Biography of Duran Duran

The major teen-pop band of the '80s (Nick Rhodes, keyboards; John Taylor, bass; Simon Le Bon, vocals; Andy Taylor, guitar; Roger Taylor, drums) formed in 1978 in Birmingham, England, although the final lineup was not set until the addition of Simon Le Bon in 1980. Taking their name from a character in the Jane Fonda film Barbarella, their style of dance music was quickly drawn into the new romantic movement of the British punk/new-wave scene. These so-called haircut bands were inspired to their fashion-centered look and hip-synthesizer, neo-disco style by bands like Roxy Music. Duran Duran's lush arrangements and distinct vocal sound, combined with an aggressive new-wave, funk-rhythm section, caught the attention of the mass market. But it was their visual appeal and exotic/erotic videos for "Girls on Film," "Hungry Like the Wolf," and "Rio" on the newborn MTV that catapulted them into concert arenas and multi-platinum stardom. Although unabashed teen idols, the members tried to gain more critical respect with sideline efforts like Power Station (for John & Andy Taylor) and Arcadia (for LeBon, Roger Taylor, and Rhodes). After these experiments, the band went through a series of lineup changes and artistic wanderings as their teenage fans began to outgrow them. But none of their later works were as successful as Rio or Seven and the Ragged Tiger. With the end virtually in sight, Duran Duran released the hits/retrospective package Decade and one final studio album before the band temporarily disbanded.In 1993, the band returned with a self-titled album that became a surprise success, thanks to two hit singles -- "Ordinary World" and "Come Undone." Two years later, the band received some of the harshest reviews of their career for their covers album, Thank You. Even with the bad press, Duran Duran's version of Grand Masterflash's "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" received a significant amount of play in dance clubs. ~ Scott Bultman