OFF: Duran Duran

[Keith A Henderson]

Alex honourably stands up for himself with....

>>Secondly, I'm absolutely amazed that anyone could find anything the least bit
> >interesting about Duran Duran's music....esp. someone who is fond of much of
> >the same kind of music I listen to
>
> Ah yes, well, I knew this was coming *sigh* I think DD is a much underrated
> band, too many people are biased. I think it's kind of become a fashion to
> hate the band. *Most* of those who do (or think they do) haven't actually
> even bothered listening to their songs. And when I say "listen", I don't
> just mean hear one of their singles on the radio or on TV. I mean carefully
> listening to a whole album.

Yeah, I kind of had a feeling that this might be your response, as I have been
assuming that I'd be forced into the very same argument once someone had
responded to my fondness for 10,000 Maniacs with:

"I can't believe anyone would want to listen to a band who put out such crap as
that 'Trouble Me' song....or 'Eat for Two'...etc...etc..."

But then, few people are aware of the fact that 10kM started out playing really
freaky music based on Caribbean-style rhythms overlain with disjointed puzzling
lyrical lines and wild dissonant guitar riffs and solos.  Natalie Merchant
singing reggae is not something that was ready for prime-time, I must say.

> There is much more in Duran Duran than one could
> think. I find their music very rich and complex, well structured and very
> melodic.

These must be those non-radio tracks again.... :)

> AND they also have great lyrics.
<lyrics deleted>

Well, this doesn't really matter to anyone else I suppose, but I don't give a
rat's patooie about lyrics...I only ever notice them at all when they just
happen to be too bizarre *not* to notice....you know, like Amon Duul II's
'Green bubbles came out of the crystal thing....'   Huh????

or Lemmy's 'All good clean fun, have another stick of gum.'
and from the same song....'We're moving like a parallelogram.'

Otherwise, they might as well be singing in a made-up language - see Vander, C.
To me, vocals are just an additional instrument to the mix....an important one
I should add.

As another example, I think both 'Misplaced Childhood' and 'Clutching at
Straws' are brilliant albums, and many people say that Fish is/was a brilliant
lyricist, but I don't have the faintest idea what these albums are supposed to
be about.  And to be honest, I don't care.  I guess I'm just too shallow...I
never did well (and still have absolutely no appreciation for) classical poetry
and literature.  I guess that's why I went into chemistry.... :)

And I only know what HW songs are about because I *have* read all those books -
just by coincidence I guess....   :)

> "My Antarctica"

There's an oxymoron for you.....

> was confirmed in their latest effort, "Thank You" which, in case you don't
> know, is a covers album. And do you have any idea who they cover ? You'll be
> surprised... The Doors, Elvis Costello, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Bob Dylan
> and... Led Zeppelin ! Uh huh, that's right, Led Zep. That's where they got
> the album's title, BTW, since "Thank you" is the LZ track they cover.

Oh my, yes, this is my favourite LZ track of all time.....glad I haven't had
the pleasure of hearing this yet!  :)

What would an all-covers HW album include I wonder???  So far, they've only
done 'Cymbaline' and 'Gimme Shelter'....this would be an interesting subject
to get us back on topic......I nominate a cover of the Beatles' "Come Together"
segued into Utopia's "The Wolfman Jack Show", which is based on the same riff
I'd say.

> I think that many DD fans don't even dare say they like the band in fear of
> "reprisal". That shouldn't be. There's nothing to be ashamed of.

Tony the Tiger agrees with you.... :)

> >P.S.  What the hell is Talk Talk???
>
> Seriously ? I'm surprised you've never heard of them.

Yeah, well, I still have no idea who the hell Oasis is either; and I just found
out that the hideous song I had the misfortune of hearing about 3 or 4 months
ago was by a band called 'Bush' or something....god, that was really bad.

> They were quite
> popular in the 80's. I guess you could call them a new wave band, kind of.
> They had several hit singles back then, among which "It's my life", "Such a
> shame" or "Living in another world". They have kind of disappeared from the
> scene after the commercial catastrophe of their last LP, which most people
> agree (even fans, I think) was a huge mistake and a very bad album. Can't
> say, never heard that one myself...

Nope, still doesn't ring a bell.....

>
> Alex S. Garcia
> "The BOC fan who liked Duran Duran"

Keith H. (FAA)
"The HW fan who has to go all the way back to 'Chewy, Chewy' by the Ohio
Express to find something really embarrassing to admit to listening to"