Okay I was called in as a sole "press" videographer to cover a little story here in Houston covering the Duran Duran concert and to interview them at a private afterparty at someone's private residence.

Well, at the concert, I don't get a VIP "press" seat, but still have an unobstructed view of the concert and record some of the performance. After a few songs, they break into "Notorious" which is a very funk chord, pop bass, catchy tune that recalled a very Prince like vibe live.

Towards the end of the song they suddenly bring in a loop of the beat of Sign O' the Times and then proceed to sing "All She Wants Is" over the beat. Needless to say, I thought it was cool. I'm a Prince nutbar. Obviously.

A few hours later we are hanging outside the posh home of Becca Cason (Houston socialite) where the band is being thrown a dinner and afterparty (same neighborhood as Bush senior). We are texted that it's okay for us to walk in... and who should come out on the doorstep cracking jokes and being very friendly but John Taylor (bassist) and Nick Rhodes (keyboardist). I get my smalltalk in, and tell John that I thought it was brilliant that they brought in the SOTT beat. He explains that the idea was originated by Mark Ronson who helped them make a 3 song mashup mix for a benefit performance at the Louvre (Paris). John Taylor also told me he was playing another riff on his guitar from a Prince Song... "You know that one, also from Sign of The Times... Thing..." "Hot Thing?" I said... "Yes" he said and proceeded to mouth the rhythm that he had mimicked on guitar. And it was the Hot Thing sound.

Anyway the two were super nice, joking, and even when my LED light on the video camera started to blink like a strobe (it was there to light up the interviews), joked that it was an effect to make things more exciting.

I'm just home now, and thought I'd share. These were the guys that made Prince say "Let's go after that Duran Duran money" when he put together The Family.

Simon LeBon wasn't at the afterparty:(

I always hear nice things about John Taylor, and Andy too who's left now. Never liked Nick and unfortunately I hear Simon is a dick

Simon is one of the nicest people that u can ever meet, esp being famous. hes sweet and down to earth and his mother is nice too and his wife Yasmin. Nick is fab just a cool character and is not fake, hes a really nice guy. John well, him being sober now helps he seems more balanced lol. As for Andy, hmmm not keen on him.

The SOTT cover/riff they did was excellent, the boys and mark ronson did a great job of it. Would love to hear them do something with Hot Thing.
Thanks for the report.

Save A Prayer

Duran Duran have always been huge Prince fans and a lot of their sound is Prince oriented...Funny, tho, that The Family sound nothing like Duran Duran...

Right up until showtime I thought about nipping down to the Verizon at Buffalo Bayou for that Houston show.

Stayed in and cleaned up instead. Hmmm...

Still, the apartment looks nice.

one more thing, I'm editing the interview footage and Nick Rhodes was asked what his favorite song from the 80's was and he answered, "Maybe one by Prince... maybe "Sign O' the Times".

That sounds fun...And My girlfriend adores John Taylor...
When we were kids we camped out overnight in the snow 4 Tickets 2 their show.
We got the 2cd tier. Had fun anyway.

Back in the day when U could camp out 4 good seats, or at least try 2.
Life has become very unfair when The biggest fans can sometimes be in the last row.

wow, that's a great story! thanks for sharing it with us

kanoohead said:

D.D. is cool. I've always dug these cats.

Hot Thing doesnt have a guitar riff. maybe he meant something else.

Ellie said:

I saw Simon LeBon years ago, as I was coming out of a very upmarket 'celebrity' restaurant in London (lucky me, doesn't happen very often!!) He came out just behind us and the paps were there, but I have never seen anyone 'work it' like that in my life, he was flicking his hair and pouting like his life depended on it At that point I thought the very same thing!

Great story though, thanks!

Jeffiner said:

he actually gave me a beer once at a Smashing Pumpkins after party.

Milty said:

He was mimicking the synth rhythm riff with his bass guitar.

Jeffiner said:

cool story jeff! boys were so pretty back then, 80's were magical time!
btw, simon le bon had the hair & the pout, but i didn't rate his nose much!

catpark said:

Simon was @#$%ing my ex-gf's older sister over afew years when he visited here (b4 she became bolimic, agoraphobic, and a heroin addict), while he was married i believe... That was nice of him....

I still dig DD tho!

catpark said:

[Edited 12/8/08 8:05am]

lottielooloo1968 said:

They were But, this was later, some time in the 90's, when he wasn't so popular (before the 'comeback') so he was milking his moment in the spotlight for all it was worth!

Cool. Duran Duran is playing at FOXWOODS on FRIDAY and I'm all the way THERE!

I always preferred Spandau Ballet to Duran Duran !
[Edited 12/9/08 11:23am]