• They were native to the music video era and understood the form quite well. Nick Rhodes said, "Video to us is like stereo was to Pink Floyd."
  
  It helped that they were very photogenic and willing to travel to exotic locales for shoots. It also helped that MTV launched in 1981, just as they were making their ascent. They quickly became stars on the network, accounting for much of their American success.
• They are named after the bad guy in the 1967 Jane Fonda movie Barbarella. It's a very campy film that spoofs more serious sci-fi movies. John Taylor came up with the idea for the name after watching the film on BBC TV.
• They first toured in the US in 1982 as the opening act for Blondie.
• In 1985, John and Andy Taylor released an album with Power Station while Rhodes, Le Bon, and Roger Taylor formed a group called Arcadia.
• Stephen "Tin Tin" Duffy spent some time as lead vocalist before they settled on Simon Le Bon. >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Mark - San Francisco, DC
• John Taylor once described Duran Duran's sound as "Sex Pistols meets Chic." For the 2005 reunion album Astronaut, John Taylor played late Chic bass player Bernard Edwards StingRay. John has cited Edwards as a big influence on his playing style and approach. >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Mark - San Francisco, DC
• John Taylor's full name is Nigel John Taylor. He didn't like the name Nigel, because he thought it didn't sound "Rock N Roll Enough" for a pop star. So, when he joined the band, he told them his name was John Taylor. >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Annabelle - Eugene, OR
• Princess Diana said soon after her royal wedding that Duran Duran was her favorite band - she and Le Bon went to the same gym. On July 1, 2007, Duran Duran played at a memorial concert for her at Wembley Stadium.
• Rolling Stone described them as "The Fab 5" when they put them on their cover in 1985. This was in reference to the Beatles-like throngs of screaming girls the band attracted.
• When he was 6 years old, Simon Le Bon starred as a little boy with an off-white shirt in a Persil washing powder TV advert.
• Forget "Yours Sincerely" and "Kind Regards." Simon Le Bon signs off his emails with "WHOOSH."
• Simon le Bon and his old bandmates used to take part in Duran Duran lookalike contests. "We'd all put our 1980s mullet wigs on and big shoulder pads suits and enter Duran Duran competitions - and win," the frontman told Virgin Radio.
• Three of their core members have the last name Taylor (Andy, John and Roger) but none are related.

Comments: 8

• Daniel from Bryan, TxTo answer Annabelle's question, I think your dad was talking about John Taylor, the bass player.
• Branden from New Orleans, LaAs far as I can remember, warren replaced andy on the notorious album. andy did play some on the album too.
• Caitlyn from Jacksonville, FlAnnabelle, Roger Taylor of Queen is Roger Meddows-Taylor, born in 1949. Roger Taylor of Duran Duran is Roger Andrew Taylor, born in 1960. It's easy to see how they might be confused as the same person, though, considering they both play drums.
• Annabelle from Eugene, OrWhich one of Duran Duran's band members is "The One With The Big Hair"? The reason I ask this
  is because when I asked my Dad which band member of Duran Duran was his favorite Band Member, his answer was, "The one with the Big Hair".
• Annabelle from Eugene, OrI wonder, is Roger Taylor of Duran Duran the same Roger Taylor that played with Queen?
• Nunu from Bangalore, IndiaWarren Cur...lo never really fitted in. I saw that especially on VH1 storytellers, where the band has an interactive sessions with a selected audience asking questions. When asked on Virgin Radio U.K, if Warren was asked to leave, Nick meant the obvious when he said that phase was over, it was time to move on.
• Marlow from Perth, Australiaordinary world (1993) is their only real decent song the rest are all teeny boppy
• Richard from Alva, Okandy and roger left in 1985, duran duran continued on as a trio for two studio releases--warren cuccurullo joined on guitar and sterling campbell joined on drums for the 1990 release "liberty." warren stayed on but sterling campbell left to join soul asylum and help them tank their momentum. the foursome of nick/simon/john/warren made a nice comeback with the self-titled album known as the "wedding album," but blew up w/the all covers album "thank you." john left making duran a trio again...only to have two more albums come and go...before having simon and nick announce that the original five are back together working on a new album for release soon.

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