I needed to get some writing done, and as a way to block out the general background noise of my house (Ok, I was really blocking out my kids…but nobody needs to know that, right?) I decided to do something I haven’t done in several years. I played the entire Medazzaland album.
Medazzaland was released in October of 1997, and it’s the only Duran Duran album that I did not buy immediately upon it’s release. In my defense, I’d had my first baby earlier that year and suffered greatly with Post Partum Depression. A little something I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned: I didn’t even know that John Taylor had left Duran Duran until AFTER I’d bought Medazzaland. That’s just how out of touch with reality I was at the time. It was all I could do to get through each day, and during the time I had PPD I didn’t listen to a single Duran Duran song. Not one. That isn’t a period of time I like to talk about much, nor do I really remember much from the time, but it’s a part of how I’ve become the person I am now I suppose. I know it was several months into 1998 before I bought the album, and as I popped it into my car stereo, I couldn’t wait to get reacquainted with the band. I felt like I was getting back in touch with an old friend.
As soon as the opening “chords” of Medazzaland had begun, I knew something had gone curiously awry. This was definitely not the Duran Duran I’d last listened. I skipped ahead, touching on each of the songs. Aside from Big Bang Generation and possibly Electric Barbarella, there was nothing on that album that sounded remotely close to what I’d known. I remember looking at my husband through the veil of depression that was still clouding my vision and told him very ruefully that part of my life was apparently over just like the rest of who I once was, and ejected the CD. I put it back in the case and didn’t open it again for nearly 8 years.
It was only after the Astronaut tour ended and we started getting murmurs about Red Carpet Massacre that I dared to open the jewel case for the CD again. I’m far enough removed from the days of my depression to realize that my dislike for the CD came not only from the music itself, but from my own predicament at the time. Even so, the CD is very different from anything else Duran has done, and I don’t know that I ever really wrapped my head around all that was taking place for them at the time. When I sat down to write today, I was formatting a guest blog and there was mention of a few songs on Medazzaland, so I decided to give it a listen. Amazingly, I actually appreciated much of what I heard. Sure, the album is very different. Yes, it was written during a time when I think there was much personal tension for Nick and Simon, but there’s some genius there. I’m still not a Warren fan – but his influence is absolutely present on the album and I didn’t hate what I heard. There is something very organic (of all things) about the experimentation that took place, and the sense of peace I felt while listening to Michael You’ve Got a Lot to Answer For was remarkable. What felt really far removed from Duran Duran in 1998 when I first bought the album feels very much like a piece of their history in 2012.
Of course, all of this introspect with regard to Medazzaland leads me to wonder how I’ll feel about Red Carpet Massacre in another ten years or so. (It’s going to take me that long to work up the nerve to listen to that CD again, I’m sure.) I haven’t forgotten Nick’s statement that while the album wasn’t well-loved by their fan base, it has some staying power. Damn you Nick, we’ll see. We will see.
-R
Rhonda, Medazzaland is my favorite album… I know it could sound strange, but there is a global quality in it that I don't found in the others albums. Each sing is great. Even on Rio there is some “filler” beside some obvious and numerous masterpieces. Maybe also because there is a global feeling in it. It is obviously very different from any other DD's album because most of it are ballads. There is a lot of experimentations maybe a bit like Arcadia. Even if Warren is of course very important in that album, it is still a Duran Duran album, I can't imagine a Duran Duran album not sounding like them as long as Nick is in control I believe. And Warren was a great part of DD history anyway, he always loved the band and give all Andy's composition their full value. Without him probably the band had disapear at one moment. I respect him a lot for that. And I felt incredibly sorry when he had to go specialy the way the guys did it. It was not nice at all. I understand that at that time it was the thing to do to survive again. But it should have been done in a more nice way. Anyway this is another topic. Medazaland is not an album to dance, it is more an album to dream , relax and think. As you said Michael you've got a lot to answer for is incredible, the guitar the voice everything is amazing. The title song is of course very fscinating it,s the only song sing by someone else than Simon. But it introduce us to the album in a very subtle way: hey you are going to be in a paralel universe for the next 45 minutes. Do you have the bootleg “You're now intering Medazzaland”? it's great you can find “Butt Naked” this is the demo that was going to be “Be my Icon” and it is John who sing it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVRMEhZHnZs
As for will we find RCM great in some years? I am not sure. I profundly believe that the songs are superb but it look like it is another band who is playing, a a garage's band probably. I wish someday they revisit it and pllay it the way Duran Duran play, full of life and rich in sounds and very organicly, not in a too simple robot way. No fantasy, exactly the contrary of Medazzaland, Rio or AYNIN.
Pat
Personally, I love Medazzaland and think it is hugely underrated. Now, I know Simon had begun having problems writing, but I still think what came of that album was a good product, with great moments. Medazzaland itself is fun and a departure. I love that for once Nick gets to be vocal. Big Bang Generation has a great sound and is catchy. It gets stuck in my head when I hear it. EB is a classic. Actually, I hear a bit of that in AYNIN. Everyone was saying how much it all sounds like Rio. Well, not to me. I hear elements from throughout their career, including Medazzaland and Liberty. OOMM is one of the masterpieces and frankly, I would LOVE it if they would play it in place of OW for a change! It had that haunting feel and would fit in any setlist RIGHT in its place. Who Do You Think You Are is not their strongest track, but I like it and think it had a raw feeling that they had never explored before. I appreciate the fact that this band has NEVER really sounded the same. I mean everyone talks about the first 3 albums. But really listen to them. They are ALL different to each other. Only a few exceptions where one or two songs could have been on one of the other albums. Silva Halo is another song I love. It is edgier and I like that. Be MY Icon….I have loved it from the very beginning. I understand a lot of people do not like Dirty Great Monster on RCM. I love it. It reminds me of BMI in the way it is dark and twisted and takes you to a scary place in your mind. And after seeing Simon perform BMI live, I was never the same. I STILL am trying to find video of that performance! Buried in the Sand is one song that had to grow on me. I was unsure of it @ first, but after listening for a while, it fit in with the flow of the album. Michael was brilliance. Now, not having a computer and being in OC and not seeing ANY press on the band for a while by that point, I had NO idea Simon and Michael were friends and upon listening to the song, was wondering who it was about. And frankly, had some suspicions I won't go into here, which Simon alluded to later. When I heard the story behind Midnight Sun, a lot of things just fit. It is not as though I could not see the pain in Simon during this whole time. So Long Suicide spoke to me in many ways. Personal experiences put to words and music. Undergoing Treatment to me was fun and weird. I like it. I still do. And I get a lot of what was said. This album may have been upsetting to you while going through a depression, but to me, it spoke directly to the part of me that understood my own depression. It spoke to the frustrations they went through and I guess some people just never connected with the songs the way I did. But some songs are just too beautiful to dismiss. I urge everyone to give it another try. Same with RCM. The sound was a departure, but that does not mean it has no merit. There are some brilliant tracks on it as well.
[quote]I understand a lot of people do not like Dirty Great Monster on RCM. I love it. [/quote]
Oh my god I LOVE Dirty Great Monster. I think that song is epic and the lyrics brilliant and Simon does a wonderful job singing it. There is something raw about it AND I love the sax. Normally I'm not that keen on sax, even though Duran Duran have used it enough to have “regular sax players” on their tours, but it's pretty phenomenal, imo, the way it just wails out wildly in the middle of the song.
But I agree, to me the Duran Duran sound is that they rarely sound the same. Maybe a little bit of cross over here and there from album to album but that was the case with RCM too – there were definitely bits that sounded quite “classic” to me. I don't think RCM or Medazzaland was any more a departure from their “usual” sound than say, Notorious was. To be honest I think Notorious was probably an even bigger departure from their previous sound than either of those two albums.
I do have Butt Naked somewhere in my collection. 🙂
I really do like many parts of the album now, and I admit I couldn't even listen to it for a quite a while. I'm not sure I would say it's the best they've ever done, but I do appreciate Medazzaland now in a way I just could not before. I guess that just goes to show that everything is worth revisiting once in a while.
-R
I went thru the SAME thing with RCM, PPD and all. My Charlotte was born the exact day it came out and I found it in the mailbox the day I came home from the hospital. Thru the fog and sadness, all it did was piss me off. So I put it away. I didn't listen to it again til I heard about AYNIN. I listened to it (really listened to it) and I found SO much on there to enjoy.
as for Medazzaland, I know exactly what you mean. Even now I only listen to bits and pieces of it.