We countdown the Prime 20 Duran Duran Collaborations throughout their 40-plus years within the enterprise…
Duran Duran have all the time been receptive in direction of outdoors enter, aligning themselves with the very best and most fascinating gamers of their respective fields. However of their mid-80s heyday, the boys saved the ‘featured artist’-style collaborations at arm’s size, reserving such dalliances for aspect tasks or one-off occasions, slightly than throughout the day job.
Throughout that preliminary run, aspect tasks allowed members to train their very own artier ambitions, past the boundaries and expectations of the group’s teen pin-up standing. Nowadays, nevertheless, it’s typical for a brand new studio album to include a smattering of named company, highlighting their A-list pulling energy and wealth of showbiz mates.
Inevitably, it may be hit or miss. However collaborations, when achieved nicely, are an exquisite factor. Typically, the approaching collectively of latest friends from totally different corners. Or maybe a passing of the baton to the following era. The younger’uns get a leg up from the legends, whereas the old-timers can look hip by affiliation. To succeed, the sum have to be higher than its components.
With too many to checklist right here, honorary point out goes to TV Mania, (Intercourse Pistols meets Weapons N’ Roses supergroup) Neurotic Outsiders, producer Erol Alkan, Bowie’s pianist of selection, Mike Garson, and Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles.
20 ANA MATRONIC
The Scissor Sisters’ co-vocalist lends her lungs to Secure (In The Warmth Of The Second) on 2010’s All You Want is Now. On paper, it’s the proper pairing. And certain, they ship a cool, up-tempo disco exercise that will get the toes tapping. It’s a enjoyable, serviceable observe custom-made for the dancefloor, supplemented with some frisky cowbell that infuses a Rio carnival flavour. Although, for all of the sense of momentum, in reality it doesn’t fairly stay as much as the promise, failing to gentle up in the best way that it maybe might have achieved. True to the title, they’re taking part in it secure.
19 JOHN FRUSCIANTE
The Crimson Sizzling Chili Peppers guitarist isn’t any stranger to funky riffs and chart success, making him an impressed option to fill the six-stringed gap in Duran’s sound on Paper Gods. Frusciante contributed his signature licks and slinky thrives to 4 tracks, together with Butterfly Lady, The Universe Alone and Northern Lights, plus a screaming, reverb-laden solo, extra akin to Brian Could, on What Are The Probabilities?. His components had been delivered remotely, nevertheless it’s tantalising to think about what they may have achieved, had they jammed it out collectively in the identical room.
18 NICK WOOD
Although not a family identify, the producer is especially in demand for his TV, movie and business work. Launched by Wooden’s roommate and Le Bon’s future spouse, Yasmin, they labored collectively on Simon’s first solo outing, Gray Girl Of The Sea – a standalone observe for the soundtrack of Drum, a documentary on Le Bon’s try on the Whitbread Spherical The World Race 1985. It adopted a close to life-threatening episode once they capsized off the Cornish coast. The final word yacht rock anthem is a misplaced treasure that deserves salvaging from the deep.
17 WENDY BEVAN
Nick Rhodes is the group’s serial collaborator, routinely filling time between Duran Duran commitments with varied tasks, typically of a cerebral outlook. Such an instance is Astronomia, with Wendy Bevan, borne out of the Covid lockdowns. However removed from merely dipping a toe in to assist cross the time, it is a fullyrealised, four-album suite of instrumental music. With titles together with The Eclipses Of Algol and Heaven And Hell In The Serpent’s Tail, it’s unlikely to be popping up on daytime radio, nevertheless it’s the true deal.
16 GIORGIO MORODER
Actually, what took them so lengthy? Giorgio Moroder’s sound is throughout early hits like Planet Earth, whereas their first ever efficiency collectively as a five-piece was a canopy of I Really feel Love on the Rum Runner. Nevertheless it took them one other 40 years to get collectively. Rhodes’ girlfriend organized a shock birthday assembly, then, one other 5 years later, plans had been made. Moroder turned up with a small suitcase, pulled out a keyboard and so they acquired right down to enterprise. Speaking to Rolling Stone, the boys famous that Moroder was very exact, taking no crap from anybody.
15 MR HUDSON
An unlikely protégé of Kayne West, Birmingham-born Benjamin Hudson McIldowie was initially touted as a new-folk troubadour, however has since discovered his true kind because the go-to hip producer for US R&B royalty. Clearly, Duran Duran wished a slice of the motion, maybe enticed additional by sharing a hometown connection. Mr Hudson produced the album Paper Gods, whereas showing as a featured visitor on the observe of the identical identify, and has continued to work with them on Danse Macabre.
14 LINDSAY LOHAN
Certainly one of many high-profile collaborators on Paper Gods, the previous baby star, later maligned considerably cruelly as tabloid fodder, appears a curious selection to offer the spoken phrase vocals on Dancephobia. That mentioned, it helps to have showbiz mates, and her contribution matches the invoice completely; her sultry tones echo the vibe of Madonna circa Vogue. Danceophobia is without doubt one of the extra divisive tracks on the document, a transparent try at sounding on the heartbeat with the then-current electro funk dominating the charts. However taking cues from Daft Punk, it’s innocent enjoyable that may shatter one’s worry of the dancefloor.
13 ARCADIA (STING/ DAVID GILMOUR/ GRACE JONES)
Arcadia’s one-off album, So Crimson The Rose, spawned a string of A-list collabs, together with heavyweights Sting and David Gilmour on the attractive The Promise. A fantastically delicate, melancholy observe, one may need anticipated extra bombast given the solid. Sting is basically relegated to backing vocals, whereas the driving factor all through is Mark Egan’s beautiful fretless bass. Elsewhere, Grace Jones drops in on Election Day, and although a fleeting cameo, her presence make the proper embellishment.
12 IVORIAN DOLL
An fascinating selection of collaboration, this one seems to fall into the class marked ‘road cred with the youngsters’: aligning with an upcoming city artist from the UK drill scene, whose profession started as a YouTuber. Nonetheless, any cynicism is swept apart by the surprisingly nice outcomes. The rapper lays down a candy visitor verse on Hammerhead, a fan favorite on 2021 album, Future Previous. With Blur’s Graham Coxon on guitar, Hammerhead rides alongside on a cool, boxy wah-wah slap bass riff from John, rousing gospel backing vocals and electro thrives that recall Gorillaz.
11 TOVE LO
The Swedish starlet Ebba Nilsson, aka Tove Lo, is a daily chart fixture, having labored with many A-list artists together with Coldplay (Enjoyable), and co-written for stars together with Dua Lipa, Ellie Goulding, Charli XCX and Kylie Minogue. Recognized for her “brutally trustworthy” songwriting, it was solely a matter of time earlier than drawing the eye of the group, showing on Give It All Up on Future Previous. It’s a hypnotic, ethereal observe, made extra so by Tove Lo’s glassy vocals. The gradual burner rides alongside on a four-to-the-floor beat, step by step constructing in depth.
10 MARK RONSON AND FRIENDS
The band first labored with Mark Ronson when Le Bon and Rhodes appeared on the title observe of his third album, File Assortment, alongside with UK grime star Wiley. In the identical yr, the Ronson-produced All You Want Is Now featured a number of big-name collabs starting from Ana Matronic to Kelis. Curiously, Kelis’ glorious although understated contribution to The Man Who Stole A Leopard is upstaged by an unlikely collaboration: newsreader Nina Hossain’s recounting of the titular fictional information story.
09 MELLE MEL AND GRANDMASTER FLASH
1995’s covers album, Than You, has been derided because the “worst album ever”. Nevertheless it consists of some gems, together with their impressed tackle the basic 1983 hip-hop observe White Strains (Don’t Do It). For authenticity and approval, they introduced in unique creators Melle Mel and Grandmaster Flash of the Livid 5. It might appear an unlikely mishmash, nevertheless it fared surprisingly nicely, pre-empting the rave-rock of The Prodigy’s Firestarter, because of some meaty riffs courtesy of Warren Cuccurullo.
08 BAND AID
Nicely, we needed to embody it, didn’t we? It’s, in spite of everything, the largest collaboration of all time; the collaboration to finish all collaborations. A lot parodied, however perpetually remaining a cultural behemoth, the star-studded Band Support (of which Duran Duran had been in all probability the largest names on the time) was the height occasion in pop historical past. It’s additionally their solely collaboration to incorporate all 5 unique band members, that’s not particularly labelled as a Duran Duran document. Simon Le Bon was awarded the very best line (one thing upbeat about having a celebration), and it inadvertently led to working with Sting on Arcadia, after discovering how nicely their voices blended.
07 VICTORIA DE ANGELIS
The younger Danish-Italian bassist provides her low-end grooves to Danse Macabre, taking part in on Speaking Heads cowl, Psycho Killer. De Angelis rose to prominence as a part of the group Måneskin, who first appeared on the Italian X-Issue, earlier than successful Eurovision in 2021. Removed from being put out by the competitors, it was Duran’s personal four-stringer, John Taylor, who prolonged the invite. The pair met at a celebration, bonding over their shared love of Speaking Heads bassist Tina Weymouth, and their bass battle is a pure delight. As their devices lock horns, De Angelis delivers the products, injecting sass into their sound.
06 GRAHAM COXON
Like John Frusciante earlier than him, Blur’s guitarist was enlisted on Future Previous to resolve their ‘guitar drawback’. Ostensibly, they couldn’t be extra totally different: Blur helped usher within the gritty, back-to-basics method of the 90s that swept away the glam sheen of the 80s that Duran Duran represented. Coxon stays the scruffy, bookish beatnik, in comparison with the pristinely tailor-made boys. However sonically, it’s a match made in heaven. Coxon took the appointment critically, education up upfront to see how he might complement the sound. Speaking to Rolling Stone, Simon counseled the “sturdy flavour” he brings, whereas John known as Coxon’s contribution “completely immense”.
05 STEPHEN DUFFY
2002’s Darkish Circles by The Devils was a blast from the previous, with Nick Rhodes collaborating with Duran Duran’s unique frontman, Stephen Duffy. The inventive flame was reignited following an opportunity encounter between the pair at an artwork gallery, when Duffy revealed he had discovered the previous grasp tapes of their formative recordings in late-70s Birmingham. The result’s a homecoming of types, whereas hinting on the darker edge the band may need taken in a parallel universe. Inside just a few years, the taking part in area can be levelled considerably, after Duffy produced Robbie Williams’ best-selling Intensive Care.
04 JANELLE MONÁE
A featured spot from Ms Monáe is sort of a badge of honour, and the R&B singer obliged on fab single, Stress Off. Some collabs look nice on paper although don’t ship the products, however this ain’t one among them. It’s the whole lot you’d hope it to be and extra: an enormous can of sunshine, effervescent over with goodtime vibes and sheer zest for all times. Stress Off is a celebration of the whole lot that Duran Duran stand for. Launched at a time when the very best of the 80s was being celebrated slightly than maligned, it succeeds at reminding everybody of the rightful house owners of the pop crown.
03 JOHN BARRY
“Bon. Simon Le Bon.” Their first time working with an exterior writing accomplice led to one of many most interesting Bond themes ever, although the preliminary meet-up apparently ended up as a consuming session. A View To A Kill was the primary actually 80s Bond theme, bucking the development of basic crooner throwbacks for a recent, recent take. But these strings and horn stabs from movie composer Barry add a contact of cinematic opulence. It’s nonetheless the one 007 theme to high the US Billboard 100, and also you’ve acquired to like Godley And Creme’s Bond-inspired Eiffel Tower music video, too.
02 NILE RODGERS
Duran Duran’s lasting partnership with the Stylish guitarist wins the longevity prize. The producer has sprinkled gold mud on most of the band’s information over time, starting together with his No.1 remix of The Reflex, earlier than producing the remaining trio on Infamous (following Andy and Roger’s departure). Most not too long ago, Rodgers lit up Stress Off, and contributed to Black Moonlight on newest album Danse Macabre, additionally taking to the stage with them alongside Ms Banks on the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Although not the one member of Stylish that Duran have labored with, Nile Rodgers has turn out to be an honorary member, welcome to drop in and lay down some funky chops every time. Throughout a stay set within the 80s, Simon launched him onstage, saying, “This band went by a tough time [during Notorious]. The band won’t have made it if it weren’t for this gentleman…”
01 THE POWER STATION (ROBERT PALMER/ TONY THOMPSON)
Within the ballsier of the 2 mid-80s splinter teams, Andy Taylor lastly acquired to stay out his guitar hero ambitions. Robert Palmer’s gravelly vocal tones switched the graceful, wealthy melodrama of Simon Le Bon for a grittier rock’n’roll swagger. Their greatest single, Some Like It Sizzling, reached No.6 on the Billboard charts and No.13 within the UK, whereas their T-Rex cowl model, Get It On (US No.9 and UK No.22) is splendidly unbridled. The Energy Station proved the proper identify for the challenge: muscular and unflinching, identical to its brash, strong Eighties manufacturing.
These thundering drums from Stylish’s Tony Thompson, the 2 wild boy Taylors, and that voice. Although solely a tantalisingly fleeting hook-up (briefly reprised in 1996, although John Taylor doesn’t play on their reunion album, the disappointing Residing In Concern), it tops out on sheer firepower alone.
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