September 30: Many years have passed since Nick Rhodes was nicknamed by his band mates "One Finger Rhodes" just because he wasn't able to play keyboards with two hands. Now Mr Rhodes is one of the Gods of Keyboards on Planet Earth. The man is known for his constant research of innovative sounds, effects, textures and layers that are a unique trademark of Duran Duran's music. That's why our Nick is one of the artists interviewed for the book "Artists on Recording Techniques" by Jeff Touzeau's of Pro Sound News.

Description of the book: Find out what recording techniques your favorite artists employ during the creative process! Artists on Recording Techniques examines the recording process through an unlikely pair of eyes: those of the artist. Who better to share insights into capturing the creative process than the artists themselves? Everything from vocals to guitar and drums are covered through exclusive full-length interviews from author Jeff Touzeau's 'Music, Etc.' column in Pro Sound News and bonus material never printed before. These one-of-a-kind interviews are published here, unabridged and in their entirety, for the first time ever! The discussions dip into an array of musical styles and genres, providing insight into the recording process from such well-known pop and rock artists as Roger Waters [Pink Floyd], Nick Rhodes [Duran Duran], Gerry Beckley [America], Steven Page [Barenaked Ladies], Joe Jackson, Tony Bennett, and John Fogerty. Artists on Recording Techniques provides musicians, audio technicians, engineers, studio owners, producers, equipment manufacturers, hardware and software designers, and music fans with a rarely seen window into the creative process of some of history's most legendary musicians.

Nick's Live Keyboard setting and Duran Duran's equipements are also object of a nice two pages feature on the japanese version of Keyboard magazine from summer 2008. You can download the two exclusive scans here [thanks to Harumi]:

September 30: Duran Duran’s Red Carpet Massacre Latin American Tour 2008 will kick off on november 4th in Lima [Peru].The official website untill now confirms these six dates:

November 4, 2008: Explanada Del Monumental Lima, Peru
November 7, 2008: GEBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
November 9, 2008: Arena Santiago, Santiago, Chile
November 12, 2008: Coliseo el Campin, Bogotá, Colombia
November 15, 2008: Campo de Futbol Usb, Caracas, Venezuela
November 18, 2008: Figali Convention Center Outdoors, Panama City, Panama

Porto Alegre, Brazil, november 25th ?

My correspondent Amanda in Brazil says: "the great news is that [Although the press is not mentioning it yet] there will be a concert in Brazil in november, sponsored by Pepsi. A person from Pepsi told me they will play in Porto Alegre on november 25th, we are just waiting for some official Duran's announcement soon."

From a very reliable source I also got this news: Duran Duran should be in Mexico City on November 28th and they should play the following dates:

November 28, 2008: Sports Palace, Mexico City, Mexico *now confirmed!*
November 29, 2008: Arena VFG, Guadalajara, Mexico *now confirmed!*

Update september 30: Well... just after one hour I posted the news about the possible Mexico dates, the official websites confirmed them! ;)

There are also rumors that the band will play in Tulsa! According to my source the news has been reported by a local radio.

December 4, 2008: The Brady Theater, Tulsa, Oklahoma ?

Bassist John Taylor says about the upcoming concerts, “Latin American audiences have to be amongst the best in the world. Every time we go there we are charged by the energy that they give us back. We haven’t done a complete run of dates in this part of the world for some time now and we can’t wait.” [live photo by Francesca]

September 28: Jon Howells of Waterstone's catches up with Andy Taylor, to discuss among other things, his brand new autobiography, Wild Boy. In a message he wrote to the fans Jon says:

Hi everyone, I was lucky enough to join Andy and his publishers for lunch the other day in London, then interview him for the Waterstone's website. He was a lovely chap, very friendly and happy to talk about anything and everything. In fact, the interview went over time as Andy was so talkative. The interview [and a competition to win a guitar signed by Andy] is now live on the website - follow the link if you care to read it: waterstones.com

Here is an interesting answer extracted from the exclusive interview :

Any thoughts or regrets on the way it ended this time round, and any way back in the future?

Don't use email to communicate, and if only I had a time machine. I don't know where you would go to next. It would have to be something that hadn't been done before. Perhaps technology will come along that would allow us to do DD 3.0 - never say never but as it stands at the moment, they don't want me and I don't want them. It's mutual, we agree to disagree, no one should be under any illusion. That Timberland/Timberlake record [Duran Duran's Red Carpet Massacre] was, for me, outsourcing creativity in a way that Duran Duran should not do, but the reason I didn't go to the sessions was not because of that, as I say in the book, but because I did not have a work visa. Had I got there I might have quickly lost my rag and said "for fuck's sake, you're a lovely guy but this a Duran Duran record and I'm not sitting at the back of the room looking at the back of your neck, pal". Maybe it would have been a better record, because I'm not starstruck in a recording studio, and if other people are well, hell, that's not Duran Duran. I regret not being able to get there, to at least lose the argument but at least have the argument about it - and they know it. I'm glad my fingerprints aren't on the record. But if I had gone there, it would not have turned out like that, and the band wouldn't be in the position it is now, and the band know that. But you get to a point where you've all said too much and you come to a point where you can't take it back - we had got to that point.

Check out also Andy on BBC Breakfast from september 11, 2008 [from YouTube]

September 25: Nick's chat with Katy is revealing and optimist about the future of the band

In the latest Katy's Kafe up on duranduranmusic.com Nick says the band is really looking forward to come back into the studio and they would like to do some work with Mark Ronson. They only have to coordinate their schedules as Ronson is very busy right now working on two projects [he's producing an album and mixing another]. If the collaboration won't happen for timing reasons for sure "we'll figure something out" Nick says. He also talks about touring and says there's lots of countries left to play so he hopes to play in India, China, Russia, Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria. Talking about Katy... duranduran.com announced the release of the book "Would Someone Please Explain, The best of Duran Duran's ask Katy" for the Holidays.

September 25: After two months I still get reports and stuff from the european tour from my correspondents and various online sources. There would be so much stuff to publish but the Duran Duran's duransty keep on going on and on, so while I would love to put online all the stuff that some dear fans have been sending me over the summer I also want to keep the site fresh and up to date with the current news. So this one is gonna be a summary post with some interesting things about some european dates that have been sent me via email during the summer.

Switzerland, Zurich

First is the report from our friend Dinos, from Greece, who went to Zurich with 2 friends [Marcella and Giannis, you can see those guys in the above picture with the band] to attend the Duran Duran show at the Maag Music Hall. Dinos says:

"It was a cold rainy day so we reached Mag Hall where the concert was taking place very early. I was very excited and anxious as we already had the Vip tickets, my friends were trying to cool me down reassuring me that we would be the winners of the M&G. At last the doors opened and the representative of the DDm appeared and she announced that all VIP holders had won access the M&G. I was thrilled I couldn't wait to meet the whole band in person. Finally the lights went off and the intro music began to play! We were standing in front of the stage and the lights were impressive while the band gave the best self. Each one of them was awsome. After an exhilarating two hours, the time had come to go backstage. they took us in a small dressing room and when the four of them appeared the room seemed even smaller but who cares. Nick was lost in his own world, but still nice. Roger Was cool as always and John was the man, friendly talkative, he appeared to enjoy our admiration and he took the trouble to ask me how our flight was and if I would be going to the Sex Pistols concert after a few days in Athens. Simon was The Star didn't want to be photographed with boys, wonder why? It was a very nice experience, just hope to see the guys back in my country next time! Thank you Duran Duran and see you soon!

 

download the above articles from Switzerland and Austria Der Standard and Obersee Nachrichten

Malta, Malta

The Malta show at Luxol Parade Grounds, Pembroke took place on 26 july 2008 | "If you could judge a country's wealth from its bread, Malta would have to be the richest," says Duran Duran's bass guitarist John Taylor, just after the band's concert, which surpassed two hours and had the crowd going wild at the Luxol Ground on Saturday. Rossella Frigerio says:

"Over 9,000 enthusiastic fans filled the outdoor venue, and the warm evening air was electric with anticipation. By 9:30, the pop rock band made its appearance on stage, unleashing screams of excitement from the crowd. The band [minus Andy Taylor] had Simon Le Bon, John Taylor, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor whip up a frenzy, performing legendary hits from their 30-year music career as well as more recent songs from their latest album."

From backstage, she managed to catch an exclusive glimpse of John, Dom and Roger as they warmed up with an impromptu jam session which was as impressive as their concert… Check it out!

Above some of the press the band had while staying in Malta. Some scans have been posted by jtforever right here on the unofficial board. Here is also The Times Weekender from july 26 [sorry about the quality of reproductions, these are not proper scans but just poor digital pics that have been sent to me via email. Thought it was worth posting them as they are big enough to read clearly the article] cover picture 1 picture 2

a very nice gallery full of professional pics of the Malta show is here

 

Portugal, Lisboa

On Nuno's Duran Duran portuguese website there is a full reportage about the Lisbon show with many fans reviews and pics. Isabel Lopes in one of these reviews says: By the end of “Rio” Simon was shouting to the crowd: "Say one more! Say one more!" as I believe they wanted to play some more… but the organization almost kicked them out and they left the stage after John saying :”Sorry guys.. but we can’t play more!” Great show… too short… for too many hungry fans!! Please come back soon!" Silvia, who kindly sent these great photos, used to run one of the best Duran Duran fanzines in the late 80's and 90's. the fanzine was called "A Duranies Life Assosiation" aka ADLA. [Silvia is on the left with Nick; on the right a group of portueguese fans who joyned the band at their hotel after the show].

The guys played at the Super Bock Super Rock Festival and stayed in Lisbon from july 10 to jluly 12. Below pictures taken by Silvia at the hotel where the band stayed.

 

Sardinia, Cala di Volpe

On agoust 12, Duran Duran were engaged to play at the luxury Cala di Volpe bay and Resort for some Vips and rich people. For the reasonable [!!] price of 1.200 euro you could get a table [wich included dinner] and the Duran Duran show. Local journalist Marella Giovannelli has uploaded some pics with a short report [in italian] right here

Vips and rich dancing and clapping at Duran's show in Sardinia

 
These are two clips from a local sardinian Tv and from the national Rai Uno news. While the band was in Sardinia Simon was joyned by his family for a short vacation. Some unpleasant pics of Simon scratching his "private parts" have made the papers in Uk and the rest of the world a week later. Below you can see full page articles from the Daily Mirror, the Daily Record and the Daily Star all from agoust 12, 2008.

Sardinia, Ibiza, Croatia

Le Bons on vacation

"It was fun with kids, big swims and a little cheeky rosé"

Last week, in his blog, Simon said about Sardina: "I’ve just returned from the longest holiday… ever. At least it seems that way. Sardinia - Bling City, where the money’s so pretty, see the paps and their billionaires play. More scrilla than sense, but I’m sat on the fence; I’m glad I’ll be flying away; it’s getting like St Tropez. Ibiza was fun; not quite the health hazard that I’ve come to expect. Still, I saw a sunrise or two - without managing to poison myself. “Get some sleep” the little alarm voice whispered. It was fun with kids, big swims and a little cheeky rosé. [from dd.com] | Simon and family have been also spotted also in Croatia in agoust in company of local tv star Alka Vuica and old time friend Vuk Vidor.

 

Herning, Denmark

Back to work, one more corporate gig. John wonders "the band might be losing credibility with the people"

On september 6 Duran Duran were again engaged for another private corporate gig for Vestas. A danish fan who maneged to get into the party reports: "DD did very good, got a non DD audience well on their feet. They performed for 85 mins an hit singles type of setlist [pics by bri-lone - Rie]

To anyone who thinks that Duran Duran are becoming a corporate shows band I suggest to read what John says in his last blog:

[...] far cry from the Rum Runner. Thinking this over in bed last night I was worrying myself, that we might be losing credibility with ‘the people’. I have always considered Duran a people’s band, despite what the press has made of us over the years as Thatcherite, Conservative, elitist etc… I don’t think we are. I know that I’m not. I’m a working class kid that has made a career for myself out of music, without any formal music education. Eat that! Here’s what I came up with in bed last night; Would a plumber turn down work in a wealthy house? Not unless he was a fool. If anything, the corporate work we have done this year has helped make us a better band. We are never far from a stage these days, even when we are not in a ‘touring cycle’. Which means that each of us, individually and as a group, keep our edge, or at least our edges don’t get to become quite so fuzzy [...]

September 20, pm update: on september 18 Roger Taylor has been spotted in the front row of London Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2009. At Vivienne Westwoods fashion show [at Brompton Hall] our drummer was seated near Pamela Anderson and her mysterious friend [who was wearing a white mask].

September 20: Visionaire Sound is a music project/prodouct that features an interesting creation by Nick Rhodes entitled Control Freak. It consists of five 12-inch vinyl records, imprinted with images [picture discs], containing approximately 100 minutes of sound content featuring audio experiments, unreleased songs, samples, and spoken word pieces. The 5 records are packaged inside a domed case that also houses a custom-made MINI Clubman “Vinyl Killer” Record Player: a battery-operated toy car containing speakers and a needle. As the little car drives along the record’s groove, it plays each track, acting as a fully portable record player and sound system. The issue also includes 2 CD’s with all the sound content, and a booklet of credits and instructions.Contributors include: Musicians Nick Rhodes, David Byrne, U2, Michael Stipe, Courtney Love, Laurie Anderson, Karl Lagerfeld, Alexander McQueen and many many more…Issues are available now through www.visionaireworld.com

> Download Nick Rhodes's creation for Visionaire Sound "Control Freak" here <

September 19, pm update: Duran Duran top greatest video poll | 1 hour ago from ukpress and rte.ie

Duran Duran's Rio has been named the greatest music video of all time.

The 1982 video, featuring the band in suits on a Caribbean beach being teased by scantily-clad women, beat favourites such as Michael Jackson's Thriller and Madonna's Like a Prayer to claim the title. Bjork's video for her 1999 hit All Is Full of Love, where she played a robot in a steamy clinch with another robot, took second place. Take On Me, the 1985 video from A-ha, where singer Morten Harket was a comic book character who comes to life, was third, followed by Jackson's famously spooky 1983 hit Thriller. Icelandic group Sigur Ros's surreal video for Svefn-g-Englar was fifth in the poll of MTV viewers, followed by the anarchic gig scene in Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit [1991]. Radiohead's Just video [1995], featuring a man inexplicably lying down in the street and Jamiroquai's Virtual Insanity [1996], where he danced on a moving floor, were next. The top ten was completed by Madonna's Like A Prayer [1989], controversial for featuring burning crosses, statues weeping blood and the singer seducing a black Jesus, and US group OK GO's Here It Goes Again [2006], with the band on treadmills.

Around 40,000 MTV viewers voted for the poll. Congratulations guys!

September 19: Exclusive from tvguide.com: Duran Duran Member Rocks Sam Who?

tvguide.com: "Is there something you should know, that I should tell you now, about Samantha Who? Well, should is a strong word, but how about this: Duran Duran bass player John Taylor has booked himself a gig on the ABC comedy. Hungry like a wolf for details? This much I know: The notorious wild boy, who has pretty much zero acting credits to his name, will be playing a lawyer nuclear physicist rocker in one of Season 2's episodes. And no, his name is not Rio. Production on Samantha Who? resumed on Monday as series lead Christina Applegate returned to work, having recuperated from a successful double mastectomy in response to a breast cancer diagnosis. The show's season premiere has been pushed back a week, to Oct. 13, thanks to a certain greedy Dancing show." source

About the Tv serie "Samantha Who?": An accident victim awakens from an eight-day coma with amnesia and must start over. As she does, she learns she wasn't a nice person.

September 19: Very nice pictures and articles [if you can read japanese!] on John Taylor were published back in july in the japanese versions of Esquire magazine [July 2008 Vol.22 No.7] and Rolling Stone [July 2008 No.16]. Thanks to Harumi who just sent these exclusive scans. Download Rolling Stone and Esquire.

September 19: From uncut.co.uk

| Duran Duran's global smash hit second album 'Rio' is to be revisited as part of a new Classic Albums DVD series this October. Duran Duran have specially re-recorded the album's key tracks; “Save A Prayer”, “The Chauffeur”, “New Religion”, “Hungry Like The Wolf” and the title track “Rio” live for the DVD - as well as personally telling the story behind the writing, recording and the aftermath of it's success. 'Classic Albums: Rio' includes stacks of archive footage from the period as well as the newly filmed interviews with original band members Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Roger Taylor. Other interviewees include director Russell Mulcahy, former manager Paul Berrow and Bob Geldof. Classic Albums: Rio is out on Eagle Rock Entertainment on October 27, 2008 source

more updates on this official release coming soon on duranasty.com!

September 19: I got this message from Denise G. [a collaborator of Warren] during the summer, when I was away on vacation. Well, I think it's still worth posting it. So here are the latest on Warren Cuccurullo.

I'am sending you this announcement from Warren for inclusion on your website:
"Warren has asked me to announce that his new album, "Playing in Tongues" which reunites him with Missing Persons/Zappa drummer Terry Bozzio, will be released on Edel Records. Warren considers this his best guitar work ever recorded, now in its final stages of production. He's also excited about his new website venture, HauptCouture - a website featuring t-shirts with a message & for a cause. The shirts are high-quality materials displaying messages that will get people talking about the false and dangerous messages being broadcast by the major media and news outlets. This is a cause that is most important to him, and he's looking forward to sharing it with all of you. www.hauptcouture.com. On that note, he also wants to urge all of you to see the film "September Clues." This definitive breakdown of the details surrounding the 9/11 attacks goes into forensic detail about how the news portrayed this event versus scientific facts debunking the media hype. Simon Shack, the creator of this film, actually joined Nick at a recent show in Rome, so not only is Warren a fan of his, but Shack is a Duran fan as well! Stay well, and keep your eyes and minds open..."
click Warren's myspace page to listen some of his new music here

September 19: The above pics of Roger Taylor and DJ of Soundcaps, Jake Robert, are taken at the After Party of the Smashing Pumpkins Reunion Concert at Horseshoe Casino on August 9, 2008 in Hammond, Indiana. Roger also played another deejay set in Ibiza at Pacha on August 24th, 2008. Pics courtesy of chicago-scene.com.

September 18: Just published [by Orion books in Europe and Grand Central Publishing in Usa] Andy Taylor's revealing biography: Wild Boy, My life in Duran Duran.

When 19-year-old Andy Taylor returned from his band's tour of military bases in Germany and saw an advert in Melody Maker in April 1980 asking for a 'live wire guitarist' to audition in Birmingham, he saw his chance. Even he could not have predicted what happened next. The group, Duran Duran, released their first single, 'Planet Earth', ten months later and soon became the biggest band since the Beatles. Emerging in the post-punk era, Duran headed the New Romantic movement and with their stunning videos and style consciousness, they set the trend for the consumerist 1980s. Popular with everyone from rockers to Princess Diana, they had a string of massive worldwide hits such as 'Rio', 'The Reflex' and 'A View to a Kill'. They won Grammys and an Ivor Novello award among many other things.

By Live Aid, in 1985, they were at their very pinnacle of success - and then the band began to fall apart. At the centre of it all, giving the group its musical pulse, was lead guitarist Andy Taylor. In this revealing and raw memoir, Taylor recalls the highs and lows of an unbelievable period where the squeaky clean facade hid the truth of wild partying as five young men took just about every opportunity that was offered to them.

Andy Taylor's story is of an era when MTV was new, the media allowed superstars to get away with lots and rock stars knew how to party like there was no tomorrow. Wild Boy is a book that millions of fans of Duran Duran around the world will want to read to know the full story of what really happened from Andy Taylor's point of view.


'Even when recounting the "paranoia and insanity" comes across as a solid likeable bloke... It's the small details that make this book so entertaining.**** London Lite- 16/09/08

One more rewiew:playbackstl.com

Get your copy amazon.com or amazon.co.uk

On the Daily Record from september 16th 2008 there was a two full pages article about Andy's book. Download an exclusive scan here

below an interview with Andy from newsday.com

Andy Taylor of Duran Duran on book 'Wild Boy': Andy Taylor was never one to hold his tongue during his time as Duran Duran's guitarist. So when he left the British band in 2006, after heated disagreements about the recording and writing of what would become the band's recent "Red Carpet Massacre" album, Taylor figured writing a book about his experiences in one of the 1980s' biggest band would be a good idea. In "Wild Boy" (Grand Central, $26.99), Taylor talks matter-of-factly about his 25 years off-and-on in Duran Duran - from the heady days when the group was redefining music and promotion with big-production videos "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Rio" to the successful 2003 reunion. He also catalogs all the excesses that accompanied their rock stardom, including the drugs and the infighting that eventually led to his exit.

From his home in Ibiza, Spain, Taylor recently talked about "Wild Boy" and how much harder it is for today's celebrities to get as wild as Duran Duran once did.

When you've never done something before, it looks alluring. But I didn't have a clue of what I was doing. After the dust-up with Duran, I was talking with a friend of mine and wondering, "Well, what do I do now?" He said, "Write a book, you idiot. You like to stay at home anyway." I figured there was the drama of the whole thing and of history repeating itself. I'm nearly 50 years old, so when what happened happens, you can take a full stop behind everything to look at it. It is a good way to kind of explain just what you feel.

I looked at all of the press, everything in the public domain about the band, and found that there was a lot of telling of the center of the story, but not the front and back. That's what I wanted to tell, and I wanted to straighten a few things out. One thing I found was that while the media was tough in the '80s, we got away with a lot of things that you can't get away with now. If we had that kind of media back then, we might never had made it. Amy Winehouse, Britney Spears - we did the same things as them. Back then, we never appeared bad, but we didn't have the 24-hour intrusiveness.

It'd be very difficult to go back. The second time around was so great. We got to play Madison Square Garden again and the Budokan in Tokyo. We made another record. I have a family now and they were a really young family five years ago, so they never knew what I did. They were like, "Bloody hell, Dad, so this is what you do when you're not on the couch smoking pot!"

It would become a question of, how would you motivate yourself? Robert Plant really put it best. He had just bought a house here in Ibiza and we were having lunch after the big Led Zeppelin reunion and there was all that speculation and he told me, "I'm not gonna do a tour." He said, "The only way I'd do it now is if they would have a gig on Mount Sinai and the Israelis and the Palestinians would all come and have a big party." It's kind of how I feel. It would have to be a reunion with some consequence, something that wasn't just self-interest. Maybe some opportunity will come along that will be that exciting. Never say never.

Andy Taylor on the Uk tv show "The Wright Stuff" from september 16, 2008.

You can also listen a radio interview on DrBlogstein

September 16: Nick has been seen yesterday at the Temperley show [London Fashion Week]. The Mail_Online reports: "Back at the star studded Temperley show Mischa Barton looked like she was enjoying the fashionin a plunging gold and black tasseled dress and was having a chat with Duran Duran keyboardist Nick Rhodes". If any of you is asking where Meredith was, here is the answer by a reliable and well informed source "Meredith's been working in LA. On the 12th, the same day as the Hirst show, Meredith attended a birthday party with a co-star on their upcoming film "Men Don't Lie". [Thanks to Catherine for the pics]

On September 12 our keyboard player has been seen deejaying with Mark Ronson at the Southerby's Host Damien Hirst's Auction Party in London. Just wondering: are those guys talking about a collaboration for the next Duran Duran album?

On september 13 Simon and Yasmin Le Bon have been spotted in Lechlade in the Cotswold [England] at the 'Lakestock', an event showcasing a new range of luxury homes, The Lakes by yoo. While Simon and Yasmin are busy with social life Amber Le Bon gain her first photo shot in a high profile fashion magazine: it's in the current issue of the german Vanity Fair magazine [with Britney Spears on cover]. Above you can also see the three beautifull Le Bon girls dancing and clapping at their father's concert in Cala di Volpe [Porto Cervo-Sardina] on agoust 12th.

September 13: Hello everybody! Hope you are all fine, thanks to all of you who sent emails, pics and reports during the latest weeks. It’s not easy to come back home after a two months break and a great vacation… It’s hard get back to work and all the bad habits like the computer ;) but I know many of you are expecting the site to return online 100% operative, so here we are! Hope you haven't missed duranasty.com that much. Don’t even know where to start as there are so many things to say and report about. There's also a fantastic news on a personal level, I'll become father for the second time next march! Ok, let's came back to the main subject: Duran Duran! This first report is gonna be fully dedicated to the much awaited italian summer tour. I think the band enjoyed their Red Carpet Massacre tour in Italy because it was... let's just say different: a mixture of vacation and work anyway. Read and watch it all. Click on the above banner or here "Reflexions, an extensive report on the italian summer tour": The story begins, enjoy it!

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