https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LXEthkWvD8&feature=youtu.be
There is a New Wave coming to Showtime on December 27th, and you are not going to want to miss it. The network is going to air documentaries about two of England’s biggest New Wave bands from the ’80s, New Order and Duran Duran.
The night starts off at 8p, where we will learn how New Order is reinventing themselves after almost 40 years together. Since I saw them in concert and they sucked, I really don’t care about them. That and if it was about how they went from Joy Division to New Order after singer Ian Curtis committed suicide, then I would be more interested. To me, that is more interesting.
Who is always interesting is Duran Duran. Their doc will focus on their rise to fame in the ’80s and how they defined MTV with racy music videos. It also includes interviews with Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Roger Taylor, who are not related. Also not related is original band member Andy Taylor and he will also not be seen in the hour-long special. What we will see is never-before-seen videos of their lives behind the scenes throughout their career that is still going strong after almost 40 years.
Since we will all still be exhausted from Christmas, what better way to relax then watch these docs.
Oh, and I have seen D2 in several concerts, and only one of their shows sucked. Which was the first time I saw them, and yet I went back for more. The other concerts were a blast, even though I once embarrassed myself in front of Le Bon before they went on. Long story.
Back in the ’80s, they were several no-no-notorious rivalries in the music world. There was Bon Jovi and Mötley Crüe, and Tiffany and Debbie Gibson. Now we know there was another one from the era.
Hey Martin Kemp, is there something I should know? He says that Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet have had one going for on over 30 years. Back then on planet Earth, they were two of the hottest New Wave bands to come out of Britain during the second British invasion. Were they fighting over music videos or chart placements of their songs? No, that is so not being like a rock star. Instead, the bassist said on This Morning today that if those wild boys were at a party together they would see who could drink the most? Which I say Simon Le Bon would win the gold hands down or bottoms up. Another time, they wanted to see who could stay up the latest. Their final battle, back then, happened on Pop Quiz and D2 were the true winners.
That was then, there’s a new moon on Monday because now the two bands, who were part of the New Romantic scene, are both working on musicals with their songs. Who will win West End? Only time will tell. Sorry Kemp, but I will always be a Duranie, so my reflex-flex-flex-flex is to root for them.
Kemp also talked about if Spandau Ballet will ever get back together. He says he is up for it, but only if all five of them say yes at the same time. Hopefully, that will happen! However, getting five people to do that is not easy. See the Spice Girls.
Now, let’s just talk about Kemp. Didn’t he age really well? I think he is sexier now than he was then. Plus, his positive energy is contagious. Maybe I can be persuaded to change my allegiance.
On Friday, the world was shocked as terrorists stormed into Eagle of Death Metal’s concert in Paris and shot it up, killing over a 100 people. We all united and said a prayer for everyone who was there and those who were affected by the attacks.
A few months ago, the California band released a cover version of Duran Duran’s Save a Prayer, and yesterday Simon Le Bon announced on Twitter, “@EODMforNo1 @DuranDuran will donate all proceeds due to us, from this version. Considering options that are useful, peaceful & uniting”
Even though the song has been around for 33 years, it has never had more power than it does today.
UPDATE: Duran Duran issued a statement on their decision to donate all of their publishing proceeds from Eagles of Death Meatal’s cover of their song.
We are honored that the Eagles of Death Metal covered “Save A Prayer,” and included it on their most recent album. In fact, it was a thrill playing the song together recently on TFI Friday in London. We bumped into the band on Friday afternoon of last week, when we were all on our way to Paris on the Eurostar. We were opening Al Gore’s Climate Change concert broadcast there, and they were playing at the Bataclan. What happened that night defies any kind of comprehension. The tragedy that unfolded at their show, and around the city, brought immeasurable sadness to so many and shocked the world. We wholeheartedly support the campaign that the fans have mounted to show solidarity to the band that they love. We will be donating all of our royalties from the sale of this version of the single. There are a number of causes under consideration, all of which are peaceful, effective and unifying.
Simon Le Bon is 56 years old and the lead singer of Duran Duran still has a view to a kill in bathing suit trunks. Seriously, I have come undone looking at this photo that his bandmate John Taylor Tweeted of him. Let’s just say, all she is wants is Bon, Simon Le Bon!
Yoplait used Duran Duran‘s song Hungry Like the Wolf in an ad and the band took their website today to express their displeasure about it.
Many of you have written to us, voicing your dismay about the recent license of our song Hungry Like the Wolf, to a yoghurt commercial. Please know, Duran Duran do not support this usage of their music and unfortunately, this particular license was granted without any prior notification to any of us. Had we known, under no circumstances would we have backed it.
Thankfully, the ad has now been taken off the air and moving forward we hope to avoid any further situations like this.
Personally, I don’t have a problem with the song’s usage in this commercial. I don’t think it is that bad. To be honest, I prefer this to what H&M did their hit Girls on Film.
But what is really interesting about their message, is that we found out that musicians don’t always have control over who uses their tunes. It’s sad that they don’t have power over their own music. I wonder how many other musicians have been in D²’s situation and what advertisements used their songs without their permission. I’d like to think that is what happened to Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman because I detest the M&M’s commercial with I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).
