Duran Duran on playing in the desert

One of the UK's hottest pop exports is heading to Dubai. Andrew Richardson finds out what it is about the emirate that they love so much

By Andrew Richardson for Friday magazine

Duran Duran will perform at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai on March 8.

Global rock stars Duran Duran are no strangers to Dubai. The band, who hit the headlines as Princess Diana's favourite in the 1980s with hits such as Girls on Film and Rio, first played for a private party in the desert three years ago - and loved it. So much so, they can't wait to perform on stage for the first time here on March 8 as part of their All You Need Is Now tour.

"We were all here in 2009 when we played a private event out in the desert," drummer Roger Taylor told Friday. "We stayed in Dubai and I developed a real fondness for it. I really love the ski resort in the middle of the shopping mall - it's unique."

Duran Duran, who were known as much for their ‘pretty boy' looks and videos in the Eighties as well as their songs and are reported to have sold 100 million records, have been on the road for much of the past 12 months.

But the megastars are looking forward to their Dubai show. Roger, who was a headlining DJ at Rock Stars Gone House, with Jake Fonique, as part of Chi Dubai, says, "I love Dubai. It's a great place. I always have a great time when I come here. The last time I was here was last January. I flew out

Their All You Need Is Now album became a worldwide smash last year while a video for their most recent single, Girl Panic, became an internet sensation. It featured frontman Simon Le Bon's supermodel wife Yasmin Le Bon, along with Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Eva Herzigova and Helena Christensen playing the band. Simon says, "It was one of those ideas where we were worried that some other band might do it before we did. We worked very hard to put it together."

The success of the tour has given the band the appetite for more. Bassist John Taylor says, "To play live is instant gratification. We just want to keep building it. We're putting the energy out there and it's great to come back. Being on stage feels like home."

Courtesy Gulf News