Yet, as I actually listened to their music, it grew me on me. They were pretty prolific and definitely form a part of the tapestry of music in the ‘80s for me.
It was band member John Taylor’s birthday yesterday, offering a good chance to look back on the career of Duran Duran.
In the beginning
John Taylor and his buddy Nick Rhodes formed Duran Duran in 1978, and slowly assembled the band that would include Roger Taylor, Andy Taylor and lead singer Simon Le Bon.
John Taylor and his buddy Nick Rhodes formed Duran Duran in 1978, and slowly assembled the band that would include Roger Taylor, Andy Taylor and lead singer Simon Le Bon.
Their debut album “Duran Duran” came out in 1981. They released four singles, but none charted in North America, although “Girls on Film” peaked at number five in the United Kingdom,
It was their second album where I first encountered the music of Duran Duran.
Rio
I always liked the titles of Duran Duran’s albums and songs. They just seemed really neat, creative and provocative. I also heard they thought up the videos first then wrote the songs to go with them. At first I thought that was kind of selling out. Yet as I thought more about it, an artist gets their inspiration wherever they want. It is my choice to listen or not to listen.
I always liked the titles of Duran Duran’s albums and songs. They just seemed really neat, creative and provocative. I also heard they thought up the videos first then wrote the songs to go with them. At first I thought that was kind of selling out. Yet as I thought more about it, an artist gets their inspiration wherever they want. It is my choice to listen or not to listen.
So, first in my cousin’s bedroom, then the radio and video shows on television, I chose to listen to Duran Duran.
Their second album, “Rio”, came out in 1982. The first single was “Hungry Like the Wolf”, which was their breakout song. “Hungry Like the Wolf” had a really good accompanying video – which was not a surprise. It went all the way to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and peaked at number one in Canada.
“Save a Prayer”, which is one of my favourite Duran Duran songs, came out next, but did not chart in either Canada or the United States, which I found surprising.
Their final single from “Rio” was the title track, which also seemed to get a lot of air play and peaked at number three in Canada, and got as high as number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Looking back, with all the air play I thought Duran Duran was getting, I thought they would have had more chart success in the States. However, it did seem to translate to that in Canada.
The band released another album entitled “Duran Duran” in the United States in 1983. It produced one single, “Is There Something I Should Know?” which peaked at number three in Canada and at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.
That set the stage for their next albums, which were big hits.
Chart topping
In 1983, Duran Duran released “Seven and the Ragged Tiger”, an album with one of the coolest names I have ever heard. The first single had the equally cool title “Union of The Snake”. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and number two in Canada.
In 1983, Duran Duran released “Seven and the Ragged Tiger”, an album with one of the coolest names I have ever heard. The first single had the equally cool title “Union of The Snake”. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and number two in Canada.
The second single was “New Moon on Monday”, another favourite of mine, that went all the way to number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 14 in Canada.
“The Reflex” was the final single released off “Seven and the Ragged Tiger”, and became their biggest hit to that point, going all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and number three in Canada. I still like the opening line, with Simon LeBon singing “The Reflex” and the word just seems to echo for a beat.
Live in concert
In 1984, I really started getting into music, when I was transitioning from Grade 9 and junior high to high school. That is why I associate all the Duran Duran songs up to this point with junior high and the drama it can entail.
In 1984, I really started getting into music, when I was transitioning from Grade 9 and junior high to high school. That is why I associate all the Duran Duran songs up to this point with junior high and the drama it can entail.
When I started getting into music, and listening to the radio regularly, Duran Duran had a new song come out. “The Wild Boys” peaked at number two on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Canadian charts. I heard it was from the album “Arena”, and just discovered that was not a studio album, but a live album. “The Wild Boys” was the only new release, and it was a good one.
Between albums
Duran Duran released a couple singles between albums in 1985.
Duran Duran released a couple singles between albums in 1985.
They re-released “Save a Prayer”, which peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 17 in Canada. That explains why I thought it did a lot better, because I was hearing it on its second release.
The band also wrote “A View to a Kill”, the theme song for the latest James Bond movie of the same name. “A View to a Kill” went all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and in Canada, making it the only theme song from a James Bond movie to hit number one.
Notorious
Duran Duran released “Notorious”, their next studio album, in 1986. The title track and debut single went all the way to number two on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 10 in Canada.
Duran Duran released “Notorious”, their next studio album, in 1986. The title track and debut single went all the way to number two on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 10 in Canada.
They did not have another top 20 single from that album, and I pretty much lost track of them after that.
They did have two more singles “Skin Trade”, which went to number 39, and “Meet El Presidente”, which went to number 70.
Duran Duran would put out two more albums in the 1980s, but I didn’t hear either of them. They also had one more hit, “I Don’t Want Your Love”, which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.
The years after
Duran Duran kept on writing, recording and performing into the 90s and beyond. The one song I remember is “Ordinary World”, from 1992, which peaked at number one in Canada and number three on the Billboard Hot 100. They would have one more top 10 single to date, “Come Undone”, which peaked at number two in Canada and number seven on the Billboard Hot 100.
Duran Duran kept on writing, recording and performing into the 90s and beyond. The one song I remember is “Ordinary World”, from 1992, which peaked at number one in Canada and number three on the Billboard Hot 100. They would have one more top 10 single to date, “Come Undone”, which peaked at number two in Canada and number seven on the Billboard Hot 100.
John Taylor left Duran Duran in 1997, to pursue a solo career and acting, while the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
You got the power
After recording “A View to a Kill” in 1985, Duran Duran took a break. John Taylor and Andy Taylor went off to form the Power Station, but that’s another story.
After recording “A View to a Kill” in 1985, Duran Duran took a break. John Taylor and Andy Taylor went off to form the Power Station, but that’s another story.
Parting thoughts
Teenage life makes you do strange things. I didn’t like Duran Durn for a long time, strictly because of the people who listened to them. It had nothing to do with their music.
Teenage life makes you do strange things. I didn’t like Duran Durn for a long time, strictly because of the people who listened to them. It had nothing to do with their music.
Not that Duran Duran knew, or cared about a teenager in Coaldale, because they kept putting out music that kept getting solid air play on the radio.
That music is another part of the tapestry of the sound track of the ‘80s.
And John Taylor was there the whole time playing bass.
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