'Duran Duran On Track': Band recaptures the magic with 'The Wedding Album'

Duran Duran On Track is now newly available for purchase from US booksellers. To celebrate, here’s an excerpt from the introduction of the chapter about my favourite album, which just marked its 33rd anniversary and will soon be back in print on vinyl for the first time since its release.

Duran Duran On Track  At top: The band 

in a 1993 promo photo by Karen Mason-Blair

Duran Duran (The Wedding Album) (1993)

Almost as quickly as Liberty vanished from the public consciousness, Sterling Campbell disappeared from the band lineup. ... Warren Cuccurullo remained and became a key player, helping steer the band into one of their most successful periods. The prolonged break between Liberty and its follow-up – and without a tour to draw away their attention – gave them plenty of time in the studio, Privacy, which was in Cuccurullo’s home in Battersea, London. 

Amid the changes in the band’s personnel and in the members’ personal lives, Duran Duran were seeking a comeback amid a vastly different musical landscape. In a scene then dominated by grunge, alternative rock and hip-hop, there didn’t seem to be much of an opening for the new wave sounds that they were known for. But they forged ahead, focusing on the writing process, amassing more than a dozen solid songs and getting the mixing just right.

Indeed, the band hadn’t hunkered down in a studio setting for so long a period before. Producer John Jones described the grass-roots spirit of the initial sessions at Cuccurullo’s home in an interview with Forbes in 2023:

‘He suggested that they come over and start writing at his place. That’s basically where The Wedding Album started. ... I would say [the band members] trusting each other, being able to work together in that room with one mic in the middle, all of us wearing headphones, clapping, singing, whatever – it was just so brilliant.’

Ideas for the most indelible song on their second self-titled album stemmed from those sessions – the instant classic ‘Ordinary World’ – while others came later, like ‘Come Undone’, which was recorded without John Taylor. Jones called The Beatles’ White Album – another effort that featured a mix of musical styles – ‘our guiding light’ in the making of The Wedding Album. Duran Duran’s LP, like The Beatles’ eponymous double album, featured significant contributions from every member. But as was customary for Duran Duran, writing credit was shared among them all.

The album’s nickname came from its cover art, an elegant collage of sepia-toned wedding photos of the band members’ parents embossed with ‘Duran Duran’ in gold lettering. For the artwork, designers Nick Egan and Eric Roinestad took a DIY approach, using materials like Dymo-style labels and gold leaf. Inside, pictures of the band members taken at the University of London Students’ Union photo booth were accompanied by ones from artist Dean Chamberlain, Nick Rhodes and Taylor as well as an ‘illustration’ by the keyboardist’s young daughter, Tatjana. Egan – who had met Taylor at the suggestion of American actor Billy Zane and became a decades-long collaborator – has called the artwork the ‘ultimate punk rock cover’. The members embraced an equally stylish image, favouring Vivienne Westwood suits – another punk rock throwback, which had become a designer fashion label – and hair colours ranging from bleach blonde to shocking purple.

They were also under new management, Left Bank, which was as keen as the members themselves for a comeback. Though the album was completed in early 1992, their record label delayed its release until ’93, perhaps a sign that the group was no longer the priority act they once were. But that changed when the first single, ‘Ordinary World’, began receiving radio airplay in the USA – apparently after the record company itself had leaked the track.

The Wedding Album is one of three studio albums to remain out of print, so vinyl copies regularly sell for handsome sums. (Editor’s note: The LP is finally due back in print this April.) But the quality and impact of the album and its wealth of B-sides and unreleased video footage from that era make it more than worthy of a deluxe reissue.

The Wedding Album era was a magical time for the band – from the spirited recording sessions to the successful attempt to relaunch their brand as unquestionably modern but undeniably Duran Duran.

Their fortunes had shifted – and it was all thanks to the music itself.

Copyright Karen Windle 2025. From Duran Duran On Track (Sonicbond Publishing)

Duran Duran's top moments of 2025

While 2025 wasn’t a huge year for Duran Duran, there were still a number of happenings that kept the Duranie flame alive.

‘Owning’ Halloween

Duran continued to lean in to Halloween, with an elaborate concert on the holiday in Manchester and a reimagined new version of ‘Shadows On Your Side.’ The Halloween festivities followed a summer European tour as well as other live shows throughout the year.

Global anti-hunger anthem

Duran Duran took part in ‘The Next Verse’ for the 100 Billion Meals Challenge on Dec. 16, along with Stevie Wonder, Dr. Dre and others. Their name even appeared on the list of musical artists above superstar Janet Jackson, a longtime collaborator of producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who helmed the new recording. ‘Someday Has Begun, Part 1’ was released on Christmas Day. The spirt of the recording harks back to the UK Christmas number one charity single by Band Aid, ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’

‘Duran Duran On Track’

The band joined the extensive list of musical acts covered in the On Track series when my contribution was published in July in the UK. A US release followed on Halloween, and it has continued to appear on a key music book sales chart on Amazon UK through the end of the year.

I was honored to cover all of Duran’s studio output from a fan’s perspective and have been humbled by readers’ responses to the book. I have especially enjoyed chatting with fans online and in person before signing a copy for them. There was even a book release party, where family, friends and other area Duranies gathered together. The event was held at Vive Le Rock! Lounge and Record Store, which treated guests to a playlist of Duran Duran songs and also served a signature cocktail, Girls On Film, which was created for the occasion and remains on the menu. (If you’re ever in Omaha, be sure to check out this rock ‘n’ roll-themed lounge!)

Rio-themed cake designed by Alexandra E. Andersen.
Photo by Michelle Napoli

The Power Station reissue and more to come in 2026

The Power Station’s debut album will get a deluxe reissue treatment in January. Also that month, Duran are set to film a video with director Jonas Åkerlund, presumably for their spring/summer single with Nile Rodgers. 

As for other unreleased music, three out of four members recently confirmed that the ‘lost’ album Reportage could finally see the light of day.

‘I really want to finish working on REPORTAGE. There are some great tracks on it, and I am ready to get it out,’ singer Simon Le Bon said in his year-end list on DuranDuran.com. Roger Taylor and Nick Rhodes also suggested that the LP could be released, possibly next year.

At top: Duran Duran in Omaha in 2024. Photo by Karen Duran Windle

'Duran Duran On Track': 'All You Need Is Now' reignites fans' passion

As the new US release date of Duran Duran On Track approaches, I’ll revisit one of my favorite albums, All You Need Is Now.

Duran Duran’s Mark Ronson-produced masterstroke didn’t make the cover of Duran Duran On Track, which features Rio, Seven And The Ragged Tiger, The Wedding Album and Paper Gods, with Future Past on the back cover. 

The sales of All You Need Is Now were likely affected by the fact that it was released via an independent label, Nick Rhodes’ and Stephen Duffy’s Tape Modern, during a time when downloads had greatly affected album sales in general. But the LP, on which the band returned to their musical roots, remains a fan favorite.

I had lost touch with my Duran Duran fandom after the release of their last album on Epic Records, Red Carpet Massacre. The decision to work with Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and Nate ‘Danja’ Hills was a polarizing one (which is detailed in the book), and the band was aware that it was a risk in terms of what Duranies would like. I bought the album and listened to it extensively, of course, but that era marked the first time I didn’t attend a single show on a tour to promote a new LP since I had become a fan.

All You Need Is Now, on the other hand, was just what I needed to reignite my passion, and I’m likely not the only such fan. I bought the digital download, followed by the expanded album three months later, attended three shows on the tour and, at a friend’s suggestion, started writing in a professional capacity about the band for a news website. That eventually morphed into this blog, and then the book. 

Duran Duran On Track is available now in the UK and will be released on October 31 in the US. While the book’s US release date was delayed from September 26, I have a limited number of UK import copies available for purchase via PayPal.

Or check out Linktree for preorder links. And if you’re already enjoying the book, please leave a review on Amazon or wherever you purchased your copy.

‘Duran Duran On Track’: ‘Seven And The Ragged Tiger’ creates a sensation

As the US release date of Duran Duran On Track draws closer, I’ll revisit the last album spotlighted on the book’s cover: Seven And The Ragged Tiger.

The front cover of Duran Duran On Track features Seven And The Ragged Tiger as well as Rio, The Wedding Album and Paper Gods, with Future Past on the back cover.

Though Duran Duran had their first taste of widespread international success with Rio, Seven was a juggernaut. It debuted at Number 1 in their native UK and in the top 10 in multiple countries and included three top 10 singles in both the UK and the US.

The album, named for the five band members and their two managers, with the “Ragged Tiger” being success, couldn’t have arrived at a more opportune time. The marketing of the album and the band’s music that followed appealed greatly to younger listeners, especially females. The new music was accompanied by a wide range of products bearing the band members’ image that even included a board game, Into The Arena, for ages 7-plus.

That Duran Duran’s rise during that era rivaled Beatlemania is no overstatement. There are simply few rock bands that have ever reached the level of teen hysteria brought on by the Fab Four and the duly named Fab Five.

Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant acknowledged that in 1982 on MTV, calling them “enormous teen heroes” in England who have carried on “The Beatle tradition from way back. It’s remarkable to see so much style and class suddenly becoming apparent in video.”

Duran Duran On Track is available now in the UK and will be released on October 31 in the US. (The shipping date for preorders was originally September 26.) I’ll continue this occasional series up until the new US release date, ending with Danse Macabre on Halloween.

Check out Linktree for preorder links. And if you’re already enjoying the book, please leave a review on Amazon or wherever you purchased your copy.

‘Duran Duran On Track’: ‘Paper Gods’ helps write a new chapter for the band

As Duran Duran On Track makes it into the hands of more readers, I’ll revisit Paper Gods, the band’s 14th studio album, which is fast approaching its 10th anniversary.

The front cover of Duran Duran On Track features Paper Gods, as well as Rio, Seven And The Ragged Tiger and The Wedding Album, with Future Past on the back cover.

Upon release, Paper Gods reached the top five in the UK and the Billboard top 10 in the US, the band’s first LP to do so in that country since The Wedding Album. Duran Duran started playing larger venues, especially in the US, and more critics began reassessing the band’s musical legacy.

The album itself was hit or miss. Its artwork harkened back to the band’s biggest records with the “stickers” featured on its cover, but several tracks on the LP embraced EDM, which dates the album a bit. Still, there are several solid musical statements: the upbeat energy of “Pressure Off,” the swirling synths of “Face For Today,” the sublime balladry of “What Are The Chances?” and the apocalyptic beauty of “The Universe Alone.”

On the Paper Gods tour, the band played large arenas like Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. When they visited that arena on the Astronaut tour in 2005, many seats were empty, but in 2016, official attendance for their show at the venue was over 10,000.

The band has been proving to doubters that they’re the real deal ever since. Even though they’ve collected just about every honor in the music world, critics today sometimes seem astounded by just what they’ve achieved. A review of Duran Duran On Track in The Afterword, a UK pop culture blog, offers praise for the book as well as the band.

“The book covers all sixteen studio albums, a number that took me by surprise,” the review states. “They have certainly transcended their original genre by far and show no signs of stopping.”

Being reviewed alongside books about more traditional rock bands like Aerosmith and Foo Fighters and an expanded edition on punk icons The Clash certainly puts Duran Duran in good company.

Duran Duran On Track is available now in the UK and will be released September 26 in the US.

Check out Linktree for preorder links. And if you’re already enjoying the book, please leave a review on Amazon or wherever you purchased your copy!

‘Duran Duran On Track’: ‘Future Past’ sparks a renaissance for the band

This week marks the UK release of Duran Duran On Track. To celebrate, the focus turns to the band's 40th anniversary album, Future Past, which graces the back cover of the book.

The front cover of Duran Duran’s entry in the On Track series features four of the band’s albums: Rio, Seven And The Ragged Tiger, The Wedding Album and Paper Gods. 

The release of Future Past in 2021 heralded a new era for the band. The album received glowing reviews upon release and hit number 3 on the UK charts, and an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame followed the next year. Most surprisingly, the album has exposed a younger audience to Duran Duran, thanks to the LP's first single, which became a streaming smash years later after being used in TikTok edits among gamers.

“Invisible” is a strong pop-funk track, but the album includes other sublime moments: the effervescent “All Of You,” the celebratory single “Anniversary” and the dark ballad “Wing” among them. In addition to “Invisible” and its sleeper success, Future Past held further surprises, including the bubbly “More Joy!” and the harder-hitting “Hammerhead.” 

Duran Duran have found room in their hit-packed setlist for “Invisible” after fans of the games Metal Gear Solid, Fortnite and Death Stranding 2 (Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima's new game) propelled the song into the band's top 10 most popular tracks of all time on Spotify. And it keeps gaining ground.

New fans who want to learn more about the band and their catalog as well as longtime Duranies should find something for them in Duran Duran On Track (Sonicbond Publishing). The book is available now in the UK and will be released September 26 in the US.

Check out Linktree for preorder links. The book can also be ordered from many other major retailers.

'Duran Duran On Track': The enduring allure of 'Rio'

As part of the countdown to the release of my book, Duran Duran On Track, I’ll be taking deeper dives into areas that are only touched on in the book.

Duran Duran’s entry into the On Track series, one that explores “every album, every song” by over 100 musical artists, features four of the band’s albums on its front cover: Rio, Seven And The Ragged Tiger, The Wedding Album and Paper Gods. (I was delighted to find out that Future Past made it onto the back cover.) 

While all Duranies have their favorite album, few would argue against Rio being considered the band’s seminal work. It’s the LP that saw Duran Duran continue their rise in the UK and break through in the US and still has an impact on pop culture today. 

Its breakout single, “Hungry Like The Wolf, ” was just played during a Sabrina Carpenter concert at BST Hyde Park. The young singer welcomed Simon Le Bon and John Taylor onstage, exposing a new audience to the band’s music.

While the band tours parts of Europe, their own live setlist remains a near-constant topic of debate among fans. The song selection is clearly designed to appeal to a wider audience, and the inclusion of indelible hits like “Hungry Like The Wolf” and “Rio” is a no-brainer.

I’ve attended 24 Duran Duran concerts and counting, and they’ve played “Rio” at all but one, near Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2012. When the band closed with “Girls On Film” instead, chants of “Rio!” “Rio!” from the audience followed. But alas, it wasn’t played.

During the band’s wilderness years, when only three longtime members remained, they would play the song at different points in the set. Now it’s the obligatory concert-closer.

Perhaps the song’s greatest impact is its video. A shot of the band on a yacht even graced the original cover of Greatest, which was just rereleased (albeit with a simpler design) and made it onto the top 10 physical albums chart in the UK.

No matter your favorite album or song by the band, they’re all covered in Duran Duran On Track (Sonicbond Publishing), slated to be released on 31 July in the UK and September 26 in the US.

Check out Linktree for preorder links. The book can also be ordered via PayPal in the US.

'Duran Duran On Track': A real-life extraordinary world

Welcome to an occasional series counting down to the release of my first book, Duran Duran On Track! I’ll be sharing stories behind the music which are touched on in the book but that I will explore further here.

When I learned that Duran Duran weren’t represented in the On Track series, one that includes over 100 books about musical artists ranging from AC/DC to Frank Zappa, I decided to write this book. As part of the research, writing and fact-checking process for my 55,000-word book exploring “every album, every song” by the band, I took some deeper dives into areas that are only mentioned in passing in the final product. 

One of those involved a stop at The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California, during a trip to that state. Because the gorgeous gardens were the site of Duran Duran’s video for “Ordinary World,” my favorite track from my favorite album, a visit was planned to capture some photos.

Photos by Christopher Windle 

The Huntington is arguably the most famous site of a Duran Duran video in the United States. The filming of the clip, directed by Nick Egan, took place in The Huntington’s themed gardens, including the Japanese Garden, the Rose Garden and the Desert Garden. As shared on the Duran Duran Message Board in 2024, Egan described the cacti-filled garden as a place that “looked like another planet. I thought it was a great play on the idea of an ordinary world, which is anything but ordinary, in fact extraordinary, and those gardens were certainly that.”

Even on a fall day, the majesty of The Huntington can’t be denied. Our visit took place in late November, which was apt because the video itself was filmed late in the year, in December of 1992. 

The first of the featured gardens we visited was the Japanese Garden, where the four Wedding Album-era band members walked barefoot through the Zen Court at the end of the video. The garden, with its koi ponds, moon bridge and charming teahouse, was a tranquil place to start our visit. 

Though not quite in full bloom, the Rose Garden was a beautiful spot reminiscent of the English countryside. It was a bit surreal to walk the same winding path as the bride did in the iconic video. 

Chris with ‘Old Man of the Andes.’
Photo by Karen Windle

But the Desert Garden was the highlight of our visit. Among the seemingly otherworldly succulents was a fascinating cactus called “Old Man of the Andes.” Another sight that caught our eye was the towering Queensland kauri, the oldest planted tree in the gardens.

In Duran Duran On Track (Sonicbond Publishing), I examine the band’s 16 studio albums and key standalone singles, offering my take on each. This project was a key focus for me for the better part of a year, and I hope it offers something for everyone. 

The book is slated to be released on 31 July in the UK and September 26 in the US. Check out Linktree for preorder links. It can also be preordered from other major retailers, including Amazon, and I also have author-signed copies available for purchase if you are in the US!