Van Duren is part of the early power pop scene in Memphis, Tennessee that … Read Full Bio ↴Van Duren is part of the early power pop scene in Memphis, Tennessee that spawned the legendary rock band Big Star, and he made a couple of obscure yet critically acclaimed records during the late 70s. Best known today for his underground sensation debut album 'Are You Serious?', Duren began playing in bands at a young age and attended high school with Jody Stephens who later went on to be the drummer of Big Star. Both of them shared a love for melodic 60s pop/rock of the likes of The Hollies and The Kinks and an itching to release their own songs.

Duren was considered to replace Chris Bell in Big Star after the later departed for good around 1973, yet that didn't pan out. By 1975, he and Stephens had collaborated on some demos that were produced by former The Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham. Not much became of this union, sadly, (some cuts are included in Duren's re-issued CDs), and, a year later, he was playing in a group called the Baker Street Regulars (with both Bell and Stephens).

In 1977, Duren traveled to Connecticut to record for Jon Tiven on his Big Sound label. His first lp, "Are You Serious?", came out in 1978. Duren apparently had a contractual disagreement, and financial troubles prevented some unreleased tracks (e.g."Staring at the Ceiling")and an albums worth of material from being released (it was eventually released on a Japanese label in 1999 under the original title: "Idiot Optimism"). Duren eventually returned to Memphis and put together a band called Good Question, which were a popular live act around the city for the next couple of decades. In 1999 he joined forces with fellow obscure Memphis pop legend, Tommy Hoehn, to record an album. "Hailstone Holiday" was critically acclaimed and a second release, "Blue Orange" came in 2002.

Fortunately, after a spell of bad health, Van is back with a new group, The Imaginaires, and has a new solo CD "Open Secret" out in 2005.

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