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Duran Duran burst forth from the English New Wave scene to dominate the 80s charts. The flamboyant fivesome were one of the first bands to connect with fans through their music videos – their first, Hungry Like The Wolf, launching weeks after the birth of music television
It all began in Birmingham, England, circa 1978 when Nick Rhodes and John Taylor formed a group inspired by "the DIY energy of the Sex Pistols, the style of Bowie and the danceability of CHIC." They took their name from Dr Durand Durand of Sixties movie Barbarella(also the name of one of their early Birmingham venues).
The band's lineup solidified in 1979 with Simon Le Bon on vocals, Nick Rhodes on keyboards, John Taylor playing bass, Roger Taylor on drums and Andy Taylor on guitar. The overtly stylish group who sported heavy makeup and billowing clothes played countless shows around Birmingham and London's New Romantic clubs - famed for Renaissance dress and moody, futuristic sounds. The band generated serious buzz and scored a major label deal. Their eponymous debut came out in 1981 and the third single, Girls On Film went to #5 in the UK before the controversial video was even filmed. Featuring images of scantily clad women mud wrestling, it was banned by the BBC and heavily edited for the fledgling music channel, but helped to intensify the band's mystique, sense of danger and status as the world's first "video band."
In 1982 they burst onto the world stage with the Rio LP and soon became the biggest band in the world. Their edgy Hungry Like The Wolf video helped the band climb the charts in the US before the New Romantic sound had taken hold. The band supported Blondie on tour and also hit Australia, Japan and the US, followed by screaming girls wherever they went.
Recorded over six drug-drenched months in Sydney, their third album Seven and The Ragged Tiger hit #1 in the UK and #8 in the US in 1983. A global tour followed. Their next video for Wild Boys was a suitably cinematic epic that cost a million dollars. In 1985 they recorded a chart-topping Bond theme.
Later that year, exhausted after years of decadent partying and relentless touring, they took a break as Duran Duran fever began to cool off. It was at this point styles diverged; Andy and John Taylor started Power Station, a rock supergroup with Robert Palmer and Tony Thompson, whilst Nick Rhodes and Simon LeBon started gothy art rock band Arcadia. Roger Taylor played bass for both bands, but after their Live Aid performance left the band. The original members wouldn't play again until 2003.
The trio released two more LPs, Notorious and Big Thing - though each produced a Top Ten single, they were notably less successful than previous efforts. 1989 saw their Greatest Hits album and Liberty. By this point Warren Cuccurullo had become a permanent member. Their mid 90s effort, Thank You was blasted in the press as the grunge movement took hold.
Founding member John Taylor left to pursue a solo career soon after, and the members left made Medazzaland (1997) and Pop Trash(2000).
In early 2001 the five founding members decided to reform the original Duran Duran, and fired Cuccurullo. They began to write new material, celebrated their 25th anniversary with a sold out 25 date American tour in June 2003, followed by a series of shows with Robbie Williams in Australia. The following year a UK tour including blazing sets at the Wembley Arena completed their comeback. 2004's Astronaut produced A View To Kill, a #1 Billboard Dance Charts hit. Andy Taylor left the band permanently in October 2006.
Duran Duran worked with legendary producer Timbaland and pop star Justin Timberlake on their latest LP, The Red Carpet Massacre – proving their ability to evolve with the times.
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