Duran Duran - The Reflex. Apparently their biggest worldwide hit. What do you think of it?

That’s a good way to look at it.

Union was a decent lead single, but I always thought New Moon was weak.

On thinking about it, I can’t see any other singles on Seven. As much as I like the album.

 

I like that tune a lot. My fave DD tune is "New Moon on Monday" tho.

 

Basically, they didn't write enough single-worthy material for the album. It was rushed, and created while in a tax haven. Is There Something I Should Know? could have been held off till the summer of 83, but it needed to be on the album to give them enough singles to work with. In the end, it didn't work out too badly as New Moon did ok in the US (#10) and it was only here in the UK that it looked like they flopped.

EG.

 

Love The Reflex and voted accordingly. The album itself is patchy but The Reflex is one helluva song with a helluva a bassline.

Don't know if this has been posted already but if there are any John Taylor fans, or bass player enthusiasts (he is my 3rd favourite) John does a really cool breakdown of the bass in that song.

 

I prefer the single remix version.

 

I had no idea that Simon Le Bon ever released a solo single...

 

Actually it’s a co-write with producer Jonathan Elias - it was lead single for the latter’s allstars-type concept album Requiem for the Americas (1989), though the song itself was originally an outtake from the sessions for the aforementioned Big Thing album (co-produced by Elias). Terrific song, worth investigating.



Simon Le Bon – Follow In My Footsteps (1989, Vinyl)

 

I would agree. Also one of my favourite videos - I think Nick is quoted as saying it was 'The Wild Boys' before 'The Wild Boys'.

 

"Union Of The Snake" was far better than "The Reflex" for my tastes. I always preferred Simon's "Waiting For The Nightboat" style lyrics. I do wish Duran would have explored more of the darker lyric style, and music that really hooked me on the first album. They weren't just merely a teeny pop band at their core.

 

I like “the Reflex” but I much prefer the album version with the longer intro.

 

Both are great in their own way.

 

I kind of remember that song. It's just all right for me, dawg.

 

Anyone know the timeline of how much later the Niles remix was completed?

I'm a huge fan of Notorious that he produced too.

 

The video for "The Reflex" was very popular in Ontario as the live footage was shot at Maple Leaf Gardens - a legendary hockey arena which was the main concert venue in Toronto for years - The Beatles played there in the 1960s. British bands had greater status in Ontario than elsewhere in North America due to its Anglo roots. For example, in 1984 Simple Minds played two sold out shows at Massey Hall and drew a large crowd to Kingswood Music Theatre that summer. When the Pretenders toured that summer, their opening act was Simple Minds (Chrissie Hynde and Jim Kerr were married at the time) in every market except Toronto where an alternate opening act was found for fear the opening act would attract too much attention if it were Simple Minds. Also Psychedelic Furs drew a large crowd at Kingswood that summer. Duran Duran were pretty huge at the time and, yeah, "The Reflex" was their biggest hit.

 

I love "The Reflex" , but their biggest hit? Damn, I would have guessed "Hungry Like The Wolf". My favorite Duran Duran song is probably "Save A Prayer".

 

I also love "A View To A Kill". Damn, what a great Bond song that is!

 

I hate it. Well, you did ask.

 

I like the Reflex but I feel like there are so many better Songs; Planet Earth, Is There Something I Should Know, Rio, Hungry Like the Wolf.

 

Well, the album came out in November 1983, the single in the April of 1984. Since it's the third single from "Seven" my guess is early 1984?

 

It's interesting because I always presumed the more radical nature of Nile's remix was a reaction to New Moon.. underperforming (especially in the UK) and the band/label deciding they needed to alter direction slightly and bring back some dynamism to their sound.

EG.

 

I have just finished editing the book Baptism of Fire with Ian Little (release date 3rd December), and there are definitely not any other versions of the album in the vaults. There was a lack of material by the time the band left South of France (writing sessions), and Alex Sadkin was horrified when they all arrived in Montserrat to find so few songs written and ready to record. Therefore they ended up still doing final recording in Sydney at 301 (parts such as John's fretless bass on Tiger Tiger and the majority of Simon's vocals) when they were supposed to 'just' be mixing the final record. Alex and Ian literally had 2 studios on the go side by side recording and then mixing over 6 weeks in time for EMI's deadline for the album to be released for Christmas 1983. They left Sydney with the masters as carry-on luggage and after landing in London delivered them personally to Arun at The Master Room!

 

It's fine but DD peaked for me with Rio and the accompanying singles. They were never this good again.

 

Here’s an instrumental version of the album version of The Reflex. The bass is slightly augmented but the stand out for me is the guitar.

 

I loved Duran Duran when RIO was a new release. Thought they had a lot of great tunes, loved the keyboard tones, loved the rhythm section. Loved "Is There Something I Should Know" as a new single in 1983 as well.

And then Seven and the Ragged Tiger came out, and just turned me OFF. By 1984 I was already deep into other music, and that was probably the main reason.

I think I'd be able to appreciate it and its hits (Union, Reflex, etc) a lot more nowadays.

 

I’m not a huge fan of the band, but that song gets me jumping. I love it.

My wife, on the other hand, hates it with a passion. It’s one of a handful of songs that if it comes up in a mix she will curse me for having it in my collection. Go figure.