Post by Tin on May 11, 2008 15:29:02 GMT -5
Q&A with Duran Duran
By ERIC SCHELKOPF - eschelkopf@nwnewsgroup.com
Comments (No comments posted.)
Duran Duran
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
WHERE: Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont
TICKETS: $49.50 to $125
INFORMATION: 312-559-1212 or www.ticketmaster.com
Despite selling more than 70 million records worldwide and scoring a string of hits – “Hungry Like The Wolf,” “Rio,” “Save A Prayer” and “Ordinary World” – English band Duran Duran is not content in living in the past.
The band, which formed in 1978, teamed up with top producers Timbaland and Nate “Danja” Hills along with Justin Timberlake on their latest studio release, “Red Carpet Massacre.”
Original drummer Roger Taylor talked about the album and the band’s longevity prior to their show Wednesday at the Rosemont Theatre.
As far as working with Justin Timberlake, why did you want to work with him?
It was kind of like a dream team really. He kind of came with Timbaland, and we met them both as far back as 2003, when we were presented with a lifetime achievement award in London. They both said they would like to work with us in some way.
You co-wrote the song “Falling Down” with Justin. How did he shape the band’s sound on the album?
He’s got a great contemporary ear, and it’s great to be working with someone so successful. And I think those guys really taught us that you have to be quick. A lot of our albums have been really kind of long and drawn out. We’ve done a lot of naval gazing in our time. Their motto is that often the first thing you do is often the best thing you do. They brought that immediacy into the whole project.
Was working with them an attempt to gain a younger audience?
Our audience is pretty much a cross-section anyway. We’ve got all kinds of age groups. I think we just wanted to be contemporary. We’re all about looking forward. We are very much into music that is happening now. We want to be vital.
You’ve been on and off with the band, but you came back a few years ago. Why did you want to come back?
We had only made three albums together when we split. There was always an unfinished feeling about that lineup. I think it had to happen. We got to go back and see if we could do it again and bring it back to life.
How is the new guitarist, Dom Brown (who replaced Andy Taylor)?
He’s great. He’s a great guitar player. He’s never going to completely fill Andy’s shoes, but we are playing great as a unit.
Did Andy Taylor just decide he didn’t want to tour again?
I think it was something that had been in the cards for a while. It’s like a marriage that starts to go wrong – you can’t quite put your finger on it, but it becomes something very different from what you thought it was going to be. And I don’t think Andy was really very happy with the touring and being away from home.
What do you think keeps the band going?
We’ve all tried different things, but when we come together, it seems to be a very powerful thing. It’s very hard to give that up. Why walk away from that? Why not keep doing it, as long as the audience is there, as long as people are buying our records?
www.nwherald.com/articles/2008/05/11/sidetracks/sounds/gigs/doc4823c84c84d4c266911733.txt
By ERIC SCHELKOPF - eschelkopf@nwnewsgroup.com
Comments (No comments posted.)
Duran Duran
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
WHERE: Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont
TICKETS: $49.50 to $125
INFORMATION: 312-559-1212 or www.ticketmaster.com
Despite selling more than 70 million records worldwide and scoring a string of hits – “Hungry Like The Wolf,” “Rio,” “Save A Prayer” and “Ordinary World” – English band Duran Duran is not content in living in the past.
The band, which formed in 1978, teamed up with top producers Timbaland and Nate “Danja” Hills along with Justin Timberlake on their latest studio release, “Red Carpet Massacre.”
Original drummer Roger Taylor talked about the album and the band’s longevity prior to their show Wednesday at the Rosemont Theatre.
As far as working with Justin Timberlake, why did you want to work with him?
It was kind of like a dream team really. He kind of came with Timbaland, and we met them both as far back as 2003, when we were presented with a lifetime achievement award in London. They both said they would like to work with us in some way.
You co-wrote the song “Falling Down” with Justin. How did he shape the band’s sound on the album?
He’s got a great contemporary ear, and it’s great to be working with someone so successful. And I think those guys really taught us that you have to be quick. A lot of our albums have been really kind of long and drawn out. We’ve done a lot of naval gazing in our time. Their motto is that often the first thing you do is often the best thing you do. They brought that immediacy into the whole project.
Was working with them an attempt to gain a younger audience?
Our audience is pretty much a cross-section anyway. We’ve got all kinds of age groups. I think we just wanted to be contemporary. We’re all about looking forward. We are very much into music that is happening now. We want to be vital.
You’ve been on and off with the band, but you came back a few years ago. Why did you want to come back?
We had only made three albums together when we split. There was always an unfinished feeling about that lineup. I think it had to happen. We got to go back and see if we could do it again and bring it back to life.
How is the new guitarist, Dom Brown (who replaced Andy Taylor)?
He’s great. He’s a great guitar player. He’s never going to completely fill Andy’s shoes, but we are playing great as a unit.
Did Andy Taylor just decide he didn’t want to tour again?
I think it was something that had been in the cards for a while. It’s like a marriage that starts to go wrong – you can’t quite put your finger on it, but it becomes something very different from what you thought it was going to be. And I don’t think Andy was really very happy with the touring and being away from home.
What do you think keeps the band going?
We’ve all tried different things, but when we come together, it seems to be a very powerful thing. It’s very hard to give that up. Why walk away from that? Why not keep doing it, as long as the audience is there, as long as people are buying our records?
www.nwherald.com/articles/2008/05/11/sidetracks/sounds/gigs/doc4823c84c84d4c266911733.txt