Thank you again for all of your kind thoughts, words and patience with me lately. This has been a tough week, and today I am paying the price. I think I’m fried on an emotional level, and I’m exhausted otherwise. Both of those things make coming up with a blog topic for today nearly impossible. Even my trick of laying my head down on the table didn’t work, and I was forced to go through my super-old-RSS-feeds-that-I-should-have-already-read-by-now looking for inspiration.
Guess what? I’ve got nothing!
One of the questions we get asked a lot is why on earth we ever thought to call this Daily Duranie. I laugh a lot when I hear that. (Sometimes it’s a rueful laugh as I’m crying into my John Taylor pillow….ok…I don’t really own a John Taylor pillow…but you get my point.) I’m the one who came up with the name. It’s the one good idea I’ve really had around here! Here’s the deal: I don’t know what I was thinking that day. You see, our “birthdate” was September 13, 2010. Prior to that, each day I plugged away at researching and writing the book, but my worry was that we’d have this book completely written, and there would be no way of really connecting with the fan community at-large, and I wanted that dimension to be added to the book. While I will openly (and loudly) complain about my husband at times, one thing that he is really pretty good at is marketing. (He should be. It is a good portion of his career!) While I still think he chuckles at the idea that I’m going to finish a book of any kind (Let me be clear: I am pretty certain he doesn’t think this book will ever see the light of day. I can’t WAIT to shove the thing into his hands and say “I TOLD YOU SO!”), he humored me enough to talk about doing a blog. I think his idea was to do a short little paragraph each day, and you know – if you weren’t me, that would probably be enough. I’m wordy though. Some even say I can’t shut up. A paragraph?? Who says everything they want to say in a single paragraph? (Somebody else, that’s who!)
While my husband tries to take credit – the name was my idea. He kept coming up with ideas that had the word “fan” in them, and since I knew this blog would be centralized around Duran fans…I felt that the appropriate word was Duranie, and then came up with Daily Duranie from there. What’s really funny is that I sold this idea to Amanda. She works FULL TIME at a job that sucks more and more of the life out of her each day. (Wow I make that sound horrible, don’t I?) Where in the hell is she going to find the time to write? That’s when I decided that I had extra time on my hands (HA), and that I could take Monday through Thursday if she could do Friday, Saturday and Sunday since my husband has some sort of issue with my working on Duran stuff over the weekend when we should be enjoying one another as a family. (He’s crazy, obviously. I try to ignore that.) I clearly remember telling her that this blog shouldn’t take more than a half hour each day. Easy, right?!?
Well, she didn’t argue…
So here we are, nearly two years into this project. I figured it would be sort of an experiment, and to be completely honest – I really didn’t think anyone would read it. When we started out, I didn’t even want to sign my name to it because I was afraid. I figured we’d put it up, never put our faces or full names to it – and if people wanted to behead us, they’d have to find us first. We don’t intentionally set out to piss people off, but sometimes it happens. So far, I haven’t seen calls for our capture and death, but you know – you’ve still got time, and I know we still have plenty to talk about. Somewhere along the line, I through my own caution and fear to the wind, and our pictures can be found here. Our readers know who we are (I think?!?), and we’re pretty open with our ideas and feelings. We want this to be a place for discussion, and while yes – we actually DO admire the physical attributes of the band, we love the band for the music they’ve created, first and foremost.
The blog takes me “a little longer” than a half hour to write these days, much to the chagrin of my family at times. Sometimes, the words flow like a river, other times, it’s like trying to find water using one of those water-witch things in the desert. All of that aside though, I am not the least bit sorry we called it Daily Duranie. To begin with, it really is a sort of therapy for me – for reasons that (I know this is shocking since I’m usually open with everyone), I’m not really ready or willing to share with the entire world. I also think that the fan community at large needed something like this. It’s simply a topic to start discussion, and no – we don’t always think the fans (or even the band if they ever read some of this!) are going to agree with us. That’s sort of the point.
As proud of Daily Duranie as I am, it isn’t a perfect system. Amanda and I are genuinely humans as it turns out – and we do make mistakes. I delete comments at random sometimes (like today – I am SO sorry about that because once they’re gone, they are gone forever!!) simply because apparently I can’t read the difference between the words “view” and “delete”. (big sigh) Sometimes I make errors in what I type here. Usually I ‘fess up when I’m wrong, even when I think people just enjoy being nit-picky. Sometimes I realize I’ve been extra-vicious in my responses, and other times I see that I’ve been overly harsh on a band member. Still other times I find that my opinion ends up completely changing about things I thought I felt sure about. Daily Duranie has evolved over time, but the one thing that hasn’t changed is that it IS daily – and I’m proud of that. Call it work ethic (insanity), call it dedication (obsession), even call it loyalty (well, we are!)…but we enjoy what we do, even when we can’t think of the first thing to write, as is my difficulty today.
*looks up at the blog*
Oh wait.
-R
Well, for starters, happy early birthday Daily Durannie!
The Daily Durannie (and yes I will call it THE…what is up with everyone dropping articles these days? How did the prom become…PROM? But I digress)…THE Daily Durannie represents the latest (and best in my opinion) evolution of how I follow the band. Basically it started with MTV as a teenager, waiting on those MTV news reports or the newest video (I can still remember the day that they reported “another Taylor leaves Duran Duran” and I thought the band was done!). Through high school and into college, it involved going to local record stores and asking them if there was anything in their books about a forthcoming Duran album (usually no but I still had to ask)…and then, do any of you remember the Duran Duran hotline? I used to know that number cold and was faithfully dialing it at all hours for years—right up through the Medazzaland era when I think it was discontinued. Then I became a regular at DD.com…and while I still go there (mostly for Ask Katy as I’ve somehow had a good track record of getting questions published), I quickly became disillusioned with the message boards. Met some cool people but overall…being a straight male who really is into the music more than anything else, it just wasn’t the best forum for me…and then I discovered this blog in the late summer of 2011.
I have to say that I now come here as often as I go to DD.com…Rhonda and Amanda created a site and forum where I not only wanted to get the news but get their take (and their readers’ take) on it too. The best analogy to this would be that it’s like listening to sports talk radio instead of just watching highlights on ESPNNews.
I’ve found this blog to be funny and informative…they are respectful of the various factions in the fan community and yet also are able to be open about their preferences (speaking of which, I think we should start a Andy Hamilton vs. Simon Wilescroft (sp) fanbase war—or has that already happened?). I don’t always agree with Rhonda and Amanda’s take—e.g. I’m still warming up to Dom—but they always make me think and between their opinion and the reactions of the other readers, it’s a far more enjoyable and intelligent discussion than I’d experienced at DD.com’s message boards.
I am not a musician so I appreciate hearing their informed opinions about songs…and they are so open and responsive. I was at the CT show and half the fun was tweeting with them before and during part of the it (although I eventually had to put down my iPhone and just enjoy the moment, which I did during AYNIN…). They’ve graciously published guest blogs (including mine!)
So..once again…Happy Birthday Daily Durannie and hang in there/keep up the great work!
–Chris @poptrashed
Read my words, Chris: I will make you love Dom. Well, maybe not LOVE him because that might be weird for your wife and all (not to mention his)….but I will work to convince you to admire him and become a fan. 😀
We aren't always right, but we always have an opinion that we're willing to share with the world. Talk radio wasn't quite ready for us, and quite frankly I don't think anybody wants to hear us as a podcast (it would be WAY TOO LONG – that's what we've found in our videos that have yet to make their way to posting) … so we just went with the blog, and I'm sure the world is thankful.
I'm glad you like it here, Chris. We're glad you're still reading and enjoying it! -R
Oh, and I am ready and willing for that Andy Hamilton/Simon Willescroft debate whenever you are. Taking sides at all on that one?? -R
I am completely touched by this comment. I think Rhonda and I hoped to create a place for people to come to, that is safe but intelligent, in order to discuss what is going on in Duranland. It is nice to know that, at least, one reader thinks we achieved that.
Oh, and Rhonda, I had to laugh at this blog. It is no longer just a daily blog and a book but planning meetups and other events, daily updates on Duran history, quizzes, etc. Plus, we forgot that to write about Duran fandom, we had to actually pay attention!
-A
Yeah I know…I was just talking about why we called it Daily Duranie though. To discuss the rest of it, I think we'd have to change the name to HOURLY Duranie.
That's just crazy talk.
-R
Hourly Duranie. That name just makes me want to rock back and forth. (Just kidding, people!)
-A
If you're looking for blog ideas, why not bring up subjects that most people seem to be afraid of addressing: such as wives/girlfriends and adult children? I know many of us follow the band's family members. Is it out of sheer admiration? Sheer curiosity? Or are we just nosey? I'm not trying to suggest having any type of hurtful or hateful blog, but a straight forward blog addressing for example a successful Duran wife or talented Duran adult child? News about the adult children shouldn't be so taboo since a few are in the entertainment/modeling industry and are legal adults. I have a feeling my idea will not be liked but I think it's relevant and it does have to do with Duran.
In fact, John Taylor just tweeted the other day about one of his (step)children “We have an airport run. Child back to college. Got to get her UP..!” I noticed he had quite a few responses on Facebook from fans who did not know A) he had a (step)child that was college age, B) that he had step children, C) they didn't know which child he was referring to, etc. . . By the way, he was referring to his step daughter Zoe (his wife Gela's 22 year old daughter).
It might be very interesting for some people to learn about which band Andy Taylor's son performs in. Some people may not know that Simon's eldest daughter is a successful model like her gorgeous Mum. Again, I'm not talking about trashing anyone's kids or wives. Just thought it might be interesting to write about the careers of the extended Duran Duran family.
My answer to this is very simple, yet it will probably not be liked in the same way that you fear your idea will not:
We don't follow the kids, the wives or any of the family, because we aren't their fans. They aren't members of the band, or even perform on stage with them (Usually, since I know someone will make sure to point out to me that Martha Riley – Dom's wife – has performed onstage with them.)
I think it's perfectly normal for John, Simon, Roger, Nick or even Dom to make mention of their wives or family from time to time. I knew, for instance, that Dom's son Floyd was at one of the shows that I saw in the UK because he'd mentioned it on Facebook. I even commented to him about it and asked how he did during the show. There's nothing wrong with that – it's normal conversation (well, as normal as you're going to get online anyway). That said, I wasn't about to blog about his being there because well, I'm a parent too, and as I've said before here, there are lines that I personally am not comfortable crossing. I'm not going to ever be OK with posting pictures of their kids or talking about them here on our blog except in the vaguest of terms, regardless of their ages, because those children didn't choose to be in Duran Duran or to be followed by millions, and I'm just not their fan(s). I think about this in the same terms that I think about my kids – I don't want their pictures posted here, no matter how much I really would love to brag all about them and show them off, and yet I'm not famous and for the most part, nobody cares about what my kids are up to!
I do hear what you're saying though, and while I don't share the interest – I know that other fans are curious. I'm not passing judgment, it's just beyond the scope of what we try to focus on here. You are right in that several of their wives, ex-wives, significant others and children have successful careers of their own. Dom's wife Martha is an extremely talented violinist (and mom besides – which I completely admire), we all know that Gela (John's wife) has launched yet another couture line with her friend Pam that I am sure is going to do remarkably well, Simon's wife Yasmin still models and is still incredibly gorgeous…and the list goes on. In those cases, I would also imagine they have their own fan sites and things that can take care of their news. It isn't that we're being rude or disrespectful by not including them here, I think that for Amanda and I, it's just the opposite. We recognize that not everyone wishes to be in the spotlight just because they happened to marry a member of Duran Duran, and to be blunt – they aren't who are around to see.
What I do think would be an interesting topic for us here is WHY people want to know about those kids and those wives. That's the sociologist in me coming out to visit. 😀 That's always been fascinating to me, because truth be told – I've never really paid much attention. I couldn't tell you, for instance, when the birthdays of the kids really are or where they were born. I would probably walk down the block and pass right by any of Roger's or John's kids and probably even some of the wives and never give them a second glance. Other people though, they strive to follow them on the various social networks. (I know we have followed a few of the adult kids on our Daily Duranie twitter, but I don't think I have followed any of them on my personal Twitter that I rarely use. LOL)
I hope I didn't offend – the idea is a fair one, it just comes down to where we're focusing here. 🙂 -R
I understand if Daily Duranie doesn't want to discuss or mention anything about the wives or ADULT children of the band on the blog. However, you said that “We don't follow the kids, the wives or any of the family, because we aren't their fans.” But, Daily Duranie DOES follow the following kids, stepkids, and ex-wives on Twitter:
Atlanta Taylor – Johns's daughter
Zoe Nash Taylor – John's step daughter
Travis Nash – John's step son
Amber Le Bon – Simon's daughter
Amanda de Cadenet – John's ex-wife
Julie Anne Rhodes – Nick's ex-wife
So, if you say you don't “follow” them, they why are you following them on Twitter? Again, I'm not judging you or anyone for following the above mentioned people on Twitter, I'm just wondering why the contradiction? A large majority of Duran Fans follow these same family members and ex wives yet people seem to act like it's taboo to talk about it. So very odd to me.
If you are only following Duran Duran for the boys in the band, then please, please tell me why ANYONE follows a band member's step child or ex-wife? Let's just put the cards on the table Duranie's and admit that we like to know ALL about the members of Duran and that includes their family. I have no problem with it (as long as it's not young children we are talking about). I think it's natural curiosity. However, I get annoyed when so many Duranie's protest that they wouldn't dare “follow” or mention the family when those very people DO follow them on Twitter and/or Facebook. Let's all just be honest here. Is that too much to ask?