Single review: Duran Duran feat. Nile Rodgers 'Free To Love'

Duran Duran return in time for a big run of live shows this spring and summer with their long-awaited new single, ‘Free To Love.’

The song, left over from the Danse Macabre sessions, is co-written with longtime collaborator and friend Nile Rodgers, who also adds an infectious guitar riff.

The song gives off both Chic and Daft Punk vibes: the former with its echo in the chorus of ‘Good Times’ and the latter with its guitar riff, bass groove and (slightly) processed vocals, also musical highlights of Daft Punk’s massive hit ‘Get Lucky’ and its more chill cousin, ‘Move Yourself To Dance,’ both featuring Rodgers on guitar.

In a welcome move in recent years, Duran Duran have released a proper video at the same time as the single. The clip, directed by previous collaborator Jonas Åkerlund (‘Girl Panic!’, ‘Black Moonlight’) harks back to Top Of The Pops and Soul Train. The band are joined by an array of energetic disco dancers as well as TV presenter Clara Amfo. The video is presented by luxury perfume house Xerjoff, in a similar move to the band’s previous collaboration with Swarovski Elements on the clip for ‘Girl Panic!’

The song is by no means deep: It’s a feel-good slice of nostalgia well-timed for the spring and summer concerts. It delivers a universal (if slightly cliché) message that speaks to these divided times, with lines like ‘Chasing a dream in all the confusion.’

As singer Simon Le Bon states in the official press release accompanying the single, ‘It’s about loving the modern world instead of hating it, and that is something we need right now.’ Keyboardist Nick Rhodes goes as far as calling the song ‘an anthem for freedom.’

The single may not be what every Duranie wants from the band in 2026 (that would probably be the almost-mythical album Reportage), but it might be a track that resonates with a wider audience, or at least one nostalgic for the disco era.

Despite any fan’s opinion of the song, it’s good that Duran Duran are still moving into the future – as always – with ‘love in their hearts and an eye on the charts.’

'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. (Available via PayPal.)

The Power Station, The Damned look back

‘The Power Station DLX’

The Power Station, the commercially successful side project of Duran Duran’s Andy and John Taylor, gets a shiny new reissue with The Power Station DLX.

DLX is the latest deluxe edition of the supergroup’s 1985 debut, released to celebrate its 40th anniversary (now 41st in ‘Durantime’). The album is a true deluxe reissue, at least the CD box, which includes a liner notes interview with the Taylors, the band’s only surviving members, as well as the studio album, raw instrumentals, remixes and live performances. Buyers of the LP will have to shell out again on Record Store Day, when Power Mad: Live At The Spectrum drops on vinyl.

The funk-infused rock of The Power Station is on full display on the remastered studio album (the first disc), and the group’s performance at Live Aid and their contribution to the soundtrack of the movie Commando, ‘Somewhere Somehow Someone (We Fight For Love),’ are highlights of the second disc. By then, singer Robert Palmer had left to embark on the most commercially successful period of his solo career, and the Taylors and Chic drummer Tony Thompson soldiered on for a bit with new vocalist Michael Des Barres.

The live show features Des Barres, who sounds better than remembered but sorely lacks Palmer’s blue-eyed soul swagger. As on the album, ‘Harvest For The World,’ featuring co-lead vocals from Andy Taylor, is a highlight. And the Duran covers, ‘The Reflex’ (played with ‘Communication’) and a rocked-up version of ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’ are fun, though Des Barres is a no Simon Le Bon either.

But DLX is worth it, especially on CD, and especially considering that the forthcoming Duran Duran reissues look to be bare-bones versions. But it’s still good that the brilliant The Wedding Album and the not-bad Thank You will finally be back in print.

The Damned ‘Not Like Everybody Else’

The Damned are also looking back these days in the wake of founding guitarist Brian James’ death last year. They pay tribute to him with their latest album, Not Like Everybody Else, a collection of covers that inspired James himself.

The Damned hammered out the LP in just five days following a tour last fall. It’s a bit rough around the edges at times, but that may be the point, as the band’s debut album with James, the opening salvo of English punk rock, was recorded in a similar spirit.

‘I know a lot of music these days can be done remotely, with participants sometimes on different continents,’ the band’s Captain Sensible told ClassicRockHistory.com. ‘But The Damned still do it in an old-school style in a big, old noisy room, all together. I think you can hear the excitement and fun of the sessions on the record.’

Captain Sensible moved from bass to guitar after James departed and hasn’t looked back. (James went on to form goth rockers Lords Of The New Church.) Here, Sensible delivers an album highlight with a cover of Pink Floyd’s ‘See Emily Play,’ taking on lead vocals. Elsewhere, Dave Vanian’s gothic drama takes center stage, particularly on the album’s strong second half, including The Lollipop Shoppe’s ‘You Must Be A Witch,’ The Animals’ ‘When I Was Young’ and The Stones’ ‘The Last Time,’ featuring James’ guitar from his last live shows with the band in 2022.

After James left The Damned in 1977, the band reformed and were never better, delivering the one-two punch of Machine Gun Etiquette and The Black Album, the latter with current members Vanian, Sensible, drummer Rat Scabies and bassist Paul Gray. Now with the addition of keyboardist Monty Oxymoron (who regretfully doesn’t appear in the new LP’s cover art), they’re a force, both live and on record.

‘28 Years Later’ doubles down on Duran Duran

Two UK cultural treasures, Duran Duran and the 28 Days Later film franchise, come together in thrilling fashion in the new movie 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.

Viewers of the first film in the new trilogy already know that Dr Ian Kelson, played by Academy Award nominee Ralph Fiennes, has built a Bone Temple, a memento mori, or reminder of death. But we now learn that Kelson is a Duranie, too. The walls of his underground space are covered in old photos, reminders of his life before the rage epidemic, as well as a poster of Simon Le Bon. He listens to Rio and presumably The Wedding Album (although only the cover of Rio is seen) on his hand crank record player.

Above ground, as he continues to build his temple and develop a friendship with an infected Alpha named Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry), he sings ‘Girls On Film’ and ‘Rio’ to pass the time. Along with ‘Ordinary World,’ played prominently during one powerful scene, the Duran Duran songs were all in writer Alex Garland’s script, director Nia DaCosta told IndieWire. ‘It was there, and it made sense for the character (Kelson), and I thought it was really tender,’ she said.

Garland also wrote the script for the seminal 2002 horror film 28 Days Later as well as last year’s 28 Years Later, horror movies about a rage inducing-virus and its aftermath, in which humans are often bigger monsters than the zombie-like infected. 

Along with the Duran Duran songs, two tracks by other UK rock titans Radiohead and Iron Maiden are featured in The Bone Temple. But it’s Duran Duran whose songs seem to play the biggest role as far as the film’s overarching theme. 

Their music helps Kelson stay in touch with his humanity and Samson, his brain clouded by the infection, reconnect with his. Amid an epidemic, they are just two ordinary people seeking an ordinary world.

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, 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': 'Danse Macabre'—the Halloween gift that keeps on giving

It’s Halloween, and the US release date of Duran Duran On Track has finally arrived! It’s also the perfect time to look back at the band’s last studio album, Danse Macabre.

Duran Duran’s Halloween-themed LP 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. In this series, I’ve also covered All You Need Is Now (along with the preceding Red Carpet Massacre), as well as taking a look back over the years at some of the band’s other albums, including Duran Duran and Notorious.

In my original review of Danse Macabre, I called it a joyful gift for Duranies. The band have resurrected the album each Halloween season in the form of deluxe editions, special concerts, and this year, a reboot of one of their most beloved tracks, “Shadows On Your Side,” which has gotten mixed reviews from fans, to say the least. (Despite this, I still stand by my original assessment of the entire project.)

The album shone a spotlight on Duran Duran in the wake of their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and proved that they were capable of turning around a studio LP in under a year—and mature enough to invite both former guitarists back into the fold.

The ambitious LP managed to make a collection of new songs and cover versions of their own tracks and others sound surprisingly cohesive—and arguably put to rest the legacy of the ill-fated Thank You. In addition to the original 13-track album, 2024 saw the release of a De Luxe version with new songs, including a disco-inflected cover of ELO’s “Evil Woman.” And this year’s “Shadows On Your Side” works fine as a remix, though any new version could never top the original.

Whether the band decides to get back into the Halloween spirit every year is still in question. Last year’s sold-out show at Madison Square Garden in New York is being followed with one in Manchester, in their home country.

Duran Duran On Track is available now in the UK and the US. Check out Linktree for order links. I also have a limited number of author-signed copies available for purchase via PayPal.

And if you’re already enjoying the book, please leave a review on Amazon or wherever you purchased your copy.

'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. I also have a limited number of author-signed copies available for purchase via PayPal. 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. I also have a limited number of author-signed copies available for purchase via PayPal. 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 via PayPal in the US.

'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, 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!

Top five live shows of 2024

Duran Duran

More than 35 years after Duran Duran last played Omaha, the band returned for an electrifying concert to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Steelhouse Omaha in May.

The show, from the atmospheric opening song “Night Boat” to the obligatory closer “Rio,” was indeed a celebration for everyone. This included the Duranies who had waited outside the venue for over 12 hours and the well-heeled Omahans who filled the balcony, which was closed for a private party.

“Black Moonlight,” a single from their latest album, made up the heart of the show, which included the streaming smash “Invisible” as well as “Friends of Mine” and “Careless Memories.” The Omaha show was the surprise of Duran Duran’s spring tour, according to synth guru Nick Rhodes. “Wow, what an audience. I guess we hadn’t been there for a very long time, and it just all clicked together that night,” he said.

Read more: Duran Duran at Steelhouse Omaha

X

Longtime Los Angeles punk stalwarts X brought their farewell tour to the Waiting Room in Omaha in July. 

X, with all four original members—vocalist Exene Cervenka, bassist and vocalist John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom and drummer D.J. Bonebrake—played 22 songs, a feat that many much younger bands don’t even attempt, proving all the while that they're truly American treasures.

Read more: X bring farewell tour to Omaha

Crowded House

Crowded House showcased their familiar hits and familial ties at The Astro amphitheater in La Vista in September.

The Australian-New Zealand band, led by the ever-talented Neil Finn, also features fellow original member Nick Seymour on bass, longtime collaborator Mitchell Froom on keyboards and Finn’s sons, Liam and Elroy, on guitar and drums, respectively. They were still in top form, playing songs from their newest album as well as exhilarating hits like “Distant Sun” and “Don’t Dream It’s Over.”

Read more: Crowded House at The Astro

The Psychedelic Furs and The Jesus and Mary Chain 

The Psychedelic Furs brought their current tour, with its impressive lineup, to The Astro in La Vista in October. After the death of saxophone player Mars Williams, The Furs have forged ahead, with longtime collaborator Richard Fortus joining the tour to add a new dimension to their live sound. 

The Jesus and Mary Chain, a band as formidable as the headliners, actually played three more tracks than The Furs. But The Furs, with their expertly curated setlist and dynamic stage presence, enthralled the audience until the final note.

Read more: The Psychedelic Furs and The Jesus and Mary Chain

Actors

Actors, a post-punk band from Vancouver, Canada, traveled down the West Coast (and elsewhere in the U.S.) in the fall, playing Lodge Room in the Los Angeles area in November. They brought along The Discussion and the new wave-inspired electro group Male Tears for the concert. Actors' 15-song set included favorites like “Slave” and “Strangers” as well as a new single, “Object Of Desire.” They even capped their encore with one of their most intense songs, “Bury Me.”

All photos by Christopher Windle and Karen Duran Windle.

Duran Duran's top moments of 2024

It’s another year in the books for Duran Duran, a band now approaching their 45th anniversary.

Duran’s 2024 included a few new songs, an exhilarating run of concerts and an honor for singer Simon Le Bon.

Live shows

Duran Duran played select dates on a spring U.S. tour, including the Cruel World Festival in California and a show at a small venue in Nebraska. They were back in the States in the fall, in time for Halloween, on which they performed at a sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden in New York. The band members donned costumes and played much of their latest album, Danse Macabre, as well as deep cuts like Arcadia’s “Missing.” The show also aired multiple times on Sirius XM radio.

Danse De Luxe

Duran Duran dropped an expanded edition of their Halloween-themed album, which was available on some formats in time for the holiday. New songs on Danse Macabre De Luxe include a cover of ELO’s “Evil Woman”; a reimagining of their own hit, “New Moon (Dark Phase)”; and the instrumental “Masque Of The Pink Death.” An expanded vinyl box set includes four additional tracks: the Classics IV cover “Spooky,” the spoken-word “Instructions For A Seance,” and the instrumentals “Dialogues Of The Dead” and “The Visitor.”

Simon Le Bon, MBE

The singer was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to music and charity in November. Le Bon called the honor “unexpected” and said he hoped it would raise awareness for charities he has been involved with, including the conservation group Blue Marine Foundation and Centrepointe, which tackles youth homelessness.

A big year ahead?

While new music isn’t yet on the horizon for 2025, the band members have hyped a huge European tour happening next summer. In particular, bassist John Taylor said the band is going to be performing in many countries they haven’t played in a long time. And given the spontaneity behind their last studio album, more big news is surely ahead for Duran Duran.

At top: Le Bon in Omaha. (Photo by Christopher Windle) 

Duran Duran Appreciation Day

For Duran Duran Appreciation Day, let’s take a look back at the band’s spring U.S. tour. Duran played select dates, including the Cruel World Festival in California and at venues including Steelhouse Omaha in Nebraska. Here are some additional photos from the Omaha concert and comments from Nick Rhodes about the small yet surprising show.

Rachael O’Connor strikes a pose. Above, John Taylor.
All photos by Karen Duran Windle

“I think the surprise for all of us on the whole trip was Omaha," Rhodes told “Katy’s Kafe.”

“We played a tiny little venue there and, honestly, as good as any small venue I think we’ve ever played. Just beautifully appointed. Incredible sound. They thought about everything, and wow, what an audience. I guess we hadn’t been there for a very long time, and it just all clicked together that night.”

  Rhodes and Simon Le Bon in a lighter moment.

“I think it’s true of any town … where they don’t get quite as much as everybody else,” the keyboardist continued. “Omaha, Nebraska, I guess they don’t always get everything. We certainly hadn’t been there in forever and ever. 

“I hope it’s not that long again. … 

That was really fun.”

Taylor plays the f***ing bass. 

Above, Le Bon and Anna Ross.

Duran Duran puts on a true celebration for Steelhouse Omaha's anniversary—and Duranies alike

More than 35 years after Duran Duran last played Omaha (and over 13 years since my last general-admission Duran show), the band returned for an electrifying concert to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Steelhouse Omaha on May 17.

The show, from the atmospheric opening song “Night Boat” to the obligatory closer “Rio,” was indeed a celebration for everyone. This included the contingent of Duranies who had waited outside the venue through blazing sun and fierce wind for over 12 hours and the well-heeled Omahans who filled the balcony (which was closed to the public for a private party).

Though the private event was likely the reason that Duran had finally returned to the city, the public jumped at the chance to see the band in a small venue and filled the floor entirely. Around noon, we joined the queue outside, which included a couple of dozen fans, some who had lined up at 6 a.m. Before the doors opened at 7 p.m., the line had snaked around the building. 

Once the doors opened, just like in that famous scene from “Sing Blue Silver,” fans ran up to the stage, where they formed a barrier of sorts—the most pleasant spot to take in a Duran concert. The die-hards, having spent the major part of a day holding their places in the queue and sparking up conversations with each other, made sure that everyone’s area was secure near the stage. Until the band began playing, the crowd even parted to make a pathway for fans to come and go through the growing throng of concertgoers. (You could say it’s a union of sorts.)

Yet once the show started, it was only about Duran Duran. The band, fresh off headlining the Cruel World festival, chose to open again with “Night Boat,” reworked for last year’s Danse Macabre album. Then there were favorites like “The Wild Boys,” “Hungry Like the Wolf,” and “Notorious,” which managed to get the people seated in the balcony onto their feet. 

But it was “Black Moonlight,” a single off the latest album, which started the heart of the show. Singer Simon Le Bon donned sunglasses as the occult-tinged video played on the screen above him. The band then launched into the classic track “Lonely in Your Nightmare” mixed with Rick James’ “Superfreak” (also from Danse Macabre). The Future Past single “Invisible” followed, reintroduced to the set list after young Metal Gear Solid fans gave the track new life on streaming services nearly three years after its official release. “Friends of Mine” and “Careless Memories,” perhaps Duran’s best live songs, closed out the exhilarating run.

Le Bon got serious for just a moment to dedicate “Ordinary World” to victims of war, whether Palestinians, Israelis, or Ukrainians. From there, the set list was mostly familiar territory for the average Duranie, filled with crowd-pleasers like “Planet Earth,” “White Lines,” and “The Reflex.” For me, it was a chance to admire John Taylor’s proficiency on bass and Nick Rhodes’ suit, black flecked with a yellow design—as stylish as ever. Duran added a too-short snippet of its disco-esque cover of “Psycho Killer” to “Girls on Film” to close out the main set list. By the time the band performed its now-standard encore of “Save a Prayer” and “Rio,” it was clear that the show had it all: Big hits for the casual fans and special moments for the Duranies (including a chant of “Roger! Roger! ... ” for Roger Taylor, the man behind the kit).

But what was most special: seeing and hearing my favorite band, once more close and clear—a real rarity for a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame act.

All photos by Karen Duran and Christopher Windle