DURAN DURAN IS BACK BACK WITH MUSIC MUSIC FOR THE '90S '90S
ROGER CATLIN; Courant Rock Critic

Even after a credible '90s comeback with ``The Wedding Album,'' it took a while for '80s synth-rock icons Duran Duran to come up with a follow-up.

After a 1995 covers-only album (``Thank You''), the band had to contend with Simon LeBon's writer's block and the defection of a founding member, John Taylor. Finally, LeBon, Nick Rhodes and former Missing Persons guitarist Warren Cuccurullo produced the new ``Medazzaland.''

``It was just one of those records,'' says Rhodes, over the phone from New York. ``The thing is, we could have put out three albums during that time -- which I think a lot of other bands would have done -- with just a couple of good songs on them. But it was important to keep up the overall quality of record.''

It was worth the wait, says Rhodes, who co-produced the album with Cuccurullo. ``This album to me captures the '90s for Duran Duran the same way our first couple of albums captured the '80s.''

It's strange to consider, but next year marks the 20th anniversary of the band who brought us ``Hungry Like the Wolf,'' ``The Reflex'' and ``A View to a Kill.''

``Sometimes there's such long gaps between albums it's like being a new band every time anyway,'' Rhodes says. ``But everyone assumes we're trying to put out a comeback. We don't mind, as long as people get to hear the album.''

To ensure people hear the album, the band is embarking on a short tour to promote it, which begins with a kind of dress rehearsal Wednesday with a free show at the Mohegan Sun Wolf Den in Uncasville.

There's still a lot of life in Duran Duran, Rhodes says. ``I still think of us as a fairly young band. We started when we were very young. I'm only 35 now. A lot other bands don't start until their late 20s.''

And while teenyboppers were once the band's largest group of fans, it shouldn't be a problem that the show at the Mohegan Sun Wednesday is just for those 21 and over.

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