Tag Archives: Serious

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Do You Remember? DD on MTV’s Unplugged!

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In 1993, Duran Duran looked a little different from what they do now.  They’d already lost a couple of Taylors,  and gained a Cuccurullo.  They were deep in the throes of The Wedding Album, experiencing a rejuvenation—a sort of second rise to fame.

The band was asked to participate in MTV’s Unplugged series, a show that had bands basically “unplug” and play their songs as acoustically as possible. Duran Duran participated, and the show was aired on December 15, 1993.

I was a senior in college at the time, desperately trying to finish my classes so that I could (finally) graduate in the spring, already a year later than I might have liked—and I worked full-time as well. Duran Duran was a far cry from my reality at the time, and I didn’t see the program until well after its first airing.

For me personally, I was always struck by Duran Duran being on MTV’s Unplugged because, let’s face it, gadgetry and Duran Duran go hand in hand, don’t they? It was interesting to watch the show because while it is most definitely Duran Duran—it is so different from what I know them to be.

They started with Hungry Like The Wolf, and I almost didn’t recognize it – the rhythm is so different and they rely heavily on a string arrangement to recreate some of the sound we might recognize, turning the song into a ballad. Very, very different.  Songs like Ordinary World sound pretty much the same, but other songs like Too Much Information really throw me a bit – same speed, same words, but the instrumentation is incredibly different. Overall, the program is fun to watch, even now.

I found a full-version of the program, but the picture quality isn’t great.

This one is set up more like a playlist that someone organized on YouTube, but the picture quality is better. Check it out!

Duran Duran, videos

Happy Thanksgiving 2016

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Yesterday, I wrote about some things I am thankful for. I decided a visual was in order.

I’m going to apologize to my male friends out there, should you be over the whole “gawking at the band” thing. I have decided that life is entirely too short to worry about what some of you may think. I’m gonna do this the way I wanna do it…period.  If the band didn’t want us to look at them, they’d perform behind a damn wall.

So with that in mind, here are some of the more visual things I am thankful for, on this lovely Thanksgiving Day.  Enjoy!

I think this thumbnail alone speaks volumes and says everything I need say.

On the other hand….

(and I could have posted just about any video from Dom…I just like this one, and it’s his solo stuff, so enjoy!)

Back to Duran Duran…

 

Oh look, another thumbnail with Roger.  😀  No seriously, I am thankful for this video because it is with all five, and it is the five that I grew up identifying as Duran Duran.  There is no more joyous of a video than this one for me, to be honest.

I love this video. I am thankful that Nick decided to be a pain in the ass and chew gum, too. You go on with your bad self, Mr. Rhodes.

 

So much to be thankful for in this one I do not know where to begin. Well, there’s John Taylor, to begin with… and Simon. What?  I need therapy.

Ah yes, therapy.  This might work. I am thankful for this video because regardless of what the band or the director had in mind – I have my own personal meaning for all of it. And Dom is in it.  :)It’s

It’s Late Bar. It’s semi-recent(ish).  Oh, and Dom is in it.  To be honest, I don’t even know if he played well. Does that matter right now?

NO.

There’s a lot of memories here for me. I saw the studio they filmed this at (the tin foil was still on the wall), I walked through the cemetery Nick walked through (it also thundered, lightning and hailed which was amusing), and I saw some of the other sites in the video too. Plus – all we really need is now, isn’t it?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Welcome to the holiday season, 2016 (we are almost through this blasted year!)

-R

videos

It Doesn’t Have to be Serious: Videos!

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I’m having a difficult time writing today, and that’s at least partially because I’m under the gun with timing. The other issue is that today is the private memorial for my mom’s partner.

Even after his death, I’m still grappling with what to call him. He was a good friend to my mom, a sort of companion, and he kind of lived with my mom too. I say “kind of” because he and my mom live at the same senior complex, but he kept his own apartment downstairs. Yet, he spent the night at my mom’s most of the time. They weren’t married or anything, and so when it boils down to it – I don’t really know how to categorize their relationship. It’s weird.

My parents were married for 48 years before my dad died. I embraced the idea of my mom getting involved with this other man, and he became part of our family in many ways. But, he and I were never very close.  He was just that way I suppose, and now with his passing, I have to help my mom pick up the pieces and move on. Again. Not an easy task.

So, my mood is less than stellar I suppose.  That also makes it tough to write. I’m wishing I were on a plane headed for Vancouver for a weekend of Duranie fun.  Since that cannot happen, I think I’m just going to pick some videos to watch instead.

I think Pressure Off is pretty appropriate.

 

Rio always puts me in a better mood

 

Careless Memories kind of lets me work through some anger

 

Serious…because it doesn’t have to be serious

 

Crocodile Tears by Dom Brown goes here because I said so

 

And I’ll finish with Late Bar because sometimes, I just need it.

 

I won’t lie, I’ll be glad when this is over. There’s been a lot going on that I haven’t been able to talk about here, and today is going to give me some closure that I need in order to move forward.  The service will be very short because it will be just my family there with my mom, but I think it will take all of us a very long time to actually move on.

But, these videos will help me this afternoon, so I plan to sit and watch!

And for those of you headed to Vancouver this weekend, I hope you have a blast!! Safe travels to everyone!

-R

birthdays, Nick Rhodes, videos

Happy Birthday to Nick Rhodes

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It is that time again, isn’t it?

Today is June 8th, which means it is a very special date on the calendar,  and we allow ourselves to take a moment to celebrate National Best Friends Day!!!

Ok, I’m kidding. It’s Nick’s birthday!! Happy birthday Nicholas.  I suspect you’re spending it well in Verona Italy, where I hear it is very hot today. (Actually, I read that from a friend who visiting there from Finland, and I suspect that her idea of “hot” and mine may be quite different. But just in case, I hope you’re enjoying the lovely weather.)

I don’t know if it’s just me, but it seems as though with each passing year, we are celebrating these dates at a far more accelerated pace.  I would swear I just wrote one of these blogs – and I think I completely missed Roger’s birthday altogether!!  (thanks to our writing schedule)

So, since we are celebrating, I decided I would share a few of my favorite Nick videos today, so here we go!

Pressure Off

Arcadia – The Flame

Serious

[Reach Up for the] Sunrise

 

A very happy birthday to you, Nick with many wonderful and healthy years ahead!  See you in July!

-R