Second Album From Foo Fighters' Drummer and Friends

Out April 20th On Shanabelle/RCA

A year in the making, the second effort from Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins and his Coattail Riders, Red Light Fever, is now scheduled for an April 20, 2010 release on Shanabelle/RCA Records.

Hawkins began demoing tracks on his own when an early 2009 break from the Foo Fighters' grueling touring schedule finally freed up the time.

According to Hawkins, who of course provides drums and vocals on all tracks among other additional instrumentation, "About halfway through, I just said f**k it, I don't care if the record ends up sounding like me having sex with my record collection. I'm just going to have fun with it."

The record soon went from a home recording project like the Coattail Riders' 2006 debut (which was recorded in Foo Fighters touring percussionist Drew Hester's living room) to full on sessions at the Foo Fighters' state of the art 606 studio complex.

Taylor Hawkins was joined by returning Coattail Riders Chris Chaney (bass) and Gannin Arnold (guitar) and, for the first time in the studio, touring Coattails guitarist Nate Wood.

As the record's dozen songs were fleshed out, so too was its stellar supporting cast, which would eventually come to include Elliot Easton of the Cars, Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen, and last but by no means least, Hawkins' bandmate Dave Grohl.

Red Light Fever could be considered a labor of love - if the sheer joy exuded in every note, influence and nuance of every song didn't make the entire affair seem so effortless. Hawkins' increasingly accomplished vocals and world renowned drumming skills recall and pay tribute to Hawkins' vast spectrum of classic rock heroes - from the vintage 70s glam stomp of "Way Down," the hard rock rave up "Not Bad Luck," a nod to Beatlesque balladry in the form of "Hell To Pay," and many more.

Virtually every track evokes memories of the respective heydays of the Chinn-Chapman hit factory, The Move, Sweet, and even a little 10cc for good measure - all imbued with Hawkins' unmistakable musical personality.

Buy Music:

Taylor Hawkins on amazon.com

Taylor Hawkins Official Website
Taylor Hawkins and The Coattail Riders MySpace

Hot on the heels of his impressive list of Grammy, Brit, and NME Award wins, artist and producer of the moment Mark Ronson is set to collaborate with legendary musical innovators Duran Duran. This exciting partnership will form the centerpiece of Smirnoff Experience Paris, set to take place on Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008 at La Cigale, Paris.

Watch video highlights, interviews from Smirnoff Experience Paris

Duran Duran will perform a unique live set with Ronson for this exclusive, invite-only performance. Together, they will showcase specially re-worked versions of some of the band's classic hits that will be created by Ronson, along with tracks from their critically-acclaimed new album, 'Red Carpet Massacre'.

Mark Ronson & the Version Players will also be bringing Mark's acclaimed live show to the event, performing songs from his hit album, 'Version'. Simon LeBon will bring his vocal magic to Mark's music as one of his featured guest vocalists.

Smirnoff Experience Paris is the third of four global Smirnoff Experience events, celebrating the brand's heritage and originality. The global program features original music collaborations fused with unique and interactive entertainment showcased in four of the cities most relevant to the history of the brand: Moscow, Shanghai, Paris and New York City.

In preparation for this once-in-a-lifetime show, Mark Ronson and the four original members of Duran Duran: Simon LeBon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Roger Taylor, have already started planning this collaboration with regular conversations from the road that Mark is now following up on with time spent in the studio creating the never-before heard or played interpretations.

Commenting on working together, Mark Ronson and Duran Duran band members said:

"Duran Duran are one of my favorite bands, period. The level to which they combined melody, groove, sonic and style has yet to be outdone. Plus, they were the only band I ever idolized to the extent of having posters, tour videos, Smash Hits sticker-books, and all sorts of embarrassing things. When I was nine years old, I even used to take a picture of John Taylor with me to the barber shop, in the hope that they would be able to duplicate his signature coif onto my tiny head. It's an honour and a highlight of my musical career to get to perform with them. And with the Ed Banger Crew and Tom Middleton, it's going to be a special night in Paris" - Mark Ronson

"I can't think of anyone working in music today that I would rather collaborate with on a project than Mark Ronson. This is a very exciting gig for us, totally different to anything we have done before. The idea of giving Mark free rein to remix songs of ours then to put it all together and perform it live... Wow. What a jam!" - Duran Duran bassist, John Taylor

"Mark makes elegant intelligent music. With graceful sleight of hand he produced two of the defining albums of last year. It's rare to find someone with such depth of vision, I believe he will be one of the most influential voices of his generation - the story has only just begun. I am thrilled that we are working together. It's going to be truly inspiring." - Nick Rhodes - Duran keyboardist

"Considering that for a period of over twenty years, we didn't collaborate with anyone - apart from a brief stage appearance, on my part, at "Wham - The Final" - I think we have been pretty spoilt recently working with Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and Nate Danja Hills. Of course, that's led to the overwhelming question; "Well after that, who could you possibly work with next? The only name that has held any real credibility and allure on our part, has been the name Mark Ronson. Mark is without doubt a naturally gifted artist and producer and one of the biggest talents to have emerged in recent years. He's taking popular music in a new, exciting and fresh direction, for which we can all give thanks. He also looks great in a well cut suit, and has the blood and voice of an Englishman - it's an irresistible package really. Nick, John, Roger and I simply can't wait!!" - Duran Duran lead singer, Simon LeBon

"Mark Ronson was born only three years before Duran Duran were formed but 'Wild Boys' was one of the first records he spun as a young DJ. His meteoric rise from DJ to world-renowned producer has been phenomenal and it's with great excitement and anticipation we become part of the Mark Ronson story again." - Duran Duran drummer, Roger Taylor

Premier electronic French label Ed Banger will also add their own magic to the night, with other specially-created Duran Duran remixes being presented by a selection of their hottest artists and DJs. In addition, Smirnoff Experience resident DJ Tom Middleton will also return for a unique performance with Paris-based classical pianist Maxence Cyrin, who will blend interpretations of acid house melodies with ambient beats, taking guests on a trip through some of the sounds that have defined a whole musical generation.

Duran Duran Red Carpet Massacre May 2008 US tour dates:

Dates could change!

May 8 - Valley View - San Diego, CA
May 9 - The Joint - Las Vegas, NV
May 10 - The Joint - Las Vegas, NV
May 12 - Wells Fargo Theatre - Denver, CO
May 14 - Rosemont Theatre - Chicago, IL
May 15 - Masonic Temple Theatre - Detroit, MI
May 16 - Summit City - Whitesburg, KY
May 17 - Chastain Park Amphitheater - Atlanta, GA
May 18 - UCF Arena - Orlando, FL
May 19 - Mizner Park Amphitheatre - Boca Raton, FL
May 21 - Koka Booth Amphitheatre - Raleigh, NC
May 22 - Mann Center for the Performing Arts - Philadelphia, PA
May 24 - Atlantis - Paradise Island (Bahamas)
May 27 - Merriweather Post Pavilion - Columbia, MD
May 28 - Agganis Arena - Boston, MA
May 30 - Central Park Summerstage - New York City, NY
May 31 - Central Park Summerstage - New York City, NY

Duran Duran - Red Carpet Massacre on amazon.com

Red Carpet Massacre (CD/DVD) on amazon.co.uk

Duran Duran Official Website

Mark Ronson Official Website

With their 'Red Carpet Massacre World Tour' now underway, in support of the release of their 12th studio album, musical innovators Duran Duran have announced details of four special UK shows that will form part of an extensive 30 date European summer run.

Taking in Liverpool, Nottingham, Birmingham and London, the four original members of Duran Duran: Simon LeBon, Nick Rhodes, Roger Taylor and John Taylor will be bringing a spectacular new production to British shores that will showcase their latest record, alongside all of the fan-favourites from their vast catalogue of hits.

This will be the first time that the band have performed at some of these venues - namely, their first outing in the O2 Arena in London, the Liverpool Echo Arena and the NIA in Birmingham.

The four Duran Duran 2008 UK shows are:

(Check local venue websites and www.duranduran.com for the most up to date information)

3 July O2 Arena, London 08444 775 775 or www.aeglive.co.uk
5 July Liverpool Echo Arena 08448 000 400 or www.accliverpool.com
6 July Nottingham Arena 08444 775 775 or www.aeglive.co.uk
7 July Birmingham NIA 08444 775 775 or www.aeglive.co.uk

Tickets for all of the shows on this upcoming UK run will go on sale to the general public on Friday 11th April, 2008 at 9.00 am GMT.

Prior to that, Duran Duran's fan community will be offering both exclusive pre-sale opportunities and VIP packages for members starting at 2.00 pm GMT on Wednesday 9th April, 2008.

Members should visit www.duranduranmusic.com

This upcoming leg of the tour will see the group's first performances in the UK since the release of 'Red Carpet Massacre' (Epic Records), which the band launched late last year with an unprecedented two-week Broadway residency in New York, and a one-night-only engagement, that was filmed for television at the Lyceum Theatre in London.

In a bold move, Duran Duran performed their new record in its entirety to sold-out houses in both the UK and US, prior to the album's global launch. Encouraged by the enthusiastic response from fans and critics alike, the band are now taking a specially tailored version of this three-act show on the road around the world, starting in Australia and New Zealand, headlining the V Festival series, alongside their own shows.

'Red Carpet Massacre' marks an all-time creative high for the band members, who wrote and recorded this ground-breaking album with producers Timbaland and Nate 'Danja' Hills, alongside today's reigning king of pop, Justin Timberlake.

Duran Duran have also confirmed that the critically acclaimed Sheffield indie band the Arctic Monkeys have remixed the bands second single "Skin Divers". The track remixed by Arctic Monkey's drummer Matt Helders is also rumoured to feature sampled vocals by Helders and lead singer Alex Turner.

The Arctic's association with the eighties pop legends extends to the bands last album 'Favourite Worst Nightmare' in which they pay homage to several Duran Duran tracks on "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor" where the band use the lyrics "Your name isn't Rio, but I don't care for sand" and on the acclaimed "Teddy Picker" which contains the lyrics "I don't want your prayer, save it for the morning after". Duran Duran's John Taylor is one of their biggest fans. "I love them, they are one of the best bands to have come out in the last five years, probably the best."

The band are also teaming up with Grammy award winning artist, producer and re-mixer Mark Ronson in the Summer.

Duran Duran's spokesman said: "I can't confirm any specific details at the moment, other than to say that they are definitely discussing working on some material together and a possible live collaboration for the Summer of this year, there is a mutual respect and admiration of each other's work." Ronson has also made no secret that he is a fan of Duran Duran, "I have a soft spot for some of that 1980s production and I love great bands from that era such as Duran Duran."

Garnering them some of their best reviews to date, RCM has been described as:

"... their best album since Notorious" by British dance music bible, MIXMAG

"another promising sign of the creative and commercial rebirth in the 21st Century of Duran Duran...without doubt the strongest thing they have put out since their 1992 comeback (The Wedding Album)" by the Sunday Times Culture

Writing for the Saturday Times Magazine, revered music critic Craig Mclean remarked: "'Red Carpet Massacre' is a collection of super catchy tunes that deftly marry the band's proven way with a melody, with edgy hip hop and R&B influenced production from Timbaland."

Marie Claire magazine adds that it's "a guilty pleasure indeed"

During an illustrious career spanning three decades, Duran Duran have remained at the forefront of popular music, consistently pushing the creative envelope and breaking new ground. Since their inception, the band have sold over 70 million albums, recorded countless hit records, received numerous accolades, and have been presented with no fewer than five prestigious "Lifetime Achievement" awards since 2002 (MTV Video Music Award, Q Magazine, The BRITS, Ivor Novello, Spanish Ondas).

Speaking backstage from their concert in Perth, Australia, Duran Duran front-man Simon LeBon said how much they were looking forward to performing again in England with a new production. "These are going to be extremely exciting shows for us", he said, "taking a very different format to the last world tour we did in 2006. We are introducing a lot of new elements into the mix - both musically and in terms of the staging. We have been working on completely different arrangements for some of the older material and will be integrating a lot of our latest record into the performances. We need to keep things fresh - not only for ourselves, but also for our audiences, who can be assured of a lot of surprises with this new production."

Duran Duran - Red Carpet Massacre (CD/DVD) on amazon.co.uk

Duran Duran on Myspace
Duran Duran

I wonder what Duran Duran's set list will look like. Maybe some oldies but goodies from the "Save A Prayer" and "Rio" era? And is Andy Taylor really out of the band? Actually, to answer my last question, all I had to do was look at the Duran Duran Live Earth promo photo to see that he's not there. Everyone else is though: Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes (who recently designed the first ever video guitar - "Pixelator" for Fender), John Taylor and Roger Taylor.

Watch "Save A Prayer" video by Duran Duran

Duran Duran Official Website
Duran Duran on Myspace
Live Earth Official Website

By: Jenny May