August 10, 2013

Duran Duran reflected on the 35 years since the band's formation and looked to the future in a message to fans shared online Aug. 10, Duran Duran Appreciation Day.

"The band would not be here, in any shape or form, without our loyal legion of ‘Duranies’ that still continue to inhabit Planet Earth," drummer Roger Taylor wrote on behalf of the band.

Fans also celebrated worldwide, taking part in official trivia contests on Twitter and an all-day party at Second Life. Duran superfan Durandy even sent a cake and cupcakes decorated in honor of the band and its special day to local radio DJs.

In the official message to Duranies, Taylor wrote that the band is "pretty well right in the middle of our 14th album, working a day at a time towards what we all feel will be a great record, very unlike the last and probably totally unlike the next."

The band also shared video and MP3 downloads of its performance of "The Reflex" last summer at London's Hyde Park.

One thing that didn't surface on DDAD were any samples of new Duran music. As the band members' summer break winds down, they plan to spend most of the rest of the year in the studio, aiming to release a 14th studio album as soon as late spring.

Singer Simon Le Bon recently described the new music with the words "nude Duran funk."

"Anything that you (pre)release always detracts from the impact of the major release," Le Bon added.

As fans wait for Duran's next move, bassist John Taylor is set to appear Aug. 17 at the International Book Festival in Edinburgh.

Courtesy Examiner