💾 Archived View for skeeter.flounder.online › duranduran.gmi captured on 2024-08-31 at 11:20:39. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
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I'm secretly hoping that this is the FIRST Duran Duran fanpage to make it into gemspace. Kennedy search came up with the gemipedia page and a few links to youtube videos. So please allow me to throw my space helmet into the mix.
I've been a fan of the Fab Five since 1982 when Hungry Like The Wolf broke into American top 40 radio. It wasn't long after that we were given the gift of MTV so that we could actually see the band in vivid color. I remember other kids in the neighborhood having their records long before I began my collection; one boy had the rare Carnival 12" mini-album, and another had The Reflex 7" poster sleeve. Needless to say, I was quite envious in hindsight because neither were readily available when I started collecting in/around the 1986 timeframe.
My first show was in Hartford on June 20th in 1987. Months before, We waited in line to purchase tickets. I ended up in the 12th row on the floor, and was able to see the whites of their eyes. It was probably one of the most amazing nights of my life up until then.
I followed the band closely for decades after this, right up until their eventual reunion, second departure of Andy Taylor, and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I've been with the band through thick and thin. I even had the pleasure of meeting them at a record signing in NYC on April 6, 1995.
Back in the day, I had a high school pal who had an extensive 12" single collection, so once I discovered what actually existed, I set about acquiring as many versions of as many songs on vinyl as possible, because... back in the day, vinyl was the best way to reproduce sound before CD's came along. At the height of my collecting, I had every 12" single, either domestic or imported, from Planet Earth up until Electric Barbarella. Only recently have I considered parting with any part of this collection, mostly because of an upcoming downsizing in our home. I did, however, keep my rarest of the rare and all my 7" singles. I've kept my 12" mini-albums from Japan, the USA, Holland, Germany, and Italy. I've kept all my picture discs as well. My song version collection, for the most part, has been faithfully reproduced on CD.
I still have a fair amount of vintage Duran Duran swag, including buttons, patches, glossies, and magazine clippings. I have tour programs from every show I've attended and a few I had missed, including the small but legendary Seven and the Ragged Tiger tour book. I've got my ticket stubs and pack of puffy stickers. I do NOT have Duran Duran batteries, but my above-mentioned friend had hers, and probably still does! It's okay... they do leak after a while.
I suppose it goes without saying, that it's probably "screamingly obvious" that I was a child of the 80's, and like most people who hold an element of nostalgia near and dear, whatever was great when you're a kid will always be the best for you. For me, Duran Duran were visionaries ahead of their time, who made you happy with their music, and their visuals took you right to that mood and space. Their marketing was absolutely brilliant. In fact, Malcolm Garrett, who was their graphic designer from 1981 through 1985, inspired me to go back to graphic design school. To say the band was an artistic inspiration for me would be an understatement. But there's a bit more to it than happy pop music and pretty pink drinks on the beach that stuck with me. For me, Duran Duran were a lesson in perserverance and never giving up. For all their fame, there were plenty of records of theirs that didn't hit. But you know what? They kept on going. This lesson alone has gotten me through my own ups-and-downs, and I will always be grateful for that.
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