Duran Duran “Master Mixes”

Duran Duran “Master Mixes” released on this date — John Taylor’s birthday! (b. 1960) — June 20th, 1987. Master Mixes is a double EP of remixes from their 1986 Notorious LP. The ultra-plain packaging and the blank b-sides indicates this release was mostly for dance clubs and dj’s and I’m pretty sure it had fairly limited pressing. Produced by Nile Rodgers, the remixes have a crisp and funky flavor. There are two versions of “American Science” – the “Chemical Reaction Mix” and the “Meltdown Dub,” both remixed by Justin Strauss and Murray Elias. There are also two different variants of “Vertigo (Do The Demolition)” including the rather plodding (sorry guys!) “Mantronix Mix” and the “B-Boy Mix,” both by Kurtis Mantronik. Daniel Abraham remixed “Skin Trade (Parisian Mix).” The eight minute plus “Notoriousaurus Rex (Master Mix)” which is a mashup of a bunch of tracks from Notorious, including the title track, was “collaged by Tuta Aquino, featuring mixes by Daniel Abraham, Mark S. Berry, Murray Elias and Justin Strauss, The Latin Rascals, Larry Levan, Curtis/Mantronik [sic] and Nile Rodgers, with edits by Tuta Aquino, The Latin Rascals, Jose ‘Chep’ Nunez, Omar Santana and The Hit Squad” (from the liner notes, which are on a plain white piece of paper and looked to have been typed on an honest-to-god typewriter).