Chapter 33: Bird of Paradise
Do you agree with John when he called the album, Rio, a “masterpiece”? (page 175)
A – It is hard to imagine an album that is more loved with Duran fans than Rio. Who doesn’t love Rio? Generally, I have to agree that it is a masterpiece. Of course, I would say that about the first album as well. That said, almost every song on the album is wonderful and almost all could have been released as singles. I know that two songs on my top 10 list are from Rio (Hold Back the Rain and New Religion) and I adored that John took the time to discuss some of the tracks in detail.
R – I don’t know. I mean, on one hand – yes, I think it’s one of the 80’s best and most-defining albums. I do love every single track and I don’t want to take anything away from Rio in my slight hesitation to jump on this bandwagon. On the other hand, I hate to talk about it as though it’s the pinnacle of their career because I really believe they’ve still got plenty left in them, and for me All You Need is Now is EASILY right up there with Rio. The one thing I will say about Rio though is it was new and fresh when it was released. At the time, I seem to recall that most of the 80’s albums in this genre were so synthesizer-centric, and I always appreciated the fact that Duran Duran had this hard-driving guitar to balance out the synths. I still love that to this day, and when it’s missing – I notice.
What did you think of John’s statement about Rio being the result of “passionate, music-loving, fame-hungry guys” who were given the support and pushed to work hard?
A -From everything I know, John really nailed it with this statement. They were passionate and clearly loved music. Were they hungry for fame? I suppose so. We all know that they longed for success since they had planned to played Hammersmith by 1982, Wembley by 1983 and Madison Square Garden by 1984. They were a band on a mission. I would agree that they were given the supports necessary to make that happen with dedicated managers willing to do a lot, especially financially, and a record label that kept pushing. The only thing he really could have added there was that they were talented. None of the rest of that would have mattered if they weren’t GOOD.
R – I think to be honest, this is the difference between Rio and SATRT. The band was hungry and wanted it all. They wanted to work very, very hard in order to make it. Then Rio hit (in a huge way), and then they were faced with already having had success and recreating it with SATRT. We’ll read on to know how that went – but just in this one chapter I can see the pressure coming down the tracks. I wonder if they were pushed that hard for SATRT??
Chapter 34: The Pleasure Habit
React to this quote, “There’s something about being in a touring band performing onstage most nights of the week that acts as aphrodisiac.” (page 185)
A -John, of course, is talking about how time is short on the road so women don’t give as much time as they normally would before jumping into bed with him. While that might be true that time plays a role in how quickly women act, I think he is missing the key part of the sentence, which is “performing onstage”. As a fan, a female fan, I openly acknowledge that there is something about a guy performing that really can turn me and other women on. It isn’t the time. It’s the profession, silly.
R – Ok, who here reading this did not EVER have a dream about a band member or two??? …Go ahead, don’t be shy. Raise those hands! Yeah… I thought so. Enough said!
Chapter 35: Music Television
Did you know about the meeting with the Berrows and MTV Executives in 1981?
A – I admit that I didn’t know that there was an actual meeting but, again, I’m struck by how the connections the Berrows had helped the band. Where would Duran be without videos? Where would they be without those videos in Sri Lanka? I think we all can acknowledge that those videos were huge for their career. Heck, more than half of us became fans by watching MTV and seeing those videos over and over again.
R – I actually DID know that they went in and had a meeting with MTV. I know MTV was begging plenty of bands in the 80’s for videos because they truly had nothing to broadcast. I still say, MTV should have showered Duran Duran with affection because that band did nothing but embrace the media and if it hadn’t been for them, MTV probably would have been a lot slower to take off. Eh, I’m bitter that the damn station doesn’t still play music. OR videos. LOL I can remember basically camping out in front of the TV on the weekends, just waiting for the next Duran Duran video!!
Chapter 36: Down Under and Up Above
John described the day shopping in Japan as “awful” after being followed by something like 6000 people. Thoughts?
A – When I was younger, I could hear and see scenes like the one he was describing and laugh it off. In fact, I would say that I thought those types of scenes PROVED that they were successful. After all, didn’t bands at the height of popularity get attention like this? Isn’t this what other legends received? Yet, now, I’m horrified by these types of scenes. Horrified. I’m embarrassed by the fans and feel horrible for the band. I get loving the band. I get that. I do. What I cannot understand is why must people treat them like loaves of bread in the middle of a famine? How would this be enjoyable to them? Yes, I already know that some people will say things like, “They are smiling and waving during the whole thing so they must be enjoying it.” How do you really know that they like this? Would you like being surrounded by people who don’t really know you AT ALL but think they have some claim to you because you are famous and the other people are your fans? Maybe, I’m projecting here but I would hate it. It would make me terribly anxious. As someone who already feels uncomfortable in social settings, this would cause me serious problems. Obviously, John didn’t like or he wouldn’t have said it was “awful”.
R – All I think about when I read stories like this are two things: the scene in SBS (Sing Blue Silver) when they show the fans pounding on a limo outside of a show; and the one time I went to a signing in Van Nuys at some music store for John Taylor while he was in Power Station. The crowd surged when he came out of the store (they were running for him, I think.) I was near the back of the line and was almost run over myself as girls (the line was over two blocks long as I recall) went running towards his car as he made a mad dash out of the store and into the car. I was shocked and just stood there, watching the scene unfold. It was madness. I can’t begin to imagine what that must have been like – trying to shop somewhere and having so many fans follow them. I don’t do crowds well as it is, so I wouldn’t have ever made it…and I dare to think that it’s bad when a couple of them come to a bar after the show and I can’t get in the door. That’s nothing compared to what it must have been like in the 80’s. No thank you.
Chapter 37: Incongruous on a Yacht
Can you see how Rio, the video, would be “controversial” and “polarizing”?
A – When I first started researching the stigma around Duran, I was surprised that they were so hated by so many. Then, I began to read a few things like this, which shed some light on it as well as on people’s ignorance. To the general public and critics, a video like Rio represented the jet set lifestyle with suits, yachts, champagne, etc. It was an “in-your-face” sort of image, especially when so many were struggling with economic stability. Yet, what all of these people failed to realize is what Duran was trying to do. They didn’t mean any sort of political statement by this. On the contrary, this video, in particular, was filled with humor. Each and every guy does something that makes them look like fools. The critics took things serious that shouldn’t be taken seriously and couldn’t see the humor where there was some.
R – Obviously I was too young to pick up the obviously abhorrent behavior of the band in the Rio video. All I saw were five really cute guys on a yacht. What is not to like? The thing is, here in the states – the 80’s were all about excess, of all kinds. To me, it seemed like what I might expect from a rock band and I loved it. I wanted that boat and I definitely wanted to go to Antigua someday (and I finally did make it there). I wasn’t offended, I was intrigued, and motivated!
Chapter 38: Theodore & Theodore
It seems to me that this is another chapter that shows how everything continued to fall into place for Duran. Am I the only one to think this?
A – This chapter talks about opening up for Blondie, meeting Nile Rodgers and Tony Thompson and having the 3rd big push to make Duran a hit in the US. These seem to be important for a variety of reasons. First, John talks about how they learned how to play to larger crowds and stage theatrics from opening up for Blondie. Then, we all know how Nile and Tony feature in the Duran story. Lastly, they have a record label that is determined to see Duran succeed in the US with a 3rd push with the Kershenbaum remixes. I can’t imagine a label doing that now. Nonetheless, if those things hadn’t happened, I’m willing to bet Duran’s and John’s stories would be very different.
R – I totally agree. I can’t imagine a label pushing an album as hard as they did Rio. In fact, the few bands that I know personally who were able to get label contracts found out very quickly that having a label does very little for you these days. There’s no promo, there’s not even much of an economic motivation or cushion given. It’s a very different world. Just recently I listened to the original album and the Kershenbaum remixes together. It is simply amazing how such very subtle changes made such a huge difference for the band.
Chapter 39: Coffin Sex
John seemed to ask the important questions here himself. Why did he sabotage himself by punching the light fixture? Was it fear? Was it his belief that he didn’t deserve the attention he was getting?
A – It has been 30 years since the incident in Munich and John is still trying to figure out exactly why he did what he did then. I think we can all relate to not understanding our own behavior and I am cautious with trying to figure out why John did or did not do something decades ago, but I will comment on what he said. After speculating that it was fear or feeling like he didn’t deserve success, he mentioned that he missed home and missed his parents. Could it be a combination of all 3? Maybe. I think the important thing to note here is that John acknowledges that this episode affected him for years. The realization that the band could do without him created in his words, “self doubt”. I can only imagine how that would have affected him. It would me.
R – I still don’t understand what happened in that Munich club or why John decided to punch the light fixture. Then again, I highly doubt much of it came down to actually “thinking” or “deciding”. I’ve had plenty of my own moments – like the time I got so angry I kicked a hole in the door of my apartment. I should have never gotten that angry, but I was young, and I acted out. Things happen. We learn, we move on I suppose. The incident in Munich comes down to the simple fact that John had to deal with someone else up on stage playing for him. An egobuster for sure, and I can’t blame him for having that doubt. I would have been deeply affected by such a thing, and knowing myself – I would have been angry (with myself) for YEARS, but as I said before, things happen sometimes. We all do stupid things, and while I guess you could say that John had more riding on his behavior than I might have with my apartment door – it’s all relative, isn’t it? We learn, we move on.
Chapter 40: Jacobean
What was the message of this chapter?
A – I am well aware that the story of John and his first STD was one that was talked about frequently. Yet, I don’t think that is the point of the chapter. Was it that John didn’t really notice that his dad was trying to share his war experience with him then? Was it that as much as he missed home, he no longer belonged there either? I think both of those are possible points. No matter the point, I was struck by the fact that this chapter, this year ends with them partying with MTV’s New Year’s Eve.
R – I really think that this story was one way of showing just how in-between John really was. On one hand, he was truly grown-up (at least in age) by this time. He had already had experiences in life that most of us couldn’t even process at the ages we are now. On the other hand, he was still at the point where he didn’t know what to do for a (relatively) simple STD. It’s nearly like coming home from college after living for a semester or a year in the dorms on campus…. for an entire year I’d had my own rules, my own “curfews”, my own schedule. I get home, and bingo I’m back to having a midnight curfew. Are you joking? Definitely a time of being “in limbo”, don’t you think?
Final Thoughts:
A – As I read these chapters, I couldn’t help but to think that John couldn’t really process what the heck was going on and how he was feeling. It is obvious that life was moving pretty fast, really fast. Even when he returned home at the end, he couldn’t return home and didn’t even stay in his new home. It was like the ground was no longer stable, solid, unmoving or that the Earth was rotating much much quickier than normal.
R – It would seem to me that each of the band has had to go back and process these years. I agree that at the time, they had no time to realize just exactly what was happening. I find that myself even as I’m reading or listening – it is all happening so fast for them. I kind of think that John longed for some stability, but didn’t know what to do when he had some. Precarious position to find oneself, and yet I don’t think that it was recognizable as such to any of them at the time – and whats more, the band didn’t use one another as any sort of sounding board. Definite recipe for disaster.
On that note, I hope that everyone reads and jumps in by responding to these questions or providing your own discussion questions! Next week, we move on to 1983 with Chapters 41-45.
-A
