A Lonesome Lament: Duran Duran

Mr. Lonesome:

Back in 1985, I had three posters on my wall: Dominique Wilkins in mid-air Tomahawk Dunk, Isaiah Thomas dribbling between his legs, and a group shot of Duran Duran.

What I remember with indelible keenness is how awesome John Taylor played the bass. The lines he does in both “Rio” and “Save A Prayer” are still among my very favorite. There was something organic about it, something you could tell wasn’t created on low synth keys.

The Video to “The Wild Boys” had a strange futuristic vibe, with Ferris Wheels on fire, dipping below the surface of some murky indoor moat. The tribal rhythms, the chants in the chorus. It was something else.

Speaking of “Save A Prayer” – I think I allowed it to help the tearing of my heart on an occasion with a lovely Mexican girl.

Oh, they had some fantastic hair, too. Not Flock of Seagulls-trying-too-hard hair. But real, gelled, loopy, British hair. Some blonde, some brunette. It didn’t matter, man.

Duran Duran:  Lonesome liked their hair...

I remember there was a time when each single they released was awesome: catchy, groovy, very well sung. The way all the instruments hit spaces against each other was worthy of headphones.

Many pop acts of the 80s relied on keyboards and studio, or a production team behind them. And I loved much of it. 80s pop music is my best-loved era of music, for better or worse. Not only were there fun, danceable songs, but also a certain inimitable nostalgia impervious to time.

Duran Duran, they wrote their songs. They played their instruments. And they were maybe, thanks to the video age, the first rock stars I attached myself to. Anyone remember that Wave coming off the screen in “The Reflex” video? That’s how I felt when I listened to Duran Duran – completely and mesmerizingly outside of myself