Underrated band. They're remembered as kind of a punching bag due to their kind of silly music videos and really lame 90s comeback attempts (like covering "White Lines" and "911 is a Joke", WTF?), but the music and lyrics were often brilliant and even at their worst not much different than other mainstream pop at the time.
If any of the current neo-80s retro acts managed to put together anything as good as "The Chauffeur" the hipster crowd would be all over it, and it would get 10/10 on Pitchfork:
There's another rarely mentioned aspect of Duran Duran though. At one point early on they had Stephen Duffy in the band. Yes, Stephen Duffy was in Duran Duran. I'm serious, look it up. If they'd kept him I think they would have been able to change with the times a lot more gracefully and might even still be a major musical force today. Think about it.
@Starblind Thanks for posting that. I used to love that song but hadn't thought about in years. Back in the 80s I had a friend who was a film student at SF State. I did some of the soundtrack for her final project on an Apple ][-based music production system. Much of it was shamelessly stolen from this song.
I'll happily admit that I can appreciate them every day! Everything that @Starblind said is spot on. Yes, the videos were stupid. But so were the vast majority back then.
Well lets get it started off right
Underrated band. They're remembered as kind of a punching bag due to their kind of silly music videos and really lame 90s comeback attempts (like covering "White Lines" and "911 is a Joke", WTF?), but the music and lyrics were often brilliant and even at their worst not much different than other mainstream pop at the time.
If any of the current neo-80s retro acts managed to put together anything as good as "The Chauffeur" the hipster crowd would be all over it, and it would get 10/10 on Pitchfork:
There's another rarely mentioned aspect of Duran Duran though. At one point early on they had Stephen Duffy in the band. Yes, Stephen Duffy was in Duran Duran. I'm serious, look it up. If they'd kept him I think they would have been able to change with the times a lot more gracefully and might even still be a major musical force today. Think about it.
@Starblind Thanks for posting that. I used to love that song but hadn't thought about in years. Back in the 80s I had a friend who was a film student at SF State. I did some of the soundtrack for her final project on an Apple ][-based music production system. Much of it was shamelessly stolen from this song.
I went to a Duran Duran concert in 1994. They put on a great show! Side note: Rupaul opened for them.
I'll happily admit that I can appreciate them every day! Everything that @Starblind said is spot on. Yes, the videos were stupid. But so were the vast majority back then.
@jaremelz The ones with nude and partly-nude girls weren't stupid. At least to someone in his early twenties at the time.
@SSteve Did someone like Tawny Kitane a little too much? ;)
@jaremelz They had names?
@SSteve Sorry, Girl Writhing On Car #3. That better?
@jaremelz Oh, I completely remember her!
They have a new release and are currently on tour.
Latest video
@Starblind @jaremelz I think all good music deserves to have stupid videos. I find them immensely entertaining.
It's a shame what happened to MTV and VH1, but now we have Vevo to be our VJ. Load it up on Roku and it's background for a party.
And the current goat is NOT A FAN... so let's post more music... :)
@thismyusername anything that makes his life hell.
@thismyusername I am surprised you remembered that. NO, I loved all things 80's, but Duran Duran was NOT one of them - I am not sure why.
@jaremelz You make my life hell on a daily basis.
@mfladd Well then I'd say my work here is done, but this particular job brings too much joy to quit. Joy to me, mind you, and that's what counts!
Wow, this really tickles my nostalgia bone. I was just the right age to be completely obsessed.
I see what you did there! The "I was lost / then I was found / I'm hunting after you" theme goes well with today's Meh sale.