He forgot the words to 'Hungry Like the Wolf'?

Duran Duran's latest world tour is getting off to a bad start. And I don't mean that Nick forgot his mascara or Simon lost his wristband again.

The band's show Wednesday night in Auckland, New Zealand, was rough, according to the local media. Bassist John Taylor stormed off stage during a medley of electronica songs in which the group's members all so matching satin suits. And then singer Simon Le Bon forgot the words to "Hungry Like the Wolf."

"Duran Duran, f---ing up in style," Le Bon said to the crowd, according to the New Zealand Herald's review.

Despite the meltdowns, "when they were good, they were great," the reviewer said. "After a somewhat slow start, the band had the arena up and dancing by their fourth song, 'Planet Earth,' and kept things cruising along comfortably until they reached the Bond soundtrack 'A View To A Kill,' which saw the night hit fever pitch."

[Getty Images]

Can they recover from the 'Massacre'?

Duran Duran's "Red Carpet Massacre" tour is finally rolling into North America. The band today announced a 20-city leg of their current world tour.

Beginning on April 29 in Vancouver, the tour hits most of the usual big-city stops -- including Orlando and Boca Raton here in Florida (no Tampa Bay dates). It wraps up May 30-31 in New York, where they're scheduled to play in Central Park.

Tickets for all shows will go on sale to the public on March 15 at 10 a.m. Pre-sale and VIP packages -- available to members of Duran Duran's fan community -- go on sale March 12.

"These are going to be extremely exciting shows for us – taking a very different format to the last world tour we did in 2006," Simon LeBon said on the band's official website. "We have been working on completely different arrangements for some of the older material and will be integrating a lot of our latest record into the performances. We need to keep things fresh – not only for ourselves, but also for our audiences."

The "Red Carpet Massacre" album could use the promotional help. After a decent first week of sales in November, it fell quickly to the bottom and then out of the charts in both Britain and the United States. The album met with mixed reviews from critics, and the new material -- heavily modernized and reliant more on computers than instruments -- chased guitarist Andy Taylor from the band.

[AP photo]

His name is Rio, and he dances ... pantless?

There's nothing more fun than getting photos in the Stuck in the 80s mailbox from fellow 80s addicts. Except for maybe scarfing down Kamikazees while singing karaoke to Dexy's Midnight Runners.

Here's our latest arrival -- an office pic from Jon Stallard, a 23-year veteran disc jockey and hardly a closet Duran Duran junkie.

And here's Jon's note:

"Gents! I wanted to finally write, now that I'm caught up on ALL of your back episodes. That's right, I have pushed everything to the backburner to complete said task; food, movies, sex, EVERYTHING to be a SIT80s completist."

"Attached you'll find a pic of my office. It should be obvious from the photo that I am stuck in the 80s. What is not obvious from the photo is that I am not wearing pants. Cheers!"

Keep those photos coming, gang, to stuckinthe80s@tampabay.com!

The 'massacre' of the Duran Duran we loved

After listening to Duran Duran's new "Red Carpet Massacre" CD a couple times, I'm forced to make this observation: Now the lads from Birmingham know how KISS felt after making the ill-fated "Dynasty" album back in '79 -- inappropriate, out of place and shameful.

Producers Timbaland and Justin Timberlake have drowned our heroes in a deluge of house-mix techno-horror so thick with computerized beats that it's no wonder guitarist Andy Taylor went sprinting away from this project. (Drummer Roger Taylor should have done the same. You can't make him out on many of the 12 tracks.)

Times pop critic Sean Daly gave "Red Carpet Massacre" a B-minus in his review. My reliable and sexually gregarious podcast co-host admittedly hated the Timbaland influence but still calls it "one of their most interesting" albums, tagging the song "Tempted" as a tune that "would have been a hit back in '85). God, I hope not. (Click here to read his full review.)

Let's start the hating with "The Valley," the first tune on the disc. So evil to the core, the song should be jettisoned into deep space -- with only a nuclear explosion capable of freeing it from an eternal prison. (Just like General Zod and his cronies in Superman II ... or Gil Gerard in Buck Rogers, for that matter.)

It's certainly not the only painful track: the title track is beyond such poetic description, and "Nite Runner" sounds like a B-side from Arcadia or Power Station (which is the closest I can come to damning praise.) "Skin Divers" stinks of circa 1978 disco effects -- were they sampling "I Was Made For Lovin' You"? -- and mid-90s boy-band rap choruses. 

The bright moments? Maybe "Falling Down" and "Box Full O' Honey" will make it onto my iPod playlists. And if someone could strip the overproducing from "Tempted," it'd make for a great live song. And in all fairness, Simon Le Bon's voice -- when you can hear it over the robotic thumping -- is near perfect. (Simon, turn "She's Too Much" into an acoustic piece and you're sittin' in butter, my friend.)

I can understand DD's temptation to modernize their sound. But while they were busy surrendering their souls to today's peddlers of monotonous music, the rest of the industry went retro. Come on, guys! Bands like Scorpions, REO Speedwagon and Loverboy are putting out new discs that are true to their roots -- and they sound great.

Duran Duran, you should have done the same.

Boys on film ... (two minutes later)

If I posted a new photo of Duran Duran every day, it wouldn't be enough for some of you fans out there, I'm guessing. So here's a shot of John Taylor and Simon Le Bon performing their "Red Carpet Massacre" tour at Broadway's Barrymore Theater on Nov. 3.

Rolling Stone has posted its review of the new album, but I can't tell if it's good or bad. (I never can tell with their "too-smart-for-you" reviews). "...'Skin Divers' and 'Zoom In' are classic Durannie funk a la 'Notorious'," writes Rob Sheffield, who seems uncomfortable with the realization that the lads are now eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Hey, at least they play instruments and rock music -- unlike, say, Madonna!)

Meanwhile back to the show. Stuck in the 80s fans who've seen the Broadway concert are giving it raves:

• "I thought it was brilliant. Playing a whole album live should be a treat to fans and those who were attending (and frankly those attending should have known WHAT they were attending)." -- Trent
• "I attended the first Broadway show and was pleasantly surprised by the material. ... The crowd energy and 2 hour show the band put on was very entertaining" -- Candace
• "Speaking as one of those old age long term DD fans who has been scratching their heads at the whole Timbaland/Timerlake thing, I must say that what I've heard so far -- a bootleg of the first show -- has made me feel really excited for the band." -- Braveapollo

Hey, color me convinced. Just a week left til "Red Carpet Massacre" hits store shelves. (Who am I kidding -- we're all just buying it on iTunes, right?)

[Photo by Getty Images]

Duran Duran shows an 'unnecessary gamble?'

Reviews of the Duran Duran's run of intimate concerts on Broadway are starting to trickle out, and the reaction from critics is a bit subdued.

The lads from Birmingham, England, are playing their new album -- Red Carpet Massacre -- start to finish to open each show. Then they launch into a short set of electronica before finishing with a set of the old favorites.

The Hartford Courant, which reviewed a few warm-up shows, said "while it's refreshing to see a veteran band so excited about its new material, hitting the audience with a straight hour of unfamiliar music seems an unnecessary gamble."

Some of the new songs "feature the same throbbing keyboards and robo-funk beats that have spelled smash for Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, and even Britney Spears," the Courant writes.

OK, that's probably good news for fans below the age of 23. But I'm guessing the rest of us are shaking our heads. Let's hope they shake up the set list before taking this act on the road.

Pick Duran Duran's song for the AMA

Duran Duran is performing at the American Music Awards on Nov. 18, and in a twist, the band is asking its fans to choose which song from the past that they'll perform live on TV.

Your choices: "Hungry Like The Wolf," "Notorious" or "Reach Up For The Sunrise." To vote, click here or visit mycokerewards.com. Voting ends Nov. 14.

Let me make the easier for you. Pick "Hungry Like The Wolf." Not that it'd necessarily be the first song that comes to mind. Where's "The Reflex" or "Rio?" No love for the classics? (Fair warning, anyone who picks "Notorious" is gonna get their Stuck in the 80s swag confiscated.)

Putting Duran Duran on the AMA telecast is smooth move. Otherwise, there's about 0.02 percent I would have watched. Of course, I can save myself a lot of aggravation and go just rewatch one of the band's concert videos instead. ("Blue Silver" vs. "Live from London" -- which do I choose?)

The hedonism of Simon Le Bon

I'm a Duran Duran nut, like most people who grew up in the early to mid 80s. But unlike the other lads, the Duranie I always wanted to be was Simon Le Bon.

He wasn't the babe magnet that John Taylor was. Wasn't the charming, intellectual Nick Rhodes. And he sure wasn't the antisocial, misfit of either Roger or Andy Taylor. Simon just wore wristbands, struck cool poses, sang his guts out ("Siiiiiiiiiiing, Blue Siiiiiiilver!"), gave interesting quotes to the media and generally didn't care all that much what people thought of him.

Plus, Simon didn't have to play an instrument. (Unless you count the tambourine as a real instrument, and unless you're in the Partridge Family, you don't.)

Simon turns 49 today. Here are a few favorite quotes from the birthday boy to enjoy, along with links to the full articles in which they appear.

On his role in the "View to a Kill" video: "It was the closest I was ever going to get to playing James Bond and I wasn't about to miss out on that opportunity, He had the works - the girls, the guns, the gadgets, the cars. He got to do everything. I used to read the Bond books as a kid, and I thought they were really sexy. I always wanted to be Bond." [Full interview]

On staying in shape: "I've got some very serious beauty tips. Don't run too much. You'll f--k your knees up. I go for nice long walks now, uphill. And one of these days, I'm going to get a dog. But I've got a very physical job, and I'd hate to have to go to the gym. That would be awful." [More]

On recording "Seven and the Ragged Tiger" in Australia: "Oh my God, that was hedonism. I succumbed to hedonism. My God, did we have a good time. Somebody came up to us once and said, 'I think you shagged all the girls in Sydney.' And we weren't even trying. It was so funny. We had some fantastic times." [More]

The Details of Duran Duran

It's like 1984 all over again: Duran Duran is back on stage and back on magazine racks. Details magazine's November issue has a big feature on the boys (because they'll always be boys to their fans), and it's definitely worth checking out. There's even a video version of the story with some humorous zingers. (They are, after all, the 80s band with the best sense of humor.)

Some of the notable quotes:

Nick Rhodes on meeting their future producers Justin Timberlake and Timbaland: "As often happens when you meet someone you like at an awards show, you say, 'Oh, we must do something one day,' and then everyone nods and there are big smiles and hugs, and then you never see them again."

Simon LeBon on Andy Taylor's absence from the band: "It's really sad. Some guys in the band are a bit angry. I'm sad. I'm worried about him, more than anything."

Roger Taylor on his personal meltdown in the 80s: "People forget just how big the band was. We couldn't go anywhere without getting mobbed in the street. I had kids outside my house."

John Taylor on the band's comeback: "I'm still doing it -- I'm still being paid to be a f---ing musician. Not a lot of people can say that."

Click here to read the full article. And click here for the video interview.

[Photo reprint courtesy of Details magazine]

Duran Duran is back ... on Broadway?

How's this for an odd bill: Duran Duran is debuting their new album -- "Red Carpet Massacre" (bad karma, guys) -- by playing nine shows at New York's Barrymore Theatre.

According to Pollstar.com and the band's official website, the band will play every track from the new disc, along with some of the old hits during their two-hour show.

"Staging a run on Broadway is something that we've often talked about over the years, but the time has never seemed right until now," singer Simon LeBon said in an online announcement. "We started work on 'Red Carpet Massacre' in New York ... so it feels fitting to be launching it here."

The shows begin Nov. 1 and tickets range from $75 to $150. The album itself goes in sale Nov. 13.

Tonight they're gonna rock you tonight

Drummers who spontaneously combust won't help global warming, but the promoters behind the Live Earth concerts don't seem to care. They've booked famed fake rockers Spinal Tap for the London concert on July 7.

"They're not that environmentally conscious, but they've heard of global warming," said Rob Reiner, who directed the 1984 "mockumentary," in an interview with the media this week. Although the "band" has reunited on occasion since the movie's debut, Spinal Tap has been largely quiet since 1992's "Break Like The Wind" album.

Reiner also is releasing a new 15-minute film about the band's reunion at tonight's Tribeca Film Festival in New York. The director told reporters the new film reveals what the band members have been up to lately: Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) has been raising miniature racing horses; David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) produces hip-hop records and owns a colonic clinic; and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) is in rehab -- for "addiction to the Internet," the Associated Press says.

(No word on which unfortunate soul will take on the drumming duties, since every previous drummer has died under extraordinary circumstances.)

The Live Earth concerts are set for July 7 at several locations around the world including London,  Brazil, Shanghai, Japan, Johannesburg, London, Sydney and the United States. Other 80s acts scheduled to play include Madonna, the Beastie Boys, Bon Jovi, Genesis and Duran Duran.

TOP FIVE UNDER-QUOTED LINES FROM SPINAL TAP:
5. "Certainly, in the topsy-turvy world of heavy rock, having a good solid piece of wood in your hand is often useful."
4. "Well, I'm sure I'd feel much worse if I weren't under such heavy sedation."
3. "We've got Armadillos in our trousers. It's really quite frightening."
2. "Here lies David St. Hubbins... and why not?"
1. "As long as there's, you know, sex and drugs, I can do without the rock and roll."

Can Madonna save the earth?

Madonna, the Beastie Boys, The Police and Bon Jovi lead the 80s lineup of acts signed to perform at the Live Earth concerts set for July 7 at venues around the world. (Odd choices, since their combined use of Aqua Net during the 80s single-handedly opened a hole in the ozone over Greenland.)

Madonna will be playing the U.K. show -- natch -- at Wembley Stadium, along with the Beastie Boys. Other performers there including Genesis, Duran Duran and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The U.S. show, to be held at Giants Stadium, will have Bon Jovi and The Police.

Other venues around the world include Shanghai, China; Johannesburg, South Africa; Sydney, Australia; Tokyo; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Global warning activists are using the Live Earth shows to kick off a new campaign called "Save Our Selves, The Campaign for a Climate in Crisis." NBC plans to broadcast the concerts in the U.S.

Here's a potential Global Warming playlist for the concert:
Duran Duran -- "Planet Earth" (view)
Madonna -- "Frozen"
The Police -- "Invisible Sun"
Beastie Boys -- "Get It Together"
Genesis -- "The Silent Sun"
Bon Jovi -- "Dry County"

If they expanded the lineup, here are some more good tunes:
Oingo Boingo -- "No One Lives Forever"
They Might Be Giants -- "Why Does The Sun Shine"
The Cars -- "Touch and Go"
Cyndi Lauper -- "The World is Stone"
Depeche Mode -- "Policy of Truth"

And not to beat you over the head with it, but our new best friend Kenny Loggins had a song that Al Gore called the "anthem of the environmental movement" back in the early 90s:

One argument against a capitalistic Russia

Surely by now, most devoted 80s fans -- all 3 of us -- know that some Russian billionaire paid George Michael the tidy sum of $3.3-million to play a 75-minute private New Year's Eve Concert.

Vladimir Potanin, possibly the richest (and certainly the most foolhardy) person in Russia, had Michael flown in on a private jet to sing 13 songs for his 300 guests. It's thought to be the most ever paid to an entertainer for a single performance. (Hellomagazine.com, which reported Michael's gig, says Destiny's Child once picked up about $2-mil for playing a Bar Mitzvah and Paul McCartney scored about a mil for playing a birthday party once.)

But, of course, the big question remains: Why George Michael? There's no apparent answer to that mystery (other than perhaps Michael could use the funds to pay his mounting legal woes.) We had no idea Mother Russia was wild about "Careless Whisper" and "Monkey."

Instead...

For $3.3-million, here's my concert wish:  Duran Duran (with Andy Taylor  of course), the reunion of Frankie Goes To Hollywood and the original lineup of Asia. In no particular order ... I'm not picky. But I get to write up the set lists. (No Arcadia or Power Station songs! No Skin Trade for Duran Duran! And forget about any pre- or post-80s hits, Asia!) Originally, I thought let's stage this in Wembley Stadium, but now I'm thinking Vegas. Maybe we'll rent out Celine Dion's theater at Caesar's Palace. With all the co-hosts and guest hosts of Stuck in the 80s hanging out for the shows, which would go on for half the night -- not just an hour. And then afterward, we go splashing around in the fountains with the original lineup of the Go-Go's.

Yeah, that sounds like a million-dollar idea.

New Duran Duran CD set for May

Sadly minus guitarist Andy Taylor (and sadly with the additional producing help of Justin Timberlake), Duran Duran is putting the finishing touches on a new CD that is now officially set for release in May.

The album doesn't have a name yet and it will feature only minimal work by Taylor, who -- unhappy about Timberlake's participation -- left the band earlier this year.

"I truly wish him well. You never say never with these things. We may end up playing with Andy another day in the future," Nick Rhodes told Billboard.com this week. "For now, we'd done another five years together and I guess that seems to be our attention span. It was five years the first time and five years this time."

A summer tour is planned to support the album. No dates have been announced. Duran Duran also will perform July 1 at London's Wembley Stadium in a tribute concert to the late Princess Diana. That concert, which also features Elton John, sold out within 30 minutes of tickets going on sale.

Still hungry like the wolf

Duran Duran is back at work on a new album, and they've enlisted some big-time help on the project. Justin Timberlake and Timbaland are lending a hand in producing several of the songs, according to the Associated Press.

"We've got some good stuff happening," Simon LeBon told the AP. "We are in a very good space."

Amusingly, the AP story also quotes bassist "Josh Taylor," rather than John Taylor. I think losing one Taylor is enough this year. (Unless the actor from Days Of Our Lives and Beverly Hills 90210 really is the new bassist.)

The band continues to make appearances and performances without original guitarist Andy Taylor, who called it quits last month. And unlike their hey-day in the 80s, the critics seem to be warming to the music now, if recent reviews are any indication.

"I certainly don't long to relive the '80s," critic Greg Haymes wrote in the Albany, N.Y. Times-Union after show in town. "(But) I've got to admit that it was a real kick to hear those pinging synth-drums once again on Hungry Like the Wolf."

Andy Taylor quits Duran Duran

Sad news for 80s fans: Guitarist Andy Taylor has parted ways with Duran Duran. The news is confirmed on the band's website. Billboard.com says the choice was Andy's, and the decision came from a "gulf" developing in their partnership.

The band is set to begin a leg of U.S. shows, starting with a stop tonight in Chicago, that will last until Nov. 11. Dom Brown will replace Andy for the shows. Brown, a London-based singer and songwriter, has worked with the band on previous tour dates. The band plans to return to the studio to produce a new album after the tour.

One of the founding members of the 80s lineup, Andy has left the band before. In 1986, he left the band and formed the Power Station with Robert Palmer, Tony Thompson and John Taylor. He rejoined Duran Duran in 2001.

A statement posted on the websites for Andy and Duran Duran is signed by the other four members of the band (John Taylor, Simon Lebon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor): "The past five years have been an incredible journey for us all - and having the original five back together was something that we had wanted to see happen for some time.  As of last weekend, however, the four of us have dissolved our partnership and will be continuing as Duran Duran without Andy."

[Click here to hear the special Stuck in the '80s podcast on Duran Duran, featuring an interview with former lead singer Andy Wickett.]

No Confusion here: All these videos rock

We've reached the top 20 of the best music videos of the 80s.  Today, we take a look at 11 through 20. (Click here to see Nos. 21-30, 31-40 and  41-50.) Time to honor the obvious (another Duran Duran video) and some of the not-so-obvious (Art of Noise, Godley & Creme, Sigue Sigue Sputnik).

Best music videos of the 80s:
20. Land of Confusion, Genesis (view)
19. Don't Come Around Here No More, Tom Petty (view)
18. Walk This Way, Run-DMC and Aerosmith (view)
17. Cry, Godley & Creme (view)
16. Love Missile F1-11, Sigue Sigue Sputnik (view)
15. Touch of Grey, Grateful Dead (view)
14. Close to the Edit, Art of Noise (view)
13. Rio, Duran Duran (view)
12. Once in a Lifetime, Talking Heads (view)
11. You Might Think, The Cars (view)

Most disturbing: Probably Land of Confusion. The puppets give me nightmares. But so does the little punk rock girl in Close to the Edit.

Cheesecake/beefcake: No-brainer here ... Rio by Duran Duran. (Roger gets the crabs.)

Personal fave: We're in the top 20, so they're all exceptional. Just enjoy all the warm, chewy goodness.

[Video image; click to enlarge]

10 acts that owe their success to MTV

We're finally on the eve of the 25th birthday of MTV. So it's time for some of you millionaires out there in Musicland to hand-deliver a heartfelt letter of appreciation along with a nice gift of scented soaps, because without the invention of MTV, you'd still be singing at the lounge at the Days Inn in Wichita Springs (home of the coldest 8-ounce beers in town.)

10 acts that owe their success to MTV:

Men At Work: They came from a land down under, but without videos ("Who Can It Be Now," "Be Good Johnny" and "Down Under" all had heavy rotation), no one would have ever seen their true Aussieness (and the tricky eyeball of Colin Hay).

Def Leppard: They made Union Jack t-shirts cool (for a few weeks anyway) and later proved you could drum with only one arm. All thanks to videos, starting with "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages."

Frankie Goes To Hollywood: It's questionable whether anyone outside of England would have heard of the lads from Liverpool before MTV made their video for "Relax" famous -- by banning it.

Paula Abdul: Cheerleader and choreographer, Abdul achieved by herself. But singer, Mrs. Emilio Estevez and future American Idol judge? That's all MTV, baby. Because as videos for "Straight Up" and "Cold Hearted" proved, you don't have to sing well -- just so long as you can dance around like a half-naked stripper.

Twisted Sister: "You're all worthless and weak." Yeah, that's how the record biz felt about this New York City act until their comic videos for "I Wanna Rock" and "We're Not Gonna Take It" -- featuring Animal House's "Neidermeyer" (Mark Metcalf) -- scored some album sales.

Weird Al Yankovic: Does anyone ask "Which of Weird Al's songs do you like best?" Nope, they ask "which video."

Stray Cats: It's cool to be old school. Even better when people can actually see it. This rockabilly act had to move from Long Island to England to get noticed. If they'd only waited a little while longer, MTV videos for "Stray Cat Strut" and "Rock This Town" would have worked better.

a-Ha: The Norwegian band went through multiple versions and ignored releases of "Take On Me" before the break-through animated video finally led to millions of sales. Also, a-Ha is the first band to receive a "Best Video" award.

Duran Duran: Plenty talented on their own, but who knew they were such babe magnets until the boys from Birmingham turned video-making into high art with "Rio" and "Hungry Like The Wolf." (Maybe MTV owes them a thank-you letter as well.)

Madonna: Ah, the Material Girl. Nobody would even be calling her that without the video for -- what was that song called? -- oh, yeah ... "Material Girl." If you once dressed like her, danced like her, dyed and wore your hair like her, and yes, if you're now BORED by her, you can thank MTV.

Other acts who should at least drop a card in the mail: Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, U2, Prince, Peter Gabriel, Cyndi Lauper, Billy Idol, Robert Palmer.

[Photo: AP; click to enlarge]

Worst album ever? Sadly, it's Duran Duran

Duran Duran's 1995 album Thank You has been named the worst album ever, according to a poll in Q magazine. An editor for the magazine told a British newspaper that Thank You, which spent 3 weeks in the best-selling charts, was "abysmal on every level."

"Sometimes these things are redeemed by some sort of kitsch value, it didn't even have that," Gareth Grundy said. The album was a collection of cover songs, including Lou Reed's Perfect Day, Bob Dylan's Lay Lady Lay and Elvis Costello's Watching the Detectives.

Other panned albums included Billy Idol's Cyberpunk and Mick Jagger's Primitive Cool.

Duran Duran later called Thank You "commercial suicide" but sadly may not have learned their lesson. Band co-founders Nick Rhodes and John Taylor are producing a compilation album of their early influences, including David Bowie and Kraftwerk. Meanwhile, word on the remembertheeighties.com website is that the band is working on an album of original material and should have a single out by summer.

What's on your list of worst albums?

I'm thinking a Duran Duran list of covers isn't significant enough to take the top spot. How about U2's Zooropa and Pop? REM's Green. The Clash's Cut the Crap. Anything by KISS after 1978. Tell us what's on your list.

Andy Wickett: 'We'll be living in the 90s next"

Andy Wickett was the lead singer of Duran Duran before Simon Le Bon. Today, he's a computer animation guru and still performs the music that inspired him decades ago -- though usually in drag as "Candy Wicked" (see photo). In part 2 of our interview with him, he talks about the 80s influence and how he stays busy these days. (Read part 1).

Stuck in the 80s: When you look back now, years later, on the group, what feelings go through your mind? Did you enjoy the band's music after you left? Do you enjoy it today?

Wickett: "I never really listened to them after that. I enjoyed it when I was with them. I went to see them play live recently with my son. It was interesting to see some old faces."

Stuck in the 80s: The 80s are making a comeback of sorts lately and new bands are borrowing the sounds of that decade. What about the 80s makes it so nostalgic? Why are we still listening to the music?

Wickett: "It takes 10 years for nostalgia to kick in. Look at the Stone Roses resurgence, we'll be living in the 90s next."

Stuck in the 80s: The 90s? God no. Tell me you still listen to some 80s groups.

Wickett: "Still listen to Joy Division, Pixies, Iggy Pop, Gary Numan, Kraftwerk, Suicide, Bruce Springsteen..."

Stuck in the 80s: Springsteen? That's an odd choice, given the rest of that list.

Wickett: "There's a part of me that is a home lovin' family man type."

Stuck in the 80s: Tell me about your animation work these days. What got you started in this field?

Wickett: "It started with the Amiga 500 in the early 90s, I realized how powerful computers were becoming. As soon as the PC came on the market, I jumped on board and never stopped. I've produced videos for a number of Asian artists such as Nusrat Ali Fateh Khan, Stereo Nation and Malkit Singh which got a lot of exposure on MTV Asia. It became a passion, it's the only way for me to explain the pictures I have in my head to other people."

Stuck in the 80s: I love the animated video for Girls on Film 2006. What sort of reaction are you getting to the release of that video?

Wickett: "We put the teaser clip of Girls on Film online just to see what the reaction would be, and, to be truthful, I was expecting a lot of negativity from the hardcore Duranies. I was amazed when it became the top rated MySpace upload video -- it held that position for 5 weeks, and 1000s of people subscribed to my profile there. The full video launch will happen sometime in May, at a London venue. We're hoping to co-ordinate the physical event with an online webcast of the launch for those who can't make it."

Stuck in the 80s: Tell me about your current music projects. Is it as much fun today as it was, presumably, back in the 80s?

Wickett: "Candy Wicked is my female alter-ego, the Rocky Horroresque Frankenstein, living on Sunset Boulevard. Sometimes it's Andy playing live at the shows, sometimes it's Candy. I never know which one is going to take over 'til the night itself.

"As for fun, it's as fun as ever. You have to keep things raw and spontaneous to keep things fun. You have to reinvent yourself to keep yourself interested."

Click here to hear music and see videos from Andy's myspace webpage.

Fame again for former Duran Duran singer

Before Simon Le Bon -- long before Reflex and Union of the Snake -- there was another lead singer for Duran Duran. Meet Andy Wickett, the lead singer in the years before fame found the group. Duran Duran was formed in 1978 in Birmingham, England, by John Taylor and Nick Rhodes and has never formally broken up. However, the group has gone through several lineup changes over the years. In 1979, after singing with a band called TV Eye, Wickett became Duran Duran's vocalist. The band would play several gigs and record a few demos before he left late in the year to form The Xpertz. Le Bon joined the band shortly afterward. Today, Wickett -- with careers in both computer animation and music -- is seeing a revival in fame from his Duran Duran years with the release of Girls on Film 2006 -- a single and video of the song as it was performed by the group during his tenure. It's darker, creepier and frankly a lot more fun. And it's currently one of the most downloaded videos on MySpace.com. Still based from Birmingham, Wickett took some questions recently from Stuck in the 80s. Stuck in the 80s: How did get involved with the band members of Duran Duran? What were the circumstances? Wickett: "Nick, John and Stephen (Duffy, the band's first singer) were all big fans of TV Eye and used to come and see us play at Rebecca's and Barbarella's. 'Duffait' (as he was then known), left Duran Duran and joined TV Eye, I (then known as Fane), left TV Eye and joined Duran Duran. It was a straight swap.'' Stuck in the 80s: I understand Girls on Film existed during your tenure with the group. Do you still prefer the early version to the one that later achieved pop success? I also read somewhere that the song that would become Rio existed back then under another name. Wickett: "I absolutely prefer the original version of Girls on Film to the one that charted. John always says it was Ami-A-Go-Go which became Rio, but that isn't the case. Stevie's Radio Station was a TV Eye song which I took to Duran Duran and they later turned this into Rio. "I still play Stevie's Radio Station live, and Dave Kusworth, the TV Eye guitarist, has also continued to play it throughout his career -- he named his son after the song. Wagging Dog Records have his version online -- the similarities between that song and Rio are fairly obvious!'' Stuck in the 80s: How was the band different when you were the singer as opposed to later incarnations? Wickett: "We were raw punk funk - it was less commercial and more experimental. The lyrics had meaning back then.'' Stuck in the 80s: What lead you to want to leave the group? Any regrets on that? Wickett: "If I'd had that success I'd be dead by now, through drugs, or alcohol -- I was self-destructive back then. It was survival instinct kicking in when I left the band.'' (Tomorrow: Part Two of the interview -- Andy's feelings about Duran Duran without him, what he's doing now, and his thoughts on the 80s.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SIMON LE BON!

If you see Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran, wish him a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! The singer turns 47 today.

Sing Blue Silver

Not to create overkill on Duran Duran, but my personal fave onscreen event for them is "Sing Blue Silver," a documentary made during their "Seven and the Ragged Tiger" tour of 1984. It's actually available on DVD right now. In same ways, the band members are so hopelessly playing up to the camera that it seems campy in almost a "Spinal Tap" way. You'll particularly enjoy the scenes with the band's road manager, Spy Matthews. "A scoreboard 50 feet off the floor? You must be mad!!"

Even if you have even lukewarm interest in the Duran Duran, this is a must-see rental. (Have you seen it, Gina? It is -- dare i say -- a classic. Especially when Simon can't find his wristbands.)

A DURAN DURAN PAN : 1982

In the second week of August, 1982, the British music magazine NME had this rather unsavory review of the brand new Duran Duran single: "Get yourself into the most sloppy, lugubrious mood possible and pretend that you can hear something medium and ploddy with too many acoustic guitars, a tear-jerking synth line and a song equally remarkable for its portentousness, its blandness and its utter vacuity. If you have followed these instructions faithfully, you have just imagined the new Duran Duran single.''

The song? "Save A Prayer.'' Which went to UK chart position #2, its biggest hit yet.

Of course, Duran Duran went on to woo the world, and was one of the hottest bands of the early 1980s.

Nick Rhodes, as many know, was my husband during grades 6 - 8, which made MY middle school years a juggle. I wouldn't trade those days for anything. It was a whirlwind and it made my passing pre-algebra a hassle, but it gave me my first taste of "life in the biz.'' (I love you Nick, wherever you are, you little orange-haired scoundrel, you!)

HEY! LET'S VOTE HERE!

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE NICK RHODES HAIRDO!

I know what mine was NOT! The "Planet Earth" white cotton candy 'fro. My fave? Nick's orange hair in the "Is There Something I Should I Know?" video. YUM.

VOTE NOW!!