Tag Archives: duran duran

“Neanderthal Man” (1970) by Hotlegs

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Believe it or not, this was a Top 20 hit in the US and a Number 2 hit in the UK back in 1970. Two of the key members of Hotlegs (Kevin Godley and Lol Creme) later became pivotal members of the band 10CC (“I’m Not in Love,” “The Things We Do For Love”) and then later went on to greater fame as music video directors in the early MTV era (The Police’s “Every Breath You Take,” Herbie Hancock’s “Rockit,” and Duran Duran’s notorious X-rated “Girls of Film”). Note the “neanderthal” women who appear later in the clip are wearing knee-high leather boots. My only question is why didn’t the notorious SF punk rock band Flipper record a 4-hour version of this song?

“Ordinary World” – Duran Duran

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Duran Duran’s “comeback” song from 1993, I would argue that this is this their best. I’ve learned to appreciate the double Duran’s strange lyrics over the years (“You’re about as easy as a nuclear war,” “The union of the snake is on the climb,” “It means so much to me … like a birthday … or a pretty view”), but “Ordinary World” is the first of their songs that I appreciated on a purely non-ironic or nostalgiac level. I’m not quite sure what’s going on with this video, but “Ordinary World” is a really terrific and classic song.

“Both Ends Burning” – Roxy Music

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From Roxy’s terrific 1975 album “Siren,” here in just slightly over 5 minutes is the blueprint for most of Duran Duran’s output from between 1981 – 1986. Duran squared claimed they sounded like a cross between the Sex Pistols and Chic. But I would argue that statement was a subterfuge to mask their real influence. Durannies, I’m calling you out.