14 Times Duran Duran Paved the Way as Music Video Pioneers
‘80s legends Duran Duran have been making headlines this month as fans and music lovers alike anticipate the release of the band’s fourteenth studio album. While the release date of the untitled album is slated for September 2015, Duran Duran have been playing the album’s first single (titled “Pressure Off”) at various events, including a San Francisco radio event hosted by Warner Brothers Records, the band’s new label. The band’s last album, All You Need Is Now, was released in 2010 by S-Curve Records and distributed by Universal. Their 2007 album, Red Carpet Massacre, was released by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. The band left Sony in 2009, and they seem content to settle in at Warner Brothers Records. Having called many labels home, the band is enthusiastic about their new worldwide deal. Bassist John Taylor echoed this sentiment in a recent interview:
“We could not be happier to be making this deal with Warner Bros., and are looking forward to working on our forthcoming album release with not only their US team but also everyone else within the Warner family around the world. We are also excited that this deal means we will be reunited with our catalogue after years apart – and in that sense it really feels a little like coming home.”
Duran Duran also took some time to visit the label’s Los Angeles’ office, where they played “Pressure Off” for staff. The track, while not formally released, features R&B singer-songwriter Janelle Monae and was produced by Nile Rodgers of Chic. Rodgers and Duran Duran go way back—he produced their single “Wild Boys” and their Notorious album, as well as famously remixing “The Reflex.” Mark Ronson, Joshua Blair, and Mr. Hudson also put their producer hats on and contributed to the making of this upcoming album. Ronson produced their last album, All You Need is Now. Shockingly enough, it was rumored that Lindsay Lohan would be appearing on the album, after she posted an Instagram in the London recording studio with keyboardist Nick Rhodes and singer Simon Le Bon. She has only released one album: Speak and that was in 2004. I suppose we’ll just have to wait until the album comes out to see if she lent her voice to the project. Other confirmed featured musicians (besides Monae) include Red Hot Chili Peppers’ guitarist John Frusciante and Juno Award winner Kiesza. The 26-year-old newcomer hails from Canada, and jumped at the chance to be included on the album:
“Simon was apparently in a gym watching TV on a treadmill and my video came on and he really, really liked it. His management reached out to a friend of mine, and he put the idea out there. I was like, I can’t say no to Duran Duran—they like made the ‘80s! I was in the studio with all of them. They’re so young at heart; it feels like they’re still teenagers. They’re really educated about music. Duran Duran all started talking music theory to me. I was like, wow, I have to start using my brain! It sounds like the song will be on their new album. I’m sure we’ll work together again, maybe even for my album. We sort of thought we should do something in the studio and start from scratch. I heard some stuff from their new album and it’s going to be amazing. They still really love what they do. They’re not in it for money, but because they genuinely love music. They’ve spent three years working on this album.”
While Duran Duran took a hiatus from touring to work on the new album, they eased back into performing by participating in David Lynch’s April 1st event at the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles. The event was a fundraiser for the David Lynch Foundation and a celebration of its tenth anniversary. The nonprofit organization teaches Transcendental Meditation to children and veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Sky Ferreira, Karen O, Wayne Coyne, Steven Drozd, Moby, and Lykke Li, among others, performed for the crowd of 1,600. While Duran Duran’s classic upbeat pop sound contrasts with Lynch’s rather brooding collection of work, this isn’t the first time these two creative forces joined together. In 2011, Lynch directed Duran Duran: Unstaged, a concert film shot at the Mayan Theater in Los Angeles. As the band performed iconic songs such as “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “Come Undone,” and “Save a Prayer,” Lynch superimposed surrealist images over the live footage. Keyboardist Nick Rhodes, also known for his artistic impulses as a photographer, was especially excited about their collaboration:
“David is a visionary artist, his work is always surprising and beautifully strange – so it was a surreal dream collaboration for us to work with him and to become the subjects of one of his films. When we first discussed the notion of working together, we bonded over a shared desire to create a truly unique live film. I felt confident we could rely upon David to conjure up something stylish, experimental, handmade and innovative. He surpassed all of our wildest expectations.”
Their respect for Lynch is deeply rooted in their passion for the visual medium of filmmaking. It’s widely known that Duran Duran were (and remain) music video innovators since the creation of MTV in 1981. You have Duran Duran to thank for polished concept music videos and giant video screens at live shows. With over 100 million worldwide record sales, Duran Duran are Grammy winners, MTV Video Music Award Lifetime Achievement recipients, Brit Award winners, and Ivor Novello Award winners. They know what they’re doing, and they’re good at it. As you wait for their fourteenth studio album to be released, occupy yourself with these fourteen instances in which Duran Duran paved the way as music video pioneers.
- “Girls on Film”
Released in 1981 off of their debut album Duran Duran, “Girls on Film” caused quite the controversy with its racy, sexually charged music video. Directed by Godley and Creme, the raunchy video features models in various fetishistic scenarios. The release of the video coincided with the debut of MTV, and as a result, was heavily censored for airplay. The BBC refused to play it, but the band utilized the attention to their advantage. In 1984, “Girls on Film” and “Hungry Like the Wolf” won a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video.
- “Rio”
1982 saw the release of the band’s second album, Rio, and with it came innovative music videos. Duran Duran were one of the first bands to shoot on location, having transported their crew to Antigua for the “Rio” video. Director Russell Mulcahy filmed the five band members wearing brightly colored Antony Price suits aboard a yacht. Duran Duran became synonymous with glamour and excess as they chased around the beautiful, playful and elusive woman named Rio.
- “Hungry Like the Wolf”
Also directed by Russell Mulcahy for the Rio album, the music video for “Hungry Like the Wolf” followed the band on an adventure through the jungles of Sri Lanka. Lead singer Simon Le Bon chases a tiger-like woman through the streets and jungles as the rest of the band tries to track him down. MTV played the video roughly four times a day, helping the song hit the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It became the 15th most played video on MTV and was 31st on VH1’s list of “100 Greatest Videos of All Time.”
- “Save a Prayer”
Another track off the Rio album, “Save a Prayer” was also directed by Russell Mulcahy during the band’s trip to Sri Lanka. They filmed at the Sigiriya ancient rock fortress and the Polonnaruwa Buddhist temple’s ruins. The sultry, romantic music video gives off a breezy, easygoing tone but the making of the video had its fair share of hiccups. After accidentally consuming some of the lagoon water on location, guitarist Andy Taylor (who is no longer in the band) was hospitalized with a tropical virus. Also, as drummer Roger Taylor rode atop a female elephant, a male elephant came along in a mating attempt, which initially startled Taylor and the crew.
- “Night Boat”
Another product of their time filming with Russell Mulcahy in Antigua, “Night Boat” features the band getting bombarded by zombies. Duran Duran pulled the zombie card before zombies were even cool! Take that, “Thriller!” The spooky video is very plot-driven and includes dialogue scattered throughout, along with Shakespearean references tossed in for good measure.
- “The Chauffeur” https://youtu.be/1B__8N5d_LA
“The Chauffeur” is the only Duran Duran music video that actually doesn’t include appearances of the band. The highly stylized film noir video follows a beautiful woman (are you sensing a pattern yet?) as she is chauffeured through the city and finds herself in rather suggestive situations. The instrumental portion of the song is paired with the topless dancing of Perri Lister, an English actress. Another Rio classic, the song’s video was inspired by the 1974 film “The Night Porter.” Also heavily influenced by Helmut Newton’s work, the video was directed by Ian Emes.
- “Union of the Snake”
Released in 1983 as the lead single from their third album Seven and the Ragged Tiger, “Union of the Snake” hit the #3 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. Directed by Simon Milne, the music video is a bit out there, as the band are being chased by weird snake-like characters until they end up in a subterranean dungeon. Filmed in Cronulla, Australia this big budget video was nothing compared to what they had planned for their next release: “Wild Boys.”
- “Wild Boys”
The only studio track on their 1984 live album Arena, “Wild Boys” won a BRIT Award for Best British Video in 1985 and was nominated for Best Direction in a Video at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1985. The song reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, and along with its success came an over-the-top music video. Yet another Russell Mulcahy directed masterpiece, the filming of the “Wild Boys” video came with its own set of problems. At one point, Simon Le Bon is strapped to a windmill that submerges his head under water as it rotates. It was rumored that during filming, the windmill got stuck in a position that kept Le Bon’s head under water for much longer than he anticipated, which resulted in crew members frantically rushing to cut him loose. With the video costing over $1,000,000, the band utilized choreographers, intricate sets, special effects technology, prosthetic makeup, fire, windmills, and pools. Their work on this video set the stage for pricey videos to come.
- “Ordinary World”
“Ordinary World” was the first single from Duran Duran’s 1993 untitled album commonly referred to as The Wedding Album, as it features wedding photos of the band member’s parents. The song hit #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart when it was released and won an Ivor Novello Award in 1994. After struggling with a few lineup changes and ill-received albums, “Ordinary World” put Duran Duran back on the map. The video was directed by Nick Egan, and at this point the new Duran Duran lineup included Simon Le Bon, John Taylor, Nick Rhodes, and Warren Cuccurullo. Original guitarist Andy Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor did not participate in the making of this album, but the band still put together a beautiful, melancholy masterpiece.
- “Come Undone”
Also released in 1993 as The Wedding Album’s second single, “Come Undone” was a well-received hit for the band. The video, directed by Julien Temple, was filmed at the London Aquarium and paints a haunting portrait of people reliving vices and coming undone. Throughout the video, various characters experience moments of bittersweet revelation as they learn things about themselves. It’s truly a beautiful and often underrated video in the Duran Duran vault.
- “Electric Barbarella”
The first single from their 1997 album Medazzaland, “Electric Barbarella” pays homage to Roger Vadim’s 1968 film Barbarella starring Jane Fonda. The science fiction film inspired the band’s name, as the evil character in the film is named Durand Durand. Directed by Ellen Von Unwerth, the music video features the band members exploring their new favorite toy: a robot woman played by model Myka Dunkle. Yet again, due to its sexual tone, the video was edited for airplay on MTV.
- “Falling Down”
It’s difficult to find a Duran Duran music video that doesn’t utilize models. The video for their 2007 single “Falling Down” (from their Red Carpet Massacre album) centers around a group of broken down, mentally ill models in rehab. The band members play various administrative roles in the hospital and take care of the women. “Falling Down” was a part of their collaboration with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake, and features Timberlake on background vocals throughout the track. In true Duran Duran fashion, the band also filmed a version, with director Anthony Mandler, in which most of the models are topless.
- “All You Need is Now”
The lead single from their thirteenth studio album of the same name, “All You Need is Now” was released in 2010. Directed by Nick Egan, the music video intersperses footage of the band performing in the studio with clips of young adults dressed in ‘80s gear enjoying a night out. The song is a nostalgic piece throwing it back to their start in Birmingham, England, and they echo the sentiment that while it’s good to fondly remember your past, all you truly need is now.
- “Girl Panic!”
This nine minute long epic music video features super models playing the members of Duran Duran. Naomi Campbell plays Simon Le Bon, Helena Christensen plays Roger Taylor, Eva Herzigova plays Nick Rhodes, and Cindy Crawford plays John Taylor. Le Bon’s wife Yasmin plays the “guitar player”. The band members play interviewers and hotel staff throughout the video while models trash the hotel. While the video reunites a group of classic beauties, it also highlights the success Duran Duran has seen over the years and pokes fun at little controversies that have cropped up in the media. The video serves as a sort of pat on the back for being music pioneers. They are all too often dismissed as an ‘80s band, when the fact of the matter is they have a very successful career happening right now.