Who remembers Arcadia? The one time project of Duran Duran's Simon Lebon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor.


John and Andy Taylor got into a project called the Power Station with Robert Palmer, and these other 3 started Arcadia.
In my opnion they made a really great album, So red the rose.
Unfortunatley they had only one hit (in Holland), Election day.
Grace Jones (on election day and the flame) and Sting (on the Promise) co-operating on this album, gives it that special thing.
But some jewels like lady Ice, El diablo and Goodbye is forever never had the attention as they should have.
And what about the long version of Rose Arcana (on the b-side of the Promise) man, it still gives me shivers, and that is great for an instrumental song!
The track they recorded afterwards, Say the word, was a nice extra surprise, but i don't think many people know that one.
After all, there are so many one time projects, but this one was really great, i think only the Gorillaz from Damon Albarn were a succesfull once in a lifetime experiment.
So maybe, after the Duran Duran reunion, an Arcadia reunion would be nice??

Anyone remembers them? How did you like them? Or did you hate them, or did you never even heard of them?

Lennon said:

Yeah, I like that song too.

Arcadia's awesome! So Red the Rose is such a good album - dark, sexy, mysterious... I love "Election Day," but "Goodbye is Forever" is such an incredible song.

The intro to Keep Me In the Dark is to DIE for!

I just came across this pic on a Duran message board:

This picture is very cool, never saw it before!!

I just received the cd in the mail after my tape finally became too inaudible to handle. Iam enjoying it just as much today as I did almost 20 years ago.
Thank you Vina for that extended version of Rose Arcana. I can't believe I missed that one. It was one of those projects that was amazingly different and wonderful from beginning to end. Sometimes wish there were two extra tracks.

Do you guys have the Remix cd? I think it's a bootleg... but it has:

1. Election Day (Consensus Mix)
2. Election Day (Cryptic Cut No Voice Mix)
3. Election Day (Fact & Story Mix)
4. Goodbye Is Forever (Extended Mix)
5. Goodbye Is Forever (Dub Mix)
6. The Promise (Extended Remix)
7. Rose Arcana (Extended)
8. The Flame (Extended Remix)
9. Flame Game (Yo Homeboy Mix)
10. Say The Word (Extended Remix)
11. Say The Word (Extended Instrumental)

http://duran2.net/

VinaBlue said:

Saw it a few times, is it a boot?

I didn't know this Say the word until 1992 until I saw this single at a store, ofcourse i bought it rightaway. Never saw it again... is it rare?

Still looking for the 12" of goodbye is forever though..

Lennon said:

Well, the songs were officially released on vinyl as 12" singles. It's a cd-r, so yeah, someone transferred them over and is selling it. They also have the DVD of the 5 videos plus behind the scenes footage...

All the singles are rare... Say the Word would be really rare. I remember when it came out. I have the video somewhere. Coincidentally, 1986 is when I became a Duranie, so this stuff was being traded all over the place. I have an AWESOME interview from Much Music (1 hr video) from the Arcadia period. I LOVE Nick and Simon.

VinaBlue said:

Do u also have the lp Duran goes Dutch???? I do!!

Lennon said:

I think I taped that from a friend. I have Finest Hour on lp, which is a double lp of a Strange Behaviour show.

Wanna see pics of me and Nick and Simon?

VinaBlue said:

yes ofcourse!! I had also made pics made of Simon and Warren and me, but they were not good

VinaBlue said:

I want it!!!!!

Arcadia album was excellent. The Missing, Rose Arcana and The Promise were classics.

I LOVE ARCADIA! So Red the Rose is one of the great underrated albums of the 80's. The Flame is fantastic... as is the Promise. But there really aren't any weak tracks on that album.

I've never heard the b-sides and remixes, though....

This was a great album. When the group took a break I was upset at first untill I heard booth ventures. It was great that both Power Station and Arcadia showed the best sides of these guys(the more rock of Andy and John Taylor and the New Wave mellow of Simon,Nick and Roger) Then when Duran Duran got back together(with the exception of Roger rejoining them ) they sounded like a refreshed group. I think this album sounds as good as it did when it came out. I loved the whole album but my favorite song on the album was Lady Ice and I have no clue why My sister painted the a picture that looked like the Arcadia cover when she was in the nineth grade and it looked just like the cover(I am still trying to talk her into letting me have it )

I just love anything dealing with Duran Duran,one of my top ten faves of alltime.

Ok, so I felt like spreading the love yesterday...

You guys can download the remix tracks over here: http://briefcase.yahoo.com/

Sign in with Yahoo ID: orgmusicians

Password is vinablue

Check the Arcadia folder.

Right-Click and "Save Target As" on each file name.

They all didn't fit, so I'll put the rest up later. For now, enjoy...

ElectionDayConsensusMix
ElectionDayCrypticCut
FlameGameYoHomeboyMix
GoodbyeisForeverDubMix
GoodbyeisForeverExt
RoseArcanaExt
SaytheWordExtRemix

HollowellSA said:

LOVE IT!!

my freind from high school did a painting...or wait maybe it was a chalk drawing....of this album cover! and it was awesome

i loved arcadia back in the day

Bless you, Vina!!! You made my Thursday a little more happier.

VinaBlue said:

You star!

I never had the Say The Workd ext version.

Did anyone ever get the Devils project album?

SquirrelMeat said:

Ooooh lordy we can start a lot of file sharing here...

Just create your own yahoo briefcase! I gotta get The Devils!!!

funkyslsistah said:

Cool!

VinaBlue said:

I need it myself. Could never find it.

SquirrelMeat said:

Oh yeah, I meant if someone out there had it, they could do what I'm doing and spread the love.

VinaBlue said:

I ain't got the devils..I do have John Taylor's 1st solo album... is that interresting?

So Red The Rose is one of my all tiem favorite albums. I can honestly say that this project is what pushed me over the edge into full blown Duranie territory! "The Promise" is one of my favorite songs, and not just because of the fact that it has members of three of my favorite bands participating on it (The Duran guys, Sting from The Police and David Gilmour from Pink Floyd). There isn't a bad song on the whole thing!!

I'm so praying that Capitol/EMI will do a re-master of this one, adding on "Say The Word" (they also HAVE to do The Power Station)

JediMaster said:

From Duranduran.com:

[posted 6/25/2004 U.S.A.]


powerstation and arcadia re-issues
Hey Katy - Great news on the second Singles Box Set. What ever became of the Powerstation and Arcadia re-issues? Thanks, Adam

HI ADAM. I CHECKED WITH EMI. THEY ARE TENTATIVELY SHOOTING FOR A FEBRUARY 2005 RELEASE FOR THE POWERSTATION BUT HAVE NOTHING PLANNED FOR ARCADIA AT THIS TIME.

All those remasters.... don't like em.... unless they add something extra....

You can still buy the 2 Power Station cd's and Arcadia at the stores here in Holland!
For a little price also!

I bought the 2nd PS cd for €1.-!!!!

Just added some more pics on http://www.prince.org/msg/8/105691

Enjoy!