Timeline:1979
DDW: the united memory of all the fans
| 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 & 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 |
| 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) |
| ? | 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" |
| ? | 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 |
| ? | Spurred by his chemistry with Roger, John begins playing bass seriously, taking inspiration from Bernard Edwards of Chic and other dance/disco players |
| ? | Duran Duran: The Hosteria, Birmingham, England Roger's first gig with the band |
| ? | Simon returns to England, works as a hospital porter in Harrow, sings in dark pop group Rovostrov |
| ? | Simon writes lyrics to "Waiting for the Nightboat" while waiting for the night bus home from Harrow |
| 1 Feb | Duran Duran: Aston University, Birmingham, England |
| 18 Feb | Duran Duran: Nashville, London, England |
| 12 Mar | Duran Duran: Rum Runner, Birmingham, England |
| 5 Apr | Duran Duran: Birmingham Polytechnic, Birmingham, England |
| 10 May | Duran Duran: Birmingham University, Birmingham, England |
| 29 May | Duran Duran: Hexagon Theatre, Birmingham Arts Centre, Birmingham, England |
| 1 Jun | Duran Duran: Barbarella's, Birmingham, England |
| 20 Jun | Roger meets dance student Giovanna Cantone "Actually, Roger and Giovanna first met at The Rum Runner on my birthday five years ago. She worked in the cloakroom and had a shaved head then." -- John Taylor, 1984 |
| ? | Duran makes first demo the 1979 Demo with producer Bob Lamb, consisting of "Girls on Film", "See Me Repeat Me", "Reincarnation", and a song perhaps called "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 |
| ? | Duran places an ad in a music magazine: "Lead-Rhythm guitarist wanted for Roxy-Bowie influenced MODERN band" |
| ? | London guitarist Alan Curtis (of London's Pride) answers the ad and joins the band |
| 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 |
| ? | Zappa's fall tour is cancelled; Warren begins writing songs with Dale Bozzio |
| 11 Oct | Duran Duran: Golden Eagle, Birmingham, England |
| 14 Oct | Duran Duran: Birmingham University, Birmingham, England |
| 15 Nov | Duran Duran: Birmingham University, Birmingham, England |
| ? | During a show at the University. the crowd throws everything they can at the band, covering them in tomato ketchup |
| 25 Nov | Duran Duran: Red Star Club, Birmingham, England |
| 8 Dec | Duran Duran: Bewdley Caravan Park, Bewdley, 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 |
| ? | 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:
|
| ? | 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
|
| << 1978 | 1979 | 1980 >> |
