Duran Duran was my first favorite band. From 1981 to 1985, I listened to them almost constantly – and I’m sure it drove my family crazy.
Anyway, like most bands that have been around for a while, Duran Duran has had several “eras”, from the “international playboy” days of the Rio album to the “post-apocalyptic” look from the “Wild Boys” era. While I enjoyed them all, the one I liked most was the “New Romantic” look from their earliest days. They wore pirate shirts and leather pants… or cool-looking faux military uniforms. There was lots of makeup involved. Unlike bands that other kids liked (such as AC\DC), Duran Duran was all about style. And that was cool! Even better, the music was dancey and spacey. It was the perfect blend of pop and dance. There was minimal guitar action; instead there were synthesizers that sounded more like effects from a video game than the traditional sounds organs and keyboards had utilized before. There was a sort of futuristic flair to the whole thing that I simply could not resist. Early Duran Duran, in many ways, seemed like something out of Blade Runner.
And no song they ever did encapsulates this better than “Faster Than Light”, the b-side from the “Girls On Film” single. It’s funny – I used to hang out at this record store in my old hometown. This punk rock chick used to come in the store, and we’d talk music. I thought she was so hot – although to be honest, I thought pretty much every girl was hot back then. But this one actually talked to me! And one day she commented that “Faster Than Light” was her favorite Duran Duran song. And you just imagine the rest: as if straight from a movie, I rushed home and played the song over and over, thinking it was the greatest thing ever. Have a listen; maybe you’ll think the same thing too!
[audio:Duran.mp3]