duraniversary Archives - Vinyl From The Vault

Duran Duran “Duran Duran”

sfilzen — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 17:28:26 +0000

Duran Duran “Duran Duran” – today, June 15th, is a major #duranivesary – 40 years ago today D2 released their debut album. Duran Duran reached #3 on the UK charts, remaining in the top 100 for 117 weeks. Its initial release did not do so well in the US but was subsequently re-released (with a different cover and the addition of the single “Is There Something I Should Know”) on April 25th, 1983 after the phenomenal success of Rio. Duran Duran then made it to #10 on the US Billboard charts. This well-loved original US pressing has the “Night Version” rather than the single version of “Planet Earth” (#12 UK). “To the Shore,” which appears on the UK pressing, was not included in order to accommodate the increased length of the Night Version (6:20 vs. 4:03). Other singles from Duran Duran include “Careless Memories” (#37 UK) and the infamous “Girls on Film” which was their first big hit, reaching #5 on the UK charts. To say I love those songs and every other song on Duran Duran would be a huge understatement. I know every second of music, every lyric and most of the stories behind the songs (whether real or what me and my Duranie friends made up).

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Duran Duran “Planet Earth”

sfilzen — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 13:25:24 +0000

Duran Duran “Planet Earth” their first single released 40 years ago today, February 2nd, 1981. (😳and an (un)helpful reminder to my fellow Duranies to check their mailboxes for AARP cards, schedule routine screenings with their docs, etc). Duran Duran released “Planet Earth” a couple of months before their debut LP Duran Duran. The song went to #12 in the UK and to #8 in Australia (it was not released in the US – this is a UK import). The 12″ single has “Night Version” on Side A: it’s longer than the original with a lot more saxophone, funky John Taylor bass and Andy Taylor rockin’ guitar. “Night Version” would appear on Nite Romantics, a 1981 EP of extended tracks and B-sides, as well as the ‘82 EP Carnival. On Side B of the 12″ is the single version of “Planet Earth” and “Late Bar.”

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Duran Duran “Arena”

sfilzen — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 13:46:59 +0000

Duran Duran “Arena” released 35 years ago today, November 12th, 1984. My original gatefold copy from ‘84, complete with an 8-page glossy booklet featuring sultry photos of each band member (the one of Nick clutching what looks to be a pole is particularly amusing).

Arena (which went to #6 in the UK and #4 in the US) was “recorded around the world” when Duran Duran toured in ‘83 and ‘84 promoting Seven and the Ragged Tiger and includes songs from that album performed live like “The Seventh Stranger” and “Union of the Snake” but also many from Rio. Those are the always popular “Hungry Like the Wolf” which Simon introduces by asking the audience “Is anybody hungry??!!” as well as “New Religion” (which fabulously demonstrates the tension between Andy’s desire to play guitar in a hard rock-n-roll/metal band, Simon and Nick’s art-rock tendencies and John’s funky disco bass playing), “Save a Prayer” (I love it when Simon sings this live, adding in “ch-ch-ch” after the word “fire”), and “The Chauffeur.” They also perform the stand-alone “Is There Something I Should Know?” which appears on the US reissue of their debut record Duran Duran, plus “Planet Earth” and “Careless Memories” from that LP. The only non-live track on Arena is “The Wild Boys” (produced by Nile Rodgers) which they released as a single just prior to Arena; it went to #2 in both the US and the UK and became infamous for having the most expensive video ever made up to that point.

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Duran Duran “Rio”

sfilzen — Fri, 10 May 2019 22:55:17 +0000

Duran Duran “Rio” – It’s a #Duraniversary! Rio, Duran’s second LP, was released on this date, May 10th, 1982, though this version is a 2014 reissue, limited edition double vinyl. Of course I have an original US version (I think purchased in ‘83 or so), which is one of my top 10 records of all-time. This copy has the original UK album on disc one and the select tracks that were remixed for the US version (released November ‘82): Side A – “Rio (US album remix),” “My Own Way (Carnival remix)” and “Lonely in Your Nightmare (US album remix)” and Side B – “Hungry Like the Wolf (US album remix)” and “Hold Back the Rain (US album remix)” (all remixes by David Kershenbaum). Because the US version was the one I primarily listened to (over and over and over) in the 80′s, these mixes are the ones I’m most familiar with, though recently I’ve listened to the UK version with more frequency. Most of the remixes are fairly subtle (“My Own Way” is simplified on the US version) though “Hold Back the Rain” is probably the most obviously different of the two variations: Nick’s synth on the US version is missing a lot of the bright top-note chords that are present on the UK variation and John’s bass is far funkier on the UK original. I love that song so much – my favorite recollection of listening to that song was when my parents and I went to England in the summer of ‘83, I blasted “Hold Back the Rain” into my off-brand Walkman headphones while driving down some English highway en route to Wales late in the evening – it’s a fantastic fast-driving tune.

My DD2 obsession is long-lasting and never-ending (I recently renewed my Duran Duran fan club membership…aaaanndd I’m not that far away from 50 years old. Sigh). I’ve written about this a couple of times previously, but back at age 13 or 14 my Duranie pal and I went a little nuts and wrote an entire story based on the lyrics from Rio (and a few tracks from Seven and the Ragged Tiger). Dig through some of my older Duran posts for a read and a laugh.

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Duran Duran “Notorious”

sfilzen — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 16:43:47 +0000

Duran Duran “Notorious” released 30 years ago today, November 21st, 1986. (Wiki has the date as November 18th but the official D2 site says today is the Duraniversary). Notorious is Duran’s fourth studio album; it peaked at #12 in the US and #16 in the UK with the title single release doing particularly well, reaching #2 in the US and #7 in the UK. The two other singles, “Skin Trade” and “Meet El Presidente” did not chart quite as well, #22 UK/#39 US and #24 UK/#70 US respectively.

The recording of Notorious was fraught with contention as it was during this time that Andy Taylor officially withdrew from Duran Duran, though he did contribute guitar parts on “A Matter of Feeling” and “American Science” and returned to the band, temporarily, years later. The split eventually became permanent of course as, to quote Nick, “the trouble is Andy is into rock’n’roll and we are into art’n’roll…” Roger Taylor also took an extended hiatus due to exhaustion at this time, Steve Ferrone replacing him on drums for the album. Nile Rogers provided guitar (along with Warren Cuccurullo) and worked production for the album, guiding the band’s sound in a horn-infused funk direction. At the beginning of the 30th anniversary discussion of Notorious, Rogers states that during recording problems Nick Rhodes would ask, “What would Sly do?” referring of course to funkman/Rogers collaborator Sly Stone, and Rogers would play James Brown rifts for inspiration. Nick goes on to say that Duran entered a “very very different musical landscape” with Notorious.

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