Day 1: Your favorite Duran Duran Song
Rhonda’s response: Today it is going to have to be Red Carpet Massacre because I’m in that sort of mood! 😀
Amanda’s response: Planet Earth because that song has always done it for me!
Most popular answer: Save a Prayer
Day 2: Your favorite Duran Duran Video
Rhonda’s response: New Moon on Monday. I’ll take any version I can find!
Amanda’s response: New Moon on Monday. I loved the storyline, the fact that they talked and they all looked so good!
Most popular answer: Save a Prayer
Day 3: The one song off of an album that should have been a single but wasn’t!
Rhonda’s choice: Nice
Amanda’s pick: Hold Back the Rain. It is my second favorite song!
Most popular answer: Nice
Day 4: The most underrated Duran Duran song (must be officially released-no demos!)
Rhonda’s selection: The list is long but today I will go with Finest Hour off of Astronaut. I don’t think that many Duran fans “took”to the song, but it spoke volumes to me at the time and I really love it!
Amanda’s pick: Red Carpet Massacre. I love when Simon’s lyrics seem to be obvious but really could be about something else.
Most popular choice: Serious
Day 5: Demo that should have made it to an album
Rhonda’s answer: My #1 pick is Virus, although I know it made it to the Japanese album so that doesn’t count. So my #2 pick has to be Salt in the Rainbow,…although I really do like that Air Studios version of Tel Aviv, too…;)
Amanda’s selection: Salt in the Rainbow. I fell in love with those lyrics!
Most popular response: Beautiful Colours
Day 6: Song that shouldn’t have made it past the editing room floor
Rhonda’s pick: Night Runner. It’s incredibly boring and quite honestly-the band is better than Timbaland decided to make them sound on this one.
Amanda’s choice: Zoom In. Really? Lyrics about Second Life and being avatars? Musically, it doesn’t work for me, either. *shudders*
Most popular answer: 911 is a Joke
Day 7: The most overrated Duran Duran song or video
Rhonda’s answer: I have to remind myself that the word is OVERRATED not hated (by me). I’m going to commit what I’m sure is blasphemy here to fans and say that in my opinion, Ordinary World hits this mark. Yes, it’s a good song, but no – it was NOT the band’s “moment”. They written so much more than this…
Amanda’s pick: Come Undone. Like Rhonda feels about Ordinary World, I feel about this one. Of course, it probably doesn’t help that I have seen Simon licks his fingers. Ewww…
Most popular response: The Reflex (how do you like that, Jessica?!)
Day 8: The video/song with the best storyline
Rhonda’s choice: This is a tough one for me! I hate going with the most obvious so I’m going with a song (no video), and it’s the Sun Doesn’t Shine Forever!
Amanda’s selection: Falling Down. Again, too many people took this video on a surface level and there is so much there! It is brilliant!
Most popular answer: Nightboat
Day 9: The video/song with the worst storyline
Rhonda’s answer: Nightboat. Yes, I know it has a storyline, but I always thought it was lame, even though when I was 12 and saw the video for the first time, I thought it was SO cool to hear them speak!
Amanda’s response: Mars Meets Venus. I obviously went with a song on this one. Really? We couldn’t think of anything else to write about?!
Most popular pick: Tie between Is There Something I Should Know and Electric Barbarella
Day 10: John’s best song or video
Rhonda’s choice: I could answer this two ways, but I’ve chosen to go with a John solo piece as opposed to his work on Sound of Thunder for Duran Duran. I’ve chosen Hey Day because I think he really had to search himself to write the lyrics, admit some painful lessons learned, and present them positively. I love this song.
Amanda’s answer: Spirit of the Times. To me, John does a tremendous job describing his personal history in a song from where he was to where he was at that time. Love it!
Most popular response: I Do What I Do
Day 11: Johns’ worst song or video
Rhonda’s answer: I must echo the sentiments of countless others and say Do You Believe in Shame. Thank goodness our John got well and is here with us. 🙂
Amanda’s pick: There are lots and lots of ants. Seriously, John? What the heck?!
Most popular selection: Do You Believe in Shame
Day 12: Your least favorite video
Rhonda’s answer: My pick has to be the Chauffeur.
Amanda’s response: Electric Barbarella. It’s so obvious. They did exactly what they never said that they would and follow the lyrics so much. Ugh.
Most popular pick: Someone Else Not Me
Day 13: If I never heard _________________ again, it would be too soon.
Rhonda’s selection: I’m going with Night Runner for this one, although I’m sick to death of Hungry Like the Wolf. My reasoning is simple: I can stomach HLTW, but I have trouble forcing myself not to throw things at the band when they play Night Runner.
Amanda’s choice: Hungry Like the Wolf. So overdone. It isn’t the best song of theirs but the number of times I have heard it has killed whatever like was there.
Most popular answer: Hungry Like the Wolf (Take note band!)
Day 14: Your favorite Duran Duran performance clip
Rhonda’s answer: Not even a contest here for me-it’s Late Bar live at Songbook. I would absolutely die if they ever played at a show where I was in attendance. (Hint to the band: I’m going to Brighton, Bournemouth and Birmingham…!!!) You could be rid of me in one fell swoop!
Amanda’s pick: Wild Boys from Live from London. It has it all-JoSi, Andy’s windmill, Simon’s goofy punches!
Most popular response: Tie between Wild Boys in Working for the Skin Trade, Save a Prayer from Amnesty International in ’87, All She Wants Is from Hong Kong in ’89 (Holy JoSi, Batman!), and Late Bar from Songbook.
Day 15: Your favorite YouTube clip (talk show appearance, performance, interview…)
Rhonda’s pick: There are many, but I have to go with A Day in the Life of.
Amanda’s answer: The Jonathon Ross interview from 2004. He was able to hit the nail on the head with the band’s history and do it with humor!
Most popular response: Tie between Simon’s 50th birthday and Nick’s stolen moments
Day 16: Favorite song you’ve never them play live
Rhonda’s answer: I must go with Late Bar again. I realize that I’ve already used this answer, but I’m bending my own rules here because although I’ve heard them play it live, I’ve never been there to see it. It’s on “my bucket list”!!!
Amanda’s response: Late Bar. Great minds think alike here. Plus, it would be funny to see Rhonda turn into a puddle of goo!
Most popular selection: Shadows Are on Your Side, which is fascinating as this question was asked for the band started rehearsing! Well done, boys!
Day 17: Least favorite song you’ve heard them play live
Rhonda’s response: Skin Divers, but only because I’ve used Night Runner twice!!
Amanda’s pick: Night Runner. So not Duran. Period. End of story.
Most popular choice: Hungry Like the Wolf. Seriously, boys, you really might want to shelve this one for awhile!
Day 18: Simon’s best song or video
Rhonda’s selection: I’m going with Election Day. The video. Anyone who knows me knows why!
Amanda’s pick: Before the Rain. Absolutely beautiful lyrics.
Most popular response: Ordinary World
Day 19: Simon’s worst song or video
Rhonda’s pick: All She Wants Is. Have you seen it??? Then you’d know why I’m answering this way!!!
Amanda’s response: Do You Believe in Shame? Same reason Rhonda chose ASWI. LOL
Most popular answer: A View to a Kill during Live Aid
Day 20: The video you always forget about, but then see again and say, “Oh, I LOVE that video!”
Rhonda’s answer: I don’t watch videos all that often, so this list is probably longer than necessary for me, but I have to say that I feel that way about Lonely in Your Nightmare the most!
Amanda’s pick: Serious. Love the gum chewing Nick and the JoSi is adorable!
Most popular response: Lonely in Your Nightmare
Day 21: The one song you hear that always brings a smile to your face and a memory of a show you’ve seen
Rhonda’s selection: Tiger Tiger. I saw them play this live in Chicago in 2005 and it remains the one moment where I really allowed my head and my heart to explode in the splendor of Duran Duran. 🙂 Good times!!!
Amanda’s choice: Skin Trade. Did anyone else see that dance in the summer of 2009? Everytime I see a clip of it, I laughed my head off. Seriously funny stuff!
Most popular pick: Tie: Friends of Mine, Skin Trade, A View to a Kill, White Lines and Secret Oktober
Day 22: Song or video that most quickly transports you back to when you first discovered the band and fell in love
Rhonda’s answer: The Reflex video, without a doubt!
Amanda’s choice: The Reflex, if you read my how I became a fan post, you know why!
Most popular selection: Planet Earth
Day 23: Roger’s best song or video
Rhonda’s pick: Planet Earth, hands down. If you don’t know what moment – you’ve obviously missed the first 20 seconds of the video!
Amanda’s response: Roger’s Sunrise video. Come on. Hotel room. In bed. Enough said.
Most popular answer: Tie between Sunrise video and Rio
Day 24: Roger’s worst song or video
Rhonda’s pick: Hungry Like the Wolf. Yeah, sure, I could have gone with ITSISK or even NMOM due to the dancing at the end or maybe even Serious but it was the one song that he SHOULD have played on but didn’t (hey, I’m a Roger girl, through and through!) instead I went with the obvious – a certain moment of HLTW when he shouldn’t have been kissed! 😀
Amanda’s response: Nightboat. Why leave Roger back? He should have gotten away!
Most popular choice: Is There Something I Should Know?
Day 25: The song that makes you feel guilty (guilty pleasure or dirty thoughts!)
Rhonda’s answer: Easy answer. Serious. Why? I love that song with a passion and yet MY drummer wasn’t on it, didn’t appear in the video, and I even think Sterling looks good. Sorry Roger!!!
Amanda’s choice: Bedroom Toys. Obvious answer with some of the silliest lyrics ever!
Most popular selection: Bedroom Toys
Day 26: The video or moment within a video that makes you laugh
Rhonda’s pick: If I hadn’t answered with Serious yesterday I’d use that one, but instead I’ll go with Is There Something I Should Know – and it’s the moment where they sing, “Don’t say you’re easy on me, you’re about as easy as a nuclear war.” To this DAY I still see people doing the motions when they sing it live, and that point in the video always makes me laugh. Then, at the end of the video, I have to chuckle because it’s so clear that Roger HATES when the focus is on him when he’s singing along. Poor guy…that’s why you get paid the big bucks! 😉
Amanda’s choice: The horse knocking into Simon in New Moon on Monday. Who doesn’t laugh at that assuming that the horse was okay… ;D
Most popular answer: A View to a Kill, including Simon’s acting (Bon…Simon LeBon!), blind Andy checking out the women, and Nick’s ear piece.
Day 27: The Duran song that describes you best
Rhonda’s response: I think that right now, I most identify with AYNIN. Not sure that it really describes me, but I’m learning to live in the moment and enjoy the here and now. That’s hard to do when you have kids and responsibilities, but I try! It’s a great message!!!
Amanda’s answer: She’s Too Much. I do dive into things “head first”.
Most popular pick: A Matter of Feeling
Day 28: Nick’s best song or video
Rhonda’s selection: I’m going with a song on this one, and I have to say that I love his work on Planet Earth so much. He stays in the background yet does the best job at creating ambience and a mood. It’s before their egos got the best of them, and I just love the simplicity of what he brought to the song.
Amanda’s choice: Is There Something I Should Know? I could have become a Nick girl if he was always this adorable! Loved the hair color on him!
Most popular answer: Save a Prayer
Day 29: Nick’s worst song or video
Rhonda’s answer: I’m going with Zoom In on this one. Not only are the lyrics horrible, but his synths overpower every other instrument in the song…as if there really ARE any. I can’t stand it.
Amanda’s pick: Medazzaland. Was this a good idea? Ever?
Most popular choice: Medazzaland
Day 30: The one song you will never tire of hearing live
Rhonda’s pick: There really are many on this list, but I have to go with Rio. I love the song, and it makes me happy to hear it and I never get sick of it even though they play it at every single show.
Amanda’s selection: Careless Memories. This is one song that really rocks live and gets the crowd going every single time it is played.
Most popular answer: So far…Careless Memories
That’s it! We hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we did!
-A & R
Crap, I completely missed this and would have loved to voted. Agree on many of these–especially HLTW. I use that song as my bathroom break when I go to shows (since it's usually early in the set I always know I can go then…okay…TMI). Wow, a “Sun Doesn't Shine Forever” reference–impressive. Most overrated song? The Man Who Stole The Leopard. Sorry…just doesn't do it for me. I'm a bit sick of Ordinary World and Come Undone too but keep them in context–they were the last 2 radio hits the band had (sorry, hearing “Sunrise” on the satellite radio playing at The Gap doesn't make it a hit) and they gave the band legitimacy w/ the critics. Basically, those songs and that record is what gave critics pause and led them to re-examine the earlier catalogue etc. Most unfortunate video? Out of My Mind–how could Duran Duran of all bands completely destroy a song using that medium? the song deserved so much better. Did you have a category for most unfortunate lyrics? I can't remember and am too lazy to scroll back up, so I'll answer: Everything in John's solo catalogue. Best remix: Jason Nevins' Sunrise, with Nile Rodgers & The Reflex coming a close second and the perfecto Out of My Mind 3rd. Best re-imagined album: Me, Astronaut as it should have been, here goes: 1. Beautiful Colours 2. Salt in the Rainbow 3. What Happens Tomororow (original version w/ time is a ribbon verse) 4. Lonely Business 5. Nice 6. Taste the Summer 7. Finest Hour 8. Chains 9. One of those days 10. Want you More 11. pretty ones 12. Sunrise (Nevins remix) TV vs Radio (hidden track) 13. Astronaut (Japanese version only) (yes that's a joke but not really). Thanks for indulging me…next time I'll vote…Chris
Well, Chris, you might have been late for this challenge but we have another coming up! Love that you included some of your opinions here, though! We welcome everyone to do that! As for John's lyrics, I think you should read my John Taylor: Solo Artist post. For John, it wasn't about writing a hit song as much as it was dealing with a lot of heavy duty emotional stuff. I think he should be proud that he was that open in his work.
-A
I guess I was just amazed at how good the music was and how bad some of the lyrics were (that “I'm starting to feel like Stanely Tucci” line comes to mind from his self-titled album, the 9th track I think…or “I'm sad, sad, sad/I want my dad” line from “Feelings are Good.”) Proud of John but am still going to cringe a bit…sorry…
I am so suprised and actually a bit shocked by Amanda's reply to “The most underrated Duran Duran song” …. Red Carpet Massacre?
It seems that the whole RCM album could be easily missed by most DD fans, maybe except for the songs Boxful of Honey and She's Too Much. But for me personally, the song RCM really defines everything I don't wanna hear from DD 🙂 (in the same category and very high on my skip-list: One of these days, Networker Nation -> sounds like they wanna do rock, but fail bad as it's not!).
Still, great Challenge this was, great read and even now that I know Amanda actually likes RCM, I still will check out this site daily 🙂 !
Well, fixo, I want to be clear. I like the song RCM but the album has a whole doesn't work for me as evidenced by my serious dislike for Zoom In! Nonetheless, glad that you plan to check the site daily!
-A
Very interesting takes on RCM. I'm right in the middle–I love the song RCM, and I also love Box Full of Honey. I have no problem w/ Duran rocking out, whether it's Careless Memories or Last Day on Earth or RCM. But I agree that it can seem forced (e.g. Network Nation as one of you said). I've always been a bit puzzled by the fan reaction to RCM–it's not like the entire album is full of songs like Skin Divers or Nite Runner. I thought most of the songs translated really well live (typical of Duran since they always turn down the guitars in the final mix-ahem Mr. Rhodes). I guess my point is, I know parts of RCM sucked, but the parts that didn't worked for me much better than Astronaut, which fans seemed to swoon over. The best stuff on Astronaut was left on the cutting room floor, and what emerged was (for me) a mostly mediocre record. Agree on Zoom In, not one of the high points on RCM…but come on, The Valley? LIVE? kicked *ss IMO…everyone that wants to hear the bass, listen to The Valley! –Chris
I think that for me at least, RCM felt very much like an incongruent, very forced, very FAKE, album…and I feel as though when they play it live, much of it comes across that way as well. The band never seemed to really “own” much of it (and especially not Night Runner or Skin Divers) when they would play it. Difficult to “sell” an album or a live show to an audience when you don't seem to feel comfortable with it yourself, and that's how I always felt it looked when I saw them live with this one. They did fairly well with RCM (the song) though – I think it's because it sounds more like something they actually participated in writing. As for The Valley, I would agree. It's one of the better songs on that album, and at one point, I would only listen to that one, Falling Down (I don't care what people say – the song is good. It just doesn't belong on that album) and RCM. That's about it, and I don't agree with Nick at all – the album absolutely will not hold up over time. It'll stand on it's own, purely because it'll hopefully be the one and only example of when the band allowed someone else to drive their sound.
Astronaut. Now that album does have a better place in my heart, but I think it has everything to do with the fact it was the *reunion* album. There are some good songs on the album, but when I give it a good listen now, I do agree – much of it is plain vanilla. Maybe that's what we all needed at the time, I don't know – but I think the reunion nostalgia factor is what directs the fan energy with regard to that one. 😉 -R