John Taylor recently joined a conversation with BBC Radio Suffolk and accepted Duran Duran’s past image as ‘a girls’ band.’
In the earlier part of his conversation, the bassist expressed their enjoyment in performing at festivals, appreciating the chance to play for people who might not attend their concerts. He recalled that in the 1980s, Duran Duran mainly played indoor venues, moving swiftly from nightclubs to arenas. Taylor then mentioned that over time, the band has attracted a wider range of fans and added:
“For a while, Duran were like a girls’ band – we were very much associated as being a particular type of band.”
Recognition And Awards After Reunion
He also said that when they reunited, they were given many lifetime achievement awards, explaining:
“We got a Brit award and an MTV award, and that definitely had an effect on the audiences. It was almost as if a lot of people were kind of awoken, and they were able to come and enjoy us. That change meant that really anybody could come and have a good time at a Duran show. We’ve written a lot of songs over the years, and our songs have found their way into people’s lives.”
Taylor’s Personal Journey In The Band
Elsewhere, Taylor talked about his time leaving and then coming back to the band, revealing he went through a kind of identity crisis. The rocker noted:
“I left the band about 25 years ago, thinking I was done. I didn’t know who I was outside of the band and I felt the need to sort of figure out who I was. One thing led to another and I came back, but I came back as a fan, and I think that was important. I came back with a pride that somehow along the road, I’d lost. You’ve got to love what you do. You’ve got to be your own advocate. We feel good about who we are and what we’ve done – and continue to do, actually.”
Nick Rhodes On Duran Duran’s Changing Fanbase
It wasn’t something that only Taylor observed. Speaking to Variety in 2021, the band’s keyboardist Nick Rhodes, also discussed the band’s evolving fanbase over the years. The interviewer said that they initially gained fame with a mostly female audience and, later, expanded their appeal to include a significant number of male fans as well. Rhodes said the following about it:
“We started out as this art school cult band playing songs like “The Chauffeur” and “Night Boat” in nightclubs. Suddenly, we’re in front of 15,000 screaming girls. It was a culture shock. It was such a complete paradigm shift. I was confused by it. It was a little difficult for me.”
Rhodes observed that successful bands like the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and the Doors were also skilled songwriters whose music remains popular. This helped Duran Duran understand their own path, even though they weren’t exactly like these bands. He noted that initially, many realized that Duran Duran concerts attracted a lot of attractive female fans, making them a good place for people to meet potential dates.
