| ? |
Andy
joins another covers band as lead singer and
guitarist, and they begin performing at strip
clubs and American airbases in Germany, playing
six 45-minute sets a night |
 |
| ? |
Nick
leaves school at sixteen as John fails his A-levels;
they begin planning a band together |
 |
| ? |
Terry
Bozzio leaves Frank Zappa's band |
 |
| end
of summer |
Dog
Days: Harrow Tech, Harrow, England (with
Supercharge, 98th Precinct, and another
band)
Simon's
punk band plays its first and only show
|
|
| ? |
John
attends art college with Stephen Duffy |
|
| spring |
Nick
and John spend an afternoon at the Hole in the
Wall pub in Birmingham, brainstorming on a name
for their band; after briefly considering RAF,
John suggests Duran Duran, after the
Milo O'Shea character in Jane Fonda's classic
camp sci-fi movie 'Barbarella' |
|
| Apr
5 |
Duran
Duran: Lecture Theatre, Birmingham Polytechnic
University, Birmingham, England
The first "Duran Duran"
show; with Nick Bates on keyboards and drum
machine, Nigel Taylor on guitar, and Stephen
Duffy on bass and vocals; they play to an
audience of about 10 people
|
 |
| Apr
? |
Duran
Duran: Lecture Theatre, Birmingham Polytechnic
University, Birmingham, England
The second and subsequent
shows feature Simon Colley on clarinet and
bass, "Nik Bates", "Steve Dufait",
and Nigel Taylor
|
|
| May
8 |
Duran
Duran: Hexagon Theatre, Birmingham, England
|
|
| May
28 |
Duran
Duran: The Arts Lab, Birmingham, England
cancelled
|
|
| ? |
These
early shows feature a unique 'art school' flavor
-- John covers the amps in white plastic, Nick
projects slides of architecture onto club walls
and ceilings, and plays tapes of chanting monks
and ringing bells as backdrops to the band's
music |
|
| ? |
Simon
Le Bon writes the lyrics to 'The Chauffeur' |
|
| Oct
31 |
Warren
narrates a story ('Ms. X') onstage, accompanied
by the band, at one of Zappa's famous New York
Halloween shows |
 |
| Nov
18 |
Duran
Duran: Red Star Club, Birmingham, England
(with Vision Collision and The Detectives)
|
|
| ? |
Duran
Duran: Barbarella's, Birmingham, England
Roger
sees several Duran shows at Barbarella's near
the end of the year; for at least one of these
shows they are opening for Fashion
|
|
| Dec |
Frank
Zappa phones Warren to invite him to Los Angeles
to audition with his band |
|
