Red Carpet Massacre
Posted by Jake | Posted in Music | Posted on 18-11-2007-05-2008
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I’m taking the bag off my head, coming out of the closet if you will. I’m a Duranie. God damn right. In the summer of 1981 we got cable. Strangely we were one of the first on our block in Manitowoc to get it. Usually we were the last to get anything and it had to be on clearance. The first thing I watched after it was hooked up was MTV. You know, that channel that used to play music videos? I remember being bored as they played Flock of Seagulls, Dire Straits and a few other new wave pop videos. Then I heard it, Planet Earth by Duran Duran. I was hooked. It was after school on a Friday night. I begged my mom to take me to the local record store, Dr Freuds, and buy me at least the 45 of this song. I ended up coming home with Duran Duran’s first self titled album. From there it was all Duran Duran.
As a 6 year old, I was into music almost more than anything else. I even tortured my parents with my feeble attempts at learning to play the guitar. My favorite band before this was the Canadian trio Triumph. But I had switched schools and stopped hanging around a buddy of mine who got me into Triumph. My new friends, Erik and Justin Kowalski were into new wave/punk and I sort of went with the flow.
The sound on that album was like nothing I had ever heard before. Simon LeBon’s voice calmed me while Nick Rhodes’ keyboards amazed me like no other new wave band at the time. Later they released Rio, Seven and the Ragged Tiger, Arena, and Notorious which all just fueled my Duranie-ness. I remember my cousin Angie, who listened to the usual pop Madonna crap on the radio, wonder what I saw in their music. It was all a big masterpiece for me. The perfect blend of synth, guitar and vocals.
Big Thing was probably the downturn in Duran Duran’s success. Not for me, it’s still my favorite album to this day. It was dark and melodic. Which was perfect for my mood at the time. My mom was sick, Erik and Justin found other friends and pushed me out of the picture and we eventually moved out to Branch, WI. All a weird dark time for me. Liberty, I will admit was a horrible album that not even a great song like Serious could help save that album.
By this time it was high school and I was into the staple stuff that everyone else was into, Guns & Roses, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and I attempted to convince myself I was black for a period there by listening to Public Enemy, NWA, & Snoop. It didn’t work for long. When I was in Air Force Basic Training, the first thing I did when I graduated and got my first paycheck was go to the BX and buy a CD player and The Wedding Album.
I thought that would be the comeback album for them, and it was to a point. Great sound, great mix of styles for the completely revamped Duran Duran (Only Simon, Nick and John Taylor remained). They released several more albums which ranged from “What the Fuck is this?” (Thank You), to fairly to mostly good (Pop Trash & Medazzeland). I couldn’t get into 2005′s Astronaut which reunited the entire band. Sunrise did trip my trigger, but it wasn’t enough.
Wow…didn’t expect to go that deep into it. But oh well, it’s my blog right?
I just snagged a copy of Duran Duran’s Red Carpet Massacre. I would have never known it was out if it weren’t for the ads during the Packer game talking about the American Music Awards and their performance. Usually if a band is performing, it’s because they have an album coming out.
The Timbaaland produced album isn’t too bad so far. I’m through the 6th track at this point. Nite Runner annoys me though. I’ve heard Justin Timberlake’s voice one too many times for my liking. So far Falling Down is a great track. I’m tolerating Timbaaland’s rap during Skin Diver and Box Full O’ Honey is a nice bridge from the Wedding Album days. So far I’m impressed with this album from Simon & crew. I hear it’s minus Andy Taylor, which sucks, but it’s not a bad album.
I don’t think they could come close to topping Big Thing for me, but any new Duran Duran is better than nothing. This is a good album and may be in my playlist for a while, minus Nite Runner.
***1/2 Stars