Post by Deleted on May 22, 2008 10:00:02 GMT -5
www.norwichbulletin.com/entertainment/x934429614/Nancy-Hall-Duran-Duran-on-the-comeback-trail
It has been a year of comebacks for popular ’80s artists, but not all of them are getting the same star treatment. As headlines scream of Madonna, Michael and even the New Kids, somehow Duran Duran has fallen off the radar. But you can catch them Wednesday at Agganis Arena at Boston University.
The band is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, though without original guitarist Andy Taylor. He left the band for the second time in fall 2006 because of an “unworkable gulf” that didn’t seem to stop the rest of the group from working.
Duran Duran had been recording with producer Timbaland and Justin Timberlake at the time of Taylor’s departure. Three songs had been completed and the project was tentatively titled “Reportage.” According to Roger Taylor it was to “be in some ways a homage to our roots as a band, more direct and a return to our dance and ‘new wave’ origins.”
Sadly when Andy left, “Reportage” was basically scrapped and the rest of Duran Duran began again. This time instead of a few Timbaland tracks, they looked to the famed producer and his protégé Nate “Danja” Hills for the whole album. What they created by late 2007 was their 12th studio album, “Red Carpet Massacre.”
Unfortunately the album didn’t go over with fans as expected. Despite a much-anticipated fan club only performance at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, as well as performances at both the Concert for Diana and Live Earth, the album barely charted. In its first week on the U.S. charts it only reached No. 36 and on the U.K. charts its debut was at No. 44, making it the second poorest British chart entry in the band’s history.
And yet the critics loved it. “Red Carpet Massacre” has been called an all-time creative high for the band and Nylon Magazine said it was “a stroke of lightning captured on record.” I guess fans will have to decide for themselves when Duran Duran takes the stage at Agganis Arena Wednesday night.
It has been a year of comebacks for popular ’80s artists, but not all of them are getting the same star treatment. As headlines scream of Madonna, Michael and even the New Kids, somehow Duran Duran has fallen off the radar. But you can catch them Wednesday at Agganis Arena at Boston University.
The band is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, though without original guitarist Andy Taylor. He left the band for the second time in fall 2006 because of an “unworkable gulf” that didn’t seem to stop the rest of the group from working.
Duran Duran had been recording with producer Timbaland and Justin Timberlake at the time of Taylor’s departure. Three songs had been completed and the project was tentatively titled “Reportage.” According to Roger Taylor it was to “be in some ways a homage to our roots as a band, more direct and a return to our dance and ‘new wave’ origins.”
Sadly when Andy left, “Reportage” was basically scrapped and the rest of Duran Duran began again. This time instead of a few Timbaland tracks, they looked to the famed producer and his protégé Nate “Danja” Hills for the whole album. What they created by late 2007 was their 12th studio album, “Red Carpet Massacre.”
Unfortunately the album didn’t go over with fans as expected. Despite a much-anticipated fan club only performance at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, as well as performances at both the Concert for Diana and Live Earth, the album barely charted. In its first week on the U.S. charts it only reached No. 36 and on the U.K. charts its debut was at No. 44, making it the second poorest British chart entry in the band’s history.
And yet the critics loved it. “Red Carpet Massacre” has been called an all-time creative high for the band and Nylon Magazine said it was “a stroke of lightning captured on record.” I guess fans will have to decide for themselves when Duran Duran takes the stage at Agganis Arena Wednesday night.