Duran Duran's top moments of 2015

Duran Duran returned with a vengeance in 2015, releasing a new album, touring the U.S. and U.K., and raking in the awards. Here are the band's top moments from the past year:

 

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Bow to the 'Paper Gods'

Duran released "Paper Gods" in September, and the album would debut at No. 10 on the Billboard albums chart, the biggest chart entry for Duran since 1993's "The Wedding Album." The album also received some great reviews, mine among them, as I was honored to receive a digital copy from Warner Brothers weeks before its official release. Duran collected the Q ICON Award and an EMA Visionary Award following the "Paper Gods" success.

 

'Pressure Off' single and video

For the song "Pressure Off," released as a single in June, Nile Rodgers and Mark Ronson put a modern spin on Duran Duran, bringing in R&B's Janelle Monae to share the vocal with Simon Le Bon. Later in the year, the band followed up with a classy black and white video directed by Nick Egan. For every new face Duran brought into the fold, there were longtime collaborators like Rodgers, Ronson and Egan there to remind fans this was still classic Duran.

 

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New recording contract

Amidst all the excitement about the new music, Duran had once again signed to a major label, reuniting with its back catalog after learning that Warner Brothers UK had bought those rights. With that comes the exciting prospect that Warner could release some gems from the DD vault. There was another rerelease of the "Rio" album in 2015, but many fans are hoping to see rereleases of more recent albums like "The Wedding Album."

 

Photo by Christopher Windle

Tour dates in the U.S. and U.K.

Duran completed only a minitour of the United States in 2015, but the band made it count, playing high-profile festival dates and large venues such as Hollywood Bowl and Red Rocks Amphitheatre. I was there for the majesty of Red Rocks, and it was a show that topped all other Duran shows for someone who has seen the band 18 times in different iterations over the years. In the U.K., a pre-Christmas tour wowed fans. The band pulled out surprises such as "Only In Dreams," "Love Voodoo" and "New Moon On Monday."

More tour dates loom next year, as Duran brought the year to a close by announcing North American dates next spring and summer. Reviews of the St. Paul and Kansas City shows will be among those appearing here next year!

 

TFI Friday

'Save A Prayer' for Paris

One of the great moments of 2015 was Duran's response to a tragedy. After terrorists attacked Paris, including a concert by the band Eagles of Death Metal, fans rallied with a campaign to get the band's cover version of Duran's "Save A Prayer" to the top of the U.K. charts. As sales of the digital song climbed, Duran announced that all proceeds would go to charity. Now, when Duran plays the song in its live encore, Le Bon dedicates the track to the victims of the attacks.

 

The influenced and the influencers

Duran Duran has influenced quite a few bands and artists over the years. One is Portland-Oregon's The Dandy Warhols. I could hear Duran's influence all over the band's "The Dandy Warhols Come Down" when I first heard it in 1997. In 2001, the Dandys released "Welcome to the Monkey House," produced by Duran's Nick Rhodes, and the circle was complete.

(All photos by Christopher Windle)

The Nov. 20 show in Iowa City was my fourth time seeing the Dandys, and the band always puts on a great show. It was the Dandys' first show in Iowa, and it was during a snowstorm no less, as singer Courtney Taylor asked the crowd, "Are we snowed in?"

The Dandys still managed to warm up the crowd with classics like "The Last High," "Bohemian Like You" and "Godless." Other highlights included the haunting ballads "And Then I Dreamt of Yes" and "Well They're Gone." Taylor livened up the slow burn of the show with the solo "Welcome to the Monkey House" and "Everyday Should be a Holiday," with the crowd singing along to both.

The band put a spin on "Monkey House's" "Plan A," with multi-instrumentalist Zia McCabe abandoning the keyboards for bass guitar. It was a totally different take on the synth-heavy album cut that featured vocals by Duran's Simon Le Bon. The Dandys closed with "Come Down's" "Boys Better," an excellent bookend to the opener, "Be In," off the same album.

And then there are the influencers. When Duran formed in 1978, there were a few musicians almost always mentioned as influences: David Bowie, Roxy Music, Chic...and the Sex Pistols. The members of Duran and the Sex Pistols' paths have crossed over the years. Most notably, guitarist Steve Jones formed the band Neurotic Outsiders with Duran bassist John Taylor and even played on most recent album "Paper Gods." Recently, both Duran and Sex Pistol's singer John Lydon's Public Image Ltd. shared the stage at "Later...with Jools Holland."

We caught PiL on tour in Nebraska the day before traveling to see the Dandys. PiL kept the show short and sweet in the smallest venue on its current tour. There was no opener for the show at Knickerbockers in Lincoln. Despite the relatively short set list, PiL played songs off most of its albums, and Lydon commanded the crowd despite feeling under the weather.

Recap: Oktober

Duran finally takes the “Pressure Off”

At long last, Duran Duran released the video for “Pressure Off” on Oct. 21, and it was worth the wait. Video director and longtime collaborator Nick Egan took to the Duran Duran Message Board to answer fans’ questions about the arty clip. Egan revealed that the video was inspired by Philippe Halsman’s photographs (hence all the jumping around) and that the logistics of getting the members of Duran, Nile Rodgers and Janelle Monae all in one place was a reason the release was delayed. What’s clear from the clip is that Simon, John, Roger and even Nick are having fun, their smiles shining bright even in black and white. The impact of the video remains to be seen. The stark, modern imagery and the fact that “Pressure Off” features faces more recently seen on music television (Monae and Rodgers, with Daft Punk) bode well.

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Awards roll in...again

Remember before and after the “Astronaut” album was released, when a newly reunited Duran couldn’t seem to not win a lifetime achievement award? Well, so far this year, Duran has both a Q ICON Award and an EMA Visionary Award under its collective belts. Duran co-conspirator Mark Ronson made an appearance with the band at the EMAs, and Charli XCX (she of “The Hunger Games” duet with Simon) presented the band with the Q honor. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. is advertising “Paper Gods” for Grammy consideration. Hopefully, it’s a sign the awards rush won’t stop.

Duran Duran at Red Rocks, where they debuted
“What Are the Chances?” live. Photo by Christopher Windle.

Duran amps up Euro promotion

As Duran gears up for a pre-Christmas tour of the U.K., the band is in TV promotion mode, with recent appearances on “X Factor Italia” and “Later...With Jools Holland.” The live showcase the latter provides meant the band performed more than just “Pressure Off,” as live standout “What Are the Chances?” and classics “Notorious” and “Wild Boys” also were on display. U.S. fans can tune in to watch the show Nov. 5 on Palladia.

Duran Duran at Red Rocks

There are concerts that become touchstones in a person's life. When Duran Duran performed at Red Rocks Amphitheatre for the first time in its career on Sept. 20, it was clear that the show meant that much to both concertgoers and the band. Singer Simon Le Bon was moved to post to duranduran.com about the majesty of the venue, which he described as looking like the inside of some ancient alien spacecraft, and just what it was like to kick off the band's minitour in support of new album "Paper Gods" in such a place.

Besides the scenic, windswept backdrop for the show, there was more that made the night a special one. Chic featuring Nile Rodgers opened for Duran, easily becoming the best opening act in Duran's long career. Rodgers is not only a studio mastermind but a showman with a fantastic backing band. He kicked off the party with a number of the band's and his hits, from "Le Freak" and "Good Times" to David Bowie's "Let's Dance" and Chic's latest dance chart-topper, "I'll Be There."

Nile Rodgers snaps photos of opener Clean Bandit. (All of these awesome photos were taken by my wonderful husband, Christopher Windle.)

Cellphones lit up the night sky during Chic's cover of Rodgers' and Daft Punk's "Get Lucky."

Duran took the stage with aplomb, performing the opening title track "Paper Gods." It was one of five new songs the band played, including the live debut of the beautiful "What Are the Chances?" After "PG," Duran broke out hit after hit: "Hungry Like the Wolf," "A View to a Kill," "The Reflex," and "Come Undone," before playing the new ballad following "Last Night In the City."

Rodgers joined the band on stage for two of Duran's hits he had a hand in, "Notorious" and latest single "Pressure Off." Duran has another hit album on its hands, as Le Bon shared the news that "Paper Gods" debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard albums chart, the biggest chart entry for Duran since 1993's "The Wedding Album."

The hits kept coming: "Planet Earth," "Ordinary World" (even more moving in the setting of Red Rocks), "(Reach Up for the) Sunrise," and "Wild Boys." Duran made the new song "Dancephobia" better than the studio version by jumping straight into electro-fied versions of rare live track "Too Much Information" and "Girls On Film."

Duran came back for an encore of "White Lines," "Save a Prayer" and "Rio," closing out the show before an extremely appreciative crowd in a nearly full venue that fits more than 9,000 people. As Simon Le Bon said, Red Rocks "is a truly magical place," and Duran Duran proved to be the perfect fit.

Bonus tracks and new beginnings

Welcome to Duran Duran and Beyond!

I will try to keep the backstory to a minimum, but I parted ways with Examiner.com last month, and this move provided me with a great opportunity to start my own music blog, without all the restrictions I was operating under previously. My new husband and I go to a lot of concerts, so we'll be sharing photos and reviews of those. The main focus, as it should be, will be Duran Duran, but there are a lot of great bands we see that go beyond Duran Duran, so we'll be sharing those, too! All of my best work with Examiner also is archived here on the site.

My last article for Examiner was a review of the fantastic new album "Paper Gods." Thanks to Warner Bros, I got to hear and write about the 12 album tracks more than a month before the release date. But, of course, I was planning on buying the album in multiple formats when it came out. The vinyl is on its way from Amazon, and I picked up not one but two copies Friday as I traveled across the Midwest.

In Minnesota, I stopped by Target for the peachy exclusive version on sale there. I was hoping to snag the deluxe there as well, but there weren't any available, so I bought one of two copies left of the Target exclusive. For fans of the physical album like myself, it's sad how there are so few CDs available at brick and mortar stores now. The Target version boasts two bonus tracks, the very electronic "On Evil Beach" and "Cinderella Ride."

But the standout bonus tracks in the vein of modern-day classics such as "Virus" and "Cry Baby Cry" can be found on the deluxe version of "Paper Gods." I picked up my copy at a Best Buy in Iowa, where it was lumped together with several copies of the 12-track version of the album in a display of new releases at the front of the store.

"Planet Roaring" is an intense track with guitar by Sex Pistol and Duran cohort Steve Jones. "Valentine Stones" is a funky and lyrically cheeky song that fits the "Paper Gods" mold. "Northern Lights" is another song featuring ex-Red Hot Chili Pepper John Frusciante. The trio tops some album tracks that made the cut, notably for me, "Dancephobia" and even "Last Night In the City," whose appearance by Keszia could have been utilized instead on "Planet Roaring," a much stronger song.

The release of "Paper Gods" makes me even more excited for the start of the U.S. mini tour. I'll be at Red Rocks on Sept. 20. Here's hoping the boys play "What Are The Chances?" or any of the new tracks, for that matter!

Review: Duran Duran continues reign on new album 'Paper Gods'

On its ambitious new album "Paper Gods," Duran Duran adds a modern electronic sheen to its trademark new wave pop – a sound the band refers to as "Brand Duran" in an interview in Rolling Stone magazine Aug. 6.

After riding New Romanticism into a wave of hit albums in the early to mid-1980s, Duran has embraced everything from funk to electronica in its three-decade-plus career. The Birmingham, England, band isn't easily categorized, and neither is "Paper Gods." Duran's 14th studio album, due out Sept. 11 on Warner Bros., is its most keyboard-driven effort in years and has an eclectic energy reminiscent of the band's 1993 hit "The Wedding Album."

Duran comes out swinging on the lead-off title track with some rare social commentary, proclaiming "the fools in town / are ruling now." The song features background vocals from Mr. Hudson, who also capably handles much of the album's production. It's the first of many guest spots on "Paper Gods." Mew's Jonas Bjerre sings on "Change The Skyline," and three of the album's tracks boast guitarist and former Red Hot Chili Pepper John Frusciante, who at times seems to be channeling ex-Duran guitarist Warren Cuccurullo.

In 2013, Duran pledged that the new album would be "likely to move you closer to the dance floor." The band delivers on that promise with songs such as "Last Night in the City" (featuring Kiesza) and "Face for Today," one of the standout tracks. Duran displays its funky side on lead single "Pressure Off" (featuring Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers) and "Butterfly Girl," with its Daft Punk-esque refrain.

While Duran aims for clubland with the album's first half, the band also brings the ballads. "What Are the Chances?" has been likened to "Save A Prayer" and also reminds the listener of "Ordinary World" – and, yes, it deserves to be mentioned in the same breath. "Paper Gods" draws to a close with the hypnotic "Only In Dreams" (the album's other Mark Ronson/Rodgers collaboration) and "The Universe Alone," a fitting ballad for the apocalypse.

Much has been made in the media of Lindsay Lohan's spoken word contribution on "Danceophobia," but it's a mostly forgettable moment. Fans also might notice a lack of standout bass lines and noticeable guitar on certain tracks.

It's clear that "Paper Gods" is keyboardist Nick Rhodes' domain. Singer Simon Le Bon, having suffered vocal problems during Duran's last world tour, also is at his strongest. On "Only in Dreams," he sings, "There's a vampire in the limousine / The sun's going down like a symphony / She keeps her guard up while her nails are wet / I don't wanna wake up." It's a piece of new wave poetry.

"Paper Gods" manages to capture plenty of those "Brand Duran" moments, and that's what will appeal to longtime fans, pushing Duran Duran into its fourth decade and perhaps beyond.

Single review: Duran Duran comes roaring back with 'Pressure Off'

June 21, 2015

Duran Duran steps into the future with its new single, "Pressure Off," which was released June 19 and is available to listen to and download on several channels, including Google Play.

The song features Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers, who, along with co-producer Mark Ronson, can be heard all over the new single. Sure, the song is in the vein of Rodger's and Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" and Ronson's "Uptown Funk." While featuring the vibrancy of the newer songs by longtime Duranies Rodgers and Ronson, it's classic Duran.

After all, the funk revival Daft Punk brought about by welcoming Rodgers into the fold was done much earlier by Duran, who had the Chic musician produce and play on the band's hit album "Notorious" in the 1980s (he also produced a remix of "The Reflex" and "Wild Boys"). Ronson produced Duran's last studio album, 2011's "All You Need Is Now."

Embracing nostalgia while keeping a foot in the future seems to be a theme of Duran's latest work. The band's forthcoming album, "Paper Gods," is sprinkled with references to Duran's past, at least as far as the artwork goes. A "cherry ice cream smile," a tiger, and now, a toothy, roaring maw. The latter image, now associated with "Pressure Off," is a nod to "Wild Boys." Again, Duran has all the makings of a hit on its hands.

"Pressure Off" is Duran's first effort off "Paper Gods," set to be released Sept. 18 in the United States. The band played audio of the song before its set June 20 at Sonar Festival, and the chance to hear the single live with all featured players is looming as Duran begins a round of U.S. shows Aug. 5 at Rodger’s FOLD Festival.

The track listing of "Paper Gods," as shown on Amazon: "Paper Gods" (feat. Mr Hudson); "Last Night In The City" (feat. Kiesza); "You Kill Me With Silence"; "Pressure Off"; "Face For Today"; "Danceophobia"; "What Are the Chances?"; "Sunset Garage"; "Change The Skyline"; "Butterfly Girl"; "Only In Dreams"; "The Universe Alone"; "Planet Roaring" (bonus track); "Valentine Stones" (bonus track); and "Northern Lights" (bonus track).