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Early
this decade, English bands Spandau Ballet and Duran Duran enjoyed
favor as the world's most adored teenage music attraction.
The passing of time has seen both bands' teen appeal dissolve, leaving
them grappling for commercial acceptance as creditable adult groups.
Their successes have been varied.
Both acts have now released new albums to help improve their global
fortunes: Spandau Ballet's silky Heart Like a Sky and Duran Duran's
Big Thing.
Both are stylish offerings, but the bands realise there is much
hard work to be done before they can stake a claim at the top of
the charts.
Spandau Ballet singer Tony Hadley said the best chance the band
had to win wider support was to tour the world.
"I believe our best performances have been on stage rather than
in the studio, so we are always keen to go back on the road to continue
hitting those high moments," he said from London.
Spandau Ballet remains a huge attraction in Europe, and the band
started a two-month tour across the continent this week to enhance
its popularity. However, interest has waned in Australia and a lack
of tangible American success remains its main frustration.
"When we toured Australia four years ago, we saw an immediate response
from audiences and our record sales increased, supporting my idea
that once people get to see Spandau Ballet on stage, they have a
better appreciation of what we do," Hadley said.
"Unfortunately, it hasn't been possible to plan a return to Australia
until this world tour. It's not just a matter of jumping on a plane
with your guitars. It's a major, costly operation, but we hope to
be there at the end of your summer."
While Hadley is confident of scoring hits again in Australia in
the wake of a Spandau Ballet tour - especially with the powerful
ballads Empty Spaces and A Matter of Time - he is concerned that
the group is still struggling to make headway in the American market.
Ironically, the band launched a lengthy and spiteful court case
against its former record company for failing to properly promote
the Spandau Ballet cause in the US. Now, with the band signed to
a new recording label, the situation has changed little. "I really
don't know what it is with the Americans, but I suppose we have
to go over there and work hard from the ground floor level to make
the necessary impact," Hadley said.
"We're not about to be put off by a setback. We have just made an
enormous commitment by recording this album and scheduling concert
dates around the world.
"If there are any barriers which still exist about how Spandau Ballet
is perceived, then what we are doing now is sure to convince people
we are a competant, serious music concern. After 10 years of playing,
we're pretty damn good at it."
Duran Duran line-up shuffle
In addition to indifferent market acceptance, Duran Duran has also
suffered through the dilemma of having a major line-up shuffle.
Since the departure of guitarist Andy Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor
in 1986, the remaining trio of Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes
and John Taylor has had a hard time convincing fans, pop pundits
and critics that the charismatic appeal of Duran Duran remains intact.
The hard dance/funk album Notorius, released in late 1986, helped
win the new Duran Duran some critical approval but hit singles failed
to materialise. Unperturbed, they have returned three years later
with Big Thing, an album they insist is a more honest, confident
and consistant record.
"It has taken us two albums to sound like a band again," Le Bon
said.
"Notorious was a great album but it wasn't really representative
of us. There was a lot of Nile Rogers (producer) in there. "We've
done the new record our way."
Rhodes said the new album shows that Duran Duran had emerged
from a learning process with the results being more interesting,
subtle and modern. He said that in 1986, the band almost expected
Andy Taylor to return to the fold and covered his absense during
the Notorious recording sessions with musical parts to suit his
guitar style. Now the band has been selfish and recorded as a creative
trio without compromise.
"This is what we're all about, not just standing on yachts and
coming out of nightclubs," Rhodes said, refering to the
dismantling of Duran Duran's glamorous playboy image for video clips.
"I hate yachts. I went green when we were filming the Rio clip.
Around the Notorious album, we were all quite paranoid about every
move we made, concerned of being stuck with an incorrect image.
This is really right, at last."
Le Bon agreed, saying the new Duran Duran persona will surprise
a few cynics.
"We always react against things and after six years of being a 'toothpaste
band', we want to be bad boys," Le Bon said.
GRAPHIC: photo: duran duran; Duran Duran sick of being a "toothpaste
band"
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