Back Together Again: Original Duran Duran

Yahoo ^ | 10/19/2004 | AP

[mabelkitty]

NEW YORK - They played the obligatory classics: "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Girls on Film." But when Simon Le Bon ripped into the chorus of the new single "(Reach Up for the) Sunrise," the sun suddenly illuminated Times Square as if to officially mark a new day for Duran Duran.

As the original five members performed for "Good Morning America" last week, it seemed the planets had finally aligned for a band that had been ignored through its ever-changing lineup and lackluster albums of the past ten years.

The British quintet once created a fan hysteria that was compared to the Beatles', and they are largely credited for ushering in the music video age with their innovative and exotic clips. Still, until recently, they couldn't buy the sort of publicity they're now enjoying.

"We are really pleased to be back in the history books where for a while it looked as though we were being written out of them," Le Bon told The Associated Press, commenting on the Lifetime Achievement award MTV finally bestowed upon the video pioneers last year and the sudden excitement over Duran Duran's 12th album, "Astronaut."

[danmar]

I believe you're talking about "Eye of the Tiger" sung by "Survivor, also the theme song for the movie "Over the Top" featuring Silvester Stallone.

[smonk]

---SPEWWWWW.....coke on keyboard alert!! Thank you very much!!!!---

just wait'll you see the hall and oates album cover that I posted downstream, and a photo of some joker who's name I've already forgotten.

HEY - it was a "lousy music ping", was it not? :)

[rocky88]

"Q. "Is this movie in 3-D?"
A. "No, but your face is!"

Deborah Foreman's character to Nicholas Cage's (about her parents' health food store): "Like, it's not cool at all! Like, it's all this stuff that tastes like nothing and it's supposed to be so good for you. Why couldn't they, like, open a Pizza Hut or something?" "

LOL! Hey, did you notice how those cute ruffly miniskirts came back in style this past year? The first thing I thought of was the whole valley girl look, and I was wishing I was a teenager again so I could get away with wearing one!! It's funny when you look at the younger kids and they have no idea about where that look actually came from.

[JediForce]

That's her...Nena yuuuummmmm.

Probably looks like Lizzy Edwards today though. ;-(

[Alkhin]

I lika mah shollermahpads.

Eddie Murphy :

"Dis is mah hemmet an' dis is mah shollahmapads. Wi'out mah hemmet an' mah shollamapads, Ah cain't play foo-ball..."

Only thing is...I appreciate the humor of the 80s now more as an adult than I did then. For some strange reason most of it did not seem that funny to me...

[free_kiwi]

And don't forget his previous band Missing Persons - absolutely brilliant group. I loved "Spring Session M".

[Revolting cat!]

[ConservativeStatement]

The greatest hits CD is a good listen. "Walking in LA..."

[abner]

Ping to remind me to post the photo of me and Duran Duran in 1994. I won front row seats and a photo op with the band.

The next time I saw them in about 1996, Simon was practically falling off the stage and getting all of the words to his own songs wrong. It was really sad.

[diamond6]

Hey Rintense, it's been a while, where have you been?

[JSteff]

"The 80's music genre was the best. Having been a teenager during those time, hearing this makes me happy (especially since they were one of my favorites)"

The eighties music was fun and everything made you want to dance. Like the inside of one of my compilation CD's says "they were the days when radio was unafraid to play dance hits"

INXS, Echo and the Bunnymen, Squeeze, Berlin, B52's, Erasure, Devo, David Bowie, Eurythmics, The Cars, The Romantics, The Motels, Sandau Ballet, Blondie,... so many and so much fun! It was a good time.

[ConservativeStatement]

Gabrielle Kerner was her name, and though the video showed her hairy pits -- a major turn off -- she was otherwise a babe. Other classic videos: "Big Log" by Robert Plant; "You Might Think" by the Cars; "House of Fun" by Madness; "Pretty Woman" by Van Halen (before MTV banned it); and Nena's other video "Just a Dream."

[tarheelswamprat]

OH, and Simon is married to a woman of middle eastern decent and I believe they live in France so...well, just something to consider. Rio was written a LONG time ago, before he met his middle eastern wife and before he resided full time in France. Point of no return is much more current and probably more reflective of, at least Simon's attitude, toward our country today. Could give a flip less personally, but I don't think we should falsely give them the status currently of pro-US.

Thanks for the updated information and informed perspective!

As I said, it's been a year or so since I read that interview. It was a fluff piece and there was no mention of any so-called "weighty issues", so I can't speak as to what the band members' opinions are vis a vis the "war on terror" and such. I have no idea what their politics are, nor do I care.

I just found it refreshing to hear a foreign rock band state how much they love and appreciate America and to openly acknowlege that they owed their success to their American fans. The fact that they didn't use the interview as an opportunity to bash America, as so many others are doing, was what caught my attention.

They may indeed disagree with our current national leadership and policies, but I don't have a problem with honorable disagreement. It's possible for them to disagree and to criticise and still love America and her people. As long as that disagreement, if that is the case, does not transition to dangerous activism such as campaigning for John Kerry or fund-raising concerts for Al Quaida, Hamas or the PLO or otherwise actively giving aid and comfort to our enemies, then I don't have a problem with them.

[weegee]

Where do THEY stand on the 2004 erection?

[JSteff]

Definitely

[JSteff]

"Riding on The Metro - Berlin"

They had a bunch of great songs but the one that gets the most play is still the "Take My Breath Away". I always hated that one because I still associate it with Tom Cruz.

[ConservativeStatement]

Patty Benatar made some good videos, too. "Lipstick Lies," one of her least known songs, was a good video as was "I'm Gonna Follow You" and "Precious Time."

[JSteff]

"It's interesting how much variety you'd see on a Top 40 list in the 80s....lots of experimental stuff along with the schlocky pop, etc. Contrast that to today."

Everybody was trying something different while still trying (mostly) to keep a bounce to it. It was interesting while staying fun. I loved the 80's.
\
It was fun AND Reagan was the President. Good Stuff.

[ConservativeStatement]

1980: Reagan won the White House, Pete Rose won a World Series and the sensational performance of the US Olympic Hockey team.

[rocky88]

"Aunt Bunny fell down the steps!!! Aunt Bunny fell down the steps!!!"

(I'd type more but I can't stop laughing!!)