Created by Nick Rhodes (keyboards) and John Taylor (bass) in Birmingham, England in 1978, it later add took in Roger Taylor (drums), Andy Taylor (guitar), and Simon Le Bon (lead vocals). The band has sold more than 100 million records over their more than 40 years of existence, making them one of the best-selling groups in history.
Their songs are often vivid, hook-laden pieces dance pop that have fared well on the radio, but what many remember best about Duran Duran is their iconic music videos. Though many of the videos were tongue-in-cheek, the band has never quite escaped the glamorous and decadent 'jet set' image that their early videos projected. Their flashy outfits and strident, art rock influenced music showed an immense debt to 70s English glam artists such as David Bowie and Roxy Music, yet the band grasped a sense of their own identity and became one of the keystones of the new romantic movement.
Their first singer and one of their original founding members was Stephen Duffy, and their original bassist was Simon Colley. Several drummers and guitarists were subsequently tried, as well as a handful of vocalists, after Duffy left Duran Duran early in 1979. The band felt that they had something special with vocalist Simon Le Bon, and the group smashed into the pop scene shortly afterwards when "Planet Earth", their debut single, was released on 2 February 1981.
"Planet Earth" became an immediate hit in the band's native U.K., reaching #12 on the U.K. Singles Chart on 21 February, and it did even better in Australia, hitting #8 there. Being Duran Duran's first Top 10 hit anywhere in the world, the song showed the group's interest in international stardom. The band's eponymous debut album came out promptly afterwards in June 1981. 'Duran Duran' hit #3 on the album charts and remained in the U.K. Top 100 for 117 weeks, achieving platinum status by December 1982. The initial United States release failed to generate much interest at first, but the group was a British sensation due to their strident mix of pop rock and electronic music.
Music videos for hit singles "Planet Earth" and "Careless Memories" were filmed in December 1980. As they also experienced considerable success with "Girls on Film", which hit #5 on the UK Singles Chart and #11 on the Australian Singles Chart, the group firmly grasped the opportunity to make a name for themselves in musical television. As their fame grew, some fans worried that Duran Duran could have peaked too early. They headed into AIR Studios in London in early 1982 anxious to somehow top themselves.
Band member John Taylor came up with the new album's title, 'Rio', as a product of his fascination with the flaunting sexuality and diverse atmosphere of Brazil. He later said, "Rio, to me, was shorthand for the truly foreign, the exotic, a cornucopia of earthly delights, a party that would never stop." The band had their own plans and ambitions for promotion and reunited with director Russell Mulcahy (who was behind the video for "Planet Earth") to plan out the release of a full length 'video album'— eleven videos in total. Totally dedicated to on-site filming, guitarist Andy Taylor even contracted a tropical virus and ended up hospitalized, thankfully getting better relatively quickly.
'Rio' was, simply, a commercial juggernaut. The band's second studio album, originally released worldwide on 10 May 1982, reached #2 in the UK and #1 in Australia. Massively popular in the U.S., it earned a gold disc on 1 March 1983 and went platinum on 26 April 1983, eventually reaching double-platinum status. As songs such as "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Rio" received considerable airplay, critical acclaim also grew for the release. With MTV heavily playing the band's music videos, the album is still held as one of the best new wave albums ever. In April 2013, 'Rio' was even voted #3 in BBC Radio 2's 'Top 100 Favourite Albums of all time' list.
In 1985, Duran Duran performed "A View To A Kill" for the the James Bond film of the same name. The song appeared in the movie's title sequence and was also a best-selling single in its own right. In 1987, "Out Of My Mind" was featured at the end credits of the drama film 'The Saint' as well.
Like Depeche Mode, Duran Duran was among the earliest bands to work on their own remixes. From the very beginning, the band had a keen sense of style, and worked with stylist Perry Haines and fashion designers such as Kahn & Bell and Antony Price to build a sharp and elegant image, soon growing beyond the ruffles and sashes of the pirate-flavoured New Romantic look.
Although the group never disbanded, it went through several line-up changes over the years - American guitarist Warren Cuccurullo (formerly of Missing Persons) was also a member of the band from 1989 to 2001, and drummer Sterling Campbell was a member from 1989 to 1991. John Taylor, Roger Taylor and Andy Taylor all returned in 2001 and created a stir among music media and the band's fans. Duran Duran released the first album from the reunited line-up, Astronaut, in 2004, which was in turn followed up by many sold out shows in England, most notably Wembley Arena, where a live DVD of the tour was filmed in 2004/2005.
In October of 2006, it was announced on Duran Duran's website that Andy Taylor had left the band. The band's latest album, 'Red Carpet Massacre' was released in November 2007. They performed the album live in New York City on Broadway at the Barrymore Theater, for what was originally scheduled as an unprecedented 10-night run. A stage hand union strike shortened the run by a few nights, but Duran Duran were able to re-schedule the shows elsewhere. They went on to tour the world, ending their successful run in December of 2008.
2008 also saw the release of a new DVD that documents the making of their now-classic "Rio" album (called "Classic Albums: Rio (Collector's Edition)"), and a book called "Would Someone Please Explain?"- a compilation of questions from the "Ask Katy" area of their popular website.
Duran Duran returned at the end of 2010 with their 13th album, the digital and self-released album All You Need Is Now which debuted at number one on the iTunes charts in many countries (including the USA). The physical version of the album will be released with bonus tracks in February 2011. The album was produced by Mark Ronson.
2015 saw the band return with the album Paper Gods, which was led by the single "Pressure Off" featuring Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers. The album was the band's first top 10 chart success in the U.S. in over 20 years, and also reached number 5 in the U.K.
Official Websites:
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http://www.facebook.com/pages/Duran-Duran
http://www.youtube.com/DuranDuran
http://www.youtube.com/07duranduran
http://www.myspace.com/duranduran
New Religion
Duran Duran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come on, it takes me nowhere which I knew
Faces everywhere pulling grins and signs and things
Telling me not there man, it's no go (don't go there boy)
I need a reason (I can't think without one now)
Too much learning got to show
Call it treason (maybe catch her don't know how)
Bring my timing in, seagulls gather on the wind
Lady screaming, lady leave me out
'Cause sometimes people stare (coming down, electric chair)
And steaming crowds they gather and they shout
Don't know why this evil bothers me (take another chance boy carry the fight you can take him if you're fast)
So why is he trying to follow me? (didn't I say if you're holdin' on you'd be laughing at the last)
How many reasons do they need? (I get along fine with them friends of mine, But you have to make a choice)
I might just believe this time (you're singing out of tune, but the beats in time and it's us who make the noise)
I'm talking for free
I can't stop myself, it's a new religion
I've got something to see, I can't help myself, it's a new religion
Okay my reasoning might be clouded by the sun
But someone sees the departmental lie
You know this peacetime, jabbing fist in stabbing knife
Only get one look before you die
Don't know why this evil follows me (gotta take pay for the saints 'n' sinners in regulation hats 'n scarves 'n things)
So why does he try to bother me? (walking in formation down the lane they carry their cross make a church bell ring)
How many reasons do they need? (army majors pull a mean cool truth there lying in a swimming pool)
I might just be right this time (searching for the undeniable truth that a man is just a fool)
I'm talking for free, I can't stop myself, it's a new religion
I've something to see, I can't help myself, it's a new religion
Don't know why this evil follows me (gotta take pay for the saints 'n' sinners in regulation hats 'n scarves 'n things)
So why does he try to bother me? (walking in formation down the lane they carry their cross make a church bell ring)
How many reasons do they need? (army majors pull a mean cool truth there lying in a swimming pool)
I might just be right this time (searching for the undeniable truth that a man is just a fool)
I'm talking for free, I can't stop myself, it's a new religion
I've something to see, I can't help myself, it's a new religion
I'm talking for free, I can't stop myself, it's a new religion
I've something to see, I can't help myself, it's a new religion
I'm talking for free, I can't stop myself, it's a new religion
The lyrics of Duran Duran's "New Religion" are somewhat cryptic and open to interpretation. However, the song appears to be about the pursuit of knowledge and truth, even if it leads to conflict with conventional society. The singer appears to be struggling with his own beliefs and doubts, feeling alienated from the world around him as he searches for answers.
The first verse seems to describe the singer walking down a path, surrounded by people who are trying to dissuade him from pursuing his own path. He feels that he needs a reason to keep going, but there is too much to learn and too much to know. There are also hints of social upheaval or unrest, with references to screaming women and electric chairs.
The chorus reinforces the idea that the singer is searching for something new and different, something that he can't help himself from pursuing. He sees this quest as a kind of new religion, a belief system that guides him even when the reasons for it are not clear. The final verse takes a darker turn, with themes of violence and deception. The singer questions why "this evil" is following him and suggests that there may be forces working against him.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been now sauntering out and down a path sometime
I have been aimlessly wandering for a while now
Come on, it takes me nowhere which I knew
I am aware that this wandering is pointless
Faces everywhere pulling grins and signs and things
I see people around me with happy expressions and various signs
Telling me not there man, it's no go (don't go there boy)
These people are warning me not to go down a certain path
I need a reason (I can't think without one now)
I feel the need for a purpose
Too much learning got to show
I have gained knowledge and now need to demonstrate it
Call it treason (maybe catch her don't know how)
I am uncertain about how to express my knowledge
Too many things too much to know
I am overwhelmed by the amount of information available
Bring my timing in, seagulls gather on the wind
I need to focus and be precise in my actions
Lady screaming, lady leave me out
I hear a woman screaming, who wishes to be left alone
'Cause sometimes people stare (coming down, electric chair)
I feel uncomfortable when people look at me
And steaming crowds they gather and they shout
There are large groups of people gathering and making noise
Don't know why this evil bothers me (take another chance boy carry the fight you can take him if you're fast)
I am struggling to understand why I am bothered by negativity
So why is he trying to follow me? (didn't I say if you're holdin' on you'd be laughing at the last)
I wonder why negativity seems to be always present in my life
How many reasons do they need? (I get along fine with them friends of mine, But you have to make a choice)
I am questioning why there are so many opinions and choices to make
I might just believe this time (you're singing out of tune, but the beats in time and it's us who make the noise)
I am considering changing my perspective and trying a different approach
Okay my reasoning might be clouded by the sun
I acknowledge that my judgment may be biased or flawed
But someone sees the departmental lie
I have become aware of a deception or manipulation
You know this peacetime, jabbing fist in stabbing knife
Even in peaceful times, there is conflict and aggression
Only get one look before you die
Life is fleeting and unpredictable
I'm talking for free, I can't stop myself, it's a new religion
I am speaking freely about my thoughts and feelings, as if it were a belief system
I've got something to see, I can't help myself, it's a new religion
I am intrigued by something and cannot resist exploring it, as if it were a new faith
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDY TAYLOR, JOHN TAYLOR, NICK RHODES, ROGER TAYLOR, SIMON LE BON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind