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November
16 | Duran Duran were one of the attractions of SWU
Music & Arts Festival, held on november 12, 13
and 14 in Paulinia, São Paulo. They played on the Energia
stage for 75 minutes in front of 45000 people. In an interview
with the brazilian website Terra, John Taylor said "Festivals
are true celebrations of music,"
Here
is a translation of this nice interview | John said
the band is very happy to be back in Brazil to play live -
their last visit to the country was in 2008. "We always
talk about the power of the public. Everything is magical
here, the people are beautiful and passionate. We have a great
connection with the Brazilians". Then he smiles and says:
"It was great to see women in bikinis on the beach, perhaps
the best memory. There is no ugly people in Brazil, at least
I didn't find any."
The national
music also drew the attention of the band members. "I
really like the work of Tom Jobin. I think
the songs in Portuguese are
more poetic. One day I want to learn the language"
Duran
Duran in Sao Paulo played for a wide audience, 45,000 people!
"I am very happy. I think the festivals are true celebrations
of music. A return to Brazil in style". Taylor also said
that he will be present in the audience. "I really want
to see Peter Gabriel, one of my favorites.
His creativity has no limits."
The Duran
guys also attended Ringo's 'All Star
Band' from side of stage. Roger commented on his
facebook page "Got to see one of my childhood heroes
perform in Sao Paulo last night... a personal dream realised".
In the
interview John defined himself a music lover so he loves music
from other decades but he enjoy also some of the current production.
"I respect and admire Lady Gaga. His
recordings are fantastic, especially the track Shiz. She works
hard and always pursuing her goals. She's definitely a very
special person".
Our friend
and correspondent Faby Torras and her friends
have traveled from Argentina to attend this great event. Faby
has just sent a nice report of her fan experience in Sao Paulo,
check it out!
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Up
close and Personal, Duran Duran in Sao Paulo!
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A
day by day report by Faby, our supercool duran fan from Argentina
who flew to Brazil to see the guys.
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Saturday
November 12th | Duranies united! | Ariel, Victor and
I took a flight from Buenos Aires at 6 am in the morning headed
to Sao Paulo. As we landed, we went to pick up the car we had
rented since we were staying in the city centre and Paulinia,
the city where the SWU Festival was held, was about 100 kilometers
away from SP. At the airport, we met Paula who came from Rio
for the show, and we got into our car and drove straight to the
Duran Duran hotel in the Sao Paulo.
At noon, as I was arriving to the hotel, Roger was coming out!
So Ariel and Victor jumped out of the car to meet him, and I was
trying to find a place to park, something really, really difficult
in SP, but Victor had a better idea: Ariel and him took pics with
Roger, and then Victor ran to the car and told me "I´m
done, go get Roger and I will drive the car round the block!",
so I got off the car and saw Roger. As I said hello, he looked
at me and said "I remember you. You came to London, right?
That´s where I remember you from!". I was so shocked
to hear that! He was really kind, took pictures, we talked for
a little while and he went to do some shopping on his own.
A few minutes later, he came back, and stopped again for pictures
and autographs with everyone. Among the things I had with me for
them to autograph, I had four pictures of mine with each member
of the band, all taken in London. So, as I gave him the picture
that was taken at the studio in February, Roger said "See?
This is why I remember you". So very nice!
Right behind him, John appeared, he had done
some shopping as well. He stopped to take pictures and do autographs.
He was really nice, talked to us all. A couple of hours after
that, I had to leave for the airport again since Gerardo and Guillermo
had taken another flight, and I had to pick them up. As I was
about to leave, Ariel saw Nick coming out of the hotel, so he
ran to the place where I had the car and told Victor and me, shouting
like a crazy person "Faaaabyyy! It´s Nick! Run!".
So, as you can imagine, I left the car again, and ran back to
the hotel, but Nick had already left. Lucky for me, he was walking,
and I caught up with him. He was with Dave, of course he stopped.
I had my All You Need Is Now 12" record with me. He said
hello, and signed it for me. And I asked "How was your flight?",
and he answered "Longggg!" and Dave added "But
enjoyable!".
In
the pics Faby Torras with the guys in Sao Paulo
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"Nick
knows exactly what he has to do to leave you speachless and trembling
like a five year old child" |
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We
talked for a while, and I said "I was parking my car, and
ran out to see if I could catch you. I had a print of the design
I made for the t-shirt contest that I wanted to show you... But
I left it in the car...", and he answered with a lovely smile
looking right into my eyes and said: "Don´t worry.
I am sure we will have plenty of time for you to show it to me".
[He is so cool. He knows exactly what he has to do to leave you
speachless and trembling like a five year old child]. We had a
picture taken, and he went shopping with Dave.
By
the time Nick was back, there were about 35 people waiting at
the hotel, and it was kind of messy, you know? But Nick was nice,
and cool. He took pics, signed autographs and even spoke on the
phone with someone who asked him to talk to a friend of hers.
Dave filmed it all with Nick´s Ipad. At
this moment, a couple of screaming girls appeared... [hey, it's
not 1984 anymore!?] I was standing near Nick, but I wasn´t
going to ask for anything, since I really hate it when there are
many fans running around like crazy people! But Nick saw I had
my 12" Sound of Plastic in my hand, he looked
at me and said "Oh my God...", then
grabbed it from my hand and wrote "To Fabiana, Nick Rhodes".
I
was so shocked, I mean, I did not ask for anything... and he came
to me and signed it, with a dedication... and I did not say my
name. And yes, I am still alive.... |
The
guys arriving in San Paulo on november 12... looking a little
bit tired at the Internacional Airport in Guarulhos after a 12
hours flight |
Simon
and John singing in the rain!
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Sunday
November 13th | Show day !
We left
really early in the morning for Paulinia since it was at abut
100 kilometers away from Sao Paulo, and thanks
to Amanda, Marcelo and Paula, we got inside the venue first
and got our spots in the front row! It was really hot, and then
after a couple of hours, it started to rain! For like 2 hours!
Duran Duran were playing at 19:15, but the show was delayed
and it all started near 21:00. And once it started, it was the
greatest party ever!
If you watch
the videos on youtube, you can see us with All You Need Is Now
t-shirts on and the flag originally made for the [postponed]
UK tour...
As the
concert ended, a producer of the SWU Festival came up to us
and asked "Did you come from Argentina just to see Duran
Duran?" and we said "Yes!", so she asked if she
could interview us, and we stayed for a while and I answered
some questions to her. A few minutes later, It was on the SWU
Festival website!
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Girl
Panic! in Sao Paulo
| Monday
November 14th: The guys were supposed to leave at about
6 pm with a BA flight. The weather was awful, it rained and rained.
There were many fans outside the hotel, as well. So at about 2 pm
I told Paula and Amanda that we should go to the airport, and try
to see them there, since the weather was so bad and we had to return
the cars and take our flights at 7:30 pm. And so they agreed and
we left, got to the airport, returned the cars, and got it all over
with to meet them. In a bit Anna, Dom and Simon Willescroft, arrived.
Dom looked at me and said "You were front row last night, weren´t
you?" So cool! They were all very nice and we got pics with
them all. |
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A few minutes
later, the guys arrived in two vans. I went stright to Simon
since I hadn´t seen him, and I gave him a bag and Said
"Hi Simon. This is your b-day present from me, I could
not make the Canada date" and he smiled and said "Blimey!
Thanks very much...Can I take it on the plane with me?"
and I said "of course you can, they are sweets from Argentina,
Alfajores and Dulce de leche cones"...He gave me a huge
smile! Then he signed my picture with him and he made a drawing
of a heart with a face smiling on it as well.
Gerardo
and I chatted with Roger, he was nice to him saying "Hey..I
remember you from London..." Then I saw Nick, he was alone.
I gave him the picture from last May, one taken outside his
house... And he said "Oh, is this the one we took the other
day?", and I answered "No, this was last May, outside
your house": And he went "Oh right..I live there!"
And he signed "To Fabiana, Nick Rhodes x" And made
a heart on it. So sweet. So,
after him, I went for JT, he was already inside the airport.
I got close to him and he said to me and Ariel "Oh, you
were in the front row last night, with the All You Need Is Now
t-shirts, right?", so we said "Yes, did you see the
flag?", and he said "Of course I did!". Such
a cool man!
As they
were checking in, I was filming them all... Simon winked at
me and showed me how he was packing the sweets I gave him and
other candy that Paula gave him. He is so funny sometimes! So,
while they were there, I told Paula we should ask for a group
picture, and I told them all to let me ask Nick. So, as they
came out from the British Airways desk, I said to Nick "Nick,
could we have a group picture taken with the four of you?",
and he said "Well, ok I think we have time. Let me ask
the rest....Guys? Guys?!? They want to do a group picture...
[and he was grabbing Simon´s arm...so funny! like making
him stop]". So they stopped, and I gave my camera to Craig,
and so did other 2 people. And Simon started saying "Everyone
who wants to be in the picture get on this side of the airport..."
And so, John was bending in front of to me, to try not to cover
me and I said "John, you are too tall!", so he turned
around, looked at me and nodded [so funny!] and went to the
back!. As the picture was being taken, Gerardo says to Simon
"1, 2, 3 sex! right, Simon?". And Simon said "Yeeeah!"
That was a really cool moment! Then
they all left. I still cannot believe it all happened that way.
Thanks guys, that was heaven!
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"Was
a fun show in Sao Paulo last night, on the way we drove through
the most torrential storm imaginable... actually a little scary"
Dom
Brown, November
14
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"We
like to think that we're a bit like David Bowie"
John
Taylor, Sao Paulo, November 12, 2011
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Another
cool interview to John Taylor was released by local website
'Virgula' | Here is the translation by duranasty.com.
Virgula
| I was there when you played at the Hollywood Rock in 1988
to a packed stadium in Sao Paulo. What you remember of that
show?
John
Taylor | Wow! It was the Notorious Tour [editor note The Strange
Behaviour Tour], we had a great band accompanying us. It was
our first time in Brazil and it was amazing.
We had
never done a show for so many people in our entire life. I
remember that the festival had also Simply Red, UB 40, Supertramp,
an impressive line-up.
At that
time I was a little afraid of Brazil. I remember people telling
you don't do this, don't do that..., it was dangerous to leave
the hotel. I was very happy when we returned in 2008 and saw
that things were different for the better. I went for a walk,
I bought records, I love Tom Jobim and Marisa Monte,
and I could get closer to the Brazilian culture.
pic:
John walking in Sao Paulo on november 12, 2011
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For
those who saw the 1988 show, which is the main change of Duran
Duran over the years?
I think we are a better band now than in '88. Of course we can
not compete with the experience of those who saw our show at 13,
because that's the most special time of everyone's life. But I
think as a group we feel better. For example, our show at Coachella
Festival this year was spectacular and I'm sure we have gained
new fans there.
It's
nice to be able to show Strokes fans who we are and what we're
good at. I know that in the end many of our fans come's from the
80s, but there's a variety of people in the audience, I think
we are able to please people of different generations, that's
what motivates us. We like to think that we're a bit like David
Bowie... a fan of good music, regardless of age, will eventually
be interested in his discography. |
Check
out this
funny video of Michael taking singing lessons from Simon for an
unusual intro to The Reflex! |
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You were one of the most successful bands of
the '80s with a bunch of hits throughout your career. Today's
success is more pulverized, everyone have access to music without
paying. How is it living?
Truth that we were a band of hits but we no longer claim to make
big commercial successes in our career. It is no longer the idea.
But while there's people interested in good music, will be there
to play for them. In the '80, we became very addicted to success,
after all, what Duran Duran would be without their big hits? But
we already experienced that so now our identity is to be a band
that, even after all this time, still want to work together.
We
chose to stay together, that's the most important thing. We're
not on stage for obligation. We still want to make music that
changes people's lives.
Your
story is very much based on albums. How do you see the culture
of record, do you think is running out?
John Taylor - Sometimes I think that bands are dying. There is
a DJ culture, the hip hop. If you look at the charts, top 30,
there's almost no bands there. Most hits come from producers and
singers. In the '70 records were made by 10, 20, 30 people and
up, they were great orchestras, engineers, producers, musicians,
singers, many souls were involved... Today we get records made
by two people, not very deep stuff. But we continue doing what
we did, almost entirely the way we did. It's really a challenge.
Sometimes they say we have been together for money. But that's
not the case: the people whom I like to play music with is in
Duran Duran.
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You
have been living the same routine for so long ... and you are
also one of the few bands from the '80s who never fought in public
...
It's like working in an office. If people are cool, is cool to
work in the office. These guys are what I have as brothers, are
my three brothers. I am proud of what we do. This summer, Simon
lost his voice, and we had to cancel four months of work. Your
vocal cords are the most sensitive part of the band. We had to
go through a lot of stuff throughout our career. We respect each
other greatly. No one within the band ever says "fuck you".
We respect each other as family.
There
is a school to teach how to be a band for 30 years. We met in
1980! And we're still on the life of each other. We have to constantly
reinvent the relationship. Of course we could choose to walk away,
as happens in a family as well. In the mid-'80s, we were all little
"monsters", our inflated egos were a little terrifying
- unless Roger, who has always been a lord. That was a difficult
time, with long tours, ballads and drugs. But we survived to '80s,
so now we can do anything together!
And
what about Brazil, are you going to to stay a little bit and visit
it?
I want, yes. I would love to visit the state of Bahia. Would you
recommend it to me?
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Set
in Sao Paulo
Planet Earth
View To a Kill
All You Need Is Now
Safe
Come Undone
The Reflex
Girl Panic
The Chauffeur
Ordinary World
Notorious
Hungry
Like the Wolf
Sunrise
Wild Boys
Rio
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contact
the editor and webmaster salvo@duranasty.com | the life
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Special
thanks to Faby Torras for the cool report from Sao Paulo and
all the other fans mentioned in this page. Thanks also to M
Peron for some additional live pics. |
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