Coupled with a series of bold Duran Duran logos that stylistically epitomised the modernist enthusiasm of the new decade, the follow-up singles Careless Memories and Girls On Film followed similar form, as did the self-titled album, albeit with some decadent debossing and metallic ink effects.įor the cover of the UK single My Own Way, a style was introduced that contrasted remarkably with what had been before – and what would follow – for Duran Duran. At a time when more was more and excess was celebrated, Garrett’s sleeve designs – simple boxes and blocks of colour set against minimalist white fields – seemed tasteful and sophisticated. All the same, this first single succeeded in setting out a design template that was both confident and restrained.ĭuran Duran’s sleeve aesthetic stood out from the crowd in the early 80s. In contrast, the 7” version, this time reproduced in full colour, was devoid of any band photography – a defiant gesture for a debut released in a period when image was everything. Designers often seek to take inspiration from lyrics, and for the 12” version Garrett did his best to make patterns rhyme by juxtaposing single-colour stock imagery of natural terrains with a blurred image of the band. Garrett and his studio Assorted Images worked closely with Duran Duran from the time of their first single Planet Earth in 1981. If I had designed something then, it would have been completely wrong… but my time would come.” His designs didn’t only reflect that moment in culture, they defined it. Malcolm’s design was executed perfectly for the context. “I would’ve loved to have designed those first releases, but EMI quite wisely chose Malcolm Garrett. At that point, I don’t think anyone had any idea of aesthetic direction in the intellectual sense, more an intuitive reaction to design – what was right or wrong was purely a matter of personal taste. I designed some of their early gig posters. Warwicker, now an established graphic designer, explained: “It was during my stay in Birmingham that I met the early Duran Duran, before Simon and Andy had joined. To promote these early appearances, they worked with a friend of the band, John Warwicker, on what would be their first artwork. Wisely, from day one, they established a routine of trusting some of the best with their design, and have remained engaged in the creative process to this day.Īt the tail-end of the 70s, before the line-up of the band was settled and still without a record contract, Duran Duran were regulars on the live scene, particularly around the UK’s Birmingham scene. They rose to fame during a period in which design was crucially important the way a pop package was assembled could help make or break new artists. Over the last 40 years, members of Duran Duran have worked with a wide range of creative talent on the design of their record covers. Not only did this lead to an unashamed fascination with the possibilities of fashion, but also to a four-decade catalogue of record design work that is as strikingly inventive as it is wildly diverse… By Andrew Dineley Always ambitious, continually seeking to make a lasting statement, No band of their era understood the vital commercial alchemy between music and visual appeal better than Duran Duran.
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