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Arriving at the dawn of MTV in the early 1980s, no one symbolized the New Romantic and music video revolutions like Duran Duran. They were the British masters of style, from their well-coiffed hair and colorful glam to their funk-laced pop-rock that cross-pollinated genres into a dynamic brew.
Singer Simon LeBon, guitarist Andy Taylor, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor, and drummer Roger Taylor offered a combination of music and image that was tailor made for MTV, a pioneering cable TV network that they readily embraced and helped launch their career which flourished throughout the '80s and into the '90s.
Months after their sophomore album Rio was released in May 1982, Duran Duran became an international sensation and generated a frenzy of adoration.
Three of the album's sexy videos were filmed in Sri Lanka with future Highlander director Russell Mulcahy, while the video for the title track was later shot in Antigua, adding an air of exoticism to the group. If they had emerged today, Duran Duran would likely have been pegged as a boy band despite the fact that they are accomplished musicians. Their long-term vitality has solidified that fact.
Thirty-nine years into their career, Duran Duran still thrive and their music remains just as vibrant.
Four of the original members remain; guitarist Andy Taylor departed again after their classic line-up reunion album Astronaut in 2004 and its subsequent tour, and he has since been replaced by Dom Brown. (Taylor also contributed to the unreleased Reportage in 2006.) The group's recent release Paper Gods, which included collaborations with Kiesza, Mr Hudson, John Frusciante, Janelle Monae, and Lindsey Lohan, became their first top 10 album in 22 years. The subsequent tour has lasted eight legs and will encompass nearly 100 dates with the group having headlined amphitheaters and arenas here and abroad.
Co-founding member Nick Rhodes spoke with the Observer at length recently about the band's early days, the success and influence of Rio, how it played into some of their recent work, and offered a glimpse into his future personal projects.
While they know Duran Duran became a big thing through MTV, many people don't realize that it took several months for Rio to really break in America.
When we first...