Boys on Film / The Australian

News
All press / news

Durans may be ageing but still boys on film
By Iain Shedden, Music writer
August 24, 2004

SIMON Le Bon is a little green around the gills - a look that doesn't go particularly well with the make-up he's wearing.

The Duran Duran singer was suffering jet lag when he and the rest of his band landed in Sydney yesterday to talk about their latest album, Astronaut.

The English pop band, renowned for 80s hits such as Planet Earth, Hungry Like the Wolf and Rio, are on a global tour to promote their album, to be released in October.

The release is timely, because the 80s, musically at least, are very much back in fashion. Bands such as Scotland's Franz Ferdinand, who have just toured Australia, and US outfit The Killers are being strongly influenced by the one-time new romantics, as Duran Duran were dubbed during their early trendsetting career.

Duran Duran were reunited last night with INXS, the Australian band with whom they shared global success in the 80s. The local band, who befriended the English group during their 80s heyday, attended a reception at a Potts Point nightclub to hear Astronaut.

"They were my favourite band from the 80s - apart from Duran Duran," said Le Bon, who was a close friend of INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence, since tragically dead. The pair even shared a house in the south of France.

"Michael and I really understood each other," Le Bon said. "It was great to have somebody who you didn't really have to explain yourself to."

Also due last night was Australian film director Russell Mulcahy, who shot many of the music videos that propelled Duran Duran to stardom.

Le Bon, 45, said he and Nick Rhodes, and Roger, Andy and John Taylor were happy to continue playing for as long as crowds keep coming. They recently performed before 60,000 people in London and play to large crowds in the US.

Courtesy THE AUSTRALIAN

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,10545391%255E16947,00.html