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3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
I'm a Durannie through and through. They've been my favorite band since I was 12 years old. As such, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even if most of it was information I was already intimately familiar with. However, as Crispin Kott outlines in his review here, there were some sloppy errors that would have been easily fixed with some basic fact-checking/editing. Still, it was an enjoyable read.
Not bad, but I knew most of this already. It is a pretty basic (and sadly, kind of boring) listing of everything that went on up until 2004, then it wraps up way too fast. Worth reading for any Duran Duran fan. Although, it seems like the author hated all of the members except for Andy, but he even makes him look like a jerk towards the end.
3 stars. I love Duran Duran! I’ve been a self-confessed Durannie since The Reflex. Love these guys!
And I will confess I’ve read John Taylor’s, “In the Pleasure Groove” and Andy Taylor’s, “Wild Boy.” Those two books provide a more intimate look at Duran Duran while focusing on the band members’ own perspectives. “Please Please Tell Me Now” by Stephen Davis is a more clinical version of the bands story. Mr. Davis interviewed the band members in 2004, yet the book was just published last week. It’s a very slow pace through the early days of the band at The Rum Runner, various members of a very young Duran Duran, and the early days touring of the lineup that became the Fab 5. If you’ve read both the Taylor’s books, there isn’t really a lot of new information in this book about the band. But it was fun revisiting the band, hearing all the songs I’ve loved for 30+ years (in my head), and reading of some other huge artists who orbited their band.
Ultimately I gave this book 3 stars because the structure of the book led to repetition at times. Also, there is a detachment that lends a coldness to the storytelling. I don’t believe Mr. Davis is a fan, so there’s a distance in the writing, a lack of enthusiasm for the story. Also, there were anecdotes tossed in, that while fun, seemed irrelevant and odd to the story (example: a newly divorced Princess Di catcalling Simon at the gym. Fun, but seemed to be just thrown into the narrative).
If you love Duran Duran, read this. It’s a fun trip down memory lane. Thank you to #netgalley and @hachettebooks for the advanced e-copy of #pleasepleasetellmenow .
#book #bookreview
And I will confess I’ve read John Taylor’s, “In the Pleasure Groove” and Andy Taylor’s, “Wild Boy.” Those two books provide a more intimate look at Duran Duran while focusing on the band members’ own perspectives. “Please Please Tell Me Now” by Stephen Davis is a more clinical version of the bands story. Mr. Davis interviewed the band members in 2004, yet the book was just published last week. It’s a very slow pace through the early days of the band at The Rum Runner, various members of a very young Duran Duran, and the early days touring of the lineup that became the Fab 5. If you’ve read both the Taylor’s books, there isn’t really a lot of new information in this book about the band. But it was fun revisiting the band, hearing all the songs I’ve loved for 30+ years (in my head), and reading of some other huge artists who orbited their band.
Ultimately I gave this book 3 stars because the structure of the book led to repetition at times. Also, there is a detachment that lends a coldness to the storytelling. I don’t believe Mr. Davis is a fan, so there’s a distance in the writing, a lack of enthusiasm for the story. Also, there were anecdotes tossed in, that while fun, seemed irrelevant and odd to the story (example: a newly divorced Princess Di catcalling Simon at the gym. Fun, but seemed to be just thrown into the narrative).
If you love Duran Duran, read this. It’s a fun trip down memory lane. Thank you to #netgalley and @hachettebooks for the advanced e-copy of #pleasepleasetellmenow .
#book #bookreview
I enjoyed this, it was nostalgic and reminded me why I have always loved Duran Duran. But I must say it is Duranies not Durranies.
This is not a masterpiece by any means, but for a fan of the band, this was a perfect guilty pleasure read during the holiday season.
funny
informative
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse
I’m not as well versed as some Duran Duran fans on their history, but even I found fault with this book. It was poorly researched by the author with some obvious inaccuracies. Among them:
The author spelled Duranie “Durannie” multiple times, while both are used, the former is used more frequently by fans and even the band’s social media.
The author wrote that Paul and Linda McCartney came and said goodnight to the band while they were recording a demo at AIR Studios sometime in 1980. If you read factually correct books and interviews with the band about the recording of Rio, it was during its recording.
The author wrote that Andy and John mimed the sax solos in Rio, if you watch the video, it's obvious that it's Nick and John, not Andy.
The author seems to not hide his disdain for most of the band members, discussing more about their drinking and drugs, sexual prowess, losing their trousers, and how much makeup they wore than anything particularly informative about what they contributed to the band. Andy is the only one who seems to come out relatively unscathed, he also somehow gets four chapters dedicated to his backstory, prior to joining the band, in Part 2.
Less than 25% of the book is dedicated to the band’s over 35-year career post-Live Aid, where Warren comes off as the savior of the band and every creative idea was his. There are better written, better researched, and more informative books, articles, and blogs about this band. Read those instead.
The author spelled Duranie “Durannie” multiple times, while both are used, the former is used more frequently by fans and even the band’s social media.
The author wrote that Paul and Linda McCartney came and said goodnight to the band while they were recording a demo at AIR Studios sometime in 1980. If you read factually correct books and interviews with the band about the recording of Rio, it was during its recording.
The author wrote that Andy and John mimed the sax solos in Rio, if you watch the video, it's obvious that it's Nick and John, not Andy.
The author seems to not hide his disdain for most of the band members, discussing more about their drinking and drugs, sexual prowess, losing their trousers, and how much makeup they wore than anything particularly informative about what they contributed to the band. Andy is the only one who seems to come out relatively unscathed, he also somehow gets four chapters dedicated to his backstory, prior to joining the band, in Part 2.
Less than 25% of the book is dedicated to the band’s over 35-year career post-Live Aid, where Warren comes off as the savior of the band and every creative idea was his. There are better written, better researched, and more informative books, articles, and blogs about this band. Read those instead.
Interesting stories of the band and musicians throughout their lives and career. Pretty good biography but it left me wanting a bit more.
Completely trashy and in desperate need of editing and fact checking. However, it was luxurious way to spend a birthday.
Duran Duran has been a favorite band since middle school, and I have followed their career from the early days of Teen Beat magazine, so of course I had to read this book. The author does a fantastic job describing their early lives and the beginning of their career as a band. Even as a die hard fan, I learned a few things about Duran Duran's start. The first 2/3 of the book is extremely detailed up to Notorious and then the remaining 1/3 seems rushed with random facts thrown in and not explained. Diana's death in 1997, for example, gets one sentence in the middle of band events.
I enjoyed reliving my teen years, reminiscing about my favorite songs and digging a little deeper into the story of Duran Duran. The book was a quick read!
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!
I enjoyed reliving my teen years, reminiscing about my favorite songs and digging a little deeper into the story of Duran Duran. The book was a quick read!
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!