from the LP Duran Duran, EMI Records, 1981Reviled by those for whom the ‘80s are an ugly blotch on music’s history, adored by those who are in heaven with the current retro trends coming back from that decade, & an inspiration for hair stylists the world over (these boys did their part and then some regarding hair-spray-related-ozone-issues)--- Duran Duran exemplify everything, both majestic and debased, which the 1980s were about…think: doing lines of blow while playing Q-bert and chasing it with a Tab, now you’re getting close. They were the figureheads of a subculture within the greater world of new wave/post-punk which the music press dubbed “new romantic”; dance-y, angular rock with passionate vocals, created by people who looked like some kind of fashionista pirates, what with all those frilly blouses and the expensive, edgy haircuts. Founding members Nick Rhodes (on keyboards) and John Taylor (bass) took their name from the concierge character Durand-Durand in the whacked-out sci-fi movie Barbarella; in interviews, they initially described the sound they were going for as “Chic meets the Sex Pistols”. Although I would personally describe what they do as something more akin to Gang of Four meets Roxy Music in a pool full of cocaine and supermodels, this song off their debut album does a really fine job of presenting all the creative elements; Nick & John have said as much, (from a 2005 interviw) “…‘Sound of Thunder’ most closely matches our original concept for the band…” A steady and disco-fied electronic drumbeat pulses through the song alongside an actual drumset, which makes the whole thing feel very propulsive and, well, danceable. The words tell the stereotypical tale of a person who is at some kind of spiritual/nuptial crossroads, looking for a sign from above---it’s no surprise, as the actual lyrics came somewhere between makeup and tooth-whitening on most new romantic band’s priority lists! The way in which they were sung, however, was very important, and Simon LeBon was a clever choice for lead singer, his firm baritone coming across as both lusty and commanding, his visage gracing the walls inside wet teenage bedrooms for the better part of a decade. For better or worse, how you feel about the ‘80s in general will most likely regulate your feelings about Duran Duran, perhaps more so than most other bands of that era.
