Timeline:1979
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| The Duran Duran Timeline | ||
| << 1978 | 1979 | 1980 >> |
|
Duran Duran tries out several different lineups and refines their sound as they gain in popularity around Birmingham. Drummer Roger Taylor joins the band. | ||
| Date | Event
|
|---|---|
| ? | Paul and Michael Berrow open their new club, the Rum Runner, with an eclectic power playlist borrowed from Studio 54 in New York, walls full of mirrors, and a ton of attitude |
| ? | Simon works on Kibbutz Gvulot in Israel; writes early lyrics for "Careless Memories", "Sound of Thunder", "Tel Aviv" |
| ? | Warren tours Europe and Asia with Frank Zappa for four months |
| ? | Simon returns to England, works as a hospital porter in Harrow, sings in dark pop group Rov Ostrov |
| ? | Simon writes lyrics to "Waiting for the Nightboat" while waiting for the night bus home from Harrow |
| ? | Duran Duran record Dusk and Dawn. |
| Apr 5 | Duran Duran: Lecture Theatre, Birmingham Polytechnic University, Birmingham, England The first "Duran Duran" show; with Nick Bates on keyboards and drum machine, Nigel Taylor on guitar, and Stephen Duffy on bass and vocals; they play to an audience of about 10 people |
| Apr ? | Duran Duran: Lecture Theatre, Birmingham Polytechnic University, Birmingham, England The second and subsequent shows feature Simon Colley on clarinet and bass, "Nik Bates", "Steve Dufait", and Nigel Taylor |
| May 8 | Duran Duran: Cannon Hill Arts Centre, Birmingham, England. |
| ? | These early shows feature an "art school" flavor -- John covers the amps in white plastic, Nick plays tapes of chanting monks and ringing bells as backdrops to the band's music, and projects slides of architecture and John's geography field trip photos onto club walls and ceilings |
| ? | Duran writes and plays songs inspired by art and literature, with titles like "Toy Room To Tokyo" and "Aztec Moon"; some will later be re-recorded by The Devils |
| ? | Stephen Duffy records one of Duran's live performances, then sticks the tape in a drawer in his civil service post-office desk, to be rediscovered in 1999 (leading to the founding of The Devils project with Nick Rhodes) |
| Apr | Stephen Duffy (then known as Steven Dufait) and Simon Colley leave Duran to form Subterranean Hawks with TV Eye guitarist David Twist (former singer with John's band Shock Treatment) |
| May 10 | Duran Duran: Birmingham University, Birmingham, England cancelled |
| ? | TV Eye's singer Andy Wickett joins Duran; band rehearses upstairs at Andy's squat in Cheapside |
| ? | The band writes "See Me Repeat Me", which will eventually evolve into "Rio" |
| ? | Duran Duran: Barbarella's, Birmingham, England Roger sees several Duran shows at Barbarella's. |
| ? | Fashion: Barbarella's, Birmingham, England (with Duran Duran) |
| ? | The Scent Organs play a disastrous set at a street concert in Roger's neighborhood |
| ? | John and Andy Wickett see the Scent Organs playing at Barbarella's |
| ? | A drunken Andy Wickett meets Scent Organs drummer Roger Taylor at a party, and invites him to a Duran rehearsal |
| ? | Roger has a formal audition in Birmingham with the band; "See Me Repeat Me" is one of his audition numbers; he is hired on the spot to replace Nick's Kay Rhythm Unit drum machine |
| May ? | Duran Duran's line-up; Andy Wickett, John Taylor, Nick Rhodes, Roger Taylor |
| ? | Duran Duran: The Hosteria, Birmingham, England Roger's first gig with the band |
| May 29 | Duran Duran: Hexagon Theatre, Birmingham, England |
| Jun 1 | Duran Duran: Barbarella's, Birmingham, England |
| summer | Warren returns to Los Angeles with Zappa and plays on the triple album Joe's Garage, along with Terry Bozzio and his new wife Dale |
| Jun 20 | Roger meets dance student Giovanna Cantone "Actually, Roger and Giovanna first met at the Rum Runner on my birthday four years ago. She worked in the cloakroom and had a shaved head then." -- John Taylor, 1984 |
| ? | Spurred by his chemistry with Roger, John begins playing bass seriously, taking inspiration from Bernard Edwards of Chic and other dance/disco players |
| Sep | Duran records the 1979 Demo with producer Bob Lamb, consisting of "Girls on Film", "See Me Repeat Me", "Reincarnation", and "Working the Steel"; John plays both guitar and bass |
| ? | John hands the Duran demo tape in as his end-of-year project at school, passes, and promptly drops out |
| ? | Zappa's fall tour is cancelled; Warren begins writing songs with Dale Bozzio |
| Oct 11 | Duran Duran: Golden Eagle, Birmingham, England |
| Nov 13 | Duran Duran: Cellar Bar, Birmingham University, Birmingham, England |
| Nov 14 | Duran Duran: Cellar Bar, Birmingham University, Birmingham, England |
| ? | During a show at the University. the crowd throws everything they can at the band, covering them in tomato ketchup |
| Nov 18 | Duran Duran: Red Star Club, Essex Street, Birmingham, England (with Vision Collision and The Detectives) |
| Dec 15 | Duran Duran: Little Lakes Caravan Park, Bewdley, Worcester, England |
| ? | Singer Andy Wickett leaves the band to form World Service |
| ? | Roger suggests replacement singer Jeff Thomas from the Scent Organs |
| ? | Jeff Thomas joins the band and they continue to refine the music, but this incarnation never performs live |
| ? | London guitarist Alan Curtis (of London's Pride) answers the ad and joins the band |
| ? | Duran Duran's line-up; Jeff Thomas, Alan Curtis, John Taylor, Nick Rhodes, Roger Taylor |
| ? | The band travels in Jeff's van to Alan's flat in London for practice |
| ? | In Jeff's hands "See Me Repeat Me" becomes "Ami a Go Go" (also referred to as "Amy" or "MM a Go Go") |
| ? | Duran records another demo tape with Bob Lamb, consisting of "MM a Go Go", "Enigmatic Swimmers", "Girls on Film", and "Breaking Away" (which will later become "Late Bar") |
| ? | John designs a red, black and white cassette j-card for the demo, listing the band as:
(see collectibles for image) |
| ? | John and Nick shop their demo tapes around to A&R departments in London; but no one is interested |
| ? | Simon enrolls in Birmingham University drama department; dates Fiona Kemp
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| << 1978 | 1979 | 1980 >> |
