REGROUPED DURAN RECLAIMS SPOTLIGHT
Published: Sunday, July 5, 1987

GARY GRAFF

Three years ago, the world of rock group Duran Duran was one of screaming teenybopper fans, saturation-level media coverage, comparisons to the Beatles and declarations -- from members of the group and others -- that it was the hottest band on the planet.

Now the hype is history. And so, almost, was the band. After a long break for outside projects, only three of its five original members opted to return to the fold for the "Notorious" album, released last fall, and its current world tour.

The group hasn't exactly regained its previous level of fame, however. The album is a million-seller, but not as successful as the group's first four -- "Duran Duran" (1981), "Rio" (1982), "Seven and the Ragged Tiger" (1983) and "Arena" (1984) -- each of which sold more than two million copies. The title track was a hit, but two other singles flopped. And on this tour, the trio -- bassist John Taylor, vocalist Simon Le Bon and keyboardist Nick Rhodes -- is finding that its shows aren't guaranteed sellouts anymore.

"It's a strange period for us," admitted Taylor, 28. "It's like a constant period of transition. It's very hard to stay on top, and right now we're not there anymore. What we've got to do is get out and sweat, convince the entire world that this band will be around."

Duran's star rose quickly -- too quickly, perhaps. The group formed in 1978 in Birmingham, England, with an emphasis on fashion and jet-setting images, and a cache of catchy dance-pop tunes that were secondary to career interests. "I'm far more ambitious than I am a musician," Taylor said. "It's my ambition that got me this far, not my bass playing."

Duran was an instant smash in trendy England, though, as much for members' good looks as for their music. America, however, was reticent. "Radio here has never liked these guys," said a representative of Capitol Records, the group's label. "A lot of guys in radio didn't want to see the band be successful. They really didn't like the pretty boy image."

That image was perfect for MTV, however. The cable music channel was born about the same time as Duran and was on the hunt for good videos. Duran obliged with slick, stylish productions. MTV soaked it up, and pretty soon viewers were calling radio stations, saying they wanted their Duran Duran.

Radio caved in, and in January 1983 Duran started a two-year string of hit singles such as "Hungry Like the Wolf," "The Reflex," "The Wild Boys" and "A View to a Kill." Duran mania gripped teenagers around the world, who referred to band members by their first names.

"It all happened very fast," Taylor said. "It was this circus we were definitely party to and needed to get out of." Taylor took the first step, grabbing Duran guitarist Andy Taylor (no relation) and recruiting singer Robert Palmer and drummer Tony Thompson to form Power Station in 1985. The one- shot group's album sold a million copies and launched two Top 10 singles, though a tour was anti-climactic because Palmer didn't go along.

Rhodes, Le Bon and drummer Roger Taylor (still no relation), meanwhile, were considerably less successful with their side group, Arcadia.

THEN THINGS started to get strange. Andy Taylor went his own way, bad-mouthing the group. Roger Taylor pleaded exhaustion and opted out, too. Even John Taylor, who had moved to New York during the Power Station days, was "reluctant to get back into it" and had to be coaxed back to England by Rhodes.

After settling things with the departed members and breaking away from their former management, the trio set out to record "Notorious," a sparer, funkier and less sugary piece of work than the group had ever done. "By having lost (members), we were able to grow, actually," Taylor explained. "We have more musical independence. Instead of thinking, 'Well, can I make this kind of music with this band, we can just decide what we want and then we can invent the band we need.' "

Though the band progressed musically, it actually lost ground on radio. Programmers complained that it didn't sound anything like the band their listeners knew and loved. "These were the same people who for three years moaned that every Duran record sounded the same," the Capitol representative growled.

Now, however, "Notorious" is history; Capitol isn't even planning to release another single from the album. So members of Duran -- along with eight additional musicians -- are using the U.S. tour to let their fans know the band's back and in good shape, with plans to record another album in the fall and to tour again next year.

"We were lucky to have had the success we did have so soon," Taylor said. "But the kind of steady, long-term success we wish only comes from work, making more records and getting out there. I do want to put the band back at the top. "You know, in the pop business you're only supposed to have 15 minutes of stardom. I guess people were thinking we very definitely had ours and it's time for everyone else. But we'd like to have a little more time, thank you."

Duran Duran and Erasure will perform at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Joe Louis Arena. Call 567-7425 anytime.

Click here to go back to the articles page.

Click here to back to the front page.