Duran Duran (1981 album)

Duran Duran
Studio album by Duran Duran
Released	15 June 1981 25 April 1983 (U.S. reissue)
Recorded	October–December 1980 at Red Bus Studios, Abbey Road Studios, Utopia Studio and Chipping Norton Recording Studios
Genre	Rock, post-punk, dance-rock, synthpop
Length	39:42
Label	EMI/Capitol
Producer	Colin Thurston
Duran Duran chronology
Duran Duran (1981) Rio (1982)
Singles from Duran Duran
"Planet Earth" Released: 2 February 1981 "Careless Memories" Released: 20 April 1981 "Girls on Film" Released: 13 July 1981 "Anyone Out There" Released: 1981 (Brazil only promo) "Sound of Thunder" Released: 1981 (UK only promo)

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Duran Duran is the debut album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released worldwide in 1981.

The album reached #3 on the United Kingdom charts and remained in the UK Top 100 for 117 weeks, achieving platinum status by December 1982. The initial release was largely ignored in the United States, but the album was reissued there in 1983 following the success of the band's second album, Rio. This time it reached #10 on the US Billboard 200, and remained on that chart for 87 weeks. Duran Duran was certified platinum (a shipment of one million units) by the RIAA in June 1985.

Original release - 1981

The band wrote and recorded demos for the album at AIR Studios in 1980, while one of their main influences, the band Japan, was recording the Gentlemen Take Polaroids album just down the hall.^{[citation needed]}

The album was formally recorded in December 1980 at various recording studios in London (as well as Chipping Norton Studios) with record producer Colin Thurston, shortly after Duran Duran signed their record deal with EMI. In interviews, the band has recalled the struggle to continue recording after hearing of the murder of John Lennon on 8th December.

Music videos for "Planet Earth" and "Careless Memories" were also filmed in December.

The US versions of this release included the "Night Version" of "Planet Earth" instead of the original. "To The Shore" was dropped from the US tracklisting to accommodate the-now increased length of "Planet Earth".

The first pressing of 30,000 copies of the Japanese version (Toshiba/EMI EMS-91019) came with a colour poster. There is a notation on the OBI that mentions this. Later issues of the album have the notation on the OBI removed and contain only a lyric insert and a sheet with a bio in Japanese, some photos and some instructions on how to do the 'new romantic' dance like in the "Planet Earth" video.

Singles

The first single of the band's career was "Planet Earth" (released on 2 February 1981), which reached #12 on the UK charts.

The band followed up with the release of "Careless Memories" on 20 April 1981, but it only reached UK #37.

The third single from this album was the most successful. "Girls on Film", released 13 July, went to #5 in the UK. The video for the single was directed by Godley & Creme and was filmed in August, just two weeks after MTV was launched in the United States, before anyone knew what an impact the music channel would have on the industry. The raunchy "soft porn" video which featured semi-naked women created an uproar and a heavily edited "day version" was aired on MTV (though the uncut version did receive regular airings on the Playboy Channel), and the band enjoyed and capitalized on the controversy.

US 1983 re-issue

Duran Duran was re-released in the USA on 25 April 1983, after the success of their second album Rio in America gave the band another chance to market their first album there. The album had two changes to the original American track listing: Capitol Records replaced the "Night Version" of "Planet Earth" with the original single version. Most notably, the then-current Duran Duran single, "Is There Something I Should Know?" was added to the album's track listing and "To the Shore" was removed.

The album also featured updated cover art designed by Malcolm Garrett, using the newer "double D" band logo featured on the Seven and the Ragged Tiger album and "Is There Something I Should Know?" single. The cover photo showed the evolution in the band's image since 1981. In contrast to the earlier artwork, the new image positioned each band member equally close to the camera, and demonstrated the variety of looks within the band, from tanned adventurers to rouged androgynes. This reflected the band's teen-focused marketing which promoted the image and personality of individual band members, recognizing that "everyone is someone's favourite".

Track listing

All songs written and arranged by Duran Duran.

1. "Girls on Film" – 3:30
2. "Planet Earth" – 3:59
3. "Anyone Out There" – 4:02
4. "To the Shore" – 3:49
5. "Careless Memories" – 3:53
6. "Night Boat" – 5:25
7. "Sound of Thunder" – 4:06
8. "Friends of Mine" – 5:42
9. "Tel Aviv" – 5:16

1981 Harvest release (US)

1. "Planet Earth" ["Night Version"] – 6:20
2. "Girls on Film" – 3:30
3. "Is There Anyone Out There" – 4:02
4. "Careless Memories" – 3:53
5. "(Waiting for The) Night Boat" – 5:25
6. "Sound of Thunder" – 4:06
7. "Friends of Mine" – 5:42
8. "Tel Aviv" – 5:16

• Earlier alternate titles for "Anyone Out There" and "Night Boat" are used.
• "Planet Earth" is the 12" "Night Version" of the song, but it is not listed as such.

1983 Capitol re-release (US)

1. "Girls on Film" – 3:30
2. "Planet Earth" – 3:59
3. "Is There Anyone Out There" – 4:02
4. "Careless Memories" – 3:53
5. "Is There Something I Should Know?" – 4:07
6. "(Waiting For The) Night Boat" – 5:25
7. "Sound of Thunder" – 4:06
8. "Friends of Mine" – 5:42
9. "Tel Aviv" – 5:16

Extra tracks on 1995 CD re-issue:

10. "To the Shore" – 3:49

Duran Duran: Duran Duran – Special Editions

• Special edition 2 CD/DD set: original album, b-sides, BBC session, and demos
• Limited edition 3 Disc set including a DVD of BBC footage and 1st album era videos
• Digital download only BBC In Concert.
• Released 29 March 2010.

CD 1:

Original album (tracks 1-9) and b-sides (tracks 10-13):

1. Girls On Film (3.39)
2. Planet Earth (3.57)
3. Anyone Out There (4.02)
4. To The Shore (3.47)
5. Careless Memories (4.08)
6. Night Boat (5.25)
7. Sound Of Thunder (4.06)
8. Friends Of Mine (5.40)
9. Tel Aviv (5.16)
10. Late Bar (2.56)
11. Khanada (3.28)
12. Fame (3.18)
13. Faster Than Light (4.29)

CD 2:

The AIR Studios versions (recorded on 29 July 1980):

1. Girls On Film (3.57)
2. Tel Aviv (6.02)

• Recorded at AIR Studios on 29 July 1980
• Produced by Jon Walls
• Engineered by Jon Walls and Rick Isbell

The Manchester Square Demos (recorded on 8 December 1980):

1. Anyone Out There (4.09)
2. Planet Earth (5.00)
3. Friends Of Mine (5.52)
4. Late Bar (3.02)

Radio 1 Peter Powell session (recorded 19 June 1981 transmitted 11 August 1981; mono):

1. Night Boat (5.12)
2. Girls On Film (3.38)
3. Anyone Out There (3.54)
4. Like An Angel (4.52)

The Versions:

1. Planet Earth (Night Version) (6.20)
2. Girls On Film (Extended Night version) (5.43)
3. Planet Earth (Night mix) (6.15)
4. Girls On Film (Night mix) (5.41)

DVD: The videos:

• "Planet Earth (Club version)"
• "Planet Earth"
• "Careless Memories"
• "Girls On Film (Long uncensored version)"
• "Girls On Film (Short censored version)"
• "Night Boat"
• "A Day In The Life" featurette

BBC footage:

• Planet Earth – Top of the Pops 5/3/81 †
• Careless Memories – Top of the Pops 21/5/81 †
• Girls On Film – Top of the Pops 30/7/81 †

Old Grey Whistle Test appearance (7/7/81):

• Night Boat †
• Anyone Out There †

"Get Set For Summer" (8/8/81):

• Girls On Film †

Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (27/2/81)

• Friends Of Mine †
• Girls On Film †

† Previously unreleased

180 Gram LP:

Record 1: Original album: Side 1: 1. Girls On Film (3.39) 2. Planet Earth (3.57) 3. Anyone Out There (4.02) 4. To The Shore (3.47) 5. Careless Memories (4.08)

Side 2: 1. Night Boat (5.25) 2. Sound Of Thunder (4.06) 3. Friends Of Mine (5.40) 4. Tel Aviv (5.16)

Bonus 12″ (33 1/3) Side 1: Planet Earth (Night Version) (6.20) Girls On Film (Extended Night version) (5.43)

Side 2: Planet Earth (Night mix) (6.58) Girls On Film (Night mix) (5.41) *

• Previously unreleased

Digital download only: BBC In Concert recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon 17 December 1981, transmitted 13 April 1982 1. Anyone Out There 2. Planet Earth 3. To The Shore 4. Late Bar 5. Last Chance On The Stairway 6. Khanada 7. Night Boat 8. Sound Of Thunder 9. Faster Than Light 10.My Own Way 11.Careless Memories 12.Girls On Film 13.Planet Earth

Singles

1. "Planet Earth"
2. "Careless Memories"
3. "Girls on Film"
4. "Is There Something I Should Know?" (1983 reissue)

Personnel

The members of Duran Duran are:

• Simon Le Bon - vocals
• Nick Rhodes - keyboards
• John Taylor - bass guitar
• Roger Taylor - drums
• Andy Taylor - guitar

Also credited:

• Colin Thurston - producer and engineer
• Ian Little - producer of "Is There Something I Should Know"

References

• De Graaf, Kaspar; Garret, Malcolm (1982). Duran Duran: Their Story. UK: Cherry Lane Books, 14. ISBN 0862761719.
• Malins, Steve (2006). Notorious: The Unauthorised Biography. André Deutsch/Carlton Publishing, UK. ISBN 0233001379.
• Shuker, Roy (2001). Understanding Popular Music. Routledge. ISBN 041523509X.