Duran Duran – les enfants terribles from the 1980s – are back. They’re back, and they’re bringing with them a concert video called A Hollywood High. Never one to miss a beat, the band are following in the footsteps of The Beatles, by presenting a film that shows the band performing live on a rooftop in Los Angeles. The film is equal parts documentary and docudrama, as archive footage and interviews pad out the 75 minute runtime.
“For our first US show in several years we wanted to do something really special and intimate,” says keyboardist Nick Rhodes. “After considering many options, a rooftop performance quickly became the frontrunner. It was post-pandemic, we had never done anything like that before, and we had just released a new album. Somehow it seemed like a magical doorway to the next part of our journey.” The footage shows the band in the middle of their latest transformation. Endlessly chameleonic, Duran Duran have endured long past the average lifespan of an avant-pop band. Directed by three award-winning industry alumni, the film is being distributed by Abramorama.The band themselves will be attending a premiere at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, on Thursday, October 27th.
Duran Duran were formed in 1978 by Rhodes and bassist John Taylor. In an effort to flesh out the line up, percussionist Roger Taylor, guitarist Andy Taylor and vocalist Simon Le Bon were invited into the fold. Their first taste of success came in the form of “Girls On Film”, a saucy synth heavy number, bolstered by the steamy promotional video (directed by Kevin Godley and Lol Creme, formerly of 10cc). Other Duran Duran favourites include the balladry of “Save A Prayer”, and the turbo-charged frenzy heard on Roger Moore swansong, A View To A Kill.
Duran Duran continues to be a success, although the current iteration doesn’t feature Andy Taylor on
guitar. Despite sharing a surname, none of the Taylor’s are actually related to one another.
Photo: Swannel
