Duran Duran Turn to Erol Alkan, Mark Ronson and Giorgio Moroder
Get a load of this! Duran Duran – one of the biggest bands of the ’80s – will drop a new album in October. So what? Well, Erol Alkan, Mark Ronson and Giorgio Moroder are involved – that’s what!
“I’ve been biting my tongue on this since November 2018,” said DJ and producer Alkan. “It’s as surreal as it is exciting. We’ve spent the last two and a half years working on a number of songs which, for me, embody the spirit and dynamic of the band as I know them now, or as I remember them growing up.”
Influential
A bona fide tastemaker, Erol Alkan was behind London’s Trash club. Mixing up genres, the Monday night party was extremely influential. Peaches, LCD Soundsystem, Klaxons, Bloc Party, 2manydjs, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the Scissor Sisters all performed there. Also a resident DJ for Bugged Out, Alkan regularly played at fabric, The End and XOYO.
Alkan shares production duties on the Future Past album with Mark Ronson and disco legend Giorgio Moroder. Blur’s Graham Coxon plays guitar on the album.
Protest Song
First up is new single Invisible. Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon calls it “a kind of protest song”. Speaking on SiriusXM, Le Bon said: “It started off as a relationship song. But in the light of the modern world and everything that’s been going on and the idea of a populace whose need to be heard and recognised is growing, this song took on a different meaning. It’s taken on a really great significance for the band. It would have to be significant because it’s the first release of the new project.” Listen to Invisible below.
Weekender
Duran Duran planned a special ‘Touch The Sunrise’ weekender in Ibiza. The weekender formed part of the International Music Summit – the electronic music scene’s annual beano of panels, parties and networking opportunities. The global pandemic forced April’s IMS to postpone until next year. The Duran Duran weekender is pushed back until 8 – 11 October. Find more info on that here.
The band will perform – remotely – for the Billboard Music Awards this Sunday, 23 May. The performance marks Duran Duran’s 40th anniversary. Future Past will drop on 22 October.
Photo: Erol Alkan/Facebook
Also read: Tastemaker Erol Alkan Celebrates 100th Phantasy Sound Single
