Perhaps the most amazing thing about Duran Duran is their ability to evolve. They began as the biggest band in the New Romantic movement, pushing the envelope with their lavish music videos. And now, 25 years later, they are still forging ahead. Even while retaining that distinctive Duran Duran sound, their latest album, Red Carpet Massacre, takes in some of the most up-to-the-minute effects. We talked with John Taylor during the shoot for Rock the Rabbit.
PLAYBOY: How do you do it? How do you continue to expand your musical pallet and bring your audience along with you?
TAYLOR: There's a Peter Pan element to us -- we don't want to get stuck in any one moment in time. We all know trying to copy your old hits doesn't work. We're really an art school band.
PLAYBOY: And what about the practical elements of it -- staying aware of what's going on at the front edge of music?
TAYLOR: There's something to be said for continuing to try new things. Of course, there's a big learning curve. But when there's learning involved you can't help but feel like a student. You feel young as a result.
PLAYBOY: You also seem to be able to maintain something uniquely Duran Duran, even as the specifics change. What's the basis of that?
TAYLOR: We're all fans of the glam and punk eras -- an enormous cycle of change when fashion, style and music all met and harmonized. That's what we're into. We got to take this incredible ride on the teen-pop thing, but left to our own devices, we always retreat to art. Art is real life through an aesthetic filter. I guess that aesthetic filter is what allows us to keep making things we're happy with.
PLAYBOY: And do you still think in terms of your visual presentation?
TAYLOR: We take our presentation seriously. You stay aware, you don't get bogged down in the past. If you're a 40-year-old man, you don't want to dress like your dad. But you don't want to dress like your kid, either. You have to find that middle ground where you can wear your experience but maintain a sense of openness.
