What started as a knockabout option to take the strain off being inducted into The Rock And Roll Corridor Of Fame has grow to be Duran Duran’s quickest album since their debut. Way over a easy Halloween-themed covers report, Danse Macabre additionally reinvents previous Duran favourites and has three beautiful new tunes, too. Within the unique story behind studio LP 16, the band inform Basic Pop: “Usually, we labour over albums. This fell into place very simply.”

It’s almost midnight on a Sunday night and Simon Le Bon is doing an impression of a foghorn. “HARRNK. HARRRRNNNKKK!”

No, he’s not reviving an historical beef with Tony ‘Foghorn’ Hadley of Spandau Ballet. Go to your room for even considering such slurs.

As an alternative, Simon is gleefully attempting to recapture the noise of the sinister rhythm that drives the title observe of Duran Duran’s newest album.

If it seems like an historical aquatic blast from the depths of the ocean underpins Danse Macabre, that’s as a result of that’s exactly what it’s.

“It’s the previous foghorn at Whitby,” burbles Le Bon fortunately. He’s one among life’s nice fanatics, Simon Le Bon. When he’s describing any of his passions, whether or not it’s obscure new prog-rock bands or classic maritime sea defences, he speaks at 100mph and would love you to hitch in.

“We discovered a recording within the BBC archives of the foghorn, which known as the Hawsker Mad Bull. It seems to be like a home, and it’s received monumental trumpets both facet of it that bend spherical to face the ocean.

Go and take a look at a photograph, you’ll love it. That’s what the foghorn sound is on Danse Macabre. HARRNK. HARRRRNNNKK!”

Alongside his infectious dedication to brush you up into sharing his enthusiasms, Simon Le Bon is among the most downright onomatopoeic individuals Basic Pop has ever met.

Most worldwide pop icons would fairly be thrashed with twigs than sing, away from the consolation of the stage.

Anybody fortunate sufficient to interview Simon might flog a one-off album for a fortune on the shadier facet of on-line collector websites, primarily based on no matter he occurs to sing in interviews that day. Immediately? Canned Warmth, Dusty Springfield, Billie Eilish and The Beatles.

Along with songs, he’ll fortunately clarify himself by all method of percussive results to his interviewers.

“The Hawsker Mad Bull foghorn isn’t used now,” he sighs. “That’s unhappy, however no less than we’ve put it on a report for posterity. We’ve paid for its use, it’s all legit.”

Even by his requirements, Le Bon is stuffed with enthusiasm and mischief as he chats to CP. He and spouse Yasmin have simply checked into their lodge in Toronto, the evening earlier than Duran’s present on the metropolis’s Scotiabank Area.

We communicate to Roger Taylor over Zoom from his lodge in Washington DC, with Nick Rhodes and John Taylor becoming a member of us the day earlier than a present in Boston. John is ready to fulfill a pal to go spherical Boston’s John F Kennedy Library.

Nick? “I’m going to go to a statue of Edgar Allan Poe after I’ve spoken to you.” As a result of in fact that’s what Nick Rhodes does after an interview. Synth-pop’s ongoing human artwork mission would hardly be “Perhaps grabbing some lunch,” now would he?

If all of Duran Duran are current and proper, behaving impeccably in character, there’s one very important distinction in regards to the band since we final spoke to them simply earlier than their wondrous anniversary album Future Previous was delivered.

Lower than two years after Future Previous, Duran Duran have made one other new LP, in close to report time. Neither covers album, remix mission or all-new hoopla, Danse Macabre is a heady mixture of all three concepts, pushed by a free Halloween theme.

“At this level, we will do no matter we would like,” smiles Rhodes. “This report makes us smile. It’s recaptured our sense of enjoyable.” Duran Duran, you will have seen, spent quite a lot of their first few years collectively having a great quantity of enjoyable.

Making the lifetime of initially unlikely international pop stars appear as in the event that they have been having as a lot enjoyable as initially unlikely international pop stars must be having didn’t go do properly with a few of their extra earnest 80s friends.

“After we began, we might have gone on the market and waved flags like a variety of different post-punk bands,” concedes Nick.

“However, as a substitute of standing within the quagmire complaining about it, we determined to get out of it and attempt to drag different individuals out of it with us. Our place was to raise individuals’s spirits and typically have a look on the lighter facet.”

Artwork of darkness

Danse Macabre, for all that it celebrates, properly, the macabre, is a really humorous album.

“If every part is darkness, the world could be fairly depressing,” causes Rhodes. “So many horrible issues are taking place on the earth, you want a bit levity. This album is darkly humorous, which makes us all glad.

“On the very coronary heart of Duran Duran, what drives us is attempting to make one another chuckle once we get collectively.”

“I used to be introduced up on the custom of Bonfire Night time,” admits Roger Taylor. “However I choose Halloween. It’s extra fascinating.

“It’s why as a nation, Britain is slowly edging in the direction of Halloween fairly than Man Fawkes. I’ve definitely at all times had a Halloween facet to me. I imply, in fact I’ve: you need to like dressing as much as be a member of Duran Duran.”

Danse Macabre quickly emerged from Nick’s thought to do a one-off Halloween-themed live performance, when he realised the second of Duran Duran’s two-show residency on the big Wynn lodge in Las Vegas final yr fell on 31 October.

“The Vegas exhibits have been meant to be a warm-up for The Rock And Roll Corridor Of Fame,” admits Nick. Duran have been duly inducted into the ceremony on 5 November, an honour that, even by the requirements of business prizes despatched the band’s method since 1980, was a reasonably large deal.

“Once I realised we have been taking part in on Halloween, I opened my mouth and mentioned: ‘We will’t simply do an everyday present. Why don’t we shock everybody with a Halloween present?’ Studying so many new songs, it was extremely formidable.”

“I actually, actually loved carrying a marriage costume,” laughs Simon, of his outfit for A View To A Kill. “I’d by no means worn one earlier than and that was the highpoint of my evening.”

Just about each time Duran attempt a canopy in live performance, they report a studio demo first, simply to get used to how they’ll make their model work.

“We wish everybody within the band to have a roadmap for the quilt variations,” explains John Taylor. “After taking part in the Halloween songs in Vegas, everybody was vibing off our studio demos.

“I mentioned to Nick: ‘We’ve received to get these out on Spotify proper now!’ Nick was the one to pause for thought: ‘Perhaps we must always do that correctly.’

“A reasonably quick dialog bounced across the band. Ought to we do a dwell album from the Vegas present? Ought to we do one thing extra with it?”

Two weeks earlier than rehearsals started for his or her UK area tour in April final yr, the band booked time within the studio: two days every with Nile Rodgers and Mr Hudson, the Birmingham producer largely chargeable for 2015’s underrated Paper Gods.

As seasoned Duran Duran watchers will know, 4 days is usually in regards to the time it takes the band to report a bass half for one music. “Usually, we labour over albums,” admits John.

“The final couple of albums have been laborious. Typically, that exhibits. Some songs have worn plenty of completely different garments throughout their conception. By the point they arrive out, you’re already worn out by them. This report simply feels recent.”

Roger takes up the theme, explaining: “Plenty of our studio albums have been lengthy, tortuous processes that take years to get to the purpose we want. There’s definitely a perfectionist streak that runs by all the band members.

“We’re positively a bunch of perfectionists. Typically, that makes for a tough recording course of, the place nothing feels adequate. We’ll maintain working away, recreating, remixing, transforming. With this report, it was all very easy.”

Velocity is of the essence

Not solely did the four-day deadline focus the thoughts, Duran’s new rapid-fire method was prompt by Nile Rodgers, as Le Bon remembers: “When Nile walked in to the studio, he defined that typically, the very first thing you give you, you routinely disregard as a result of it’s come too simply – so that you don’t suppose it’s any good. However truly, your first intuition is perhaps nice. That’s what we did.

“We hit on concepts rapidly and didn’t spend an entire load of time doubting it. It was: ‘Yeah, that is positive, let’s work on this.’ Danse Macabre’s title observe got here first, and that’s a quite simple music.”

For Roger, it was a reminder of Duran’s earliest days, as he remembers: “The ethos for this album was: ‘Your first concepts are your finest concepts. Do it rapidly.’

“When you have got that preliminary artistic rush, these concepts are continuously your finest concepts. That’s how we wrote the primary two albums. We’d give you tunes and go: ‘Yeah, that’s nice.’ Rio and Hungry Like The Wolf have been written amazingly rapidly, as a result of we trusted who we have been and what we have been doing.

“As soon as we received to Seven And The Ragged Tiger, we began to query ourselves extra and grow to be self-analytical. That’s when the tortuous technique of album-making started.”

In fact, it additionally helped that almost all of the brand new album’s songs may very well be traced again to that Las Vegas present. “All people had their infants,” says John of the selection of canopy variations.

“We have been happy with Future Previous, as a result of it provides an excellent sense of who we’re. However on Danse Macabre, you may actually see behind the scenes of who the entire band is.

“For me, it was: ‘Siouxsie And The Banshees? Fuck yeah!’ Then, Simon went someplace with Paint It Black that no person anticipated and he’s fully made it work.”

Been there earlier than

In fact, you may’t discuss Duran Duran covers with out mentioning the Thank You LP from 1995. Commercially, it immediately derailed the progress made by The Marriage ceremony Album two years beforehand.

It’s been rightly reassessed by critics who’ve given it a second likelihood since, however the report’s unavailability on bodily codecs means it’s been simple to dismiss Duran’s variations of Excellent Day, Watching The Detectives and Public Enemy’s 911 Is A Joke, although their immediate celebration starter tackle White Traces stays a staple of their exhibits 28 years on.

“The concept of how Thank You was acquired in 1995 solely makes me need to do extra covers, not much less,” laughs Nick. “It’s weathered the take a look at of time fairly properly, that album.

“On the time, white artists weren’t actually working with black artists. One motive Thank You wasn’t profitable in America could be summed up by our radio promo particular person telling us: ‘You have to give us a model of White Traces with out the rap in. I mentioned: ‘You’ve received to be kidding, that’s the entire level of it.’

“As for 911 Is A Joke, Public Enemy actually like our model. Lou Reed instructed Simon of our Excellent Day: ‘That’s the way in which I’d wish to have sung it, if I might.’ You’ll be able to’t get extra of a praise.

“Some songs, in hindsight, we would have modified or not executed. Ball Of Confusion we possibly shouldn’t have executed. Simon wasn’t comfy together with his vocals on that one. But it surely’s win some, lose some and I don’t thoughts what individuals say about Thank You in any respect.”

The Specials’ Ghost City is that this album’s sacred cow that can probably have broadsheet critics stating that pop fops like Duran Duran shouldn’t contact it.

“I’m so glad Ghost City is on there,” counters John. “I wasn’t into 2-Tone on the time. However trying again now? Holy fuck, The Specials have been superb.

“I puzzled what Simon might do with it, and what Simon got here again with is incredible. As enjoyable because the album is, we took our roles severely. For me, I puzzled: ‘How can a rhythm part tackle Supernature?’ As a result of that’s one of many best dance songs of all time.”

“The originals of all these songs are clearly nice,” acknowledges Rhodes. “We haven’t aimed to say: ‘How can we make our variations higher?’ It’s not a contest. Most of our variations are pretty trustworthy. We’ve determined to easily play them in our type.”

The notable exception is Duran Duran reworking Billie Eilish’s playful lo-fi emo bop Bury A Good friend from her 2019 album When We All Fall Asleep, The place Do We Go? right into a full goth melodrama.

“It’s beautiful, exactly what the Duran of 2023 must be doing. “It’s my favorite, too,” enthuses Simon. “John turned me on to the music, which I wasn’t that aware of.

“Billie’s unique is so good, I assumed: ‘How on earth am I going to do that with out creating a foul impersonation of Billie Eilish?’ What she does works for her, nevertheless it wouldn’t if anybody else tried it.”

Salvation got here from the seemingly unlikely supply of prolific Australian neo-proggers King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, through their music O.N.E.

“Their debut album and O.N.E. specifically use a Center Japanese tonality,” explains Le Bon. “They sing in a scale referred to as Hijaz, which could be very completely different from an everyday Western melodic scale. I might now get very technical and discuss ‘flattened seconds’.”

As an alternative, Simon sings an impression of Billie Eilish, earlier than his personal model of Bury A Good friend. It’s, readers, a complete deal with. “As I used to be singing, it felt actually thrilling, as a result of I took the music someplace it hadn’t been already.

“I also needs to say, Billie Eilish’s lyrics are superb. I’m very grateful for that. Duran Duran followers will know that I’m too costly to write down too many new lyrics myself.”

He’s laughing as he says it, however the concept Simon Le Bon managed to pen lyrics for 3 new songs in 4 days is the largest supply of Duran Duran gossip in years.

“Doing it so rapidly solely works once you’re correctly impressed,” he nods. “We have been all in that temper on this album. Writing lyrics rapidly additionally works as long as you don’t have someone reviewing your work saying: ‘I believe it’s worthwhile to change this and this.’

“That actually fucks issues up and I’ve a phrase for it: the lyrical policeman. The lyrical policeman doesn’t work if you would like issues executed rapidly.”

That pace of thought means the brand new album ends on Confession In The Afterlife. There’s an apparent query right here: Why has it taken Duran Duran 43 years to create a music with the none-more-Duran title of Confession In The Afterlife?

“Had Simon proven me a music with that title in 1980, I’d have mentioned: ‘Sure, completely, that’s the opening album observe,’” smiles Nick, as Le Bon reveals: “I’m glad you’ve picked up on it being such a Duran title. I actually love that music, it may very well be on an Arcadia album.

“It got here from taking part in round with the concept of what it might really feel like should you actually have been useless. What if there’s the retention of reminiscence within the afterlife? I realised nothing would matter. You might say what you want, as a result of there’s nothing anyone might do to you.”

Axe heroes unite

John eulogises common Duran dwell guitarist Dom Brown’s bluesy solo on the music.

“It’s the emotional highpoint on the album,” the bassist raves. “It’s good to symbolize Duran Duran’s story of guitarists on this report, and Dom performs essentially the most emotionally charged solo on the entire album.”

Taking into account the function the guitar performs in Danse Macabre, that’s massive speak from John Taylor. That is, in fact, the one album to function each Andy Taylor and Warren Cuccurullo.

Throw in Nile Rodgers, too, and there’s a beautiful array of guitar expertise throughout its 13 songs. (“The album needed to function 13 songs,” emphasises Rhodes. “It’s a Halloween album, it couldn’t have some other quantity.”)

Nick explains the concept began from wanting Andy and Warren to play at The Rock And Roll Corridor Of Fame. Warren mentioned no as a result of he thought it must be Andy’s time within the highlight. Andy, in fact, was then unable to look due to his prostate most cancers prognosis.

“After we began this report, I assumed if Andy was in a position to play on it that it is perhaps one thing optimistic for him,” remembers Nick. “The others mentioned it’d be a pleasant gesture to ask. Plus, in fact, Andy is a superb guitarist. He thinks so quick and was in a position to play on 10 songs in three days.”

Simon flew with engineer Josh Blair to the guitarist’s house in Ibiza to report these elements.

“Working with Andy once more was superb,” says Le Bon. “Nick is correct, Andy is so fast. Andy simply likes to play guitar, so it was a privilege seeing him in motion.

“It was humorous how fast it was, getting again within the swing of Andy being there. Yasmin got here, too, she stayed by the pool. It was simply an incredible few days, a extremely pretty time.”

Rhodes’ reasoning was that, if Andy Taylor was briefly rejoining Duran Duran, so ought to Warren Cuccurullo, lacking for the reason that unique line-up reformed in 2002.

“Warren was my subsequent thought after Andy,” the keyboardist explains. “I’ve at all times liked the way in which Warren performs. As a guitarist, Warren is among the nice wonders of the world.

“No matter you suppose Warren goes to play, he does one thing else. His thoughts is a very unpredictable maze of darkish corridors, with unusual presents on the finish of every one. What Warren delivers on the title observe of Danse Macabre is one thing distinctive and noteworthy.”

All the band share that enthusiasm, with Roger summarising: “Every time I play Come Undone or Abnormal World in live performance, I’ve an infinite sense of gratitude for the additional dimension that Warren delivered to Duran, so it’s superb he’s come again for this report.”

As nice as Warren’s contribution is, the very fact Black Moonlight’s groove lives as much as the concept of Nile Rodgers and Andy Taylor on the identical music is a correct second.

“Simply keep near Nile within the studio and also you’ll be grooving,” laughs John. “Nile at all times stays present and could be very fluid in his creativity. He doesn’t second-guess himself, he simply goes with the stream.

“He and Mark Ronson are nice at pushing us exterior of our consolation zone. Left on our personal, we would say: ‘No, we will’t try this,’ however they’re nice at broadening our boundaries and saying: ‘No, it’s all cool.’”

Of the three reworked current Duran Duran songs on Danse Macabre, Union Of The Snake’s B-side Secret Oktober is particular for Andy, John and Roger – as none of them performed on the 1983 unique.

Famously in Duran lore, the band have been instructed so late within the day that they wanted a brand new B-side that solely Simon, Nick and producer Alex Sadkin seem on the music.

“I’ve at all times liked Secret Oktober,” laughs Roger. “I’ve at all times been glad to do it dwell, as I like programming and utilizing electronics in my equipment, however I’m happy that we’ve managed to take the music someplace higher with the brand new model.”

Nick provides: “After we did the Halloween present, we thought in regards to the apparent massive Duran songs that barely fitted into the Halloween space: The Wild Boys, Hungry Like The Wolf. However for an album, that felt much less applicable than taking a few of our much less predictable songs and letting them shine.”

Dusty binned

Even in that quick spell of 4 days within the studio, not every part went completely. Simon was disenchanted that the remainder of the band rejected his thought to cowl the Eagles’ Witchy Lady, noting: “I’m an enormous fan of the Eagles, nevertheless it was deemed unacceptable.”

In return, the singer couldn’t familiarize yourself with protecting Dusty Springfield’s 1968 single Spooky. “The unique of Spooky works as a result of the vocal could be very straight, however the backing is absolutely curvy,” explains Le Bon.

“Every observe Dusty sings could be very straight and exact, and the location of a really straight vocal over a blue-sounding backing makes it work. One other instance is Canned Warmth’s Going Up The Nation: straight vocals over a really twangy backing.

“However our backing was as straight as Dusty’s vocal. I attempted to sing the melody and it simply wasn’t going to work: it was too straight over straight. So I attempted to make my vocals curvy, and that didn’t work both.

“I might have tried to power myself to make it sort-of work, however I do know I’d have cringed each time I heard it. I actually love Spooky, however I needed to say: ‘Sorry, I’m simply not going to sing this.’” One other massive chuckle. “You need to belief the singer typically.”

John accepts Simon’s determination, shrugging: “For essentially the most half, all of us dug what every of us selected, however Simon simply didn’t like what we did with Spooky. That’s positive – possibly we’ll make it work sooner or later.”

As Nick factors out: “You’ll be able to’t win each determination, and we respect one another’s judgement. In addition to, if we had completed Spooky, that will imply we’d have had 14 songs. One thing would have needed to be dropped from the album anyway, to get it again to 13 songs.”

Rhodes prefers to spotlight how nice Simon’s vocals are on their ferocious model of Speaking Heads’ traditional Psycho Killer: “David Byrne singing Psycho Killer is among the best vocals ever, however Simon thought that music was in our space. What he does with that music exhibits he was completely proper.”

Le Bon agrees: “Oh, I simply liked doing Psycho Killer in Vegas. That’s one among our nice covers, it needed to be on the album.”

Danse Macabre is in impact the end result of Nick and John’s teenage friendship, after they’d watch Hammer Home Of Horror movies at Nick’s dad and mom’ home.

“As youngsters, essentially the most thrilling a part of our week was watching these movies,” Rhodes remembers. “For individuals of our era, these movies have been necessary – they formed us, and I’ve by no means forgotten their influence. You by no means knew what you have been going to get: vampires, werewolves, possibly even Raquel Welch.”

Even earlier than that, Nick’s love of Halloween had taken maintain. Actual surname Bates, Nick’s dad and mom ran Bates’ Toy Store
in Birmingham: “Once I was 10, I’d organize the toyshop home windows. That was nice enjoyable, and I’d at all times put a ouija board entrance and centre within the show.

“My mother had complaints that it wasn’t applicable. I requested her: ‘What’s the issue?’, as a result of I appreciated the concept of getting conversations with the useless. Truly, Conversations With The Useless isn’t a foul music title both.”

The younger Simon Le Bon was additionally within the paranormal. “I appreciated scaring myself,” he chuckles. “I as soon as satisfied myself I noticed a ghost. Later, in fact, I realised what it was: I used to be simply convincing myself. I don’t imagine in ghosts or something like that now.”

Regardless of Simon’s scepticism, Danse Macabre is Duran Duran putting themselves entrance and centre for Halloween mischief in music. “We needed to capitalise on Halloween,” admits Nick. “It’s our likelihood to say: ‘Let’s personal a little bit of Halloween.’

“Let’s face it, Halloween is essentially the most Duran Duran celebration of the yr: it’s humorous, uplifting and other people put on fabulous outfits. What extra would you like?”

What’s Rhodes’ most well-liked Halloween costume? “I favour vampires, as they’re my non secular household,” he considers. “But it surely’s tough. Once I costume up for Halloween, individuals simply say: ‘I see Nick has come as himself.’”

Christmas is cancelled

The album definitely feels a extra pure match for the band than a Christmas report. Not that they haven’t had affords. “We have been approached to do a Christmas single at one level,” reveals Roger. “We thought it was too tacky, so we didn’t do it.

“I usually say we must always have mentioned sure, as a result of we’d nonetheless be getting a ton of royalties now. No, it was too corny. I can’t think about we’d do a Christmas album now, except it was a particularly completely different tackle the concept.”

Nick provides the notion equally quick shrift, saying: “I have a good time Christmas the identical as everybody, nevertheless it’s not one thing near my coronary heart. In a wierd, stunning method, Halloween is pricey to me. I like that it’s a pagan celebration of craziness.

“As a child, witches, black cats, demons and monsters have been far more interesting than some massive man with a beard in a pink swimsuit.”

In addition to forcing Duran to go together with their first instincts, the recording of Danse Macabre needed to be fast, because the second leg of the Future Previous Tour was approaching. The exhibits have acquired a number of the finest critiques of their profession.

“It looks like Duran Duran have reached important mass,” ponders Roger. “For the previous couple of excursions, we performed to our hardcore viewers.

“Perhaps due to The Rock And Roll Corridor Of Fame, a mass of individuals need to see us now. We’re getting the form of viewers the Eagles have. Future Previous hit the spot, too. Regardless of the mixture of causes, it feels as if we’ve hit it massive once more.”

As enormous as their exhibits are, might Duran maintain it intimate and play Danse Macabre in full subsequent Halloween? Ideally at a suitably spooky venue? “Oh, we completely ought to,” agrees John. “Our Halloween subsequent yr must be constructed round this album. It’s at all times good to have plans.”

Rhodes considers: “There are any variety of nice gothic venues within the UK. The Royal Albert Corridor can be good and grandiose. Halloween is so mainstream in America, anyplace might work.

“We might play Madison Sq. Backyard they usually’d be up for a Danse Macabre Halloween present.”

As for Simon? “The Coliseum in Italy, bowls of flame throughout us, that’s the vibe Danse Macabre ought to have. I grew up close to West Wycombe, and The Hellfire Caves there would even be good.”

A pause, earlier than a ultimate burst of Le Bon enthusiasm. “No! HANG ON. Above The Hellfire Caves, there’s a mausoleum in-built to it. It’s a gothic folly: a circle with arches and no roof. It’s in plenty of Hammer Horror movies. It will be like taking part in Stonehenge. That’s the place we must always do a Danse Macabre present.”

That’s 31 October sorted, then. Halloween in music positively now belongs to Duran. With Danse Macabre, they’ve made an album lively – and a touch of the afterlife, too. See you below the black moonlight…