I got my hands on the recently released Duran Duran – Rio DVD, which gets the documentary treatment from Eagle Vision’s excellent Classic Albums video series. You’ve probably seen Classic Albums on VH-1 Classic featuring Meat Loaf’s Bat Out Of Hell, Def Leppard’s Hysteria, Queen’s A Night At The Opera, etc.
I first discovered the series when I moved into my new house and got my first DVR. I set my DVR to record every single scheduled episode and after watching a couple of episodes, I was HOOKED!
The television broadcasts run an hour in length, so one of the benefits of picking up the DVD editions is that there is always bonus material. Typically there is at least 30 minutes of additional footage, and the Duran Duran DVD packs on an extra hour for a total running time of 124 minutes! And by the way, the bonus material isn’t the typical leftover interview outtakes – these are fully produced unused segments.
The Classic Albums DVD succeeds in all of the areas in which former Duran Duran guitar player Andy Taylor’s recent DD book failed and finally delivers a truly interesting portrait of Duran Duran in the 80s. If you’ve seen any of the Classic Albums videos, you know that one of the best parts of the series, is seeing the artist break down isolated tracks (drum tracks, vocal tracks, etc.) in a studio from the original multi-track tapes. Hearing Rhodes’ isolated keyboard parts and tales on how they achieved particular sounds and effects on Rio is choice stuff. Andy Taylor is of course absent from the interviews on this DVD, but is well represented in the discussion and amazing archival live footage from the period interspersed throughout the program.
Duran Duran – Classic Albums : RIO Sneak Preview
There is plenty of material on this DVD that surprised even me, the huge Duran Duran fan. Learning that Simon LeBon was inspired lyrically by Springsteen while writing “The Chauffeur,” for example. Some of the best material on the DVD can be found once you get to the bonus segments, particularly the lengthy discussion by Duran Duran’s former management detailing what it took to finally break the band in the U.S. There’s also plenty of discussion/insight about the band’s legendary music videos and also interviews with the designers who did the album artwork for Rio. I realized last night that even though I thought I did, I don’t have the Duran Duran videos on DVD. I’ll need to take care of that ASAP!
I’ve seen at least one episode of Classic Albums where the featured band looked bored discussing the album, and that certainly isn’t the case here. In fact, I was surprised at how engaged Duran Duran members were in the interviews for this DVD. It’s no surprise that they remain proud of their achievements with Rio after all of these years. Duran Duran – Rio is essential viewing for DD fans and children of the 80s who will love this DVD. Duran Duran – Rio features new interviews with the entire classic DD lineup minus Andy Taylor, former manager Paul Berrow, Russell Mulcahy who directed the videos, John Sykes from MTV, and others that were a key part of Duran Duran’s success in the 80s.
Relevant Links:
Purchase Classic Albums: Duran Duran – Rio from Amazon: DVD
Duran Duran official website
Eagle Vision official website
This sounds like it’s really worth checking out – thanks for the newsy post!
I actually really dug Duran Duran’s music back in the 80’s. Very distinct and the melodies were so extremely catchy and memorable. Thanks for the info on this DVD… who would ever have guessed on the Springsteen connection?
I was a Duranie, then when RCM came out, I was disgusted and shocked. Why did one of the greatest bands in the world have to resort to being “hip” and using idiots like Timberland and Timberlake? Those two blowhards will be long gone when albums like Rio and Seven and the Ragged Tiger are still being played. Until they get Andy back, and stop trying to be “cool”, I won’t be buying any of their music. The BING BING in Nite Runner is nauseating, and the lyrics in RCM are uninspired. Poor Simon, you should know better.
GREAT -GREAT DVD for DD fans, the members basically sat and took us through the songs, bits of instruments and also stories about travelling and shooting videos. PLUS a new live performances. As a fan I think this is an A+ DVD. SOOO much better than the recent – DURAN DURAN the ultimate review DVD that came out in 2006.
Yeah – Red Carpet Massacre was pretty wretched
I got this DVD as a gift from my husband for Christmas, and was happy to see it. You know what’s the most ironic thing is when Nick talks about making albums/songs never knowing what the public will like. He says when they think something will be a hit, it’s not. When they think something probably won’t work, it does. Too bad they didn’t use that formula for RCM!
Everything Duran Duran has done is pure gold! I’m one of the few men who will proudly proclaim being a major fan of them. The negativity surrounding their latest release is untoward and unbelievable. The band is better off without that portion of the fanbase. “Rio” definitely one of my favorites. So nice to see the guys relaxed, friendly, sunny, and looking good. Jealousy doesn’t work in a fan base, Negative People and you know who you are!!!
Gemini, you must be off your medication. There is no way I’m jealous of anyone in DD, I wouldn’t sell my soul to make a few bucks for an outfit like Sony. This “portion” of the fanbase that doesn’t like DD’s RCM album happen to be the same portion that have bought albums, singles, t-shirts, and everything else DD has splashed their names on over the years. We have supported this band through all it’s changes, and loved them because they were unique and talented. There is nothing unique about Timberland or Timberlake, they are a couple of no talent hacks that will be long forgotten when Rio and SATRT are still being played on the radio. We are smart enough to see the trainwreck for what it is. DD has too much talent to lower themselves into using producers who are mediocre at best. Duran Duran should make THEIR music, not someone else’s.
Duran chose to work with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake. Both artists are respectable in their own right. What part of “Duran CHOSE them” don’t you get? Did you ever stop to think maybe that part of the fanbase helped to lessen the sales? A new fan of Duran may have liked what they heard and decided since a long time fan didn’t like it, why should they. You know how impressionable the young are. You’re not a fan. A fan supports EVERYTHING the band does. If you’re part of the negative portion of the fan base, then you’re not a true fan.
There are several fans, all true. They support EVERYTHING the band has done. They may not like everything the band did, but they grinned and beared it, because it’s what the band did. Again, if you do not support EVERYTHING they do, then you should not be considered a true fan.
You are trying to tell me I”m not a true fan, just because DD tried to make themselves “hip” and got away from what made them great, being DURAN DURAN???? Wake up Gemini, DD sold themselves to Sony, and Sony talked them into working with the Timbertwats. No wonder Andy left, he knew what kind of album this would end up being, and he wanted no part of it. He’s the smartest member of the band. I’ve always been a Johnist myself, even John is becoming a name-dropping media tramp. Like I give a crap what he downloads on his Ipod or where he downloads it at. The only way DD will ever be popular again is when they get back to their roots, like they were STARTING to do when the reunion happened. That was pure magic, the Fab Five in concert. Electrosets? What happened to playing actual INSTRUMENTS? If you’ve forgotten how to play bass John, hang it up and just become another has been. They need the same producers that made albums for bands like the Scissor Sisters and Franz Ferdinand, they sound more like DD than DD does now!
Yikers! the Scissor Sisters? nah…
I see you GC 😉
All these bad things are said about RCM, I think it’s an EXCELLENT album. I’m not big on Timbaland producing it because it does sound too much,
but I think, when you actualy o the melodies in many of the songs there. they sound very much like early Duran !!!!!!!!!, I want to hear the album with another producer though.
GC, you know better.
DH, it’s a terrible album by every measurement. The only good thing about RCM is that it’s over.
Back to topic:
Damn shame Andy doesn’t appear in the Rio DVD interviews, but it’s a worthy DVD, buy it if you can.
I have to agree Kling, Andy was a huge part of that album, and of the way the songs played out, even Roger and Nick admitted that in the DVD. There’s no DD without Andy.
dh, are you drinking the same water Gemini is? Name one thing on RCM that sounds anything like the first DD album. I”ll tell you, NOTHING. There are no haunting songs like Nightboat, no throbbing songs like Friends Of Mine, and no beautiful songs like Tel Aviv. Oh yeah…. RCM has the BING BING from Nite Runner…. that’s got all the appeal of a dead skunk. Real fans are smart enough to know when to be critical, and also smart enough to know a piece of crap when they see it.
Real fans get over a bad album but still support the band. You don’t support the band when you are negative to the extent that a small portion of the DD fan base is. I used to think that RCM was bad. Then, I listened to it and gave it a chance. It grew on me. (Yes, that is possible!) I also learned that the other portion of the fan base was right: you have to SUPPORT EVERYTHING the band does in order to be considered a TRUE fan. Disagree with me? You think I care? You don’t support the band. I do. Go back to your negativity. Leave the band for us TRUE fans.
duranietillrcmcamealong (Your attitude is conveyed in your name), You don’t seem to understand that Duran was free to choose what they did, who they did it with, and what sound they would have. If you don’t like the end result, that’s fine. Why keep on with the negative attitude 13 months after the album is released? That’s the negativity I’m talking about. This is why I don’t think you and the others who have responded from others who think like you do are correct in your thinking.
Nothing on RCM will sound like anything they did previously because it was meant to be different. They were free to do that. That’s the one thing you people don’t seem to grasp. This is why you’re all so bitter after all this time. Move on. Life is better on the other side.
Andy Taylor left because he didn’t show up on for rehearsals. He didn’t do the parts he was responsible for. He was removed from the band. His replacement is more than adequate. In some ways, he may have even surpassed Andy with his intense playing ability. Not to mention that he was THERE!
The above statement is MY opinion. It is pure conjecture. It is not factual nor do I intend for it to be. I am expressing my opinion strictly for discussion purposes.
Gemini, where do you get your information, from Katy? She’s about as reliable as George Bush! Andy wasn’t kicked out, he left, and he’s proven himself to be the smartest member of the band for doing it. Dom is no Andy, and never will be. Did you forget about his father that was DYING, do does that not matter to you? DD was so engrossed in their sudden comeback fame that they thought using the Timberflakes would keep the gravy train running. They couldn’t get Reportage OK’d by Sony (which probably is more like Astronaut, real DD music), so they rushed to get RCM put together. You can tell it was a rushed album.
I will be a fan of Duran Duran’s music again when they actually go back to sounding like themselves, and not trying to copy someone else’s sound for profit. I listened to RCM three times, and each time it made me more sick. Real fans…. please, there’s a difference between REAL fans and groupies. Groupies follow the band from state to state, and country to country. Fans don’t put a second mortgage on their homes just to go see the band, or have John Taylor’s pictures in their bathroom.
FYI Gemini, I enjoyed every single transformation of Duran Duran, up until RCM. I was sad when Andy, Roger, then John left, but I recognized that same Duran Duran vibe that is in every single one of their songs. I don’t recognize any song on RCM as being by DD. They all sound like Timberland songs, with special appearances by Duran Duran.
Opinions matter, both negative and positive. I hated “All She Wants Is”, but still bought that album, and the 12″ single. I meant something to me because it was Duran Duran. All I can do now is listen to my other DD CD’s and wait for Reportage to be released.
The truth is, nobody but Duran and Andy know why Andy is no longer with the band. We can guess and speculate all we want. Of course, Andy’s book was going to be from his perspective and would defend his actions and decisions. There is more to that story. Defend him all you want, but you’re not any more right than anyone else who guesses. Keep that in mind! I’ve had enough with the gossip, innuendo, and negativity from your portion of the fanbase. RCM got released 13 months ago. Let the anger and bitterness go. For you to be ridiculous and refer to the other members of the fanbase that aren’t negative as “groupies” sounds like jealousy to me. They did something you always wanted to do, but never did, and now that you’re old, won’t do. So, yeah, deny it’s jealousy. That goes for all of malcontents that are still harping about RCM, 13 months later.
Andy pretty much said in his book why he left. If you can’t figure it out, you’re ignoring the obvious. “Your portion of the fanbase”, meaning people who are smart enough to recognize the truth? There is no DD groupie I”m jealous of. I have a home that I would never take a second mortgage out on just to go to DD concerts, or leave my son and husband for months at a time to follow DD on shows.
I’m not “harping” on RCM anymore than you are trying to with the statement “Everything Duran Duran has done is pure gold!” because it’s plain to see by the lack of album sales you are wrong. You are also wrong in your assumption that to be a true fan you have to love everything DD does. I know many fans who don’t, that doesn’t make them any more or less of a fan who does.
Bring on Reportage, and don’t let any other producers mess around with it, we’ll see which album really has the DD sound to it.
I must say that it has grown on me. I really like RCM and I´m ashamed that I have been so blind. I judged the whole album before listening. How about that? Now I´m whining in our forum..and that´s pathetic.
I´m with you Monkey. I´m a bit ashamed too. How to tell everybody that you like something that you have mocked all the time just to get some friends??
How can you judge an album before you listen to it? I listed to RCM multiple times before writing it off. That’s the only DD album that I don’t own, and never will own. I wish they would released Reportage, and let the fans be the judge of which is the better album. I wonder if negotiations with Andy would hamper that release.
Hi ´duranietillrcmcamealong´!! How can you judge ´Monkey´ here and not in our own forum?
That´s pathetic.
SOT, where in that paragraph did I judge Monkey? What I said was that I judged the album AFTER listening to it, I at no point referenced Monkey at all.
Duranie, try ignoring all the polished parts, just the melody of it ..it’s really good. I was pissed too when I heard about Timbalakes.That’s why Night Runner is the worst song of DD, WTF it sounds like F’n R&B.
I’m not big on the rap parts too, but passable… I mean, there are some rap on white lines,
I have to be honest, I like Rcm a bit better than Astronaut and That SUCKS coz for me Astronaut was real, it had ANDY. And I’m still sad that they only made 1 album.
I wish they did RCM with the Astronaut’s producers, THAT WOULD BE ASSKICKIN
Oh ya and Night Runner would not exist hahahaha
dh, I appreciate your input and candor about this, but I just don’t like RCM at all. There is not one song to me that sounds like DD except for Falling Down, but even that sounds so… stale and uninspired. I tried, believe me, tried to like any of the songs, but I just can’t. It didn’t even take me 2 listens to like Liberty!
I wish Nile Rodgers would work with DD again, imagine how great that would make DD sound!
Posts 23, 24, and 26 are NOT those people. Monkey bought and listened to RCM before judging it, and would never use the phrase “it’s grown on me.” SoT would never call Duranietill “pathetic.” And Ungabunga isn’t a silly little high school kid worrying about being popular.
Let it go, Gemini.
dh, you present a reasonable argument. Thank you. How do you feel about the Rio DVD?
I myself really love the DVD, but since Andy was such an important part of the band’s success, he should have been interviewed too. I never knew how the beginning sound of Rio was made until I saw this DVD, makes you understand a bit more how Nick’s brain works. Would love to see more DVD’s like this for SATRT and the first DD album.
Klingon. I like the RIO DVD, in fact I got to this website coz I was reviewing it, then I saw all these comments, COOOL .
It sucks that ANdy is not in it.I really hope they can somehow work together again
Duranie, oh ya man, it would be awesome to see the DVD on the first album, Liberty is a cool track, that album is good, so as Medazzaland, a lot better than Poptrash.Too bad they didn’t do well.
BY THE WAY ..ALL YOU GUYS SHOULD TRY TO GET THE DEVIL’S ALBUM —- VERY COOL
The person posting here as “Gemini Changeling the 1 and only” isn’t the Gemini Changeling that used to post at Lizard King Duran and had his own site for awhile.
Anyone can post as anybody online and under any name…don’t be fooled.
Duranie – I’m assuming that Andy didn’t want to participate in the DVD. I think he is well represented though….I think it’s a fair and balanced look at DD and Rio.
Which is not what I was expecting……happily surprised!
Drifter – you know this how? It’s CG, alright.
This is so braindead bullshit haha, lol.
I wonder what that twatass Timba got from this co-operation.
Matt, you are assuming something that you don’t know for sure about. None of us know if Andy was invited to be interviewed about the DVD, or if he was invited and refused. No, I don’t think it was well represented when one of the band members who are crucial to the DD sound isn’t involved in discussing the album. Nick and Roger both gave Andy his props, but that doesn’t make up for what Andy could have brought into the discussion.
..besides I honestly, as an intellectual and sophisticated “rotten standing tree”(I love you Simon), would like to add that my buttocks are just fine!
“my buttocks”??
excuse me, whoever posted as Duranietill…. get your own screenname, that wasn’t me. What the heck does “rotten standing tree” mean? Any Duranie that knows me knows who my favorite DD member is, and will know immediately that wasn’t me posting.
Tu scema??
What are you playing at´ duranietillrcmcamealong´??
Unga, you already know who the real one is, the one that would never say something as stupid as buttocks.
Why these quarrels? A wise person can discern the core of important problems, has self-knowledge, seems sincere and direct with others and others ask wise people for advice. But you..For crying out loud! haha lol
I am Klingoncelt.
See.
Easy to use someone elses name.
I am Klingoncelt and I am clueless.
I guess since I am using the name Klingoncelt, I am the real Klingoncelt?
Stop spreading lies about people and tearing them down!
You can change your name, but not your style. If you’re going to impersonate us, you’ll have to do a better job of it.