December 3 | Duran Duran have regretfully had to pull out of their upcoming South African tour dates [which were slated to take place December 7 – 12] because the show promoter defaulted on the contract, leaving the band members with no other option but to cancel the shows.

The band announced on its website that it was forced to cancel its South African tour because the promoter had defaulted on the contract. But Hunta Live said when it suggested the band perform fewer shows because of poor ticket sales, they chose to pull out

The show promotor, Hunta Live, in answer to Duran Duran's statement answer with the following press release:

Duran Duran – SA Tour Cancelled | 30 November 2010: For immediate distribution

Hunta Live regretfully announced today that Duran Duran’s Tour to South Africa has been cancelled due to disappointing sales at the box office.

“We have tried to negotiate a reduced number of shows in South Africa with the Band’s management in order to go ahead with the Tour as planned, but sadly could not reach an agreement.

This is the first tour Hunta Live has ever had to cancel – and after a great year, it is a big disappointment for us too. We apologise to all the fans for any inconvenience caused due to the short notice but would like to assure them that we are doing everything we can from our side to secure dates for next year to bring the Super Group that is Duran Duran to South Africa”, says Sam Hendrikse, CEO of Hunta Live. All ticket holders can get a full refund from any Computicket outlet on their tickets purchased for Duran Duran. Tour updates to be announced in the press.

The band's promoters have not given a reason for the cancellation

The promoter has not disclosed any information to Computicket as to why the performances have been cancelled," says Shoprite Checkers Pty [ltd] assistant communications manager Lise-Marie Greeff-Villet in a statement.

duranasty.com's contact in South Africa, who works in the media, says:

"Word on the street is that Duran Duran cancelled their South African tour because the organisers did not pay the deposit..."

duranasty.com has a step into the present, one into the past and eyes always looking to the future

In 1993 Duran Duran took advantage of the end of apartheid and made history as the first western rock band to tour South Africa. But instead of finding a land at ease with itself, they arrived to find the place in turmoil and walked into the middle of the terrifying backlash over the wretched murder of respected black activist and ANC leader Chris Hani.
They expected to spend their days leisurely sightseeing, but instead were virtually imprisoned in their hotel rooms watching the riots through the bedroom windows. An innocent request to a taxi driver to take them on a voyage of discovery to Soweto was met with horror, disbelief and vigorous warnings that if they went to Soweto the chances were that they wouldn't return to tell the tale.

”When we were told two journalists had just been shot and another mutilated we decided to turn back," said john Taylor. Tension, you can take it, was rampant.
In the end they came though it with flying colours, not to mention body, spirit and reputation firmly intact. Duran played ten shows to audiences that ranged from 10 to 20,000 a night, and were given a rapturous reception, appearing in every major city, including Durban, Capetown, and Pretoria.

Despite the violence they even managed to get out on one or two shopping sprees, buying up a selection of African masks, and attended the premiere of the movie ’Malcom X' where they chatted with representatives of the ANC. In Johannesburg, they even got to record a single with local musicians to commemorate Chris Hani’s murder. It went some way to balancing the succession of avaricious musicians who broke the cultural boycott to appear at South Africa's rich man's playground Sun City in the Eighties. Flying to Paraguay to play in front of a mere 40,000 crowd immediately afterwards seemed like a breeze in comparison. [Rock World | O'Regan]

Rehearsals with local musicians to commemorate Chris Hani’s murder. The band with Duran's great back up singer Lamya Al-Mugheiry [RIP 8/1/09] and Fergus Gerrand, the british percussionist and drummer on that tour.

 

Too Much Information For Me

 

We actually don't know what happened on iTunes yesterday but Mediterranea and All You Need Is Now songs showed up two weeks before they were meant to! A mistake for sure but the songs are already circulating among the fans. duranasty.com doesn't encourage illegal download and hopes that every Duran Duran fan will get their copy of the single, the EP and the album in the only way that will give our band a chance to get on top of the charts:

Buy it, Get it legally on iTtunes on December 14 and 21!

One of the fans who was lucky enough to legally download Mediterranea sent me her first impressions on the song. "Mediterranea opens with a thunder and sea noise, then develops in a beautiful high tone melody on a background electronic soundscape that seems to be taken directly from a William Orbit/Madonna 90’s album. The leading guitar is prominent and the not immediately memorable singing melody lead turns into a somewhat more familiar A-ha like anguish chorus. Simon’s voice is clear and in top shape, as sharp and pop as it is, maybe for the first time since Come Undone. The only reference to Mediterranean sounds might the be the initial percussion sounds but with its Duran signature bass this is a modern ballad that shares more elements with late 80’s Duran slow tracks [Grey Lady Of The Sea?] than Ordinary World. A smart, pleasant anthemic move."

Mediterranea Leak

 

  • According to The Scenestar [website] Nick Egan [and/or his crew] has been shooting club scenes or Duran Duran's upcoming video inside Bardot in LA last night [Bardot is a local club, which had a Smiths-Cure night]. But the band was not there. So everyone in LA don't freak, Duran Duran are not in LA at the moment. [thanks to MM]
  • I have been in touch with Jamie Walton recently, the cello player on the new album [if you missed duranasty.com inteview chek it out here]. I asked him if he could reveal [now that the tracklist of the album has been published] in which of the 9 tracks he played cello... he said: "I worked on Being Followed and [more significantly] Before the Rain - FANTASTIC songs. Before The Rain is really strong...
  • No Gwen, No Kylie, No Rihanna, etc... Remember this post with filled with hypothesis about the possible female vocal on 'Leopard', well, forget about it! From a reliable source I have been informed that isn't any of them... things are now getting even more interesting... I assume is gonna be a total surprise then!
  • Upcoming magazines with Duran...

Chew magazine, it will be available for purchase online from 6 December 2010 and it's the After Hours issue [and no, they are not featured on the cover]

John & Nick did a photo shoot today in London for LOVE magazine.

On november 30 the band did a photo shoot for L'Uomo Vogue

  • The standard edition of Live at Hammersmith 82! has been published on september 28, this has been quite ignored almost everywhere in the Duran World. Check it out here musicmovies.it
  • Get a big untagged picture of Simon and Nick performing with Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. at Abbey Road Studios in London 25 nov 2010

On the left Simon at the studio in London November 29, 2010

Out and About | Lucy Yeomans and Nick Rhodes at Harper's Bazaar GSK Contemporary reception, Sketch, London, Britain - 30th Nov 2010

 

In this interview from Spinner.com Nick says: " Mark Ronson. "He's the perfect producer for Duran Duran

[...] He gets all of our references. He, like us, looks into other worlds - into fashion, art, photography, graphic design. He's interested in those things and he has a lot of the same references," Rhodes says. "It's important that we maintain our identity and, if anything Mark has done to bring focus back to the band is zero in on the true identity of Duran Duran.

[...] When you make a record, you get in there with the best intentions to make something that captures people's imaginations, something that really taps into the consciousness," Rhodes says. "We want to find a way to affect people, to touch people. Having Mark on board for us this time has enabled us to do more simply in that he already knew that's what we needed to do. I have no doubt that the series of songs that are on this record are as good as anything we've done for decades really. I hope [the public] will agree and that people connect with them emotionally in the way that they have with us during the writing process."

Nick at the studio in London, november 29, 2010

 

Above pciture Simon and the winner of the Paul Walters Guitar Prize, Richard Craker. London November 2010

 

 

 

I'm with the band | The cold, the rain, the snow and the long wait... only die-hard fans like duranasty.com's precious correspondent Alison can stand all this to get the best pics for you. Enjoy this lovely photo report. Photos were taken during the recent rehearsals days in preparation for the unlucky South African Tour. [On the left Alison and the guys]

To everyone who steal pics and graphics from duranasty.com [without even crediting the site] and post them all over facebook, I don't usually comment this habit, I just accept it and think it's just a way to show your apreciation and enjoyment towards this site but please respect the hard work of the fans who took the pictures, as these are their property. So please, if you like to share any of these pics on fb just link back to this page. Thanks from duranasty.com

On november 29 Simon and Nick went to the recording studio as Simon had to laid down the final vocal on the record

 

 

Last but not least | I don't usually do auto-celebration of duranasty.com posting any of the compliments and nice emails I get from you but I'll do an exception this time. I guess I just have to post this spontaneous and lovely email sent by Jacqui Copland, backing vocalist on Duran Duran's Big Thing World Tour. Many thanks Jaquie!

[Jackie photographed with Simon and Nick in the two 1989 pics below. The blond girl is Melanie Redmond, the other backing vocalist]

 

Hello,
I've just looked at the amazing page you did for The Big Thing re-release and it is first class!! I bought the re-release and was delighted with it.

Something for me to show the kids one day. It was a great album and I'd forgotten how exciting the show was after such a long time.

However small your part is, you don't always appreciate the magic until it's over. Certainly made me smile and took me back to some moments.


Very best wishes
Jacqui Copland

 

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