After being hardcore into Save A Prayer a few months ago. I'm starting too really dig and respect the band. I used to think they were a cheesy pop/rock band from the 80's. The synths on Save A Prayer are wicked 80's! and very atmospheric and give the song an edge.

The band are actually quite good musicians. Many rock purists thought a lot of New Wave and synth pop artists weren't good musicians. And, me being a rock and jazz purist growing up. I thought they were lesser musicians. As the years have gone on... i see how artists like Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Talk Talk, Human League, Eurythmics for example are fucking great at synth and bass lines! atmospheric, dark, melody, and lots of personality.

The guitars, drums, and melodies in Duran songs are top notch. Simon Le Bon used too be a poet before he joined the band i read. Some of the songs are kind of just dancy subject matter. But, a lot of the lyrics are pretty interesting. The Rio album has a song called ''The Chauffeur'' that tells a great story. Of She's sitting beside him, not riding in the back. Chauffeur is his role in her life, not his job. Some versions have a spoken word part too.

May i also comment on the videos? i admire the fact they go to so many different countries for the video. The images of Sri Lankan in the Save A Prayer video are fucking amazing. I also like the videos introduce things from others cultures... in a rather respectful way. Something people in the 80's did not do much they also had a lot of people of color in their videos! from all over the world. There videos are very striking, and i can see why they were popular.

After so many years i finally see the value in Duran Duran. Glad i decided too check out the Rio album

Their last two projects were really solid as well: "Red Carpet Massacre" and "All You Need Is Now". My favorite classic is "A View To A Kill".

damn, i was thinking the same this morning!

I didn´t even like Duran duran in the 80´s and now, of all those 80´s groups i listen to Duran Duran a lot. Really liking the Notorious and Big Thing period now.

It's all about Rio. You should check out the deluxe edition.

I own a few things from them, but never gave them much thought. They are pretty cool, I guess -- one of few pop bands I can immediately think of who've held their own for decades, opting neither to chase silly passing trends nor to imagine themselves as here to save the world.

Cinny said:

It's all about Rio. You should check out the deluxe edition.

Yes! Rio is a really great album. I got the deluxe edition the other day Lonely In Your Own Nightmare is killer! the remix isn't too bad either.

Like an Angel was great too.

Very underrated mainly because of the "image" early on, but those early were amazing, and later on also, I think what gets lost is Warren Cucurrillo who joined 1985 after the band played Live Aid and 2 members left. Dude was in the band over 15 years was very responsible for "Ordinary World" which was a saving grace and gave them a new life in the 90's and i think had it not been for him it would have ended. They just went as far as they could with him and had to get the originals back again. Warren left graciously not ill thoughts or bad press, 100% respect him for doing it like that.

As for DD they approach VIDEO the way it should be, art, DD were responsible for mtv, DD would go into clubs and see these giant video screens and they were just playing shapes and commercials while music played and they said "Why not use those giant screens for something valuable" and Video as an art form was born.

I compare DD with a-ha which is criminally underrated in this country, but again an image out of the box hurt them and when a-ha wouldnt play that game, america said goodbye to them as did they and embraced the rest of the world, it proved to be the smartest thing ever for them.

One of these bands which I promised myself to thoroughly check out as soon as I find the time..so far, I've only checked our their Greatest Hits album and I damn well liked what I heard.

They're one of the very few bands who never let me down with a record. I may not have been into every song they ever put out, nor every direction that they went, but I was always left with the impression that they put as much thought as possible into each project.

And Nick Rhodes is a friggin GOD. He's the heart of Duran Duran imo. The style, the mood, the sound: it all came from him or was complimented by him in a way that made it memorable and unique.

And don't even get me started on the Arcadia record...

I like Save a Prayer, Rio, Hungry Like the Wolf, etc.

Other than that I liked the song Notorious but mostly due to Nile Rodgers.

And the album Big Thing took me by surprise, especially the first side. (All She Wants, I Don't Want Your Love, Too Late Marlene)

I heard they are pretty decent in concert though. Simon seems to still have his voice!

I kind of wanted to dislike them because all the girls in my high school were so in love with them. But IO couldn't really deny a song like The Reflex. Definitely the right band for their time.