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.
Nigel John Taylor is a British musician who is best known as the bass guitarist for new wave band Duran Duran, of which he was a founding member. Duran Duran was one of the most popular bands in the world during the 1980s due in part to their music videos which played in heavy rotation in the early days of MTV. Taylor played with Duran Duran from its founding in 1978 until 1997, when he left to pursue a solo recording and film career. He recorded a dozen solo releases through his private record label B5 Records over the next four years, had a lead role in the movie Sugar Town, and made appearances in a half dozen other film projects. He rejoined Duran Duran for a reunion of the original five members in 2001 and has remained with the group since.
Ultravox were a British new wave band, formed in London in April 1974 as Tiger Lily. Between 1980 and 1986, they scored seven Top Ten albums and seventeen Top 40 singles in the UK, the most successful of which was their 1981 hit "Vienna".
Duran Duran is the debut studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 15 June 1981 through EMI. Produced by Colin Thurston, it was recorded in London and Oxfordshire between December 1980 and January 1981. The instrumental tracks were recorded quickly, but vocalist Simon Le Bon initially struggled to sing in the studio, leading to discussions about replacing him before EMI employee Dave Ambrose intervened.
Girl were an English glam metal band formed in London in 1979. They split up in 1982 with band members going on to join Def Leppard and L.A. Guns, among others.
Philip Kenneth Collen is an English musician who is best known as the co-lead guitarist for the rock band Def Leppard. Collen joined the band in 1982 during the recording of the Pyromania album. Before joining Def Leppard, Collen had performed with a number of bands in the burgeoning British glam metal scene. Outside of Def Leppard, he has been involved in a number of side projects; those projects include the trio Man Raze, with which he is the lead singer and sole guitarist.
Philip Francis Lewis is an English singer and musician, best known as the vocalist and occasional rhythm guitarist for the American glam metal band L.A. Guns. Born in London, Lewis has lived and worked in the U.S. since the 1980s but was privately educated at Royal Russell School in Surrey.
Pete Barnacle is an English rock drummer who has played for various bands including Gillan, Girl, Broken Home, Spear of Destiny, Theatre of Hate, Yngwie Malmsteen, Sheer Greed, and Soldiers of Fortune. Barnacle now lives in Japan, teaching English, and occasionally working as a drummer.
Sheer Greed is the first album of the British glam rock band Girl, released in January 1980 by Jet Records. The album was published during the explosion of the new wave of British heavy metal phenomenon and its sales took advantage of the favourable attitude towards hard rock bands in the UK in that period. Sheer Greed peaked at No. 33 in the UK Albums Chart. Hollywood Tease was released as a single, and reached No. 50.
Wasted Youth is the second and final album released by the British glam rock band Girl. Bryson Graham replaced drummer Pete Barnacle during the recording of this album, and contributed to the songwriting process. A remastered CD was reissued by Rock Candy Records in 2016 complete with a bonus CD of a concert recorded in October 1981.
Live at the Marquee is a live album by the British glam rock band Girl, recorded in 1981 and released in 2001. The album is included as the bonus disc of the 2016 Rock Candy Records re-issue of Girl's 1982 album Wasted Youth.
Sheer Greed were a short-lived British hard rock band formed in 1992 by former Girl members Gerry Laffy, Simon Laffy and Pete Barnacle, and by guitarist Neil Gabbitas. The band was apparently named after the Girl album Sheer Greed.
"My Own Way" is the fourth single by English new wave band Duran Duran, originally released on 16 November 1981.
Sublime to the Ridiculous is the only studio album by the British hard rock band Sheer Greed, released in 1992 in Japan.
"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.
"The Wild Boys" is the twelfth single by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 22 October 1984 in the United Kingdom.
Russell Mulcahy is an Australian director of film, television, and music videos. He began his career directing music videos for artists like Elton John and Duran Duran, before making his feature directorial debut with the horror film Razorback (1984). He achieved international prominence by directing the fantasy action film Highlander (1986), which spawned a multimedia franchise.
Love + War is the second studio album by the American glam metal band Lillian Axe, released in 1989. The album was reissued and remastered by Metal Mind Productions in 2007. "My Number" was originally written and recorded by the NWOBHM era band Girl for their first album, Sheer Greed (1980). The album cover features Sharon Case, who made appearances on General Hospital.
Tony Fennell is a British musician, songwriter and producer. He was the lead singer, lyricist and musician for the band Ultravox from 1992 until 1994, as well as a writer and producer of music for television.
The London Cowboys were a British rock 'n' roll band who performed from 1980 to 1987. Formed by Steve Dior (vocals) and Barry Jones, formerly of The Idols, the band was somewhat of an enigma. Although these two remained constant and wrote the material, they were joined by a constant succession of other artists in the revolving roster. These included Glen Matlock from the Sex Pistols, Terry Chimes from The Clash, Tony James from Generation X, Phil Lewis and Gerry Laffy from Girl, Jerry Nolan from the New York Dolls, Alan D'Alvarez and a dozen other less notable players.
