Danimals - TED the Lab

Keeping with the theme of Mark Ronson's side projects, commissions by non-musical brands, and never-ending worship for all things John Taylor, today we look at Danimals, the winner of the competition held by Toohey's Extra Dry to come up with a smashingly hip and catchy single for their next national advertising campaign.

Danimals began as a solo project for Sydney artist Jonti Danilewitzand and soon evolved into a five-piece ensemble, revolving around three drummers rotating around a single drum kit and separate synth and percussion stations. An experiment in the fusion of rock and electronic sounds, Danimals focus on rhythms and deconstructing traditional song structures to create some bouncy tripped out experimental music.

I've seen promotions like the Toohey's Extra Dry competition fall flat for numerous reasons, but was obviously intrigued upon hearing the winners would supposedly create something entirely new with John Taylor, Mark Ronson, Santigold, and members of the Kaiser Chiefs and Dap Kings. Contenders were announced early on, Ronson himself chose the winning band in December, and within a few weeks a pretty incredible web documentary of the Danimals journey into wonderland was up.

I implore you to check out TED the Lab if you have not already done so. It provides a sexy yet informative and well-produced look into Danimals impending dream date with the stars. The web site takes a while to load, but it's totally worth your time. Minus five points for not including any shots of John Taylor; plus three points for the scene with Mark Ronson eating a sandwich.

I'm not sure if any "official" release has come out, but tonight, Danimals put the finished track up on Twitter and Facebook. I think it's pretty creamy. It might just be the beer-foam mustache talking, but of course the bass line is killer and I'm kind of in love with those marimbas. It will be interesting to see how Toohey's wraps things up, but yeah... I think they got a winner.

Listen to Danimals "FOX"

Chauffeur

As you all know, Mark Ronson is producing the next Duran Duran album. I think he is an excellent choice. Not only is Ronson one of the best producers and DJs in the business, he has a relentless work ethic and has been a devoted Duran fan for most of his life. I think he gets it, and perhaps just as importantly, the band gets him. Mark has promised to bring back "that classic Duran sound," which is good news for those who cringed with the band's last collaboration with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake. Personally, I love Red Carpet Massacre, but I do find a disconnect with that production on many levels.

Ronson also has mad skills when it comes to image and promotion, and I think our boys could take a few tips from him. I'll have more to come on that later. For now, let's have a look at one of Mark's latest projects, his somewhat mysterious collaboration with Sam Sparro and Theophilus London, called Chauffeur. You've got to at least love the name.

Chauffeur looks elegantly sexy, sounds disturbingly cool, and undoubtedly smells like money and expensive hair products. It's got a lubricated 80s vibe and is very synth-heavy, an element that Ronson attributes to working recently with Nick Rhodes. Just like Mark himself, Chauffeur is Gucci down to the socks. The group came together as the musical component to Ronson's line of shoes, which he designed for Gucci and is the first product actually endorsed and designed by Ronson. When you buy a pair of the shoes, you get a limited edition vinyl 12-inch of Chauffeur's "Soles of Fire." I do not wear boat shoes or own a record player. I do, however, have an iPhone, and another element to this promotion is a fun little Gucci/Ronson app that Nick Rhodes mentioned in a recent interview.

Thus far, two songs from Chauffeur have come out; the first to debut was the slippery and mentholated "Soles of Fire." Two days ago, Mark premiered the a cover of Sheila E.'s "Glamorous Life" on his Authentic Shit program on East Village Radio. "Glamorous Life" is yet another shining example of Ronson's unfailing ability to do retro with a modern twist. It makes me want to play drums while standing up, swilling champagne and wearing a full-length purple chinchilla coat.

Chauffeur - "Soles of Fire"

Chauffeur - "Glamorous Life"

Ronson is quite simply the king of combination, even down to his trans-Atlantic accent. He mixes exactly the right sounds, artists and aesthetics to create music that is at once exotic and familiar. I think he's got the recipe. Mark Ronson isn't going to make or break this next album... that's of course ultimately up to the band. But I do have faith that this charming alchemist has the ability to form a panacea that, supported with thoughtful and diligent marketing and promotion, will enable Duran Duran to shine once again like the golden gods they truly are.

Mobile World Conference in Barcelona

On February 16, Duran Duran performed at the Mobile World Congress 2010 in Barcelona. The following day, Nick delivered a fascinating keynote outlining the band's views on mobile technology and beyond.

Set List:
A View to a Kill, Hungry Like the Wold, Notorious, Come Undone, Reflex, Ordinary World, Sunrise, Wild Boys and Rio.



Click here to watch Nick's chat with Ericsson about about being on the cutting edge of mobile technology


Nick's comments from the afterparty and keynote session:

Click here for video of the keynote

"I think there are many great applications for market research from both mobile and online, even down to such simple concepts as finding out which songs the audience would like to hear in a live show. We do look at data, but we combine that with our instinct to find the right combination."

"We are currently in discussions with several phone companies about what type of experience we can provide for our audience when we release the new album later this year. We are always looking for interesting and innovative opportunities and there's undoubtedly some exciting technology out there to both deliver music and engage our fans."

"We actually have a massive war-chest of unused content available that we are re-purposing for the mobile arena. We see this as a great opportunity for all artists as it develops month by month."

"On the next album we will be using mobile to an even greater extent, both for delivery and as a way to connect with our fans and further build community."

“We’ve always looked at technology from the beginning [of our career], whether it was TV, radio or the internet more recently,” he said. “Mobile phones, artists haven’t engaged that much yet. We’ve all had a flirtation with ring tones. We’ve done downloading of tracks and video clips. Possibly, some surveys and polling. But we’ve not got into the integrated 3G system and using the technology to its best yet. For the first time artists are now saying the mobile audience is so much bigger than the online audience. More people have phones than computers in the world.”

“I think the opportunities now are pretty extraordinary with mobile phones,” said Rhodes. “We have the content, but we’re also very interested to see how we can use things in ways that they haven’t been used yet. Sometimes people will look at a technology and ask what use it is. As an artist, we can see, perhaps, how it might be used at a live show where people could tag something and appear on another screen…”

“It’s a brave new world out there. You try things. It’s trial and error. You see what works. Everyone always wants to put something out, say it’s perfect and have it work. As with every new product, sometimes it hits the spot and sometimes, not always for the right reasons, it doesn’t. Don’t be afraid to try something new, get out there and see what people think. They let you know soon enough.”

“A lot of people have seen the opportunity and think you have to churn things around more. For people on a creative roll who want to put stuff out and if the audience wants that, it’s giving you a myriad of different options. What I like is the idea that everything is instant. We used to have to put a record out, stick posters up and hope someone walked past them at a certain time. Now you can push a button and it’s all over the phone networks. People can have it and decide very quickly. It works well for artists because we are communicators.”

“On tour it takes 18 months to get around the world. It’s a lot of fun, but exhausting too. It’s hugely appealing that we can proliferate our music out there quickly [using digital media], including to places like India and China where we’ve never played.”

Demolition: New Moon on Monday

Continuing our examination of the Seven and the Ragged Tiger demos, let's have a listen to two versions of New Moon On Monday, which is certainly one of the cornerstones of the album. Released in 1984, the tenth single by Duran Duran is sultry, mystical, grandiose, obtuse and kinda dorky... all at the same time.

The first version presented here includes vocals, some mumbled and some amusingly emphatic. Most of the lyrics are complete, although Simon had apparently not yet begun to "shake up the picture with the lizard mixture."

UPDATE: It turns out that these 7ATRT demos have, according to the Duran Wiki, been "denounced as fakes by the band." I've really enjoyed the discussion around this... can anyone point me to some exact quotes from the band about these demos? I find the fact that someone would go to such lengths to fake this stuff to be almost as fascinating as the real thing.

Listen to New Moon on Monday Demo - Version 1

This second version is sans-vocals, but the music sounds more self assured and playful. John's bass line slithers up and down your spine as it should, and you can almost hear Nick smiling as the layers come together.

Listen to New Moon on Monday Demo - Version 2

It's impossible to listen to New Moon On Monday without thinking of the iconic video. Four different versions are in existence. There is a seventeen minute "movie version" with an extended introduction, an extended version with a French prologue that was debuted on MTV, a shorter version without the prologue, and yet another version produced for the Dancing on the Valentine video collection. The latter is set to the extended mix, with slick shots of the band members against the backdrop of a full moon and a silhouette of a woman with big 80s hair being alternately sort of fondled and tortured.

However, my favorite version is the brilliant parody video "Making Fun of Duran Duran 2!" The part about Andy's stupid kite gets me every time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=018GSZImaa8

One of these days I'm going to run around a village in France in the dead of winter, handing out meaningless fliers and lighting stuff on fire. It's going to be awesome.

Demolition: Seven and the Ragged Tiger

Consider the enigma of the Mona Lisa. If there were photographs of the painting in progress, would you want to see them? Surely they would provide a magical insight to the artist's mind. As we wait ever-so-patiently for the new Duran Duran Duran album to come out, I think it's a great time time to dig into the archives and unearth some forgotten treasures.

The Manchester Square demos on the recent Rio re-issue are cream puffs, and led me to wonder in an earlier post whether or not we would see demos on the Seven and the Ragged Tiger re-issue. Alas, the track listing has been released... and no demos will be included on 7ATRT. The Rio demos were obviously chosen for being polished enough to bring to the fancy soiree, but the 7ATRT demos out there but might be better suited for a basement makeout party.

I think we all know which kind of shindig is more fun, so I've decided to put together a series of "Demolition" posts, robbing the grave and sucking the delicious marrow from the bones that became the masterpieces. In the days forthcoming, I'll be serving up demo selections from Seven and the Ragged Tiger, Notorious, Big Thing, Medazzaland, as well as a few surprises.

Appropriately, I shall start with a track called "Seven and the Ragged Tiger" which, as you know, did not make it on to the album. There are two iterations here, the first and rougher of which has our beloved Andy (or is it John?) singing, which always warms my heart. What stands out most interestingly to me in this secret shadow of a gem is the recurring bit that obviously turned into "The Seventh Stranger."

Listen to Seven and the Ragged Tiger Demo - Version 1

The second version is further evolved, though the recording is poor. It's quite the sticky pop gem, and if I ever develop a sitcom about a band of merry and mischievous misfits, this will certainly be the theme song.

Listen to Seven and the Ragged Tiger Demo - Version 2

I hope you enjoy this series. In closing, I will leave you with a photo of Simon with his zipper down at the British Fashion Awards last month.

Too Much Information

Yesterday, I watched John Taylor speak on a panel at the "40th Anniversary of the Internet" conference at UCLA.

While it was lovely to see him, I couldn't help but find his words to be a bit stodgy and closed-minded. He warned us of his Luddite leanings early on, stating that he does not facebook, myspace, or twitter. Fair enough, as the man clearly has better things to do.

John spoke about how the abundance of the Internet has brought music from across the ages into young peoples lives. At the same time he commended youngsters for listening to music from the past, he also said that this is "causing innovative nature to slow down." I found this interesting coming from someone who's music has clearly borrowed from different genres and ages, particularly since the new Duran Duran album is consistently referred to as trying to recapture the early Duran sound of "Rio."

More off-putting was his position on how the Internet has affected the relationship between fans and artists. John spoke about the "immense power of restriction" and how he believes that these days, by putting their personal lives and thoughts on the Internet, "artists are diluting their magical attraction and power over their audience." There is no doubt this power of restriction was once quite magical, even in the days when Duran Duran was just starting out. There was no YouTube... we had to sit through lame Tom Petty and Dire Straits videos in hopes of catching Planet Earth or Rio. I remember taking photos of the TV screen in an effort to savor the images longer. I remember eagerly anticipating the next issue of Tiger Beat in hopes that there would be a new pin-up or more information on Simon Le Bon's favorite flower (Rhododendron... swoon!) or the constant reiteration of Roger's "Froggy Barnacle" nickname. Keeping themselves high on that pedestal worked in that day and age. Those were good times, and I can certainly understand the sentimentality of his statements.

Today, I would love to look deeply into those big brown eyes and whisper ever-so-sweetly to our blessed Bass God that the times, they are a changin'. If Duran Duran wants to position themselves as more relevant and less retro, they must do so in a logical, forward-thinking, profitable manner. The high pedestal that John referred to magical artists sitting atop is now seen as more of a reluctance to engage due to insecurity and apathy. John described "Trust the Process," his once flourishing solo site where he was highly engaged with fans as "hard work," and his stumble about how it was a "great way to interact, uh, I mean, SELL directly to fans" was awkward. Selling and interacting are not mutually exclusive, as he should know, and hard work is what it takes to survive, especially with the Internet constantly changing the way people discover, listen to and buy music. There is a mind-boggling amount of music out there these days, and hiding in an ivory tower will no longer endear you to increasingly music-savvy fans who, thanks to the Internet, have become information junkies for better or for worse.

John said that "energy and inspiration will keep you afloat and enable you to ride out these changes." This is very true, and many successful artists are finding that energy and inspiration by connecting with their fans via the Internet. An excellent example is Imogen Heap, an outspoken advocate of using new technology to interact and collaborate with her fans. Imogen is constantly finding ways new ways to connect with her listeners via twitter, video blogs and online chats. She has dared to bring fans into all aspects of her craft, from songwriting to creation of the album artwork. By doing so, she has enjoyed chart success and Grammy nominations while developing deep loyalty within her fan base and positioning herself as a technological and music industry maverick.

John spoke about how it's important to "know the rules so you can break them." He clearly set forth his personal rules for how musicians should deal with the Internet. If Duran Duran are to continue to stay relevant and be the forward-thinking band that they've always claimed to be, I would like to see them break a few rules of their own.

Opening statement: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2447922

Q&A session: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2448141

Authentic Shit

Just a few minutes ago I was listening to Mark Ronson's weekly show on East Village Radio, "Authentic Shit". Mark played a tiny but delicious taste from the unfinished new Duran Duran album, which he is producing.

And here it is.

Listen to the unreleased and in-progress Duran Duran