Duran Duran‘s tenure hasn’t been a straight shot. Though they are one of the most enduring bands to come out of the 1980s today, there were times when a breakup was certainly on the table.
In the mid-1980s, the English pop rockers weren’t on the same page. At the height of their fame, they muddied their success by breaking into two factions of side projects: The Power Station (featuring bassist John Taylor and guitarist Andy Taylor) and Arcadia (featuring singer Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, and drummer Roger Taylor). That didn’t spell long-term togetherness for the band. They needed a sobering moment to resolve their issues. That moment came via another rock legend: Mick Jagger.
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Mick Jagger Gave Duran Duran Some Much-Needed Advice in the Mid-1980s
By the mid-1980s, the band was struggling to keep it together, largely due to burnout. This was the height of their fame, and the work they put in to get there took its toll. Moreover, drug usage was a core issue, pitting members against one another. This eventually led to those side projects.
“It (drugs) never appealed to me much,” Rhodes once said. “My mind moved too quickly anyway. I can never slow down, so the last thing I wanted was a pile of drugs. I tried some, and it didn’t suit me. I am also somewhat of a control freak, so the idea of taking something when you don’t know what is going to happen is thoroughly unappealing. I have been around plenty of it and seen the effects.”
John Taylor and Andy Taylor, on the other hand, fueled their creativity with cocaine and alcohol. These opposing viewpoints didn’t contribute to Duran Duran’s unity. According to Rhodes, it was Jagger who saved them from a complete breakdown with one simple, but important comment.
“Mick looked at me and said, ‘You know you really do need to stick together; that is your future.’ He was right because it could all have fallen apart at that time,” Rhodes recalled.
A word of advice from the elder rocker was important to Duran Duran’s endurance. They have now been together for decades, albeit with some momentary lineup changes. Nowadays, fans can enjoy most of this band’s classic lineup, which wouldn’t have been the case without Jagger’s input.
(Photo by Paul Natkin/WireImage)
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