Duran Duran

Duran Duran
The keyboard player Nick Rhodes and guitarist John Taylor had a notion of making a musical band. Auditions were arranged. Responses came from Roger Taylor (drummer); Andy Taylor (guitarist) and Simon Le Bon (lead Vocals). In Birmingham , England , 1978, "Duran Duran" was formed. They started rehearsing in a night club "Rum Runner". Their debut met with some underground dance club success.

By 1980 the band signed a record contract with EMI. The band's first album, "Duran Duran" was released in 1981. The first single, "Planet Earth", reached the United Kingdom 's Top 20 at Number 12. A follow-up, "Careless Memories" stalled at Number 37. However, it was their third single, "Girls On Film", that harvested them the most attention. The song went to Number 5 in the UK . The album stayed on charts for 118 weeks. Duran Duran hit the top of the charts once more with their subsequent album " Rio " in 1982. It was positioned number two on UK charts and later climbed to the top in the US music charts. The reputation of Duran Duran built through music videos, which heightened their fashion-model looks and glamorous sense of style . The clever videos helped make Duran Duran's rise to popularity remarkably swift.

Their exposure in the US was greatly enhanced by the emergence of MTV. The television channel put the glamorous videos of the group in grave rotation. MTV's constant playing of the videos paid off, and "Hungry like the Wolf" became a Top 10 hit early in 1983. "Rio" followed the single into the Top 10, eventually selling over two million copies.In 1981, the band went for their first US club tour, followed by more dates in Germany and the UK . Duran Duran began to achieve recognition beyond their home country.

In the fall of 1983, band unleashed their next blockbuster album "Seven and the Ragged Tiger". It included super hits like " Union of the Snake ", New Moon on Monday" and "The Reflex". Duran Duran thus had Top Twenty hits off of three albums in a single year. The band then embarked a massive around-the-world tour during the first four months of 1984. Duran Duran was enjoying the apex of their music career.

Between 1982 and 1984, Duran Duran rocketed from underground British post-punk sensations to teen idols. But their fall from grace was equally fast. By the late '80s, the group's lineup had fragmented, and the remaining members had trouble landing hit singles. The album "Big Thing", 1988, was moderately appreciated by their fans. The fame of Duran Duran was waning due to their personal conflicts and, according to some, disagreements over money. Same happened with their album of 1990, " Liberty ". The record failed to capitalize on any regained momentum.

Nevertheless, the group pulled off a surprising comeback in the early '90s as a sophisticated soft-rock band. The expansion of internet fueled resurrection in Duran Duran's popularity. People began to catch up the albums they had missed through Duran Duran's website. In 1993, the band released a second self-titled album. This album is informally known as the "Wedding Album". Its single "Ordinary World" went on to win a prestigious Ivor Novello Award for songwriting. The album was followed by heavy touring of The Middle East, South Africa , Israel , Thailand , Indonesia and South America . In 1996, John Taylor left the band to pursue a solo career, leaving the group a trio of Le Bon, Rhodes, and Cuccurullo. The following album, "Medazzaland", released in 1997 failed to produce any major hits. 2000's "Pop Trash" suffered a similar fate. In 2001, five Duran Duran members reunited and stepped in the pop music world with a new zeal and vigor. They recorded on and off for a new album over the next three years and also toured now and then. After signing with Epic, they released "Astronaut" in October of 2004.

This summer is full of Duran Duran concerts in the US and their tickets are selling like hot cakes. Do get one for yourself!!