Update January 8, 2006
A couple years ago I bought a compilation of Duran Duran videos on Ebay. I've finally gotten around to watching them and will be putting my thoughts here. I've often said that the last video I liked of theirs is whatever video they made and released before "All She Wants Is". I've found there are a few more videos I like, but nothing compares to the Sri Lanka videos of their early days. Kind of strange to say a band's gone backwards on the way they make videos, but they definately have
Just after Christmas I bought the Duran Duran singles (box 2) and will be writing what I think of the "unheard" singles here. the unheard ones are the ones that were usually on the backside of an albumn. An example would be (not that it's in box two, I'm assuming it's in box 1) Secret Oktober (or however it's spelled) which was on the back of Union of the Snake (if I remember right). I had the single (back when they made 45's - am I showing my age yet?), but never really cared to listen to it even though other people said they loved it.
*END*
FINALLY! FINALLY! FINALLY!
I've FINALLY seen all 5 original (well, as original as you can get) members of Duran Duran. They played at the Murat theatre in Indianapolis on July 24th, 2005 (Indianapolis is 4 hours away from where I live, but it was the closest they were going to get on this leg of their Astronaut tour) and all 5 were there. Do I sound giddy? hmm... I am, but I'm not. Confused?
It's like finally completing a life's quest. I've wanted to see them together since 1984 (or was it 85?) when they did the really big tour - their first really big tour - of the United States, but being only 14 (great, now I've shown my age), having no liscense and not being of the mind to ask anyone to take me, I was unable to see them at that time. Then they BROKE UP! I thought I would never get to see them together.
Then they got back together and I went to the Allstate Arena in Chicago for the Astronaut tour (see March 19, 2005 update below). I assumed God had something against me finishing this particular quest. So, just before this concert happened their were all those bombings in England and my thoughts were "is it that important that I don't see them all?" With so many of the members having friends, family, etc, over there, I was worried that something would have happened to cancel the concert (couldn't have blamed them if it was). But the concert went off as planned. And now, for the update on that.
The concert at the Murat theatre let me hear 2 songs in concert that I'd never seen them play in concert: Friends of Mine and New Religion (I was going to say heard, but I've got Arena). I'm not sure whether or not I heard Careless Memories before (can't recall if it was one of them they played at the State Theatre in Detroit in 1997 - they were playing different ones then too - Anyone out there comes to mind) but if not, I've heard it now.
The Murat Theatre is also the Theatre that I've had the best seats in (12 rows back - wonder if they can see that far back with all the lights).
I also want to clarify something said in the March 19 update. The thudding bass sound (the one that annoyed me because it was slightly off beat) must've been the bass drum (sorry Roger) as the opening act (Stimulator) seemed to have the same effect (though it wasn't off beat) of annoying me by it's insistant racket (if being a rock band means you're loud, Stimulator wins - I couldn't figure out if I liked their songs or not - couldn't figure out what the songs were about - couldn't understand one iota of the lyrics - could only hear/feel drums).
On another note, I did hear the bass this time (Thanks John!), but that could've been because I was 12 rows back... on John's side. I wonder if that had something to do with not being able to hear it at AllState Arena (were were.. ummm... in the front row of the lower section across the arena from them... but you would've thought that would've been taken into account).
Questions I had for a while were answered: So, do they still smoke? I'm not sure about anyone but Andy but I will garauntee that he smokes... constantly, consistantly...while playing... talented. If you're allergic to smoke DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT sit in the first row on Andy's side. Even in a non smoking theatre (which the Murat was). I would've loved a conversation between Andy and someone trying to tell him he couldn't smoke in there. *heh*
Though I do now have more questions: What was that item on Simon's belt? Butterfly? Bird? If I had been able to take my camera in (I had something a little more advanced than a small digital camera or a one time use camera (both allowed - though that wasn't stated on their website or I would've tried to borrow a friend's) - something that could actually take good pictures in the dim light) I'd know the answer.
Is there a reason Nick never seems very animated on the Keyboards? Oh, I assume the keyboards and apple computer he uses (yeah, you can tell) could basically hold everything and Nick really doesn't HAVE to be out there, but it wouldn't be Duran without him. Though I admit, it'd be strange seeing him as animated as Simon... hell, it's strange seeing Simon as animated as Simon (me thinks he's a bit barking - with a question on the bit part).
Back to a question on Simon: How is he practicing for racing the boat? (used to be the Drum of England (I think) now it's.. umm.. don't remember.- they sank it last time it was in this race, guess he's going to try again). Or is he just trying to stay in shape by playing concert after concert and hope he remembers the rigging?
Overall the concert rocked, though they didn't play my favorite song from the new albumn (Bedroom Toys), but you can't please everyone (I got to hear it at the Allstate). I'm not sure if I prefer the large Arena atmosphere or the small theatre atmosphere. Having seen the same basic concert in each you think I'd be able to say. I suppose both have their advantages. But one difference between the two concerts was at Allstate I had my best friend with me to rock to the beat. At the Murat I was alone. Perhaps that's why I left sort of depressed and it wasn't because I had finally reached my goal. A concert's only really good when you have someone to share it with.
*END*
Update 3/19/05:
Just got back from seeing Duran Duran in concert in Chicago (Allstate Arena) and I have to say it ROCKED! But, unfortuantly, I am still waiting to see all 5 original members of Duran Duran in concert. Seems Andy's Dad (I think it was Dad) wasn't well and he went back to England to be by his side. Thank goodness they were able to find a replacement and he could learn the music fast enough. But that left them with only 4 original members instead of the five promised. I would've complained but.... Why? THEY STILL ROCKED! Ok, Simon's gotten mucho mucho better on hitting his high notes. I only noticed one or two missed notes this time. Hrm. Maybe that's because there was some stupid bass (slightly off beat most of the time - NOT JOHN (how do I know? Couldn't HEAR John - I could tell he was playing... but when the Rio solo/duet plays and you can't hear the bass... you know it's not THAT bass.) which was thumping and vibrating everything *sigh* And I wanted to be able to hear when the concert ended... or at least not have a headache.
Before:
I often say that I'm stuck in the '80's and nothing shows that more than my taste in music. I love '80's rock and roll (or pop) and my favorite groups were the top group of the 80's. Duran Duran reached the top (and my heart) first, but they were soon follows in 1985 by a band called A-HA from a place called Norway.
I'm not saying that I shied away from Duran Duran, no, the two bands were together in my heart (though for the sake of my best friend, I tended to talk more about Duran Duran than A-HA - I don't think she saw what I did in the band).
Duran "Hungry Like the Wolf" Duran and "Take on Me" A-ha, two bands with their own distinct sound, or were they?
Both bands tended to be syth oriented, different than the normal guitar/drums oriented bands that were around and you must admit that both bands were good looking.
But where they differed mostly was the vocal range of the singers. Where Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran) seemed to have some difficulties just hitting his notes on key (for those fans of Le Bon, listen to the records before you yell
While I have had the privledge of seeing Duran Duran in concert not once, but twice (once with John Taylor and once without), I have never seen A-HA in concert.
You see, while Duran Duran stayed together in name (making it easy to find new information on them) if not in people, A-HA completly broke up in the beginning of the 90's. Once you knew they had broken up, why would you look for new information on the band you know isn't together.
That's the situation that I was stuck with. The last albumn I had from A-HA was "Memorial Beach" and I went to see if they had any more albumns out using the internet and that's how I found out they had broken up. Morten Harket was doing his solo albumn called "Wild Seed" and Paul Waakter (Who had gotten married and was now Waakter-Savoy) was with his wife in a band aptly named Savoy. It looked like the band was gone for good.
The band did a concert together in the late '90's and officially got back together in 2000. But while they seem to be extremely popular in a majority of places (everywhere but the USA?), they have not regained their popularity here.
Some may blame it on the recording industry ("They're one shot wonders", etc), some may blame it on the band themselves, some may blame it on the fans, there may be other things to blame this on, but I'll stick to those three.
My belief is both blames are probably correct in and of itself. The recording industry is to blame because they probably feel A-HA had their day in the sun and now have to prove that they can regain the #1 spot with another single. A-HA may also be to blame as they do not want to work with anyone that is not willing to promote, advertise, and generally spend money to make sure the single is heard and sold.
Now, let's look at that third item - the fans. I've already shown I'm one of them and I admit I may be to partially to blame. After the debut albumn of "Hunting High and Low" I bought the next two albumns ("Scoundrel Days", "Stay on These Roads") and enjoyed them immensly. But when "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" came out, I didn't buy it. In fact, I barely even knew it was out (a recording industry flaw? - Non promotion). When "Memorial Beach" came out I bought it, ended up listening to it once and never agian. (Funny story here, a lot of my now favorite songs are on that albumn). And then nothing for years (see above story).
So, if the fans are ultimatly to blame how can we convince the recording industry and A-HA that their money and time are well spent coming back to the USA? Until we can get their records in our stores, I'm not going to worry about getting them to come back and perform - though ultimatly that's what I'd like.
TO SEE A-HA IN CONCERT!!!!
Oh, in other music news, other bands I like are:
No Doubt - "Tragic Kingdom" is the only CD I own of theirs
Aqua - I may be the only person that ADMITS to liking the song "Barbie Girl", in fact it's the ONLY reason I bought the CD - couldn't find the single. It's a really good workout song.
Verve Pipe - "Freshman" is the only CD I have, but I need to like them as they're from around this area (Kalamazoo). The only song I listen to is "Freshman" as well.
Madonna - Yeah, she's from Michigan too. I love the older stuff. "Immaculate collection" is the LAST of her CD's I have.
Styx - "Kilroy was here" I love the whole albumn