3. Duran DuranDuran Duran

Rio is the classic album isn’t it? It made a real impact on me because it seemed so new and they looked really weird and odd. I was way too young for The Beatles but I think Duran Duran were my generation’s equivalent. They were still a bit rough round the edges on the debut and still a little bit punky. In particular ‘Friends Of Mine’ could be by some cool new wave punk band but I liked the way it was really synthy as well. Nick Rhodes is a pioneer but they’re all awesome, incredible musicians. John Taylor is an amazing bass player and anyone who disagrees with that can fuck off. Ask Nile Rodgers – he knows what a good bass player is. For me Duran Duran were what a band should be, how they sound, how they should act. They looked like a gang but one who could read books and paid attention to their hair. I get hooked by bands with a strong image, and they made that as much a part of their presentation as the music and I think that’s important.