Album Cover Artwork Interpretation

It has been a few days since Duran Duran revealed the cover to their new album, All You Need Is Now.  The discussion about it is still raging.  While there are many fans who find the cover fascinating, clever, interesting or thought-provoking, there are others who are openly disappointed, upset or worse.  Some fans are so angry that they have discussed trying to let the band or artist responsible know how upset they are.  In fact, some are declaring that this is an example of how disrespectful they are of their fans.  In this line of thought, people believe that the band should choose a cover that the fans like and some would love to see them allow us the chance to vote for the cover.  In the meantime, the community attempts to figure out exactly what the images are on the cover and what it means.  I, too, am trying to decide on the meaning.  Unlike many, though, I don’t believe that every little image should be figured out.  I prefer to look at the image as a whole and interpret from there.  In fact, I would argue that the images are distorted for a reason and if they wanted it all to be clear, then they would have chosen something completely different. 

Before, I dive into my interpretation, let me just be clear here.  This is only MY interpretation.  I fully expect many of you reading this to disagree.  I’m fine with that.  That said, I don’t need any insults coming my way for it, either. 

The first thing I notice when looking at the cover is that the left side is darker and less clear than the right side which features a bed, lights, something leopard on the floor.  Your eye tends to spot the big black dot first then moves over to the brighter side.  What does the big black dot with the wires or whatever coming off of it represent?  I’m not sure.  Many have said that they believe it to be a burn mark or an egg (as in conception).  I prefer to think more ambiguous.  I think one thing it could be is one’s subconscious–all of the parts we worry about, the past we aren’t proud of, the darkness within ourselves, etc.  The part that seems to try and get us no matter what, which is why there are “arms” or something reaching from it.  It seems to be reaching to either get to the light or to grab us back from the light.  It is the part that is often expressed in our dreams, our nightmares.  I see some sort of weird scary face at the bottom on that side.  (Others have seen an upside down chandelier there.)  I think the scary face or whatever could be the physical manifestation of worry.  I don’t know. Then, you move over to the lighter side.  There is the bed–perhaps to indicate that the dark side is often seen and felt while you sleep.  Yet, there is the lettering written to remind us that we can stay with the light because All You Need Is Now.  It is handwritten because the now isn’t always perfect.  Life, even when good, can be messy.  Is messy.  Nonetheless, the pink represents fun, good times and positive energy.  Notice that the big D is pink and crosses over.  Isn’t that what Duran has represented to all of us?  Generally the positive?  This positiveness, for most of us Duranies, has overlapped into the negative.  It sort of reminds me of the lyric to SAP–“You don’t need to dream at all but live a day.”  Isn’t that what they are saying there?  Just live.  Don’t worry.  Enjoy it.  Enjoy the now.  The positive now can’t overtake the negative but can make it more bearable, more tolerable.

Interestingly enough, the album cover does seem to be opposite of the t-shirts presented with solid, lettering onto basic black, white and red.  I wonder why.  I don’t have an answer for that.  Then again, I don’t really know if my interpretation is anywhere near what they were thinking.  Nonetheless, I hope that they don’t explain these things to us.  I want to ponder its meaning for years to come much like I do the lyrics to Union of the Snake.  I want the fandom to keep thinking and keep discussing.  I like that it isn’t simple and boring.  It has created such strong emotions in all of us.  Messy emotions.  Is this indicative of the music on the album?  I don’t know but cannot wait to find out.

-A