Duran Duran “Private Confessions” 2025/1984. Limited edition bootleg on Mind Control Records. It’s Earth Day today so I needed to spin the best song for the holiday: “Planet Earth,” which appears on this unlicensed FM broadcast recording of Duran Duran at Madison Square Garden on March 21st, 1984. I’m fairly certain I have other versions of this same concert on vinyl somewhere in my collection; this release definitely hits the highlights, including many of their hits from Duran Duran, Rio and Seven and the Ragged Tiger. The sound quality is decent though it’s a bit heavy on the high end: I could really have used more of John’s beefy bass and Roger’s thundering drums, and Simon’s voice sounds forced at times. In fairness to Simon, he was competing with thousands and thousands of batshit crazy screaming teenage girls. “New Moon on Monday” is particularly wonderful, with a cute intro by Simon in which he dedicates the tune to the fellas in the audience who came to the concert “with the express purpose” to meet girls (lol good luck – all those girls are hoping to go home with a Duran!). “Save a Prayer” is lovely, as always, but Nick’s keyboards are way too low in the mix until the very end when they get a bit wonky. And of course “Planet Earth” is mostly fabulous with Simon asking the audience to prove they’re into it by dancing and screaming (I’m guessing he was obliged) and his super-high energy singing; but the ubiquitous 80’s sax is too high in the mix for my tastes though and the saxophonist totally fucked up a note or two. “Careless Memories” is as urgent as ever (their performance of this one is particularly excellent). The encore “The Chauffeur” is absolutely haunting.