duran will be returning to American Express presents BST Hyde Park on 11th July. The legendary Nile Rodgers will bring CHIC back to Hyde Park for the first time in 6 years; the last show he welcomed audience members onto the Great Oak Stage for a live disco. Even among music legends, Nile Rodgers is truly exceptional. He amplifies his legacy as a multiple Grammy-winning composer, producer and guitarist by constantly traversing new musical terrain.

As the co-founder of CHIC, Nile pioneered a musical genre with hits like “Le Freak,” and “Good Times.” Additionally, Nile transcends all styles of music across every generation with a body of work that’s garnered him his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Nile’s work in the CHIC Organization and his productions for artists like David Bowie, Diana Ross, and Madonna have sold over 500 million albums and 75 million singles worldwide.

Duran Duran worked extensively with Nile following his production of their hit single, “The Reflex” in 1983, initially on “The Wild Boys”, which was included on their 1984 live album Arena, and subsequently co-writing, producing and performing on tracks on the band’s 2004 album Astronaut and 2015’s Paper Gods. Fingers crossed for an onstage reunion between these two music legends.

Also joining us is Grace Jones – one of the most vital artists to emerge from New York’s Studio 54 disco scene of the late 1970s. She is a true visionary, who has been many things during her years in the spotlight: dancehall queen, artistic muse, style icon and actress. Though she got her start on the runways, soon Jones was on the cover of magazines, topping the dance charts with disco and R&B hits like “Pull Up to the Bumper” and “Slave to the Rhythm”, and befriending and influencing major players in the art and fashion worlds.

The Jamaican-American singer, model and actress has crossed paths with Duran Duran time and time again, including her role in the James Bond film A View To A Kill and performing on their spin-off group Arcadia’s So Red the Rose album. Her last record, Hurricane, was released in 2008, followed by Hurricane / Dub in 2011 and she’s teased new music is on the way. Jones’ live shows set a bar of excellence that few are able to surpass; her last BST Hyde Park performance six years ago, during which she climbed on to a bouncer’s shoulders and rode through the crowd, was unforgettable.

Jim King, CEO of European Festivals at AEG Presents, says, “It’s wonderful to finally talk about and look forward to next summer knowing that the light we can see at the end of the tunnel will be the sunshine at American Express presents BST Hyde Park. We have always finished each year with a huge party and we need one now more than ever. It’s therefore with our enormous thanks to Duran Duran that they have made it possible to bring their incredible hit-packed live show to Hyde Park just when we all needed it most. We celebrate this moment with Duran Duran and the man who helped them make some of their biggest hits, Nile Rodgers and the incredible CHIC. The band also have the legendary Grace Jones joining them for what will be an incredible day of quality music and a chance for us all to dance again.”

American Express® Cardmembers can take advantage of the presale from Monday 30th November.

Members of the band’s official fan club can purchase tickets in a presale from 9am GMT on Thursday 3rd December. There is also a priority window 24 hours prior to this for fan club members who purchased tickets for the original 2020 date. Members will be contacted directly with information. They can also visit www.duranduranmusic.com and click ‘Presale’ for details.

The BST Hyde Park payment plan offers you the option to spread the cost of your booking over a number of months, making it easier and affordable to manage your budget.

Already announced for American Express presents BST Hyde Park 2021 line up is two nights of Pearl Jam, joined by PIXIES on 9th July and IDLES on 10th July.

Tickets are on general sale from Friday 4 December.
Ticket prices start at £65 + booking fee

British music icons Duran Duran will delight fans next summer with a momentous outdoor show on the stunning Yorkshire coast.

Duran Duran have sold over 100 million records worldwide, scored 18 American hit singles and 21 UK Top 20 tunes, cementing them as one of the most successful and influential bands of all time.

Next summer, the band will bring their epic live show to Scarborough Open Air Theatre – the UK’s biggest purpose-built open-air concert arena – on Wednesday July 7, 2021.

Tickets go on general sale via scarboroughopenairtheatre.com at 9am on Friday November 6. Duran Duran VIP Fan Community members will have first access to tickets with a pre-sale beginning at 9am on Tuesday November 3 via www.duranduranmusic.com

Currently celebrating 40 years together, the band – singer Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor – continue to play to huge concert audiences around the world.

Consistently fusing art, technology, fashion and a signature sense of style with their unique and infectious brand of music, the band has proven themselves timeless, always innovating and reinventing, to remain ahead of the curve.

Their latest album – 2015’s Paper Gods – was Duran Duran’s highest-charting release in 22 years and was hailed by critics and fans alike as their best body of work in more than two decades. Produced by Mark Ronson and Nile Rodgers, alongside Mr Hudson and Josh Blair, the record featured collaborations with Janelle Monáe, John Frusciante, Kiesza and Jonas Bjerre (of Mew.)

A global, three-year, sold-out arena tour followed where the band brilliantly combined such classics as Girls on Film, The Wild Boys, Ordinary World, The Reflex, Come Undone, (Reach Up For The) Sunrise and Rio with stunning new songs from Paper Gods.

The two-time Grammy, BRIT Award and Ivor Novello winners are currently working on their 15th studio album. It is due for release in 2021 when the band will continue their 40th anniversary celebrations with a number of major live shows and events – including headlining both the Isle of White Festival and Lytham Festival.

Their Scarborough Open Air Theatre show is presented by Cuffe and Taylor. Promoter Peter Taylor said: “Duran Duran are global superstars and we are so excited to be bringing them here to Scarborough next summer.

“Their live shows are simply epic and fans have been asking us for some time now to bring them here to the Yorkshire coast. It is another massive headline show for Scarborough OAT 2021!”

13 pieces of music from movie soundtracks curated by Nick Rhodes for Halloween.

Jerry Goldsmith – Ave Satani – The Omen

Popol Vuh – Brüder des Schattens – Nosferatu

Wendy Carlos & Rachel Elkind – The Shining (Main title theme)

Howard Shore – Videodrome theme

Alessandro Alessandroni – “La Terrificante Notte del Demonio” (end titles)

Krzysztof Komeda – Lullaby – Rosemary’s Baby

Goblin – Suspiria (theme)

Harry Bromley Davenport – Xtro (Main Titles)

John Carpenter – Halloween (theme)

Ennio Morricone – The Thing (theme)

Gene Moore – Profane – Sacrilege – Carnival of the Souls

Mike Oldfield – Tubular Bells part 1 – The Exorcist

Bernard Herrmann – soundtrack (prelude; the murder; finale) – Psycho

And on Spotify

“If I was going to DJ a Halloween Party this year, here are some tracks I’d definitely include. Happy Halloween!”

Next October (2021), we’re continuing our 40th anniversary celebrations by inviting 4,000 of our fans to join us in Ibiza for three days of dancing on the sand and soaking up the Ibizan sun. As one of the highlights in a string of events that will take place over the coming months celebrating the band’s rich and colorful career and the release of their 15th studio album, we’ve organised a special weekend that will include DJ sets, outdoor screenings and a closing headline show to remember.

We know that there’s a lot of uncertainty about the future of holidays and live events at the moment.

We’ve been hard at work over the past few months to put together an experience that gives you all something to get excited about and look forward to. Here is the plan for the weekend.

Day 1: Taste the Summer as we take over the legendary Ibiza institution, Pacha, for a Roger Taylor DJ Set (7pm – midnight).

Day 2: Come Undone… We’re taking things down a notch for on open air cinema screening under the stars at Destino (6pm – 11pm).

Day 3: To top the weekend off in true Duran Duran style, we’re putting on a headline show to remember. It’s the Last Night in the City! (5pm – midnight)

On top of this, we’ve partnered with several hotels on the island, offering a variety of options to suit all of our fans. Keep your eyes peeled for more info on the hotels and our VIP experience soon.

Click HERE for package details and to be the first to know when we go on sale!

In addition, there will be a special PRESALE for DD VIP Community members beginning at 10am BST on Saturday, October 10th, while the public on sale will begin Tuesday, October 13th. Login to www.duranduranmusic.com and click the PRESALE page where the special PRESALE link will be revealed Saturday morning.

FIVE REASONS I LOVE ‘PAPER GODS’ – John Taylor

1 – THE TITLE TRACK

I love DD ‘journey’ songs (‘Nightboat’, ‘New Religion’, ‘The Valley’), songs that we allow full rein to, that we resist the urge (always present) to cut down to three and a half minutes. Like those songs, ‘Paper Gods’ is political and autobiographical, without being obviously so. The bass story alone is a symphony! Listening to this is like taking a mind bath.

2 – ALEX ISRAEL’S COVER ART

When we first saw it NONE of the band liked it. ALL our wives and girlfriends did. They talked us into it. Now we all love it!

3 – KILL ME WITH SILENCE

If only you knew. The things we argue about. Nick and I argued and argued with Simon about the title of this song, one of my favorites of the ‘reunion’ era. We were emphatic, it has to be ‘KILL me with silence’. ‘No it doesn’t- that is not what it is. It’s YOU kill me with silence. I still think we were right. The song, however, kills, whichever title you prefer. And Ben Hudson also, killed it, as he did with all the work he did on the album.

4 – PRESSURE OFF

The dream team; Ben, Mark, Nile and .. (fanfare!) JANELLE MONAE. That was special, working and hanging with her, performing the song live at Nile’s FOLD festival in New York. And whenever Mark joins us onstage we segue this into ‘Uptown Funk’. How cool is that!

5 – CHANGE THE SKYLINE (featuring Brandon Flowers)

No disrespect to Jonas Bjerre, but the version of this song where that has Simon and Brandon singing together is a real moment. A real shame it never saw the light of day. One for the hunters!

“IT REALLY DOES NOT SEEM LIKE HALF A DECADE” – Nick Rhodes