Duran Duran | ||||
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![]() Upper left: the Le Bons, centre: the Bateses (Rhodes), upper right: the Taylors, lower right: the Cuccurullos. | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 15 February 1993 [lower-alpha 1] | |||
Recorded | January 1991 – 1992 | |||
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Genre | ||||
Length | 63:34 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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Duran Duran chronology | ||||
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Singles from Duran Duran | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Calgary Herald | C [9] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | D [11] |
Music Week | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Philadelphia Inquirer | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Select | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Duran Duran (commonly known as The Wedding Album [3] ) is the seventh studio album and the second self-titled album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 15 February 1993 through Parlophone and Capitol Records.
As the 1990s progressed, the once-certain popularity that Duran Duran enjoyed in the 1980s began to fade. Many critics began to write them off as a throwback to the new wave era, with some declaring their career "over". [17] [18] [19] [20] During this period, the band found themselves struggling to adjust to the evolving music scene, which was being shaped by the rise of genres like hip hop, techno, and alternative rock. Keyboardist Nick Rhodes said in a 2013 retrospective piece: [21]
The '80s had ended and a lot of people wanted to lock the door and close Duran Duran in that decade, too, I think. At the end of the '80s, music changed considerably. We had grunge, techno and rave culture, which left us in a place where we felt we had to make ourselves relevant to the times. We weren't about to make a grunge or techno album, but we had our songwriting. We very much went back to basics.
Following the release of their studio album Liberty in 1990, Duran Duran faced worsening financial difficulties. [6] This was primarily attributed to poor album sales, lack of touring to promote Liberty, and excessive spending. [22] [23] The album saw limited commercial success, peaking at number 46 in the US. [24] The singles "Violence of Summer (Love's Taking Over)" and "Serious" achieved only moderate to low success on the US and UK charts. [23] Despite reaching number eight in the UK, it wasn't enough to convince Capitol or EMI, Duran Duran's record labels, that the band was on the right track. [25] Nonetheless, EMI did not completely abandon them, agreeing to provide financial support for a new album under strict supervision. [26]
Unsure of their musical direction, the band found themselves adrift in a rapidly changing music scene. [27] They contemplated over the sound of their next album. With limited funds and a desire to avoid expensive commercial studios they had used in the past, they relocated to American musician Warren Cuccurullo's home studio, "Privacy", situated in Battersea, London. [6] [27] [20] From January 1991 to 1992, Duran Duran immersed themselves in the living room of Privacy studios, using the space to record and write their album. [6] [27] [20] Opting for a home studio environment provided the band with the freedom to explore their musical ideas without the constraints of deadlines or the expenses associated with traditional studio time. [20] Although recording at Cuccurullo's home lacked the professional setup and soundproofing of commercial studios, it allowed for a more relaxed atmosphere and sparked moments of creativity. [20] [27] However, this setup also led to some challenges, as Simon Le Bon mentioned that extraneous sounds like a bird, child and a car were inadvertently captured on the track "Ordinary World". [27]
In this makeshift studio, each band member arranged their own musical equipment to suit their preferences while also focusing on songwriting. [27] For example, as John Jones explained to Recording Musician magazine in April 1993, "I was placed in the window-bay, and at the other end of the room there was the guitar setup, Warren's sequencer setup, Nick's keyboard setup, and a couple of little Zoom guitar boxes which John [Taylor] could plug straight into. I myself used Notator on the Atari, and I had an Akai S1000, an S900, a Roland D50, other keyboards, and each setup had a Yamaha DMP7 from which I would take a feed straight into the 12-track". [27] Simon Le Bon performed in the middle of the room where a microphone had been installed. [27]
Although the band had been facing low morale due to the declining confidence of their record label in their ability to produce another commercial success, simply demoing new material kept the band on continuing. [27] Utilizing various instruments and setups, they aimed to record approximately 15 demo songs with the intent of seeking feedback from their record company, as they valued the company's input in the creative process over achieving a perfect sound at that stage. [27] Within all of that, the band played live together, everyone initially being miked with a Shure SM58 through which they could sing or talk. [27] The studio sessions consisted of various activities such as demoing new ideas, jam sessions, writing sessions, and recording, with an average of six to eight hours spent per day. [27] Months into the sessions, they brought in John Jones as a co-producer to contribute fresh ideas based on their initial studio recordings. [21] [27] Following varied results, ranging from uninteresting to noteworthy, [21] the band decided to take a week-long break before moving to a proper studio to further develop and mix several unfinished tracks. [27]
After the break, John Jones and the band decided to work at Maison Rouge Studios in South-West London after an unsuccessful attempt at mixing in Privacy Studios. [27] As they were relocating, they commissioned live drums for "Ordinary World" and several other songs. Live drums would be recorded in the span of a few hours using Steve Ferrone's percussive skills and Tony Taverner's engineering at Maison Rouge. [27] In preparation for the mixing of "Ordinary World", Nick Rhodes and Jones remastered the strings, other keyboard parts, acoustic guitar, and drums using an Akai DD1000. [27] Initial attempts at mixing the track were made by various producers, including Steve MacMillion in the US, Jones and keyboardist Dee Long in the UK, and Queen's producer David Richards in Switzerland, but none were satisfying to the band. It wasn't until American record producer David Leonard created a successful mix at Townhouse Studios that they found a version they were pleased with. [27] However, after hearing Leonard's mix while in London for the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, David Richards attempted to mix "Ordinary World" again, which ended up being the final version approved by the band. [27] Richards went on to mix the majority of the album alongside Leonard and Jones.
The band ultimately chose to self-title the album after describing themselves as having to go "back to the basics". [21] After its publication, the album became known alternatively as The Wedding Album, inspired by the album's cover art and to distinguish it from the band's 1981 album. [17] [28]
British visual design artist Nick Egan collaborated with graphic designer Eric Roinestad to create the album cover for Duran Duran. [21] [28] Departing from the band's traditional approach of costly album cover photoshoots, Egan opted to craft a "piece of art" that would stand out. [21] His final design features a collage using sepia-toned wedding photos of each band member's parents, suggested by Nick Rhodes, with a gold Duran Duran logo at the centre. [21] [28] The inspiration behind the collage was drawn from the work of American graphic artist Robert Rauschenberg, known for his influence on the pop art movement. [21] Egan aimed to capture the essence of Rauschenberg's collages, which he describes as having "seemingly random images [laid] on top of each other with the faintest hint of off-register color as if the whole thing were screen-printed". [21] British magazine Classic Pop cited other potential inspirations for the album design, such as Jean-Michel Basquiat for its "raw illustrative sketching" and Andy Warhol for its "overlaid print effects". [28] Throughout the album are liner notes created using embossing tape from a Dymo label printer and grease pencil writing on masking tape, contributing to the do-it-yourself concept Egan envisioned. [21] [28]
Prior to the creation of the album cover, John Taylor was looking for an artist to design the band's new album cover. [21] He mentioned to American actor Billy Zane, who happened to be visiting London at the time, that he was interested in having Nick Egan create the artwork. [21] To Taylor's surprise, Zane revealed that he was good friends with Egan, and that he was also in London. [21] Taylor promptly reached out to Egan, arranging a meeting at his residence within hours to discuss the band's vision for the album design. [21]
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Recording of the album was completed in early 1992, with a planned mid-year release by their record label. [3] [20] However, Duran Duran's new management company, Left Bank, was distressed at the industry's lack of interest in the band and the label's seeming lack of enthusiasm for promotion of the album. [18] [20] Despite receiving positive feedback from shared material of the album that Duran Duran had provided to Capitol-EMI, [21] [19] the band's label were hesitant in releasing the album, preferring to focus on what they considered to be "priority" acts. [20] This led to the album being temporarily pulled from the release schedule as a way to address the concerns raised by Left Bank. In an interview with HitQuarters, Left Bank manager Tommy Manzi expressed frustration, stating that the industry seemed resistant to the comeback of Duran Duran. [18] He believed that the focus was on promoting "the next hip band" rather than supporting established acts like Duran Duran. [18] Manzi mentioned that industry insiders even "laughed at" Left Bank while they worked on reviving the careers of not only Duran Duran, but also Meat Loaf. [18] Despite their efforts, industry insiders seemed to dismiss these "old" acts. [18] This lack of recognition and support ultimately resulted in the album being shelved, with a release date set for 1993.
During the delay of the album, the remaining members of Duran Duran found themselves at a creative crossroads. John Taylor returned to his wife in Los Angeles, while Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, and Warren Cuccurullo began working on cover songs for what would later become the Thank You album. [29] [26] The unexpected leak of their song "Ordinary World" to radio stations in Jacksonville, Florida caught the band off guard. [17] [19] [30] Speculation arose that their own record label had intentionally leaked the track to gauge public interest, as Duran Duran had seen a decline in popularity after a decade of chart success. [17] [30] To their surprise, "Ordinary World" received positive reception from listeners and was a hit at radio stations, sparking a renewed interest in the band's music. [17] [19] The positive feedback led to Capitol Records advancing the song's release as a single. [17] "Ordinary World" was officially released as a single on 19 December 1992 [31] by Capitol Records and made its debut on record charts the following year, reaching number six in the UK [32] and number three in the US. [33]
All tracks are written by Duran Duran, except where noted
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Too Much Information" | 4:56 | |
2. | "Ordinary World" | 5:39 | |
3. | "Love Voodoo" | 4:58 | |
4. | "Drowning Man" | 5:15 | |
5. | "Shotgun" | 0:54 | |
6. | "Come Undone" | 4:38 | |
7. | "Breath After Breath" |
| 4:58 |
8. | "UMF" | 5:33 | |
9. | "Femme Fatale" | Lou Reed | 4:21 |
10. | "None of the Above" | 5:19 | |
11. | "Shelter" | 4:25 | |
12. | "To Whom It May Concern" | Nick Rhodes | 4:24 |
13. | "Sin of the City" | 7:14 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Time for Temptation" (Alternate version) | 3:46 |
2. | "Stop Dead" (Edit) | 3:52 |
No. | Title | Length |
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14. | "Falling Angel" | 4:35 |
15. | "Stop Dead" | 4:31 |
16. | "Time for Temptation" | 4:09 |
17. | "A View to a Kill" | 3:33 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Falling Angel" | 4:35 |
2. | "Stop Dead" | 4:31 |
3. | "Time for Temptation" | 4:09 |
4. | "Come Undone" (12" mix – Comin' Together) | 7:21 |
5. | "Ordinary World" (Acoustic version) | 5:07 |
6. | "Too Much Information" (David Richards 12" mix) | 4:14 |
Adapted from the album's liner notes. [34]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [55] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [56] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Duran Duran are an English pop rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor. After several early changes, the band's line-up settled in May 1980 as Rhodes, Taylor, singer Simon Le Bon, guitarist Andy Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor.
Nick Rhodes is an English keyboardist and producer, best known as a founding member and the keyboardist of the band Duran Duran.
Simon John Charles Le Bon is a British singer. He is best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the new wave band Duran Duran and its offshoot Arcadia. Le Bon has received three Ivor Novello Awards from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, including the award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music.
Warren Bruce Cuccurullo is an American musician, songwriter, restaurant owner and former bodybuilder who first worked with Frank Zappa during the 1970s. He was also a founding member of Missing Persons in the 1980s. In 1986 Cuccurullo joined Duran Duran, becoming a long-term member of the band until 2001. In 2022, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Duran Duran.
Missing Persons is an American rock band founded in 1980 in Los Angeles by guitarist Warren Cuccurullo, vocalist Dale Bozzio, and drummer Terry Bozzio. They later added bassist Patrick O'Hearn and keyboardist Chuck Wild. Dale's quirky voice and heavy makeup made the band a favorite on MTV in the early 1980s.
"Come Undone" is a song by English rock band Duran Duran, released in March 1993 by Parlophone and Capitol as the second single from their seventh studio album, Duran Duran (1993). With their commercial and critical success reestablished by the previous single "Ordinary World", "Come Undone" continued to showcase more of the band's entry into the adult contemporary radio format.
Greatest is a greatest hits album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released in 1998.
Big Thing is the fifth studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran. It was released on 17 October 1988 by EMI Records. Produced by the band, Jonathan Elias and Daniel Abraham, it continued the sonic musical change the band explored with their previous album Notorious (1986).
Notorious is the fourth studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 24 November 1986 by EMI Records. Produced by the band with Nile Rodgers, its musical style differed from the band's previous albums with a funk rock sound. It is the first album to feature the band as a trio with singer Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and bassist John Taylor as drummer Roger Taylor and guitarist Andy Taylor both left by the time the album was released. Andy Taylor would later be replaced by former Missing Persons guitarist Warren Cuccurullo, who completed recording parts of the album in addition to Rodgers and session drummer Steve Ferrone.
Thank You is the eighth studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran. It was released on 27 March 1995 by Parlophone. Consisting of cover versions, the album performed moderately on the charts, reaching number 12 on the UK Albums Chart and number 19 on the US Billboard 200, but received negative reviews from critics.
"The Reflex" is the eleventh single by English new wave band Duran Duran, released in 1984. The song was heavily remixed for single release and was the third and last to be taken from their third studio album Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983). The single became the band's first to reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and their second to top the UK Singles Chart.
"Skin Trade" is a song by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released in January 1987 as the second single from their fourth studio album, Notorious (1986). It showcased a drastic change from their previous singles, with R&B influences, brass solos and funk guitar riffs, in addition to a Prince-style falsetto from lead vocalist Simon Le Bon.
"Do You Believe in Shame?" is a song by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 10 April 1989 as the third and final single from their fifth studio album, Big Thing (1988).
Medazzaland is the ninth studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran. It was released on 14 October 1997 by Capitol Records solely in North America, Latin America and Japan. It reached number 58 on the Billboard 200 and number 66 on RPM's albums chart.
Pop Trash is the tenth studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran. It was released on 19 June 2000 by Hollywood Records. Pop Trash was the band's first release after parting ways with EMI, with whom they had been signed since 1981. It was also the last to feature the trio of Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Warren Cuccurullo. The CD album went out of print in 2001.
"Too Much Information" is a song by English rock band Duran Duran, released in August 1993 by Parlophone and Capitol as the third single from their seventh studio album, Duran Duran (1993). In the United Kingdom, it became the band's third top-40 single from the album, while in North America, it peaked at numbers 45 and 41 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100, and number 26 in Canada. The accompanying music video for "Too Much Information" was filmed by British director Julien Temple in Santa Monica on 27 August and featured the elaborate stage setup designed for the band's 1993 Dilate Your Mind tour.
"Rio" is the seventh single by English rock band Duran Duran. It was first released as a single in Australia, in August 1982, followed by a UK release on 1 November 1982.
"Ordinary World" is a song by English rock band Duran Duran, released in December 1992 by Parlophone, EMI and Capitol as the first single from their self-titled album (1993), commonly known as the Wedding Album. The ballad, both written by the band and co-produced with John Jones, reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Top 40/Mainstream chart, the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, and the Italian Singles Chart. It also peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 2 in Iceland and Sweden, and No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart. The song's music video was directed by Nick Egan and filmed in California.
"I Don't Want Your Love" is a song by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 19 September 1988 as the first single from their fifth studio album, Big Thing (1988).
"Burning the Ground" is a song by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 4 December 1989 as a stand-alone single to promote the compilation album Decade. The song is a megamix of Duran Duran's history created by producer John Jones, featuring snippets of the band's biggest hits from the previous decade into a new piece of music. However, the track was not included on the Decade album itself.
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