00's for me, although there was still some good music coming out new singers were more interested in being on the X Factor and American Idol

 

Last edited: May 17, 2016

Really? My last listenings (and doodling with their midi) left me feeling they made a lot out of a little and that (increasingly) there was almost nothing there except the "star" thing and some nice sounds and production. Some of the first tunes are 'songs' but is there much after Please Please Please Me now (or whatever it was called)?

How do you play Reflex on guitar?

ha, well, I think that's because Japan had such a Roxy influence - and Duran (Nick Rhodes esp) stole the whole lot from Japan, Roxy included. ;) (And made it more commercially viable........)

I can still listen to Japan, yet barely the Durannies. I don't think their stuff has aged very well. Whereas Japan and TalkTalk still have the depth to interest me 35 (!!) years later. Oh christ....35 years? yikes

My Durannie tale is that I went to college in Birmingham a few years after they were massive and his old room in halls of residence still had an "oooh" to it. Ooooh.

 

How do you play Reflex on guitar?

Very carefully. Seriously though, I haven't done any work on that one yet. I've been playing the basslines, implying keyboard chords, touching on guitar parts, and playing the vocal melodies all sort of at once. I'll let you know how the Reflex goes though.

 

I think Simon LeB sounds better older . . . more sultry and less squeeky.

 

I'm with you, nice Filter reference... big fan of them...(at least early work)

 

There are a few funny moments in this interview .. some intended, and some unintentional!

 

I was one of about 20 engineers that worked on "Seven and the ragged tiger" I do remember recording guitar on Reflex but don't know if what I did on that track was used. They had 2 producers and 2 studios booked permanently for months. They just kept doing parts over and over.
I do have one story though. I remember recording the synth hooks on one song. Nick Rhodes was standing there with a hamburger in one hand trying to work out the hook. We just kept going over it for a long time with the track in record until he hit upon a hook. Then the producer said 'OK got it" Then nick walked out of the studio and I spun the hook out onto quarter inch tape and flew it in all over the song. Oh for Protools.
Then when the album was finished the 2 roadies came in and mixed off what they needed for the live show onto 8 track tape.
So the synth hook was only ever played once with a hamburger in the left hand.

With the machine that was behind Duran how could they fail. There is talent there but no more than I have seen in any other good band.
Spencer

 

Last edited: May 19, 2016

The Beatles did exactly the same thing, minus the live shows

 

I was expecting the chorus to come a bit earlier, good trick .. nice bass playing too

 

Last edited: May 23, 2016

meh meh meh, duran duran were a good band, definitely leaned on japan on some that came before them, but i couldn't give a rat's ass if the hook came with a hamburger in hand... they are really nice guys, brought a "certain" sound to the masses etc.... funny, cause Nick Rhodes is a total vegetarian, but he probably wasn't then! ... and john taylor can play bass as good as anyone.... nick rhodes may not be the best "player" in the world, and for that I could care less... he was inventive/"re"inventive, and keeps on top of it... they are ok in my world....

 

Without the Velvet Underground, half of the bands from the 70's onward would not have existed, so there is nothing wrong with taking musical influences and expanding upon them, in fact it is essential

A recent interview with Nick Rhodes, he seems like a decent and thoughtful fella .. http://www.metroweekly.com/2016/03/an-interview-with-duran-durans-nick-rhodes/

 

Last edited: May 23, 2016

Very interesting, thanks for the info my friend..and.. have to agree..

 

Nick Rhodes talks synths ..

(pw = KEYBOARD if requested)

*Full magazine interview here - http://www.keyboardmag.com/artists/1236/duran-duran/28421

 

Last edited: May 23, 2016