Duran Duran
Considered one of the leading groups of the "second British invasion," it was formed in 1978 in the city of Birmingham, England.
They are the most successful band in the New Wave and New Romantic genres and one of the most important of the 1980s and 90s, with over 100 million records sold and two Grammy Awards. In addition, they placed fourteen singles in the British Top 10 and 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Duran Duran achieved success by combining music, art, sensuality, elegance, and fashion, earning them the nickname "the pretty boys of rock" from the press.
The band was a pioneer, being one of the first bands to have music videos filmed by professional directors using 35mm cameras. In 1984, the group was the first to bring video technology to their stadium shows.
Duran Duran was initially formed by Nick Rhodes (keyboards), John Taylor (bass), and Stephen Duffy, the band's first vocalist, who left in 1979. That same year, drummer Roger Taylor joined. After numerous changes, guitarist Andy Taylor and new vocalist Simon Le Bon joined the group.
According to John Taylor, to avoid the obvious, the group's name was chosen without anything beginning with "The," given the countless groups that used the definite article in their names. Thus, in reference to the French science fiction film "Barbarella" and the villain Dr. Durand Durand, came what would become the name of one of the most important bands in music history.
Duran Duran's first single was "Planet Earth," released in February 1981. Another notable single was "Girls on Film."
In 1982, with the release of their second LP, called "Rio," the group began to gain greater success and international recognition. Notable hits included the album's title track, as well as "Hungry Like the Wolf," and the classic "Save a Prayer," which became a kind of "anthem" for the band.
Princess Diana declared Duran Duran to be her favorite band; and the press nicknamed them the Fab Five, alluding to the Fab Four (one of the nicknames given to The Beatles). Rolling Stone magazine praised Duran Duran, saying they were the first rock band to have a natural talent for TV and video.
Their third album, "Seven and the Ragged Tiger" from 1983, featured more hits such as "Union of the Snake" and "The Reflex".
The year 1985 was marked by a temporary separation, with the group splitting into two parallel projects. John and Andy Taylor created the band The Power Station. Meanwhile, Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, and Roger Taylor formed Arcadia.
That same year, the band reunited to record the song "A View to a Kill" for the James Bond film. This song remains the only single from the 007 film to be released in the United States.
From 1986 onwards, Duran Duran consisted of only three members: Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, and John Taylor, and they released the album "Notorious," which also became a hit. Another song from this LP that was very successful in Brazil was "A Matter Of Feeling," reaching number one on the radio.
In January 1988, Duran Duran came to Brazil for the first time to play in São Paulo (at Morumbi Stadium) and Rio de Janeiro (at Praça da Apoteose). It was the peak of Duran Duran's success in the country.
Also in '88, another album was released, "Big Thing", featuring the beautiful song "Too Late Marlene".
In 1993, the band recorded their second album, known as "The Wedding Album" because it featured photos of their parents' weddings on the cover. It included two unforgettable hits: "Ordinary World" and "Come Undone".In 1995, the band released the album "Thank You," featuring covers of various famous artists. One of the standout tracks was "Lay Lady Lay," originally by Bob Dylan.
In the following years, the group released a few albums, but without the same great impact as their previous works.
Duran Duran never completely disbanded, however, the lineup changed several times. In 2000, the original members reunited, causing a great stir in the music world.
In 2021, their 15th studio album, "Future Past," was released to commemorate the 40th anniversary of their first album in 1981. Currently, the members of Duran Duran are touring in support of "Future Past."
They also announced that they will release a new album, scheduled for the end of 2023. The work will feature a former bandmate: guitarist Andy Taylor.
DURAN DURAN - FUTPEDIAMUSIC SELECTION
Duran Duran
Futpediamusic Selection
20 Songs To Download
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