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| The Duran Duran Timeline | ||
| << 1980 | 1981 | 1982 >> |
|
Duran Duran begins their rise to fame, as they promote and tour in the UK, Europe and North America to support their first album, Duran Duran, and the singles "Planet Earth", "Careless Memories", "Girls on Film" and "My Own Way". | ||
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Jan 4 | Sweet: Lyceum Auditorium, London, England (with Duran Duran) |
| Jan 16 | The band records an appearance on the Richard Skinner sessions on BBC at the BBC Pebble Mill Studios in Edgbaston, Birmingham; they perform “Friends of Mine”, “Sound of Thunder”, “Is There Anyone Out There”, and “Careless Memories” (broadcast between the 23rd & 26th of February). |
| Jan ? | The band are in the studio, working on the first album (according to Wikipedia). |
| Jan 31 | NME runs a one-page feature on Duran Duran written by Chris Salewicz. (page 13. JUST FINE AND DANDY) |
| ? | Duran Duran begin using hairdressers Wilson, Wilson and Wilson in Wolverhampton; Andy starts dating Tracey Wilson. |
| ? | BBC airs a three-minute Duran Duran Profile. |
| Feb 1? | Duran Duran do first photo session, in Nottingham, and a glass building with palm trees in Milton Keynes, with photographer Andy Earl. (Image Gallery), (Flyer), (Image). |
| Feb 2 | Duran Duran's first single, “Planet Earth” (backed with “Late Bar”) released in the UK. |
| Feb ? | “Planet Earth” single (backed with “To the Shore”) released in the US. |
| Feb ? | Duran Duran - With Compliments EP released in The Netherlands and Portugal. |
| Feb 10 | “Planet Earth” single entered the UK charts at number 97 (JT's book). |
| Feb 11 | The band record their perfomance for the show Look and Hear at the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham. |
| Feb 12 | At some point, the band get a call from the Countdown TV show in Australia (Molly Meldrum), asking for a music video clip for “Planet Earth”. During a one-day shoot in St. Johns Wood, London, the band get to meet Russell Mulcahy for the first time, and also Eric Fellner, later of Working Title films. (source). |
| Feb 12 | The filming of the “Planet Earth” happens. |
| Feb Mid | The band (probably) in the studio, working on their first album, according to John and Roger. (YT source (3:04)) |
| Feb 22 | “Planet Earth” single reaches the UK charts position #67. |
| Feb 24 | Duran Duran's first scheduled television appearance is cancelled because of Prince Charles and Lady Diana's engagement announcement. |
| FIRST UK TOUR The first headlining tour of the UK, in support of the Duran Duran album | |
| Feb 27 | Duran Duran: Aston University, Birmingham, England ⓢ bootlegged on probably faked Aston University |
| Mar 2 | Duran Duran: Brady's Club, Liverpool, England cancelled |
| Mar 3 | Duran Duran: Manchester Polytechnic, Manchester, England |
| Mar 4 | Duran Duran: Sundown Club, London, UK (with Biddie & Eve, B Movie & a DJ) ⓢ "The last time I saw that flash was when Ken East of EMI took me to a club on Charing Cross Road underneath the old Astoria to see the first London gig of Duran Duran as their first single was about to enter the charts. So it was a career-breaking moment. The group were on that exciting tightrope and it showed. The drummer was real, and was as opposite to the group as Charlie Watts was to the Stones and it worked. They were hungry young pups with a view for the kill." — Andrew Loog Oldham (who discovered and managed the Rolling Stones). a couple of songs bootlegged on Sundown, Early Days and Early Years |
| Mar 5 | Top of the Pops airs Duran Duran's lip-synch performance of “Planet Earth” (YouTube), (YouTube). Unless the show was broadcast live (special editions or after a bank holiday Monday), it was always filmed on the day before during this period - so Weds 4th. |
| Mar 5 | Smash Hits prints the readers poll winners of 1980. Duran Duran feature on the cover of the magazine, but are not nominated for any awards. See List of Duran Duran awards and nominations. (Full Smash Hits Magazine Issue). |
| Mar ? | At some point after the TOTP performance on TV airs, Simon's Dad phones him up to say he now understands why Simon dropped out of University, and is not angry anymore. (YouTube). |
| Mar 5 | Duran Duran: Rock City, Nottingham, England (with B Movie). |
| Mar 6 | Duran Duran: Top Rank, Cardiff, Wales (with DJ Paul Burnett). |
| Mar 7 | Duran Duran: Leicester Polytechnic, Leicester, England |
| Mar 8 | Duran Duran: Top Rank, Sheffield, England (with DJ Peter Powell). |
| Mar 10 | Duran Duran aired with a three-song set live on the Midlands music show Look and Hear ("Planet Earth", "Careless Memories" and "Girls on Film".) bootlegged on Live At The BBC 1981, 80s BBC: TV Rarities and Look and Hear. (FULL YT), (PE), (CM-1), (CM-2). |
| Mar 10 | Duran Duran hold an end of tour party at the Rum Runner in Birmingham (see Collectibles for a flyer). |
| Mar Mid | After the tour, the band go back into the London studio to finishing off and mix the new album, according to John. (YT source (2:50)) |
| Mar Mid | At some point after the TOTP performance on TV airs, Nick and John are walking down South Molton Street in London, and are suddenly surrounded by about 200 people. They take refuge inside of a shop and have to call the police to get them out. John and Nick say this was the moment they knew the band had 'made it'. (YouTube). |
| Mar 19 | Top of the Pops re-airs Duran Duran's lip-synch performance of "Planet Earth"; bootlegged on Live At The BBC 1981, (YouTube) |
| Mar 28 | “Planet Earth” peaks at #12 in the UK. |
| Mar 28 | Andy and Simon appear on the final ever episode of UK ITV's Kids TV show Saturday Shake-Up, interviewed by Alastair Pirrie. The show is pre-recorded. They say "Planet Earth" is at Number 12 in the UK charts. Simon's roots in music include The Monkeys, Bowie and Cockney Rebel. Wearing makeup has become boring and isn't new anymore. (YouTube). |
| Apr 13 | Duran Duran perform "Planet Earth" on Cheggers Plays Pop; bootlegged on Live At The BBC 1981 and 80s BBC: TV Rarities (YouTube) (YouTube). |
| Apr 20 | “Careless Memories” single (backed with “Khanada”) released in UK; the 12" single includes a cover of David Bowie's “Fame”. On The Saturday Show in 1983, John mentions that CM was released as the 2nd single at EMI's insistence; against the band's wishes. |
| May 4 | On strength of the video, “Planet Earth” reaches #8 in Australia. (Source). |
| May | “My Own Way” written. |
| ? | The Australian compilation album 1981...Rocks On released, featuring "Planet Earth". |
| ? | John's favourite magazine, the New Musical Express (NME) begins snubbing the band, although they have no problem putting Grace Jones on their cover in July. |
| May | Duran Duran appear on their first magazine cover: Smash Hits UK |
| May | Duran Duran begin a love/hate relationship with teen magazines (Smash Hits. Star Hits, Music Star, 16, Bop, Jackie, My Guy, Tiger Beat, etc.) which fuel their fame but damage their credibility. |
| May | Warren Cuccurullo and Missing Persons as U.S. Drag appears in the film Lunch Wagon. They are promoting their 4-track EP, and play the song 'Mental Hopscotch'. (MH - YouTube), (MH #2 - YouTube), (ILB - YouTube), (MH from the audience) - YouTube)). |
| May | Nite Romantics EP released in Japan, containing night versions of “Planet Earth” and “Girls on Film” plus “Fame” and “Khanada” |
| May 11 | First anniversary of Simon joining the band. |
| May 11 | The band give an audio interview. They talk about their anniversaries of joining the band. They get along well with each other. The new album has been released, with tour starting June 29th. (perhaps airs June?). (YouTube). |
| May 12-19? | Roger and John take their girlfriends off for a weeks holiday to Crete, an island in the Mediterranean. They are regularly updated on the progress of Careless Memories; which isn't doing very well; and they consider their career may already be over. (YT source (11:40)) |
| May 17 | “Careless Memories” peaks at #37 in UK for 2 weeks. |
| May 19? | Roger and John return home with sun tans, and go straight to London to record Careless Memories for Top of the Pops. |
| May 21 | Top of the Pops airs Duran Duran's lip-synch performance of “Careless Memories” (YouTube) Unless the show was broadcast live (special editions or after a bank holiday Monday), it was always filmed on the day before during this period - so Weds 20th. |
| Jun 15 | Duran Duran album released worldwide; first pressing does not include “To the Shore” |
| Jun 19 | Duran Duran record an appearance on the Peter Powell show on BBC at the BBC Pebble Mill Studios in Edgbaston, Birmingham; performing "Night Boat”, “Girls on Film”, “Is There Anyone Out There”, and “Like An Angel” (broadcast — August 11th, 1981, and released on Duran Duran (2CD/DVD)) -- (NB), (GOF), (AOT), (LAA) |
| Jun | According to John's girlfriend Roberta Earl-Price, all of the band except Roger were in to drugs, especially cocaine. After the album is released, the availability of women and coke becomes more noticeable. Consumption of coke goes up. (source). |
| Jun | The new tour is a sell-out, packed mainly with screaming girls, thanks to the huge exposure in British teen magazines. (YouTube). |
| Jun 27 | A full page B&W ad appears in NME for the first album/tour (page 9) |
| The FASTER THAN LIGHT Tour | |
| Jun 29 | Duran Duran: Brighton Dome, Brighton, England |
| Jun 30 | Duran Duran: Gaumont, Southampton, England |
| Jul 1 | Duran Duran: Rock City, Nottingham, England switched from De Montfort Hall, Leicester |
| Jul | "...there was a major riot in Brixton in South London in April 1981. Between July 3 and 11 that year, there were similar uprisings in Southall, Toxteth, Moss Side and Handsworth. There were smaller riots in many cities including Leeds, Leicester, Southampton, Halifax, Bedford, Gloucester, Coventry, Bristol, Edinburgh and dozens of other places." |
| Jul 3 | Duran Duran: Apollo, Manchester, England |
| Jul 4 | Duran Duran: City Hall, Newcastle, England |
| Jul 5 | 'Duran Duran: Tiffany's, Glasgow, Scotland |
| Jul 6 | Duran Duran: Odeon, Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Jul 7 | Duran Duran appear on the British TV show Old Grey Whistle Test. Introduced by Annie Nightingale. Bootlegged on EMI Demos, Old Grey Whistle Test, Off The Record (YouTube), (NB). |
| Jul 8 | Duran Duran: Royal Concert Theatre, Liverpool, England |
| Jul 9 | Duran Duran: Hammersmith Odeon, London, England (with Our Daughter's Wedding & Animal Magnet) ⓢ set list includes a cover of the Isley Brothers song "Tell Me It's Just A Rumor Baby" (sometimes labelled "Just Got A Groove On"); bootlegged, on Decadent Durantics, Khanada and London, England - July 9, 1981 |
| Jul 10 | Duran Duran: New Theatre, Oxford, England |
| Jul 9/10 | The original dates announced were New Theatre Oxford on the 9th & Rainbow Theatre London on the 10th. |
| Jul 10 | Riots erupt in Birmingham suburb of Handsworth; hundreds of people attack police and property, looting and smashing, even setting off fire bombs |
| Jul 11 | Afternoon signing session at HMV, New Street, Birmingham. |
| Jul 11 | Duran Duran: Birmingham Odeon, Birmingham, England |
| Jul 13 | “Girls on Film” single (backed with “Faster Than Light”) released worldwide. Featuring the memorable intro by Paul Berrow's Nikon camera. |
| Jul 18 | Aplauso (Spain) airs Duran Duran's lip-synch performance of “Planet Earth” (source) |
| Jul 25 | Duran Duran is featured in an NME article by Paul Morley (pages 16 & 17) |
| Jul 28 | Duran Duran appear on Cheggers Plays Pop (source). |
| Jul 30 | Top of the Pops airs Duran Duran's lip-synch performance of “Girls on Film” (YouTube), (YouTube). Unless the show was broadcast live (special editions or after a bank holiday Monday), it was always filmed on the day before during this period - so Weds 29th. |
| Summer | Missing Persons 4-Track EP finds traction and becomes popular on American radio station KROQ-FM. The band become the 'must see' live act in LA. |
| Aug 1 | MTV launched in the US |
| Aug | The promo compilation album Musical Times featuring "Girls on Film" is released in Germany. |
| ? | The Fingers Off! compilation album, featuring Duran Duran, is given away with Levi jeans in the UK. |
| Aug 8 | Duran appear on BBC Manchester's "Get Set for Summer" (source). They are interviewed by Peter Powell on the roof of BBC Oxford Road Studios, strongly disapproving of "Careless Memories" as a single (YouTube). Later they lip-synch a performance of Girls On Film (GOF) |
| Aug 13 | “Girls on Film” video filmed at Shepperton Studios with directors Godley & Creme (formerly of 10cc) |
| Aug 13 | Top of the Pops re-airs Duran Duran's lip-synch performance of “Girls on Film” (GOF) |
| Aug 13 | The filming the Girls on Film video got John aroused. He telephones his Birmingham girlfriend Roberta to join him in London. (source). |
| Aug 16 | “Girls on Film” peaks at #5 in the UK. |
| Aug 18 | Duran Duran appear on Cheggers Plays Pop (source). |
| Aug 21 | Claire Stansfield, a London born Canadian living in Toronto, is 17 years old today. She recently finished High School. |
| Aug late | Before the European section of the tour, the band stayed at the Holiday Inn, Swiss Cottage in London. One of the roadies had been out with a girl and they got high on drugs and booze. They drove back so badly that the police followed them to the hotel. The roadie burst into the room and shouted: "Hide your drugs, there are cops everywhere!". John and Roberta panicked, and tried to flush £300 worth of coke down the toilet. But it was so powdery it went everywhere. Another one of the band’s girlfriends swallowed their drugs while the scare was on, and was high for three days. (source). |
| Aug 27? | "Last Chance on the Stairway" written, perhaps as a reflection on the recent drug bust? |
| Aug 28 | A demo of "My Own Way" "New Religion" and "Last Chance on the Stairway" recorded at EMI's Manchester Square headquarters on Aug. 28, 1981. "My Own Way" included different instrumental flourishes: prominent percussion, light-touch guitar riffs and bursts of Andy Taylor's signature electric guitar. (source). |
| Aug 30 | “Duran Duran (1981 album)” peaks at #3 in UK. |
| EUROPEAN PROMO PERFORMANCES | |
| Sep 3? | Band visits Barcelona, Spain |
| Sep 4? | Band visits Portugal |
| ? | Simon is interviewed on Vapor radio, Portugal |
| Sep 5 | ‘Passeio dos Alegres’ , presented by Júlio Isidro, in Portugal (first appearance). The band mime “Girls on Film” (twice!), "Careless Memories" and "Planet Earth" (the show aired live on Sunday nights, so, since they were in Amsterdam on the 12th & in the USA from the 15th onwards, it has to have been the 5th). (Full), (GOF, take 1). |
| Sep 7 | Duran Duran: Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium |
| Sep 8 | Duran Duran: Captain Video Club, Paris, France ⓢ EMI spends £9,000 on publicity and another £2,000 ferrying Duran fans from the Rum Runner to Paris to ensure there's a crowd! Broadcast on French radio; some songs appear on various concert bootlegs, including Live At Capitain Video Paris (The gig), (News/GOF/Simon Falls). |
| Sep 9 | Duran Duran: Ontmoetingscentrum, Harelbeke, Belgium ⓢ |
| Sep ? | Duran Duran perform “Girls on Film” at the Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) in Berlin for Rock / Pop Germany. (this consumer electronics trade show ran from the 4th-18th of September inclusive, & incidentally was the first public demonstration of the CD by Philips & Sony) |
| ? | The band appear in a European interview (YouTube) |
| Sep 11 | {{{2}}} |
| Sep 12 | Duran Duran: Paradiso Club, Amsterdam, Netherlands (with Ton Lebbink) ⓢ bootlegged on Amsterdam 1981 and Room 7609 - (NB) |
| Sep 15 | The band flies to America for the first time |
| Sep 15 | FIRST NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINING TOUR Eighteen dates [still missing one or two]. EMI arranges a press conference along the way [anyone know where or when? - according to Bob Leafe this was at Capitol Records in NYC; set lists include a cover of David Bowie's "Fame" |
| Sep 16 | Duran Duran: Spit, Long Island, NY, USA Sponsored by WLIR radio (Garden City, NY) |
| Sep 17 | Duran Duran: The Channel, Boston, MA, USA |
| Sep 17-21 | The band staying at the St Moritz hotel overlooking Central Park. |
| Sep 18 | Duran Duran: The Ritz, New York, NY, USA This date & venue confirmed in a NY Times review from the 22nd of September 1981 (Ref), and also local news (Source). In an interview with Stephan Saban (interviewing John & Nick) on the 19th, it notes that the venue was over capacity. |
| Sep 18-19 | After the show at the Ritz, the band go to Studio 54; before Nick, John & Roger decide to drive around in a "huge silver Caddy', buying Egg McMuffins at 6am. |
| Sep 19 | Duran Duran: The Ritz, New York, NY, USA In an interview with Stephan Saban (interviewing John & Nick), it said: "Duran Duran will play one more gig at the Ritz tonight, & then tour across the States to Los Angeles & back to New York... ...Tomorrow, John & Nick will probably visit places I've never been to, like the Empire State building." |
| Sep 21 | Duran Duran visit the MTV studios (when MTV was only sixteen people in three rooms) in New York, and discuss the possibilities of video |
| Sep 22 | Duran Duran: Bayou Theater, Washington, DC, USA ⓢ bootlegged on Live Era: 1981-2000 and released by the Fan Club on Live At The Bayou Club |
| Sep 23 | Duran Duran: Eastside Club, Philadelphia, PA, USA ⓢ |
| ? | Duran Duran: [venue?], Pittsburgh, PA, USA bootlegged [may be Philadelphia show, misidentified as Pittsburgh?] |
| Sep 25 | Duran Duran: Le Club Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Sep 26 | Duran Duran: El Mocambo, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Sep 26 | Simon (22) and Toronto model Claire Stansfield (17) meet. Claire tours with the band until 1984. |
| Sep 27 | Duran Duran: Saint Andrews, Detroit, MI, USA |
| Sep 27 | Duran Duran: Nitro, 14060 Telegraph Road, Redford, MI, USA ?. A flyer posted in Collectibles has this venue and date |
| Sep 29 | Duran Duran: Duffy's, Minneapolis, MN, USA
This date & venue are given in a review of the show by the The Minneapolis Star on the 30th of September - which states it was both an evening show & the first show in the area. |
| Sep 29 | Given the above, this show info looks to be wrong. |
| Sep 30 | Duran Duran: Parkwest, Chicago, IL, USA |
| Oct ? | Simon and Nick give an interview for the first time for MTV. The members claim they have been together for 18 months. Simon discusses the perspectives of being a video band. (FB). |
| Oct ? | Simon and Nick records a promo for MTV. (YouTube). |
| Oct 1 | Amanda Berrow is left behind at the Chicago Hotel, without passport or money. (source). |
| Oct 1 | The group book into the infamous (Keith Richards, 1972) Continental Hyatt Hotel in Hollywood, and cause as much mayhem as possible on their day off. Including stealing maid supplies, unscrewing light bulbs, squirting shampoo into beds in other rooms, and dumping shampoo into the fountain. (source). |
| Oct 1 | Duran Duran are kicked out of the Hyatt Hotel in Hollywood after several of the crew went to the rooftop, and Andy threw some water from a bucket down over people eating in the open restaurant below. Amanda Berrow: "We ran from the crime scene. It had been a silly afternoon of misadventure but the Police didn’t see it that way, we were notified that due to the unruly behaviour of some of the Duran Duran party, the Hyatt had asked us all to leave." (source). |
| Oct 1 | The band check into The Sunset Marquee Hotel in LA, where the band Haircut 100 were hanging out by the pool. (source). |
| Oct 2? | The band interviewed during warm-ups by Entertainment Tonight in Los Angeles. Talk of punk. The best bands start young. GOF video plays. The tour is the most important thing. Andy says they'd rather be stinking rich and artistically satisfied. (YouTube). |
| Oct 2 | Duran Duran: The Roxy, Hollywood, CA, USA ⓢ bootlegged on Live At Roxy, Los Angeles, 2nd October 1981 and The Roxy |
| Oct 3 | Duran Duran hold an autograph party at Vinyl Fetish record store in Hollywood |
| Oct 3 | There's something wrong with this date as the Go-Go's played the Greek Theatre from the 8th to the 10th of October; where there's [both a poster & t-shirt with these dates on], whilst [the Go-Go's gigography]/[setlist.fm]/etc/etc have them playing The Cinema, San Francisco on the 3rd of October. Likewise, I've searched hither & yon there's no LA newspaper reviews of any Go-Go's show there in October until after the 10th. PD. |
| Oct 3 | Duran Duran: The Roxy, Hollywood, CA, USA Late night performance that began at 11.30pm, with tickets costing $7.50 (see Concert Ticket Stubs) |
| Oct 4 | Simon, Nick, John & Roger do an interview with Rodney Bingenheimer on KROQ radio (Los Angeles, CA). According to Simon four songs have been written (probably My Own Way, New Religion, Last Chance on the Stairway and something else (Like an Angel?). John says the album is gonna Rio, supposedly, the earliest time it is mentioned. |
| Oct 5 | Duran Duran: I-Beam, San Francisco, CA, USA (with Quiet Room) |
| Oct 8 | Duran Duran: Pirate's Cove, Cleveland, OH, USA |
| Oct 9 | Duran Duran: Left Bank, Mount Vernon, NY, USA |
| Oct 10 | Duran Duran: Underground Club, The Savoy, New York, NY, USA about 2,500 in attendance, including Andy Warhol |
| Oct 10 | After the show, the band meet Andy Warhol backstage, and take him in the limo over to Studio 54 for a party. Warhol said: "Duran Duran are good-looking kids like Maxwell Caulfield. And then afterwards they wanted to meet me so we went backstage and I told them how great they were. They all wore lots of make-up but they had their girlfriends with them from England, pretty girls, so I guess they're all straight, but it was hard to believe. We went to Studio 54 in their white limo and Steve Rubell was really nice to them. He took them to the booth and gave them drinks." -- The Andy Warhol Diaries Roberta Earl-Price said "We went to some night clubs. Andy Warhol was there, and apparently keen to get one of the group into bed with him. He had no chance." John ignored Roberta for another girl. Roberta lost her temper back at the hotel; they had a real row. A card fell out of John’s pocket with a name of a topless model on it. He admitted he had slept with the model and said there had been many other girls while he’d been out on tour. Roberta is furious. John locks himself in the bathroom. (source). |
| Oct ? | Band hangs out with Andy Warhol at The Factory; parties at the Savoy |
| Oct ? | The band shoot some raunchy pictures for soft erotic Oui magazine during their American tour. (Images). |
| Oct 20? | The band fly to London. |
| Oct 21 -26? | Duran Duran spend a week at Townhouse Studios in London, recording the 'disco style' single and 12" mix of “My Own Way”, with Colin Thurston. |
| Oct 25? | Simon pre-records an appearance on UK Kids TV show TisWas. Simon plays "Pass The Pie" with Toyah Wilcox, while Roger plays on a bucket with drumsticks. Simon gets the pie in the face, twice. Airs in UK Oct 31st. (YouTube), (FB, Longer Clip). |
| Oct 27? | Possible recording date of "My Own Way" video, in a red and black studio in St. John's Wood, London. (The official video) |
| Oct 28 | An itinerary received by the lighting & sound crew by the Derek Block Artist's Agency on the 28th of October only lists 9 dates (including the TV show), for the German/Swedish tour, and explicitly dates it on the front as running from the 30th of October to the 9th of November. PD |
| Oct 29 | The band fly to Germany |
| GERMAN & SWEDISH TOUR The UK tour programme states they played 14 dates, so perhaps some planned shows were dropped? | |
| Oct 30 | Duran Duran: Die Wartburg, Wiesbaden, Germany (with The Bootlegs) - Capacity 1000, Soundcheck 5-6pm (approx), Doors 7pm, on stage 9.30pm (approx). Hotel Am Kochbrunnen. |
| Oct 31 | Duran Duran: Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany - Capacity 1000, Soundcheck 5.30-6.30pm (approx), Doors 7.30pm, on stage 9.30-10pm. Hotel Eden. |
| Nov 1 | Duran Duran: Ballroom Blitz, Hannover-Miesburg, Germany - Capacity 1000, Soundcheck 5-6pm (approx), Doors 7pm, on stage 9.30pm (approx). Hotel Am Funkturm. |
| Nov 2 | Duran Duran: Kant Kino, Berlin, Germany - Capacity 750, Soundcheck 5-6pm (approx), Doors 7pm, on stage 9.30pm (approx). Hotel Charlot. |
| Nov 4 | Duran Duran: Aktionskino Jovel, Münster, Germany (with Our Daughter's Wedding) - Capacity 600, Soundcheck 5-6pm (approx), Doors 7pm, on stage 9.30pm (approx). Hotel Conti. |
| Nov 6 | Duran Duran: The Ritz, Stockholm, Sweden. |
| Nov 7 | Duran Duran: The Ritz, Stockholm, Sweden |
| Nov 8 | Duran Duran: The Underground, Stockholm, Sweden - Capacity 1000, Soundcheck 4-5pm (approx), Doors 6pm, on stage 9pm (approx). Hotel Malmen. |
| Nov 9 | Duran Duran: Måndagsbörsen, Grand Hotel (Studio), Wintergardens, Stockholm, Sweden ⓢ - Rehearsal 1-5pm, General Rehearsal 7pm, Live Show 9.40pm Duran Duran perform four songs live on the Måndagsbörsen (Monday's Stock Exchange) show, which was a music show aired on Monday evenings, recorded at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm. Simon mentions Girls on Film is the current No.1 in Sweden. Nicks keyboards and Andy's guitar are often different from the album. John's bass is sometimes barely audible. They play PE, AOT, GOF and CM. (YouTube (Long Version)), (Interview), (AOT), (PE), (CM), (GOF). Swedish TV live broadcast; bootlegged. |
| Nov 12 | EMI holds a presentation to award the band with their Gold and Silver records for the sales of the Duran Duran album. (Image) |
| Nov 16 | “My Own Way” single (backed with “Like An Angel”) released as a stand-alone single worldwide (and Canada), except in US |
| Nov 16 | Shooting of the movie "Rambo: First Blood" begins in British Columbia, Canada on this date. Sylvester Stallone said later in interviews that the Rambo red headband was inspired after he "saw a British Pop group wearing headbands on TV". Dire Straits didn't wear headbands in 1981, and Spandau Ballet wore one but it was blue. Duran Duran had all worn headbands in 1981, and the "My Own Way video" (and appearances) show Simon wearing a red one. Rambo's headband would inspire hundreds more uses of headbands, including The Karate Kid. John also does a Rambo impression in the video for "Rio (song)". (See List of Duran Firsts and Achievements) |
| Nov 23 | Rock Pop Germany air a lip-synch performance of “Girls on Film” filmed on the IFA in Berlin in September 1981. (Youtube #1), (YouTube #2) bootlegged on The Early Years: Part 2 |
| Nov 24? | The band return to London. |
| The CARELESS MEMORIES TOUR | |
| Nov 29 | Duran Duran: Gaumont, Southampton, England |
| Nov 30 | Duran Duran: Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester, England (with punk poet John Cooper Clarke) Filmed for the TVS series Off The Record (YouTube); An unknown number of tickets were made available for free in November (with a stamped addressed envelope) via the Fan Club - but, as per the newsletter, if you were under 18 you needed your parent's written permission. bootlegged on Chichester '81, EMI Demos, Old Grey Whistle Test, Off The Record. |
| Dec 3 | Top of the Pops airs Duran's original lip-synch performance of "My Own Way" (YouTube), (YouTube). Unless the show was broadcast live (special editions or after a bank holiday Monday), it was always filmed on the day before during this period - so Weds 2nd. |
| Dec 3 | Duran Duran: Rum Runner, Birmingham, England |
| Dec 5? | John and Simon interviewed by Sally James on UK kids TV show Tiswas. John mentions they start the tour in Canterbury. (YouTube) |
| Dec 7 | Duran Duran: Kent University Sports Hall, Canterbury, England |
| Dec 8 | Duran Duran: University of East Anglia, Norwich, England ⓢ |
| Dec 10 | Duran Duran: City Hall, Sheffield, England Simon says he threw an apple into the audience before the first Encore, which went through the projection window at the back, and hit a photographer on the head. (Source). |
| Dec 11 | Oxford Road Show airs Duran's original lip-synch performance of "My Own Way". |
| Dec 11 | Duran Duran: Apollo, Manchester, England (with Talk Talk) |
| Dec 12 | Duran Duran: De Montfort Hall, Leicester, England |
| Dec 13 | “My Own Way” peaks at #14 in the UK. |
| Dec 13 | Duran Duran: Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, Wales band is involved in a car crash on the way to this gig |
| Dec 14 | Duran Duran record "My Own Way" performance on Jim'll Fix It, ahead of broadcast on the 2nd of January - following a letter from Jane Jackson. (info from the camera script for the show). |
| Dec 15 | Duran Duran: Arts Centre, Poole, England There is a story of Simon throwing a pineapple into the audience. (YT Source). |
| Dec 16 | Duran Duran: Hammersmith Odeon, London, England (with Talk Talk) |
| Dec 17 | Top of the Pops airs Duran's second lip-synch performance of 'My Own Way'. (YouTube), (YouTube), (Comparison). Unless the show was broadcast live (special editions or after a bank holiday Monday), it was always filmed on the day before during this period - so Weds 16th. |
| Dec 17 | Duran Duran: BBC College Concert, Hammersmith Odeon, London, England. ⓢ filmed and recorded by the BBC, issued on In Concert - 272 and BBC College Concert: 9-12-82 vinyl albums. The show was also released as a download on BBC In Concert: Hammersmith Odeon; "Careless Memories" recording later released as a B-side; bootlegged on Live At Odeon (with Talk Talk) |
| Dec 19 | Duran Duran: Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland (with Talk Talk) |
| Dec 20 | Amanda and the boys are caught in a fierce snow storm flying in a hired Cessna from Edinburgh to Liverpool. They fly close to Blackpool tower for a closer look. Andy jumps in the co-pilot seat. Simon 'Nobel' thinks it is all a great adventure. (source). |
| Dec 20 | Record-breaking low temperatures and unprecedented snow fall mean a press promo which had been scheduled for that afternoon in Liverpool had to be cancelled, after but it became clear that the roads would be impossible to manoeuvre. (source). |
| Dec 20 | Duran Duran: Empire Theatre, Liverpool, England |
| Dec 21 | Duran Duran: Odeon, Birmingham, England (with Talk Talk) |
| Dec 22 | Duran Duran: Odeon, Birmingham, England (with Talk Talk) |
| Dec 23 | Before the final Birmingham show, Amanda writes: "the roadies felt it fit and entirely appropriate to hire a stripper to mark the moment. So, they created a special space for her under the stage, a sort of bed upon which she could writhe. They replaced the floor where Simon usually stood with a sheet of transparent perspex, a window if you will into the strippers world." The band simply ignored it and played their set. The road crew, clearly in a frisky mood, stormed onto the stage for the final song. (source). |
| Dec 23 | Duran Duran: Odeon, Birmingham, England (with Talk Talk) |
| Dec 24 | Smash Hits publish their readers poll results for 1981. The band are nominated for three awards, but don't win anything. (See List of Duran Duran awards and nominations). (Full Magazine), (Poll Winners Pages). |
| Dec 24 | Christmas Eve Party at the Rum Runner in Birmingham. The band are there, although it is not known if they played any songs. (Possible Image, with Roberta Earl-Price).
"I couldn’t help but notice JT was talking to topless model Janine Andrews, a Birmingham girl who was at the club" says Roberta Earl-Price. |
| Dec 25 | On Christmas Day, John goes to spend the day with Roberta. She says: "John was playing with the Scalextric car set he’d bought himself, when the phone went, I could hear he was arranging to see Janine". Roberta couldn't eat a bite of her Christmas Dinner. Later John broke the bad news. "I never meant to hurt you, my dear Bertie. You’ll be alright… won’t you?". (source). |
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