Today in rock history: On this date in 1962, Duran Duran’s keyboardist and synthesizer player Nick Rhodes was born in Birmingham, England. One of the founders of the highly successful British new wave band (along with bassist John Taylor), Rhodes is the only member to have remained in the band’s lineup since its inception in 1978 right up to the present date. Influenced by disco music and David Bowie’s experimental mid-'70s recordings, Rhodes helped create Duran Duran’s own brand of polished, danceable pop that would make the band international superstars by the mid-1980s. Regarded as the band’s musical mastermind and fashion plate, the contributions Rhodes has made to the band’s look and sound over the years have been a major factor in the band’s success. Born Nicholas James Bates, Rhodes celebrates his 56th birthday today, making him the youngest member of the long-running pop band.
TODAY IN ROCK HISTORY
Duran Duran's Rio changes the world
Today in rock history: On this date in 1984, British post-punk goth-superstar band Siouxsie and the Banshees released its sixth studio album, Hyæna. While the band was already established and popular in England, its popularity was starting to catch on in the United States. Signed to major American label Geffen Records, this became the band’s first release for the enormous imprint. At a time when the band was in need of a permanent lead guitarist, The Cure’s singer, songwriter and guitarist Robert Smith filled in on this record, marking his only studio album appearance with the band. Another major hit in Britain, the album was preceded by the band’s trippy, pseudo-psychedelic version of the Beatles classic, “Dear Prudence” which climbed as high as No. 2 in England. Unfortunately, the song was not included on the U.K. pressing of the record but it was appended to the U.S. version, which pleased American Banshees fans. Another single from the record, “Swimming Horses,” charted well in England as well. The album’s opening cut, “Dazzle,” featured the accompaniment of a 27-piece orchestra and is regularly regarded as a major milestone in the adventurous and essential Siouxsie and the Banshees catalog.
Today in rock history: On this date in 1992, experimental alternative San Francisco band Faith No More released its fourth studio album, the challenging yet brilliant Angel Dust. The band’s third album, 1989’s The Real Thing, served as its breakthrough record thanks to the singles “Epic” and “Falling to Pieces,” but the band, led by the always-intriguing and groundbreaking singer Mike Patton, decided to go in a more unpredictable route as a follow-up act. Angel Dust featured the singles “Midlife Crisis” and “Land of Sunshine,” but sounded considerably different than the band’s previous albums. For many Faith No More fans, this was the album that truly defined the essence of this trailblazing band and showed off its versatility. Praised by a vast number of music publications and critics and appealing to heavy metal fans, Angel Dust helped to introduce Faith No More to a totally new audience and proved to be a huge seller in Europe where it was hailed as the band’s best work to date at the time.
Today in rock history: On this date in 1993, Chicago-based indie rock band Urge Overkill released its major-label debut, the exquisite Saturation. A bit smoother and slicker than the band’s earlier albums recorded for indie label Touch & Go, Saturation brought the melodic trio success via airplay on alternative radio stations and music videos created for the album’s singles “Sister Havana” and “Positive Bleeding,” which were regularly aired on MTV. Highly regarded and positively reviewed, Saturation was considered a successful shift for an indie rock band making the leap to a major label while keeping its sound and spirit intact.
This article appears in Jun 7-14, 2018.