Duran Duran: Classic or Dud?

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Can't believe this hasn't been done. Obviously, they are one of the best 80's pop bands but I've a feeling others will not agree...

― james e l, Saturday, 21 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

The most classic of the classics. Except for Notorious, which was crap.

― Ally, Saturday, 21 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

CLASSIC

― Geordie Racer, Saturday, 21 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

I'm going to say "Classic." They're even more than just a guilty pleasure. While they may have seemed slightly ridiculous at the time, their music...for the large part...has really stood the test of time. To my ears, everything they recorded through SEVEN & THE RAGGED TIGER still holds up (especially the RIO album). Subtract the surface gloss and new romantic shenanigans, and the tunes are still there, I think. The same cannot be said for Spandau Ballet. And they're still going today (albeit without John Taylor anymore). Bless'em.

― alex in nyc, Saturday, 21 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Damn straight Duran Duran are classic! I will stick a mascara wand in the eye of anyone who would defame Nick Rhodes' honor.

― Nicole, Saturday, 21 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Interviewed Nick Rhodes once, nice chap. He claimed responsibility for Duran Duran's best moment, the idea to use the camera click-track at the start of "Girls On Film." The RIO singles hold up splendid, first and third album singles mostly okay. I suppose classic for that whole teenybop period. Classic also for the clothes, the haircuts, and the videos. After 1985, resolutely dud (with stay of execution granted for "Ordinary World," an ordinary tune with a surprisingly affecting lyric).

― AP, Saturday, 21 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

In terms of the first five years, so classic it hurts. Hell, freaking *beyond* classic. I'd actually come right flat out and say _Rio_ is one of the best and most influential albums of all time, which might horrify Nick, based on his take them in the synth pierrot piece, but I have to note -- where from your end in the UK they seemed like the butt-end of that era, in the US they and Culture Club were the ones who busted the door wide open commercially and led a lot of people to start exploring the whole New Romantic dealy bop from there. Yet it's not only rampant nostalgia for me, the darn thing actually holds up well to repeating playing, goofy lyrics and all.

"7UP! Between Sixth and...BROADWAY!"

It was all downhill when Andy Taylor released "Take It Easy," granted.

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 21 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

'Venice is drowning in sparkling jism'

Utter classic band for le Bon's voice alone nevermind the awesome ripoff of Japan's best album (Paul Morley-you iz a twit).

Nick Rhodes - holy idol like Ron Mael.

Andy Taylor - your bar in Whitley Bay iz shit !

― Hungry..., Sunday, 22 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Has anyone even twitchd the steering wheel towards dud unconsciously. No. Because we all proudly and serenely drive by on the classic side of the street, at a speed where we all know the vehicle is an extension of our body, and y'know, we LOVE our body.

Even Biba Kopf (quite) liked Duran Duran.

― mark s, Sunday, 22 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Classic I guess. I mean there's something sublime in singing "flex- flex-flex" esp in combination with that dodgy special fx thing they had in the video. Most of the singles of that album are pop-music at it's best. The come-back shit I don't rate, bands like that should live forever in the 80s.

― Omar, Monday, 23 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Duran were that rare thing - an intellectual boy band. The political posturing now seems beautifully poised: from the maximum hippie upset of the Rio video – which was generation gap explosive in 1982 (or whenever it was) to their Burroughs inspired meditations on the commodification of the male body in the ‘Wild Boys’ video.

In many ways the band that remind me most of Duran now are Radiohead.

The only disappointment is that for a band that began wanting to be Chic they were quite rockist, never producing a genuine disco anthem. Perhaps for that failing not a 100% classic.

― Guy, Monday, 23 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Ah come on, someone must think they were dud! Not me though. Favourite Duran moments (all from '81-'85, what a surprise): - "Planet Earth": total high-impact futurism, huge rotating synths.
- "Girls On Film": camera click-track as mentioned.
- great Morley interview, reprinted in ASK - of all the bands he tried to demolish they seem the most impervious (as opposed to Jerry Garcia, Ted Nugent etc.).
- "Rio" video: obviously both not serious (he's drinking a cocktail underwater!) and quite serious.
- no need for Goth in my life post- "Union Of The Snake" and "The Wild Boys" which seemed more outrageously horrible and beautifully debauched than anything the Birthday Party or Xymox could have mustered.
- my music teacher conducting a poll to find out what was the best thing in the Top 40 and 80% of kids voting for "The Reflex" even the cool ones who liked electro. Teacher was quite upset as Duran was a manufactured boy band etc. etc. God knows what boring thing he wanted to win.
- "A View To A Kill": my James Bond will always be slick, decadent, 80s and copping off with Grace Jones. Yeah, classic.

― Tom, Monday, 23 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Everyone seems to have conveniently forgotten "Thank You" ,the covers album. Grotesque versions of "White Lines" and "Watching the detectives" amongst others.

For me total dud, especially Le Bon's nasal braying. I can't deny that "Rio" and "Hungry Like.." are good pop, but there's only so much billowy-shirted, fake suntan opulence I can bear. Wham did that so much better - I think because they didn't have (or kept hidden until Georges'solo career) the muso tendencies that puffed-up Duran into such an ugly spectacle.

I do like "Ordinary World" though - great melody.

― Dr. C, Monday, 23 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Guy, care to explain the Duran/Radiohead comparison?

― Nicole, Monday, 23 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Classic for the album cover to Rio alone.

― Sterling Clover, Monday, 23 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Obviously, Nicole, it's because Thom Yorke is a frustrated boy band member DYING TO GET OUT.

Hungry Like the Wolf is the best song ever, and not just because I've always been convinced it's about oral sex. The video is just the most fantastic thing - I mean, wtf is going on in it? Why do they seem angry? Why are they chasing that girl, and then why is she chasing them? What's with the war paint? Why flip over a table? It's amazing, and so much better than the way overrated Rio video. I think all videos should look like Hungry Like the Wolf. I'd kill to watch Radiohead run around like that, flipping over tables and chasing war- painted girls in the jungle.

― Ally, Monday, 23 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Actually, out of all of Duran Duran's videos I've always had a secret soft spot for a View to a Kill. The idea of them being in a Bond film was a brilliant one. Makes more sense than Russell Crowe, anyway.

But all of the early videos were quite brilliant. Wild Boys in particular is so OTT that I would kill to see something near its like today.

― Nicole, Monday, 23 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

I find it hard to reconcile my feelings on Duran Duran because my experience with the band is so tied up with an angsty teenage romance I had with a rabid "Durannie", which was my first love. Ahhh, those glorious days sitting in her room staring longingly into her eyes, as she reached over and flipped the tape over. But you know what? While I remember most of Rio and Seven and the Ragged Tiger fondly, I can't really bring up many memories of the Arena live album even though I know she played it. For that, all I can draw upon is a day spent in front of the TV at my grandparents' place, watching the video for "Wild Boys", whereupon my grandfather comes up to me and says, "That's filth!" When I asked why he said, "They're just sitting there repeating 'fuck off, fuck off!'" (said in the style of the chant of "wild boys, wild boys, wild boys..."). I think he got his hearing aid shortly after that.

― Sean Carruthers, Monday, 23 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

I would have to say "Classic" they were one of my favorite bands of the 80's and I still love them now!!They weredoing things long before any other bands out there!!

― Debbie, Tuesday, 24 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Why are Radiohead the new Duran?

Both are cute, charming, doomy, arty, angsty, made it big Stateside, owe more to Bowie than they’ll ever admit, surf the wave of current political fads (aspiration & no-logo respectively), make the old feel young.

Why are Radiohead not the new Duran?

Not enough hair products or trips to the make-up counter, no aspiring artist in the band, not enough singles.

― Guy, Tuesday, 24 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Radiohead are cute?!

― Ally, Tuesday, 24 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Maybe Guy is making a point about different ideas of attractiveness ;) No, seriously, I hope he doesn't think Johnny Greenwood is the cute one. (What about John Taylor's skinny arms in the Save a Prayer video?!?!)

CLASSIC for image, as everyone has already said, but DUD for Simon LeBon's voice, which only Dr. C seems to have noticed. (Gosh, what could be worse than the "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" cover?)

What does mark's post mean? I do feel like I'm jumping on a bandwagon by saying CLASSIC for image cos I've spent many years trying to distance myself from my childhood infatuations...

― youn, Tuesday, 24 April 2001 00:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

six months pass...

It is time to revive this time-honored topic once again. I would just liike to point out that the lead singer's name is something as cool as Simon Le Bon, I mean come on now, how can you not love that? Their songs don't make any sense, which is brilliant. Taking Sides: Trance version of Ordinary World or Duran Duran version?

― Ally, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

For me total dud
For once I have to agree with Dr.C. I can't believe it. Everyone else thinks they are classic. Maybe ILM should be renamed ILP like in I Love Pop. And this is not even good pop. Utter rubbish.

― alex in mainhattan, Wednesday, 21 November 2001 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

duran duran = music so no namechange needed

duran duran = roXoR also

― mark s, Wednesday, 21 November 2001 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

alex in mainhattan = long-lost German cousin of Alex in NYC

― Robin Carmody, Wednesday, 21 November 2001 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Death to rockists.

― Ally, Wednesday, 21 November 2001 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Death to music! Now we'll see who cares.

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 21 November 2001 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Search: The grammar school dance troupe Sparkle Motion and their spellbinding routine to "Notorious" in Donnie Darko.

― Arthur, Wednesday, 21 November 2001 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

eight months pass...

I would say DUD but last night I heard 'Save a Prayer' for the first time in years and it felt strangely affecting, sad, beautiful, very lonely ....a one-night-stand as fleeting glimpse of paradise/intimacy never to be fully attained. I almost blubbed, maybes its the weather...

― stevo, Friday, 2 August 2002 00:00 (sixteen years ago) Permalink

i love barbarella. i also love duran duran - the band. at the moment i'm really into "seven and the ragged tiger" - its got those gems "reflex" and "new moon on monday".

― di, Saturday, 3 August 2002 00:00 (sixteen years ago) Permalink

"New Moon on Monday" = most underrated hit from the early days. I remember being mad as heck it wasn't on the original Decade compilation [thankfully Greatest corrects this omission].

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 3 August 2002 00:00 (sixteen years ago) Permalink

The first eponymous album (1981) is now available on CD with "Is There Something I Should Know?" (1983) slap bang in the middle, not even dumped at the back as an extra track. Eh? The cover photo is amusing, Andy Taylor clearly wishes he was in Whitesnake.

I dug out the 12" of The Reflex a few days ago and the extended version is called the "Dance Mix". Now it would have to be something like the "Chics For Free mix".

― Mike Ratford, Saturday, 3 August 2002 00:00 (sixteen years ago) Permalink

ten months pass...

I'm going to start a Duran cover band called 'Night Version'!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 20 June 2003 04:47 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

spencer i want to be in your band!!

― geeta (geeta), Friday, 20 June 2003 05:51 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

You guys all know what my answer's going to be in regards to the question posed, right?

If not, you are obviously very thick and need to check out some prime swampland real estate I'm about ready to sell to you. Either that or you've just started reading this forum.

― Innocent Dreamer (Dee the Lurker), Friday, 20 June 2003 06:07 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

Duran Duran album tracks - search and destroy, anyone?

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Friday, 20 June 2003 06:11 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

Anyone who cannot see the brilliance of "Do You Believe in Shame?", "Palomino", "Michael You've Got a Lot to Answer For", "Sin of the City", "Love Voodoo", "Big Bang Generation", "Winter Marches On", "Hold Me", "Playing with Uranium", "Fragment"/"Last Day on Earth", or any one of the other beyond brilliant post-1985 Duran songs just does not understand Duran Duran. Period. So THERE. ;)

Search & destroy? For me, I'd have to search just about every single Duran song out there, with the possible exceptions of "Shotgun" and "UMF" (off The Wedding Album) and "911 is a Joke" and "I Wanna Take You Higher" (off Thank You). Those four could be destroyed, thank you very much.

― Innocent Dreamer (Dee the Lurker), Friday, 20 June 2003 06:17 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

C'mon Dee, Arcadia vs. Power Station: what's the verdict?!

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Friday, 20 June 2003 06:26 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

that alex in mainhattan 'ilp' post above is so classic

― James Blount (James Blount), Friday, 20 June 2003 07:16 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

oh and duran duran - classic obv.

― James Blount (James Blount), Friday, 20 June 2003 07:16 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

Does anyone really need to know my opinion on this matter? I think you can guess. Classiclassiclassiclassic!

Hungry Like The Wolf is about ORAL SEX?!?!?!? Oh my god, I never knew that. Hey, I mean, I was 12 when it came out, it never dawned on my horny prepubescent brain! That makes it somehow ever better!

I think I've told the story about my Durannie friend and her super-indie boyfriend who sneered at Duran. She said "What would you say to a band who wanted to be a cross between the Sex Pistols, Chic and Brian Eno?" And he went "That would be my NEW FAVOURITE BAND EVAH!!!" and she shoved Rio at him and said "meet your new favourite band evah, suckah."

― kate (kate), Friday, 20 June 2003 07:24 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

Amazing. I thought no one agreed with me on my choices of Duran Duran's best and worst songs, but I could have written down exactly what Innocent Dreamer did above!

And don't forget to search for Arcadia, another fantastic album.

― Tijn, Friday, 20 June 2003 08:26 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

no one's mentioned the single "please please tell me now" yet. i think that's my favourite. also "new moon on monday", 'cos it has that classic cold war pop vibe, at least the video kinda did.

― cameron, Friday, 20 June 2003 09:28 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

no one's mentioned the single "please please tell me now" yet.

Because it was possibly the worst single they ever released! Come on, even at the age of 13 or whatever, I knew that.

New Moon On Monday was actually kinda ace. Yeah. I have the tendency to completely write off Seven and the Ragged Tiger, but it definitely had its moments.

― kate (kate), Friday, 20 June 2003 09:30 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

"New Moon on Monday" is good, but can't get with the revival. Hated them then, and still do. Maybe the third time around I'll get it? They just sound like a crap Japan to me.

(Also, considering how much everybody loved "Ordinary World" at the time, notice how it sounds even more shit now than their 80s stuff does?)

― dave q, Friday, 20 June 2003 09:33 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

kate , maybe puberty made the difference; i was only about eleven. i haven't heard it in years either.

― cameron, Friday, 20 June 2003 09:51 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

Cameron, I think perhaps I hated it so much because it was stuck right in the middle of the re-release of the first album. So I associate it with the butchery of the singles/running order of that order. Heard in its own context, it might not be so bad, but on Duran Duran, it just sounds out of place and jarring and wrong.

― kate (kate), Friday, 20 June 2003 09:54 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

and plus it does have the line "you're about as easy as a nuclear war" (more cold war paranoia blah blah)

― cameron, Friday, 20 June 2003 09:55 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

Oh dear lord... ::ROTFL:: ... you should have seen the fun that the DD fan fict community had with that line!

Oh, and DD are ace, simply for having such an incredible body of work dedicated to their fan fiction. Maybe it's just cause I've only read good DD FF, (thanks, UMF/Lovely Blue Planet Of There) but it's of such a blatantly higher calibre that you think they must be doing something right.

(The one time that a band's fans can be held in their favour)

― kate (kate), Friday, 20 June 2003 10:02 (fifteen years ago) Permalink

Skipping 233 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

It really is good. It sounds like a follow-up to Rio without sounding like it's trying to be a follow-up to Rio, and the actual songs are good as well. There's not a duff moment on the whole thing.

The only problem I have with it (if it's even a problem) is that it sounds a bit too '80s. Also, all the television appearances are on housewife shows like Loose Women and The One Show, which shits me a bit. Duran Duran's never been a backward-looking band so I hope it isn't starting now.

― Bentley Rhythm Trayce (Autumn Almanac), Sunday, 2 January 2011 12:20 (eight years ago) Permalink

What a crap sentence.

― Bentley Rhythm Trayce (Autumn Almanac), Sunday, 2 January 2011 12:20 (eight years ago) Permalink

two months pass...

New interview at the Quietus with Simon Price:

http://thequietus.com/articles/05889-duran-duran-interview-all-you-need-is-now

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 17 March 2011 15:49 (seven years ago) Permalink

Duran Duran's never been a backward-looking band so I hope it isn't starting now.

I hope so. I mean, after the disastrous "Red Carpet Massacre", which was even worse than "Big Thing" (another disappointing album that would have benefited from being a bit more backward-looking)

― You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Thursday, 17 March 2011 22:21 (seven years ago) Permalink

I thought Astronaut was quite a poor album apart from Nice and Taste the Summer, it seems like they've done a whole album with that kind of sound.

"Nice" and "Taste The Summer" sound more like "Notorious" tracks than "Rio" tracks though.

― You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Thursday, 17 March 2011 22:23 (seven years ago) Permalink

one year passes...

Happy 30th to Rio.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 8 May 2012 21:13 (six years ago) Permalink

Watched its Classic Albums" chapter Sunday afternoon!

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 8 May 2012 21:14 (six years ago) Permalink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr3HCNIgv40

― Vini Reilly Invasion (Elvis Telecom), Wednesday, 9 May 2012 02:11 (six years ago) Permalink

I suppose one or two of their songs I *do* have a mild soft spot for... but mostly dud.

Japan, on the other hand...

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Thursday, 10 May 2012 00:47 (six years ago) Permalink

ten months pass...

Apologies for the spam but I really think Duran Duran fans (and fans of Japan, post punk, new pop and glam) will find this feature interesting.

Duran Duran Versus Japan - The Substance Of Style

(It's not about who's better by the way...)

― Doran, Sunday, 31 March 2013 15:28 (five years ago) Permalink

Fantastic article for sure.

― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 31 March 2013 15:31 (five years ago) Permalink

Damn! Impressive.

― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 31 March 2013 15:33 (five years ago) Permalink

I've been listening to a lot of Duran Duran (81-82) and David Sylvian (83-85) lately so I thought this would be perfect reading right now but I didn't like it very much.

― brotherlovesdub, Sunday, 31 March 2013 15:58 (five years ago) Permalink

love it.

― mr.raffles, Sunday, 31 March 2013 23:22 (five years ago) Permalink

six months pass...

Thanks to Geir (and unregistered) I'm listening to Rio again.

This album is a fucking miracle, right?

― check yr poptimism (imago), Sunday, 6 October 2013 01:14 (five years ago) Permalink

completely and utterly

― obi wankin' obi (Autumn Almanac), Sunday, 6 October 2013 01:33 (five years ago) Permalink

check the 'Classic Albums' Rio doc if you haven't seen it. one of the better episodes for sure IMO.

― piscesx, Sunday, 6 October 2013 01:35 (five years ago) Permalink

four years pass...

Ordinary world is classic

― done and dusted (Ross), Friday, 4 May 2018 06:39 (nine months ago) Permalink

Come Undone is better though

― NO REGERTS (Ye Mad Puffin), Friday, 4 May 2018 09:11 (nine months ago) Permalink

I love this band. I won't dismiss any of their albums - Liberty might arguably be their weakest & the production doesn't do it any favours, but it still has some really great songs on it.

To me, they released their best work to date with their 13th album All You Need Is Now.
I'm very fond of Big Thing too.

― Valentijn, Friday, 4 May 2018 09:58 (nine months ago) Permalink

I'm pretty sure I've posted about this before but:

Circa 1981, my best friend's older sister (let's call her Stephanie) had a Journey poster on her bedroom door. In it, Steve Perry is singing a note that appears to emanate from his lower intestine. His eyes are tightly closed; sweat is pouring down his face. His hair looks a bit like Joan Baez's; his jeans scrupulously follow the contours of his testicles.

By 1983, Steve was gone from Stephanie's door. It now held the icy-cool stares of Duran Duran, in Members Only-style jackets against a backdrop of lavender and aqua. Their lipstick perfectly matches the color of their immaculately pleated pants.

All I need to know about the difference between the 70s and 80s I learned from Stephanie's door.

I immediately started saving up to buy a Roland Juno 6.

― NO REGERTS (Ye Mad Puffin), Friday, 4 May 2018 10:06 (nine months ago) Permalink

Side 2 of Big Thing is fantastic, and the b-sides were pretty good too.

― brotherlovesdub, Friday, 4 May 2018 17:55 (nine months ago) Permalink

one month passes...

https://www.alcoholprofessor.com/blog/2018/06/20/taylor-made-cocktails/

― mick signals, Wednesday, 20 June 2018 21:06 (seven months ago) Permalink

three weeks pass...

Well...

― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Friday, 13 July 2018 19:06 (seven months ago) Permalink

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/duran-durans-simon-le-bon-denies-sexual-misconduct-allegation-698560/

― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Friday, 13 July 2018 19:08 (seven months ago) Permalink

It's obviously a sensitive subject, and one person's word against another, but just from that article it doesn't seem to ring true.

― groovypanda, Friday, 13 July 2018 19:26 (seven months ago) Permalink

glad we got that sorted

― ( ͡☉ ͜ʖ ͡☉) (jim in vancouver), Friday, 13 July 2018 19:33 (seven months ago) Permalink

two months pass...

Can someone please explain?.

― You like queer? I like queer. Still like queer. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 12 October 2018 02:03 (four months ago) Permalink

link doesn't work but you can always post a question here it's ilm after all

― niels, Friday, 12 October 2018 08:48 (four months ago) Permalink

Sorry. The reason for this strange behavior.

― You like queer? I like queer. Still like queer. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 12 October 2018 11:03 (four months ago) Permalink

Great write-ups Alfred.

― Gavin, Leeds, Friday, 12 October 2018 12:23 (four months ago) Permalink

I wish the rest of their albums were as good as Rio - the leap from the debut to that is incredible, but fucking hell did they hit a wall fast creatively.

― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Friday, 12 October 2018 12:28 (four months ago) Permalink

Great write-ups Alfred.

― Gavin, Leeds

Thanks!

― You like queer? I like queer. Still like queer. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 12 October 2018 12:36 (four months ago) Permalink

My list would be very similar. I'd put Notorious behind Seven Ragged & The Tiger. I guess I'd probably throw in All You Need Is Now in seventh place as the best of their later albums (not there is much competition).

I listened to Big Thing recently and it was slightly better than I remembered. It still has some issues though.

― kitchen person, Friday, 12 October 2018 15:01 (four months ago) Permalink

Notorious is a great album, I still remember listening to it in my room on Christmas Day 1986 and my dad stopping in the doorway, listening for a sec, and approvingly saying "This is Duran Duran? I thought they were terrible". It was Winter Marches On playing. So from then on I was like "ah, this is their album that adults like" and now, as an adult, I do still quite like it! The first three albums I love in the uncritical way you love stuff from your childhood, but they're also somewhat inaccessible now for that reason. But I can listen to Notorious whenever and dig it.

― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Friday, 12 October 2018 15:38 (four months ago) Permalink

still don't get why "Hold Me" wasn't the follow-up to "Notorious."

― You like queer? I like queer. Still like queer. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 12 October 2018 15:39 (four months ago) Permalink

Can someone please explain?

Please please tell you now

― Yah Mo B. Hawkins (Ye Mad Puffin), Friday, 12 October 2018 15:46 (four months ago) Permalink

yeah, Hold Me makes way more sense as a single than Skin Trade! I would have released Meet El Presidente -> Hold Me -> American Science as singles.

― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Friday, 12 October 2018 15:56 (four months ago) Permalink

I remember reading an interview with Nick a while back where he was talking about Skin Trade. The band and the label thought it was the huge hit on the album. When the title track slightly under-performed, they weren't worried because they knew they had Skin Trade as the secret weapon. They were shocked when it did so badly. Not sure why they thought Meet El Presidente would turn things around when it came to picking a third single.

― kitchen person, Friday, 12 October 2018 17:01 (four months ago) Permalink

They even named the tour after a "Skin Trade" lyric: Strange Behavior.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 12 October 2018 17:44 (four months ago) Permalink

Wait, what? Underperformed in the UK, maybe. In the United States, it was a massive #2 hit.

xpost

― You like queer? I like queer. Still like queer. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 12 October 2018 18:27 (four months ago) Permalink

Nah, "Skin Trade" only reached #39 US.

I bought the 45 back in '87, so I did my part!

But it's funny you say Y-100 in Miami broke "Ordinary World." I lived in South Florida at the time and remember it was Power 96 that played that song to death.

― Josefa, Friday, 12 October 2018 19:09 (four months ago) Permalink

Josefa, I meant "Notorious" in case it wasn't clear.

I remember "Ordinary World" on Y-100, which was inching toward all-A/C in late '92 and early '93, but you might be right.

Wow, after all these years, I didn't know your history! A shout-out!

― You like queer? I like queer. Still like queer. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 12 October 2018 19:15 (four months ago) Permalink

Oh sorry, re Notorious.

Yeah, ancient history at this point, but I cherish the memories and still try to make it down there once in a while

― Josefa, Friday, 12 October 2018 19:18 (four months ago) Permalink

[South Florida content here:] Power 96 of course was the freestyle station back in those days, but occasionally they would latch on to some power ballad they considered meaningful and play it in high rotation. "Winds of Change" by the Scorpions was another one.

― Josefa, Friday, 12 October 2018 19:30 (four months ago) Permalink

Ah no way, Alfred. "So Red The Rose" is excellent even if bloated.

― An Uphill Battle For Legumes (Capitaine Jay Vee), Friday, 12 October 2018 20:38 (four months ago) Permalink

yeah it's second behind Rio based on what I've heard

tt keeps telling me that SATRT is quite good but I'm really scared to hear it. really I'm scared to hear anything that isn't Rio - it's hard to hear a band capable of all-time brilliance cranking out shit

― imago, Friday, 12 October 2018 20:41 (four months ago) Permalink

side two of SATRG is perfect, the non-single tracks on side one are kinda weak

― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Friday, 12 October 2018 20:58 (four months ago) Permalink

"Strange CO-inci-DENCE each time you. look. my way."

― You like queer? I like queer. Still like queer. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 12 October 2018 21:03 (four months ago) Permalink

Never been entirely sure what's so bad about 7&TRT, tbh, but the "uncritical way you love stuff from your childhood" complicates things for me too. (Everything up to Notorious really.) I'm totally digging "Of Crime & Passion" this instant. Can't face "The Reflex" though, admittedly.

Related: is there an obvious reason why "A Matter of Feeling" is seemingly Spotify's favourite Notorious track by a wide margin?

― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Friday, 12 October 2018 22:06 (four months ago) Permalink

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