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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZDURAN DURANUK pop quintet formed Birmingham '78. Original lineup: Nick Rhodes (real name Nick Bates), keyboards; John Taylor, guitar; Steve Duffy (aka Tin Tin), vocals, bass; Simon Colley, bass, clarinet. Played first gig at Barbarella's (name of group comes from '67 sci-fi film Barbarella). Duffy and Colley left; J. Taylor moved to bass, Roger Taylor (drums) and Alan Curtis (guitar) joined; Andy Wickett and Jeff Thomas passed through as vocalists; Andy Taylor recruited through advert in trade press to replace Curtis (three Taylors not related). They were managed by owners of the Rum Runner club; London art student Simon Le Bon was recruited '80. Signed by EMI after a tour supporting Hazel O'Connor, debut single 'Planet Earth' reached UK top 20 early '81; three more hit singles that year plus eponymous LP were successful. All '82 releases made top ten e.g. 'Hungry Like The Wolf', 'Save A Prayer' and 'Rio'; second LP Rio sealed them as a teenypop sensation. Songs less tuneful and lyrically more obscure than in most such acts, but their good looks and videos made in exotic locations (such as Sri Lanka) made up in the marketplace for musical shortcomings; still, when the Princess of Wales turned out to be a Duran fan some of us began worrying about the Royal Family. First '83 single 'Is There Something I Should Know' entered charts at no. 1; next 'Union Of The Snake' no. 3; album Carnival was remixes, third album Seven And The Ragged Tiger '83 a big Xmas seller, Arena '84 was no. 4 LP USA (hit single 'Wild Boys'). With Notorious '86 they were apparently down to one Taylor '87 but it didn't seem to matter. Big Things '88, Decade '89, Liberty '90, Duran Duran '93 with changing lineups continued charting in the USA; incredibly, they were still around to climb on the cover version bandwaggon with Thank You '95 on Parlophone, songs by Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Lou Reed, Public Enemy etc. John Taylor left '97, leaving Rhodes as sole original. |