Duran Time

"Duran Time"

Fan art from 2010.

"Duran Time" is a phrase used by fans to describe the time period between the initial development of a project, or idea, and the final release of that idea to the public. The term is widely used be fans on Duran Duran forums and related comments.

About The Term

Nobody currently knows where the term came from, or when it originated. At the earliest, it could have been coined during the hiatus between Seven and the Ragged Tiger and Notorious, with subsequent albums usually being released every other year. This gap between album releases steadily grew; Duran Duran (1993 album) was released 3 years after Liberty. Astronaut was released 4 years after Pop Trash. Paper Gods was released 5 years after All You Need Is Now. Future Past was released 6 years after Paper Gods.

The term can also refer to the bands' plans and future hopes and arrangements. For example, "We are hoping to get back to Australia and South America next year", is an ongoing joke, based on the hiatus between visits to those countries' fandoms.

"Duran Time" is not about procrastination or laziness, in fact the band members are often busy with touring and scheduling, or in the studio, that they are unable to find time to do things that they planned. Those things might still happen, but more slowly. This slowness in terms of 'producing things' and 'going to places' is almost never a Never, but often a Some Day.

Part of the issue when producing music is the constant bickering, squabbling, arguments, and mirth in the studio. This fighting is normal for a band who each have 25% say in matters, and each makes a stand independently. This intent for integrity leads to a true team effort, but also design by committee; which means sometimes the results and disputes can take even longer to sort out. It can be difficult to find photographs which all of the band agree with, or set lists and set orders which all of the members agree on.

Nick is often involved with several projects at the same time; including various new box sets, remasters and special editions of previously released, and newly released work, and side projects with other artists both as a song writer, and also as a producer. Nick is reputed to be the fussiest when it comes to fine-tuning the details.

This need for perfection, combined with a largely hands-off approach to building audience hype on various releases over the years by the bands' management, leads to periods where fans must keep themselves entertained and amused. During this period, fans will often use the term to justify this waiting period as being normal, or at least, normal as far as Duran Duran are concerned.

Band References to the Term

In 1995, a special Thank You "Duran Time" wristwatch was made available. In 1998, fans could also order a Pop Trash "Duran Time" wristwatch.

Example Uses of the Term

2007 "Well whaddya expect DURAN TIME, when DD say something's going to come out on a certain date, give it about six months then start looking out for it."

2008 - "I still think the band should release Reportage somehow. I think it will see the light of day at some point in time, but we all know how Duran time goes."

2010 - "With talk of the new album on dd.com in Nick's blog and various bits and news recently I thought it only right that DURAN TIME clock returns --"

2015 - "If there is more than one single (likely if pressure off comes out in may/june), then hopefully we'll also get some nice b sides and not just a bunch of gimmicky remixes. Duran time should be measured not by months and years but by the movement of tectonic plates."

2019 - "So single out around the time they play Dublin, album September and UK shows in December...unless Duran time intervenes...in which 2021..."