Duran Duran

Song of the Day: David Bowie’s “Five Years” by Duran Duran

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Duran Duran (Photo by Stephanie Pistel)

New wave legends Duran Duran long have embraced their David Bowie influences. And the quartet also have covered Bowie’s songs, first grabbing attention with their fantastic cover of “Fame,” which they introduced on their first-ever US tour (which included a date at The Bayou here in DC back in 1981).

Today, in celebration of what would have been Bowie’s 74th birthday, Duran Duran release a cover of his epic “Five Years” from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.

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Livestream Preview: Stone Love Bass Odyssey with John Taylor of Duran Duran @ Instagram, 6/10/20

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John Taylor performs with Duran Duran at MGM National Harbor on Dec. 31, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

Pandemic lockdowns globally generated a surge of creativity from music artists seeking ways to connect with their fans in a time when people are urged to stay at home.

Of all the virtual concerts, listening parties, and chats, my favorite lockdown series by far has been a tutorial and interview combo by John Taylor of Duran Duran. On nearly a weekly cadence, John regales the viewer with tales of a favorite song and how it came together, with a focus on his bass playing, and then he interviews a friend and fellow artist in a program dubbed Stone Love Bass Odyssey.

On Wednesday, June 10, John walks us through “Some Like It Hot” by his side project Power Station, and then he chats with none other than fellow English rocker Billy Idol, on Duran Duran’s Instagram!

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Livestream Preview: Stone Love Bass Odyssey with John Taylor of Duran Duran @ Instagram, 5/27/20

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John Taylor performs with Duran Duran at MGM National Harbor on Dec. 31, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

The great Nile Rodgers famously remixed “The Reflex” by Duran Duran — a song that sent the boys from Birmingham UK to No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1984.

Nile went on to work quite a bit with Duran Duran over the past several decades, of course, and bassist John Taylor is likely to explore that relationship in a chat for his Stone Love Bass Odyssey via Duran Duran’s Instagram on Wednesday, May 27.

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Livestream Preview: Stone Love Bass Odyssey with John Taylor of Duran Duran @ Instagram, 5/20/20

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John Taylor (left) performs with Simon LeBon in Duran Duran at The Fillmore New Orleans on Feb. 19, 2019. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

During the national COVID-19 crisis, many musicians have found ways to connect with their audiences virtually, using platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to present concerts or interactive experiences.

In my opinion, bassist John Taylor of Duran Duran has developed one of the most joyful, uplifting, and thoroughly entertaining of these virtual performances with his Stone Love Bass Odyssey series, which he broadcasts via Duran Duran’s Instagram on Wednesdays. In the two-part program, John first shares an iconic baseline from a classic Duran Duran song and then he chats with a fellow musician about their careers and shared interests.

The result is must-see Instagram TV!

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My Favorite Artist: Duran Duran

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Duran Duran performs at The Fillmore New Orleans on Feb. 19, 2019. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

Editor’s Note: Parklife DC asked its contributors to write essays about their favorite bands. These essays appear in an occasional series, My Favorite Artist, and provide our readers with insights into our bloggers, their motivations, and their approach to covering concerts.

To my ear, music is at its best when it motivates and inspires. Popular music provides a forum for catharsis, surely, but I am most excited when I hear something that stirs my soul, lifts my head, and moves my feet.

Cue Duran Duran.

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Live Review: Duran Duran @ The Fillmore New Orleans — 2/19/19

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DuranDuran15 Simon LeBon fronts Duran Duran at The Fillmore New Orleans on Feb. 19, 2019. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

When I was a young lad in the early ’80s on the search for good music, Duran Duran struck as a revelation. They’ve remained as powerful and interesting today as they were then, and their talent, chemistry, and sophistication were on full display at a pair of shows in newly opened The Fillmore New Orleans this week.

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Preview: Duran Duran @ The Fillmore New Orleans, 2/20/19

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Duran Duran (Photo by Stephanie Pistel)

New wave heroes Duran Duran perform at a big festival in the Cayman Islands soon, and then they come ashore for a short stint of dates in the United States, including two nights at The Fillmore New Orleans. The first night at the sparkling new Fillmore sold out but limited tickets remain for Duran Duran’s show on Wednesday, Feb. 20.

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Music Park: Parklife DC Top 10 Concerts of 2017 by Mickey

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warpaint_dm-gore Martin Gore performs with Depeche Mode at Capital One Arena on Sept. 7, 2017. (Photo by Ben Eisendrath /Instagram+Twitter: ConspiracyCaptures/GrillworksBen)

The year 2017 was a good year for revisiting old friends as they returned to remind us that they truly still “got it.” In the past year, Parklife DC reviewed a great deal of musicians and bands, and the performances that really distinguished themselves often came as something of a pleasant surprise.

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Music Park: Duran Duran @ MGM National Harbor — 12/31/16

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Duran Duran 17 Duran Duran perform at MGM National Harbor on Dec. 31, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

“Did you get your smoked salmon and your caviar? Or is anybody hungry?” roared Simon LeBon, introducing “Hungry Like the Wolf” by Duran Duran on New Year’s Eve.

Booked for a special weekend of shows on New Year’s Eve and then New Year’s Day 2017, Duran Duran fed a ravenous sold-out crowd song after song at The Theater at MGM National Harbor Saturday, fielding one of the very first concerts in the brand new casino and entertainment complex on the cusp of DC city limits in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

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