Tuesday, February 7, 2012

'Stole a Leopard' Testimonials 1

For those of you not aware, DDTTRH debuted stuffed snow leopards in New York City at the end of last year (our very own Christian Helwig was there!). These stuffed snow leopards are the results of a partnership with the Snow Leopard Trust (snowleopardtrust.org) which is an organization dedicated to the protection of snow leopards and their native habitats in Mongolia. 100% of the money you pay for the leopard (less the shipping and collars we make for them) goes towards saving these amazing animals.

Here is the first edition of testimonials from our fans (with pictures). We hope you enjoy them and that you will purchase a leopard for yourself...not because we want you to, but because you are willing to give to save these animals. Savings these leopards goes beyond any kind of trivial things related to Duran Duran or the Rock Hall...its about giving life to animals struggling to keep it. 'It begins and ends with you' to be 'the one who stole a leopard'. ~DDTTRH

Alex Jokubaitis, United States

I love my snow leopards! I kept one for myself, and gave the other to a fellow Duranie who wasn't aware of DDTTRH. She really appreciated it, and got to learn more about the cause. I keep mine (aptly named Simon LeCat) on my desk, and he serves as a daily reminder of Duran Duran. I think the leopards are perfect for any Duran Duran fan. They are a unique reference to a great, current Duran Duran song. They help to also raise awareness of the band and all of their accomplishments, and the cost of purchase goes to a wonderful cause. And on top of that, they are so darn cute!





Terri Simpkin, Australia

When I saw that DDTTRH had very cleverly linked one of the most amazing Duran songs with a most worthy cause I had to investigate. As I now know, not only are the plush snow leopards incredibly cute in their own right, they play a big part in providing assistance to keep the real Snow Leopards off the extinct list. Currently classified as endangered, there are less than 7 000 left in the wild and need all the help they can get. Way down here in Tasmania (no, it’s not the end of the Earth, but I can see it from here!) there’s not much opportunity to see a real Snow Leopard so purchasing a very friendly plush one was the next best thing. And, the clever people at DDTTRH will provide you with a very stylish little collar which you can have personalised (to five letters). In the spirit of the latest album, mine proudly wears AYNIN on his collar.

I urge all Duran fans to consider supporting DDTTRH drive to raise funds for the Snow Leopard Trust. Not only will you be able to connect with Duran’s “Leopard” but you’ll be helping a great cause and, did I mention they are incredibly cute??!!! (BTW mine is currently travelling to the UK as part of my relocation to the other side of the world; too cute to leave behind.) – Dr Terri Simpkin, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

Maria Sbrocco, United States


Seeing the AYNIN Duran Duran concert was the greatest night of my life!! It took over 30 years and it was well worth the wait!! I also want to thank you for the opportunity to purchase the stuffed snow leopard animals with the collars through your web site. I have one with a collar that says 'I Simon Le Bon' and another that says 'I Duran Duran'. It is an important cause to save the snow leopards and they are the cutest souvenirs to a Duran Duran concert that I waited all my life for. "The Man Who Stole A Leopard" has a greater meaning than just a song.





To steal your leopard, please visit us at www.ddttrh.info, Enter the Site, and click 'Be the One Who Stole a Leopard'.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Demographic Report, DDTTRH Fans

So I was perusing statistics that Facebook provides on our site and found many that were demographic in nature. So what do we look like as Duran Duran fans (specifically to followers of this effort, DDTTRH?). Here is all about you [: [:

Here's a look by Country...Not surprising, the highest percentages are in the US, Great Britain, Canada, and Italy...



Here is a list of all the represented countries...
United States 52.56%
Italy 11.66%
Great Britain 9.24%
Canada 4.46%
Argentina 4.42%
Australia 2.41%
Chile 2.74%
Greece 2.00%
Serbia 0.49%
Peru 0.90%
Germany 0.98%
France 1.35%
Portugal 0.49%
Spain 0.98%
Netherlands 1.19%
Philipines 0.45%
Mexico 1.68%
Brazil 1.35%
Indonesia 0.65%

Looking at age and gender, most of our fans are women (I wonder why?) and in the age ranges of 35-44...



Looking at the percentages 'within' age ranges, that gap between male and female remains similar, except in the 45 and up range...


Finally, looking at language, its no surprise that English (US and Great Britain and Italian are the highest percentages). It is great that Latin American Spanish ranks high as well!!!!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

2011 DDTTRH Petition Report

Duran Duran to the Rock Hall
Petition Report for 2011
By Kandice Purpura, the 'Petition Duchess'

• Signatures from 929 – 1486

• We have 558 signatures this year compared to last year’s 928. Total signatures to date: 1,486

• There are a lot of nice statements. Here are a few that I adore! Please note: I did not fix spelling and grammar. They are printed “as is”. Also, I try to avoid signatures that put down other artists (i.e. use statements like: “they’re better than”, “they’re more deserving than” etc…) Yes, I agree that there are some artists more deserving of the Rock Hall than others. Because lets face it, everyone thinks his or her band is better than your band. To me, that is all a matter of perspective. Enjoy!


1. #1484 Name not displayed, NM
I love Duran Duran. I’ve been a fan of theirs for years and their songs and music videos were and still are amazing. They deserve to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

2. #1470, Name not displayed, AZ
Duran Duran’s career started in the late ‘70s and they are still going strong. They have a string of hits that are immensely popular, and a music catalog that is very deep and wide – super creative! They have a worldwide fan following. Their music and videos have been influential in starting other bands such as The Killers, The Dandy Warhols, The Bravery, and many others. There is an entire generation of graphic designers and artists who have been influenced by their creative music videos. Personally, I see the influence Duran Duran has had on my life in my professional life as a graphic designer and photographer, and in my personal life as an avid music listener. Duran Duran were the “Beatles” of the 80s… they should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame without a doubt!

3. #1436, Erica Aguirre, CA
My older sister popped in a VHS cassette to the VCR in my parents bedroom. I sat with her awaiting for something to appear on the 19-inch tv screen. A Woody Wood Pecker cartoon perhaps? Was it ET again? Then, there it appeared, without sound. A smile so perfect and with red lips. Eyes, alluring. The face of a woman, her head tilted back with a gaping mouth in laughter and delight. And then, finally, sound – indescribable. A sound that let me know something big was coming. This was the music video for Rio. Little did I know then, at the age of 3, that this was the music I would take with me for the rest of my life. Singer Simon Le Bon once said “I feel that we do something which brings people together, makes people feel good about themselves, makes people feel that they’re not alone. Making people feel not alone, I feel we’re providing a very useful service.” This is what Duran Duran has done for us since 1978.

4. #1374, Deena Roth, QC
Duran Duran have had more of an impact on my life than any other band ever had and that’s saying a lot, because I’ve listened to and admired an eclectic and vast mix of musical artists over the years. They were the first band I ever loved. They opened a portal to a world that I longed to embrace; a world where riveting melodies collided with surrealist lyrics, a world of boundless joy that soothed my teenage soul. Here we are 30 years later and they are still just as fresh and unique as they were back then. They need to be recognized for all that they have achieved!

5. #1,353, Scottland Jacobson, WA
Duran Duran DEFINED the music and the video experience of the 80s – and they have endured for over 30 years. They deserve to be in the Hall of Fame!

6. #1336, Shelley Seguin, ON
If anyone deserves a place in the Rock & Roll hall of fame, it’s definitely Duran Dura. They have pushed the envelope in so many ways… inspired other artists… been on the cutting edge… and yet this honor eludes them. It isn’t right.

7. #1309 Name not displayed, Argentina
I have been a Duran Duran fan since I was a child in the 1980s. Once branded the New Romantics, they are true rock legends who have stood the test of time. They helped to develop the video industry and have directly or subtly influenced many bands of today. Duran Duran have always been a synonym for avant-garde and their music is the key to understanding the spirit of the 80s… more than that – its’s the ultimate soundtrack. Do music history a favour… induct them now!!!


8. #1251, Erica Williston, Tx
After 30 years this band should be recognized for their influence in music AND videos on today’s band’s. It is about time to honor their commitment to the music industry.

9. #1227 Jeran Swift, Ky
Duran Duran inspired me to be me, through a song, it changed my personal view’s on things, and gave me hope to carry on when I thought I couldn’t bare anymore, a special thank you to you Simon, I look up to him as a hero, and I respect everything you do. Thank you Duran Duran for keeping me sane in this crazy Ordinary World.

10. #1,112 Name not Displayed, RI
For 30 +years Duran Duran have been pushing boundaries & redefining pop music, they don’t play for the critics, they play for their fans! They captivated a generation & provided an escape into far off exotic lands, singing of lost loves, desires, the humility of just being a little sorrowed talk, sunrises, & new beginnings. Duran songs are not just danceable, its poetry. Poetry with a beat, heart & soul. They’ve influenced modern artists & despite the eluded critical acclaim, they’ve sold millions and have millions of adoring fans. Rock ‘N Roll is about the fans & music, not the critical acclaim, no one personifies that better than Duran Duran & that is why they deserve to be there!
Signature totals for the United States:

• Alabama - 6
• Alaska
• Arizona - 13
• Arkansas - 4
• California – 144
• Colorado - 9
• Connecticut - 14
• Delaware - 2
• Florida - 69
• Georgia - 18
• Hawaii
• Idaho - 1
• Illinois - 41
• Indiana - 19
• Iowa - 5
• Kansas - 4
• Kentucky - 18
• Louisiana - 5
• Maine - 4
• Maryland / DC - 11
• Massachusetts - 38
• Michigan - 17
• Minnesota - 7
• Mississippi - 4
• Missouri - 21
• Montana - 7
• Nebraska - 7
• Nevada - 6
• New Hampshire - 5
• New Jersey - 22
• New Mexico - 5
• New York - 58
• North Carolina - 13
• North Dakota
• Ohio - 97
• Oklahoma - 7
• Oregon - 11
• Pennsylvania - 26
• Rhode Island - 7
• South Carolina - 9
• South Dakota - 2
• Tennessee - 19
• Texas - 55
• Utah - 3
• Vermont -
• Virginia - 13
• Washington - 24
• West Virginia - 7
• Wisconsin – 13
• Wyoming -



Signatures totals for Around the World



• Argentina - 32
• Australia – 34
• Austria - 2
• Belgium - 2
• Brazil - 34
• Canada - 64
• Chile - 8
• China - 1
• Columbia - 2
• Costa Rica - 2
• Czech Republic - 2
• Denmark - 1
• Finland - 5
• France - 17
• Germany - 15
• Greece - 7
• Hungary - 1
• Iceland - 1
• Indonesia - 1
• Ireland - 7
• Israel - 1
• Italy - 124
• Jordan - 1
• Kazakhstan - 2
• Malta - 1
• Mauritius - 1
• Mexico - 17
• Netherlands - 11
• New Zealand – 5
• Nicaragua – 1
• Norway - 2
• Palestine – 1
• Paraguay - 2
• Peru - 4
• Philippines - 1
• Poland - 8
• Portugal - 13
• Puerto Rico - 4
• Romania - 1
• Russia - 6
• Serbia & Montg. – 2
• Solvakia - 2
• Slovenia - 1
• Spain - 7
• Sweden - 4
• Switzerland - 4
• Syrian Arab Rep. - 1
• Tanzania – 2
• Togo - 1
• Venezuela - 1
• Uruguay - 2
• Ukraine – 3
• United Kingdom – 117
• Yugoslav (Former Rep) - 5

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Annual Review Exclusive! Kirk's first DD concert!

ANNUAL REVIEW EXCLUSIVE

Sights, Sounds and Feelings from my First Duran Duran Concert, by Kirk Harrington, DDTTRH

What many of you may not have known is that October 19th, 2011 in Cleveland was my first Duran Duran concert ever! I never had the means growing up to go and the circumstance never came together for me--the stars never aligned. This year though I determined not to let it pass by. It all started the night I was in New Jersey, the night before tickets were sold. I stayed up till midnight to make sure I was in right away for purchasing. I got great seats. I couldn't stop thinking about it as I toured the Statue of Liberty, went to the beach, and other places around the area in the next few days. The tickets came in the mail about a week later.

On the day of the concert, I had put on a turtleneck and was going to wear my DDTTRH shirt over it. My wife told me to wear a dress shirt...to look more cool, like 'them' (referring the Duran Duran). That excited me of course! I mean, who would not like to dress in style like Duran Duran!

I went early so I could pass out fliers for DDTTRH. I had printed them the night before. I chose pink because of the color of the new album.

It was raining wolves and leopards, I had my umbrella thank goodness. I first set up for passing out fliers in front of the wrong theater. Then someone told me the nice bus out front had Johnny Cash in it. So I moved closer to the State Theater. Two memorable things happened on this side. I got to meet Alec, one of our fans of DDTTRH. He told me he had one of our t-shirts on under his suit which was cool. Then some inebriated man (that was pretty nice except for all the f-words he said) stood there for the longest time...trying to remember a Duran Duran song. He blocked my way till I politely asked him to move so I could pass out fliers and he was nice about it. Then he finally remembered a song and he sung me 'Come Undone'to me...lol!

Then I moved to the other side of the State Theater as more people were coming in from that way. I got to meet Maria (another one of our fans who volunteered to pass out fliers). I gave her a t-shirt and some pink fliers and she did a fantastic job passing them out...she came back several times to ask for more (Thanks Maria!!) I think she passed out more than me actually.

It was on this side that News Channel 5 started interviewing me. I think it was by this time that people really got that I was passing out fliers for a good cause instead of selling tickets like the other fine chaps trying to do so by me. The see the News 5 clips of this, go to:
http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/local-duran-duran-fan-feels-80%27s-pop-band-needs-to-be-inducted-in-rock-hall-

Then it was about 20 till the show that my lovely wife stopped by and took my daughter inside the theater. I stayed till quarter of 8 and Maria and I agreed to stop.

Then began my magical journey to my first Duran Duran concert. Here are the sights, sounds, and feelings I experienced...

Sights
**The people crowded around the t-shirt and concert merchandise vendors
**The reds, golds, and browns of the theater decor
**My friend Justin chaperoning at the show in his red chaperone's jacket
**The seats that were SO good and so close to the stage (only 100 rows back!)--I could see everything!
**The 4 faces that I thought were part of the theater decor that later I learned were part of the concert
**The Neon Trees' lead singer and his moves all over the stage...like when he kicked his legs in the air, twirled and spinned around, and acted like he fell asleep in front of one of the speakers
**The twirling microphone of the lead singer of Neon Trees
**Duran Duran coming on stage and everyone standing up
**Simon in a black shirt first then Simon in a much nicer blue shirt (my wife agreed this shirt looked better on him)
**Nick's blond hair and prowess on the keyboard
**Roger's confidence and power on the drums
**John's grace with the bass
**Dom and his guitar--though he made me think about Andy
**The really cool lady on the bongos
**Simon with the tamberine
**The lights and smoke from the stage, the images from the video screens...images of machines, a woman scratching, The No No No's during Notorious, the images of the band's faces mouthing 'Ta Na Na Na' during 'Reflex', images of immodestly dressed women that looked to be from Second Life
**The band leaving and coming back
**John's Tatoo
**Cellphones and lighters raised in the air during 'Leave a Light On'
**My wife dancing next to me...the joy on her face
**The arms above the head waving during Reach Up for the Sunrise
**My teenage daughter trying to get into it, but perhaps being uncomfortable with all the older people in the room
**The women dancing and some reaching for Simon as he sang

Sounds
**The great vocals of the Neon Trees' lead singer and the fabulous drum sounds from the Neon Trees' drummer
**The screams and cheers when Duran Duran first came on stage
**The saxophone during Rio
**Simon's right-on amazing voice
**Roger's fluid beating on the drums
**The dulcet notes flowing from Nick's keyboard

Feelings
**Disappointment when my Twitter wouldn't work because my service was not connected (my friend Justin tried to loan me his phone but by that time it was too late)...what I wanted to Tweet was 'The Rock Hall does not deserve you ~DDTTRH'
**The electricity that filled the room when Duran Duran first came on stage
**Thats such a nice blue shirt on Simon...I want a shirt like that
**They sound so much better live than on their albums
**Excitement when they played my favorite song, 'Ordinary World'
**The soft feel of my wife's lower back
**The strong desire from the crowd to have Duran Duran come back after they left...feeling the same strong desire from the urging crowd
**Disappointment and feeling a bit like a kid when I went looking for Duran Duran after the show...even wandering back behind the theater to get a look at their buses to see if I could catch them
**Elation, joy, and adrenaline rush that lasted for several days after the concert--simply amazing...

This concert was truly a milestone in my life and I am EXTREMELY happy after all this time to have finally seen them in concert. Its thanks to this concert that I was inspired with the 'Epiphany' which many of you have read. If you haven't read it, you can find it in October 2011's blogs.

As has happened to many of you after seeing them in concert, this event truly inspired me and touched my life in a special way to makes me want to live it better.

I just want to say...thank you Duran Duran...for everything. Thanks to all those that have joined our little adventure at DDTTRH...exciting things are to come, I promise!

Kirk, DDTTRH

Saturday, January 14, 2012

PLEASE TAKE OUR POLL!!!!

PLEASE TAKE OUR POLL ----------------------------------------------------------->

While you're listening to the GREAT music player on our site, PLEASE take our current poll! Its in the upper right corner of the blog page! Thanks!!!!

DDTTRH

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Au Revoir and Merci to DDTTRH's old mission

I have thought about what would be the best way to end the year at DDTTRH. My thoughts go to the ‘Epiphany’ and the dying of our old mission to ‘just get Duran Duran to the Rock Hall’ and the ringing in of the new one of promoting Duran Duran in bold and exciting new ways. So in this spirit…to give our old mission a formal send-off…to thank it for getting us this far…parting ways with it, understanding it will never return…not to apologize for it, but to send it off gracefully into the New Years night…I thought it fitting to share the answer to that one question that was at its core…and the answer to it from all the bands and supporters that have interviewed with us…Does Duran Duran deserve to be in the Rock Hall of Fame?

Reading through these touched me (as I hope it does you). I want to give special thanks to all the bands, artists, Duran fans, and business owners who gave of their time and inspiring words to our original mission of getting Duran Duran to the Rock Hall of Fame. These words will always be a part of us and we are proud of them.

Special thanks and admiration goes out to our very own LadyAslan (Anitra DeLorenzo) as well, whose dedication and commitment have been a prized jewel to our effort (and who did most of the interviews listed below). I cannot say enough about LadyA who has graced DDTTRH with her talent and leadership, who I hope will do so for years to come (and hoping she will stand with us at the Rock Hall when Duran Duran is finally inducted).

I cannot forget to mention and give thanks for the efforts of our Petition Duchess, Kandice Purpura, who helped lead many of the artists to our signature Rock Hall petition and showed amazing commitment to it. The Rock Hall petition, as you may or may not know, will not go away...it will be just one of the many things we promote Duran Duran to. Kandice will we 'powered up' next year as we find new and exciting ways to promote Duran Duran.

And of course there's Christian Helwig...BIG THING thanks to him as well. He created our amazing hubsite ddttrh.info and has made key relationships with supportive and relative internet sites across the world wide web. Many of you may have met Christian at Gimme a Wristband's party in New York. You may have also noticed Christian's promotional material 'touch' on our effort with fliers, business cards, site logos, etc. I am extremely grateful to him for stepping up when we needed it on the graphic artist front.

Finally...special thanks to all those who made or are still making DDTTRH's journey special. Special mention goes out to Josie Beadoin (our editor), Mr Mystere (you know who you are), The Amazing Andy Golub, Nabeel Shahid (who created our first, now nostalgic, logo), Nuno (for the great fliers), Salvo from Duranasty (for the periodic translations to Italian), Jason Henry, and many others.

With that...Au Revoir and Merci to DDTTRH's old mission...and Bienvenue to the new...

Patrick Doval (musician):
Absolutely!

Nathan Stack (musician, AutoHypnosis):
Absolutely. The post-punk/new romantic era was an important period in pop music history, and Duran Duran was one of the most significant bands to emerge during that time. They deserve a place in the Hall alongside contemporaries U2 and The Police, who have already been inducted, as well as Depeche Mode.

Stephane Leclair (Singer, Composer, multi-instrumentalist, Producer):
Of course they do,they are one of the most successful bands in music history. I mean ,they owned most of the eighties, setting the standard of that decade for many other acts, and of course were pioneers of the new, then, video era. But to me,the main reason why Duran made it so big is because they had such great songs.

Like I commented on your facebook page,you can’t erase history,and like it or not,get it or don’t...these guys are part of music history,and they certainly belong into the Hall Of Fame. They even influenced Madonna who was inducted into The Hall a few years ago.
Sure they had a very strong image...but so did Prince,Michael Jackson,Madonna,Bowie,Elvis,and The Beatles.

Neil Carlill (Musician, Chcanery):
One could argue that there was no band that defined that particular era than DD. Certainly they are important for perfectly capturing video, fashion and dance/rock into something new and sustainable for a very long time....They've sold 100 million albums and have weathered the storm. I think all of those elements combined make them one of the most relevant bands of their generation on several counts. So, worthy, they continue to record new material and tour that material (not just the hits), and that is a credit.

Pride and the Vanities:
I’m surprised their not already in the Rock n Roll Hall of fame. They are pioneers of the 80's new wave and pop revolution. They were the 2nd British Invasion with a unique new sound for 'New Wave' and Pop that captured the world... Their sound is like no other with top billboard songs, Grammy's and American Music Awards. They sold more than 100 million records, so absolutely they deserve to be in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.

RJ (the Poet):

Absolutely. I was in my 20's when they came out. As well, I witnessed the birth of MTV. They were a big hit and all of their songs and videos were being played so they were widely known. Also I think that 100 million or so in record sales speaks for itself.

Tyrone Lee Needham (Musician, Ty King of Trash):
Bloody right, in fact those boys deserves knighthoods, for their musical contributions ,and the revenue they have brought to the UK over the past 30 years, give ‘em their Hall of Fame honour ya buggers…or we will send in the dogs!! hahahaha (joke)

Alex Thorn (Musician and songwriter, In City):
Of course! And also in the world catalog of GREAT synth New Wave bands (if such could be) of top 10 or 15 most popular synth/pop bands in the world they have great music, arrangements, promo campaigns as far back as 80’s and certainly original voices and visual perception.

Mystic Lady (Poetess):
I think they deserve to get in for old time sake for friends and family and all those who where Duranies many eons ago and still are. I was a Japany, gutter heart and baby Banshee, but my cousin was a Duranie and I remember doing her make up for a Duran concert and her coming back from the gig and going on and on about how much John Taylor fancied her...........Yeah right! If Lady Aslan thinks they deserve the hall of fame who I am to disagree?............scoff scoff :)

Mortuary Mary (Poetess, Artist):

Of course DD deserve to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame….way OVER DUE!

Uru (Singer/Songwriter):
Actually, the question should be, “Why are they not already”?!Obviously they were pioneers of a great sound and style that has influenced the music industry up till today.

Aerial, front man for Lunar Dusk (dark wave Electro band out of London):
To be fair, I can’t believe they haven’t been inducted already! Their music has had an immeasurable influence on so many artists. I feel they have contributed a distinct feel, atmosphere and sound to music, attracting fans of many alternative genres. They are true musical innovators, and their legacy will go on to inspire countless generations of musicians to come.

Your Vegas:
Yes definitely. They are without doubt one of the most influential bands of the of the last 30 years and their sound and influence is still clearly heard in many different genres of music today.

James Nights, Scarlet Soho:
YES I THINK THEY DO. FOR A BAND THAT WERE PROBABLY INITIALLY SEEN AS A FASHION STATEMENT I THINK THEY HAVE SHAPED THE SOUND OF A LOT OF CURRENT ELECTRONIC BANDS. THEY HAVE ALWAYS HAD A GOOD POP SENSIBILITY AND GREAT SENSE OF STYLE. I THINK ENOUGH TIME HAS PASSED FOR PEOPLE TO REALISE THAT THEY HAVE WRITTEN SOME GREAT SONGS THAT HAVE HAD A HUGE EFFECT ON POP CULTURE.

Nigel John, Orlando DJ:
I think Duran Duran should be inducted to the hall of fame. They have been around for more than 20 years. They have been a strong presence in the both the 80's and 90s music scene. And they have made some very good quality pop songs.

Gretchen Morganstern, Business owner, Adirondack Aromatherapy:

Absolutely; and I am confident it will only be a matter of time before they are inducted - but the sooner the better! I consider Duran Duran as creative visionaries & pioneers in the music field, forever fearless in their willingness to try new approaches to their music - and their impact on the music & culture of the 1980's and beyond goes without saying. They have been recording & creating without ceasing for nearly 30 years and never stagnate - every new album is a work of art in it's own right.

Jake Niemi (musician):

Yes beyond the shadow of a doubt; their contribution to the sound of pop music over the past 3 decades in particular has been immeasurable.

The Zips (Punk Rock band, UK based):

Yea, why not. They had a time and place on the rock n' roll time-line, even if it was more pop orientated.

Oliver Gerling, Neongrau:
Why not? And that is definitely all I can say. To be true, I don’t mind this subject very much, do they (Duran Duran) actually?

alexP, Twitchcraft (Electronic musician):

For all of the contributions they have made, not just too pop music, but for helping to make the modern day synthesizer much more approachable within that form of music, they definitely deserve it. They were one of the first stadium bands that weren’t progressive rock, to utilize synths and sampling technology in most if not all of their songs. So yes, they definitely deserve to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

D’Edwin (musician):
Well, certainly a ten times more than Bruce Springsteen!

Tenek (Pete Steer and Geoff Pinckney):

Absolutely! They've been around for about 30 years and have contributed to the world wide music scene in a big way. The innovative use of video in the early part of their career was particularly ground breaking.

Fred McNeil (Writer, poet, activist):

Ye for sure there contribution to the music business has played a big part in many Folk’s lives’ influencing many bands up & down the country

Jeremiah Saint (Industrial—death rock—dark wave—horror music):
Yes, very much so. I am surprised that they are not in it already. They are a band that has inspired and touched many and not just with the music that has been written but the style they wore and what they stood for.

Lady Parasyte (Electro Rock band, trio of Kim K, Mark B, and Miss Angela):

Kim K: Sure. They have so many songs that are sort of preserved in people's minds. Even if someone thinks they don’t know a Duran Duran song all you got to do is sing one of their tunes and people are like, “Oh yeah, I know that song!”

Mark B: Duran Duran have spanned 4 decades, sold record numbers of albums, and spawned countless copy cat bands as well as influenced fashion, video and music. Yes, Duran Duran should definitely be inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of fame.

Miss Angela: I do agree that they should be included in the RNR hall of fame! They’re a band who, like Mark said, has influenced not only fashion but music itself. They have stood the test of time, and they deserve to be recognized for that.

Calabrese (Horror, Punk Bank):

Jimmy – 'Cause it’s been years since I’ve heard their music and I still can’t get that “Hungry Like the Wolf” song out of my head!

Bobby -- One word - YES!

J.S. Stoddard, Roughhausen (musician):
Absolutely, their contribution to Popular/electronic music has been immense. Everybody knows their name and at least one song, which in itself speak volumes about the size of their impact on popular culture and music. Additionally, “Hungry like the Wolf” has become a common usage term for horny. Love them or hate them you know who they are, and you know their songs.

Adam Absinthe (musician):

Absolutely. I have never owned an album of theirs, but their impact on the music scene has affected a handful of my favorite artists. They are the quintessential 80’s band, therefore everyone knows who they are and it’d be a shame to see them denied being inducted to the Hall of Fame. I mean how many hits do you need to have before you’re considered famous enough for a hall of Fame?

Chris Richards, T1 Music Australia:
Not only the Rock Hall of Fame, but also the Electro Music Hall of Fame, the Greatest Haircuts Hall of Fame, and of course the Greatest Girls on Film Hall of Fame

Ron Yousha (actor, singer, guitar player):

Yes, definitely! You couldn’t get away from Duran Duran in the 80′s. They were everywhere, MTV, radio, on t-shirts, and posters. They were the band that brought the new sound to the mainstream and made it popular. More importantly than that, their music was a mix of many different influences. They had rock 'n' roll riffs within their music; especially Bass and Guitar.

Blue October (UK Electro synth pop band):
Definitely, Duran Duran is pioneering bands that have over the years have influenced many bands not only with their music but also the work with videos as well.

David Jonson (musician):
Definitely, Duran Duran have stood the test of time so should definitely be in there, There are not many bands around today with the fashion sense and music styling that could last the way Duran Duran have.

Shapes of Race Cars (indie rock bank):
Dylan Champion: Hungry Like the Wolf changed modern music. I'm serious. It was the first song to combine primal, animal elements and imagery with the shinny, yachting world of modern glam-pop.

That is seriously and important change - animals were always the exclusive territory of earthy, rootsy, loud rock bands like Led Zep, The Stones and Warren Zevon. Le Bon and co. married the two. If Adam Ant paved the way with tribal drums and war paint, Duran Duran took it all the way into the steamy, post-imperialist wilds of the jungle.

Bigfix music (independent record label):
without a doubt!

80’s Underground (radio):
Yes.

Enochian Sun:
Absolutely. Duran Duran had a huge relevant impact on music in the 80's and without a doubt they stood out. I really believe that they have the staying power to continue to be relevant today. Their music has longevity for sure. You can't say that about most bands from the 80's.

Nylon Pink (pop/punk band):

Kaila Yu: Yes Hungry like a wolf! They are one of the greatest bands of all time!

Kitt.E.Katt: Definitely! They are a legend!

DJ Shy: Yes. They made the 80s fun

Marc Massive, vocals for Massive Ego (Electro Pop New Wave band):
I do think they get overlooked far too often for these kinds of accolades, although they did get a star on the Hollywood walk of fame and a lifetime achievement at the Brits. I’m sure their mantelpiece at home is bowing under the strain of all those awards that have quite deservedly been bestowed on them.

Amber Ghosh, photographer:
Absolutely! To be quite honest, when you approached me for this interview and I read about your petition, I was shocked they weren't already in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. How could such a thing be true?!

The Unquiet Void, Jason Wallach:

There's no doubt in my mind about that! I certainly feel that their first three albums were genius. I guess I'm a little surprised to hear that they're not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Eric Alexandrakis (composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist):
Well they do meet the requirements, and considering how much of an impact on music and pop culture they have had, it’s a no brainer.

Engines of Necessity (industrial rock project by Jake Borman):

Absolutely! I feel like rock and roll music has always been an ever-evolving mutant of various genres and influences, grabbing onto new ideas when needed and discarding the old in kind. If it weren’t, we'd still just call it the blues!

Jagged (electro/dark wave/rock band):

Absolutely, Duran Duran was probably the most dominant band in the 80’s, their music and videos were inspirational and a household name.

Evokateur (electronic pop band):

Definitely, they’ve had a very long and successful international career both live and in the studio with so many top ten singles and almost all of their albums went gold.

Blair (Electro Rock music):
Yes, they are a great band who's done a lot for music and the music video. I definitely think they deserve to be in it.

TAWk:
yes why not they’ve paid their dues.

e-gens (Russian Synthpop band, Eugene Titkov & Eugene Komarov ):


Eugene Titkov: Yes, of course. Like other legendary explorers and guides the neo-Romantic culture a

new wave - Visage, Ultravox, Soft Cell. We believe that all these artists undeservedly forgotten,

although their musical work is still heard in the originals, remixes and cover songs at various venues

around the world.

Jan Dark (multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter):
They've had tremendous success most anywhere in the world, and they've been in the business for over 25 years, so I suppose the answer should be yes. On the other hand, the concept of a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame just makes me shrug and go “why?” I understand everybody can't be inducted the same year, but did they really have to wait until 2010 for the Stooges? What about George Clinton and Alice Cooper?

I suggest Duran Duran be awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their foray into brainwave manipulation.

Johnny Daggers (horror model, actor, director):
Without a doubt. Be it their distant sound, look or artwork by Patrick Nagel, Duran Duran left an impression that you could not help but remember.

Owen Paul McGee (Ex Simple Minds):
Yes, without a show of a doubt. After their initial success in the eighties and their continuing success almost two decades later as well as their influence with a host of other bands and singers, there is no doubt in my mind they should be recognised.

Oneness Darkness (band):
Fuck yeah, these guys made some really fucking dope ass music over the years.

Special mention…the Sex Presley’s..although they did not answer th question about the Rock Hall, their answer to this question (What contributions and influences do you feel Duran Duran contributed to the world of music and fashion and social awareness over the past 30 yrs?) was fun…

they got girls horny over guy bands. And that's a good thing.

Lotus Song Productions (band, label, production studio):
Yes, when you think early 80s pop / new wave, you think of Duran Duran.

Rubin Riley, Pump Tha Flava, Music Production
of course they deserve it! They had a sound that

I respected! I have played & listened to all types of music in my

life!

NUNO, graphic designer:
Yes. Duran Duran during all this years proved that they are more than a generation hymn … they are a happiness hymn. A band that, since the 1980s have placed 14 singles in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart and 21 in the Billboard Hot 100 and have sold more than 100 million records, deserves a place at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Daniel Richter, Music mixer, blogger
I was talking about the uniqueness of the band. I think this is the reason Duran Duran should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Along with the ability to write hit songs and reach number ones even after 30 years, release 13 studio albums and not repeat themselves at the same time.

Syclima, composer from Japan:
of course "Yes".

Strap on Halo (gothic, dark wave band):
Absolutely, we thing that anyone who can influence others and sustain a career in music definitely deserves that honor.

Andy Golub (aka ‘Durandy), Duran Duran Archivist:

My association with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame remains a cherished milestone in my archival 'career'. For five years, I loaned an assortment of memorabilia to the Hall for an exhibit. The loaned artifacts included 20 posters, the Milton Bradley board game, a selection of magazines, fan club materials and other ephemera. While a small percentage of the items actually made it into the exhibit, they ended up on display alongside vintage outfits contributed by John and Nick. It was a proud moment.

Working with the Hall introduced me to the people behind this magnificent historical showcase and I understood how committed they are to recognizing the legends we love. I think it's great to see you going above and beyond with your efforts, raising awareness of not only Duran's credentials, but also the extent of band support out there. It's easy to miss the gravity of how many people an artist has touched when the focus is on sales and statistics. Duran are one of the most enduring, prolific bands ever to emerge from the 80's, transcending decades of diverse musical landscapes and making an indelible mark in pop history. Duran deserves nothing less than having someone go out of their way to rally for the band's induction into such a celebrated, prestigious institution as the Rock Hall.

Drype, Portuguese Alternative Rock Band:

We think so; it’s a band that has earned his way to the Hall of Fame like many others. We have a song called ‘Hall of shame’, but I don’t think Duran Duran is included on that category.

Symbiotik (UK band duo, Rob & Rowe):

ABSOLUTELY!!

Greg Method, Make the Rock Hall Weird Campaign:

I think Duran Duran is definitely deserving of a Rock Hall induction. They came into prominence at a very unique time in popular music. By the early 1980s rock and roll was quickly evolving past the quirky new wave style that had defined the end of the '70s; it was maturing. Duran Duran is a perfect representation of this era of rock and roll, this--for lack of a better description--mature new wave sound.

And it doesn't hurt that Simon Le Bon looked like a young Malcolm McDowell. That alone should qualify them.

CCU - Clitherow and Collins, united (band):

Ian Collins (vocals): Yeah, why not? I think there are lesser names in there ahead of them. And you're certainly doing your bit to get them in there! But with respect … y'know, Duran Duran mean an awful lot to an awful lot of people, and whether they're inducted or not, nothing will detract from that.

Axxe (electronic music), Members…
Douglas Chow [programming] + Stina Agustsdottir [vocals] /// Live AXXE: Andrew Ward aka DJ F.U.N.K. [decks, electro percussion] + Pamela Brottes [backing vocals] + Sylvie Riendeau [bass] + Emmanuel Lagrange Paquet [visuals] + Andrew Larbi [MC] + A.J. Kandy [branding]:


YES!!!!!

Derek Sumisu, Duran Duran in Review Podcast:
Of course they do! A career that spans over 30 years, stacks of hits all over the planet, millions of records sold and innovation after innovation in technology, music and video seems to be deserving of such an honour, doesn’t it?? But that being said, apparently some music industry honchos don’t agree with my point of view? A bit of a shock really, isn’t it? ;-)

Whispers in the Shadow, Epic Gothic Rock Band:
First of all I have to confess that I’m not such a Duran Duran fan as you and your readers might be, but having said that I really do like what I know of them, so therefore yeah they deserve that. Even though I’m really not sure if I get that whole Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame concept. The music is good enough without such a thing, but if it makes them and the fans happy of course!

Steve Spears, St. Petersberg Times:
It absolutely KILLS me that they're not there now and acts like
Madonna and U2 are. Seriously, you gotta wonder what brand of glue they're
stiffing up in Cleveland. But in a way, not being in the hall is almost a
badge of honor these days. Look at some of the other acts that aren't
there: Journey, Rush, Kiss, Weird Al Yankovic. Okay, maybe not Weird Al.
But our beloved DD will make it sooner than later.

Salvo, Duranasty:
Of course I think it would be great to add this great recognition to the others they’ve already collected over the years. Duran Duran are among some of the most prolific recording artists and their influence and significance to the development of pop-rock and electro music can’t be ignored.

They have inspired three generations of musicians who continue citing the band as the reason why they are into music. Moreover, Duran Duran have influenced the music industry in a major way. No need to remember all the awards and lifetime achievements they got, their 85 million records sold, they’re pioneers finding a new way to present and sell music, their visual art, their sense of style which starts from the notes of their songs and it propagates to all the aspects of the band’s trademark.

I would give them the special mention for being the precursors of the Art ‘n Roll, Duran Duran is the very first Art ‘n Roll band, a great source of entertainment, inspiration and joy, musically and visually. With Duran Duran it’s a 360° experience, and their latest multimedia project with David Lynch is just the nth demonstration of their avantgardness.

Nick Rhodes said recently “At heart, we remain an art school project, we are driven by exploration and curiosity!” I think that’s the secret of this band and what keeps it so relevant, fresh and appealing.

NoPlacez (upcoming Rock band):
Yes, DD is one of the greatest role models of the generation…While in my journey of music, I come up with so many bands wants to be like DD but the fake is never as valuable as the original… they were the pioneers…

Pink Narcissus, UK based band combining elements of alternative, glam, punk, cabaret and metal with echoes of eastern European inspired Yiddish and gypsy music:
Cookie:
Yeah

Cod:
Hell yeah

Spleen:
They wouldn’t be number one on my list, but sure.

Cod:
They’d probably be in my top 5.

Protea, Serena Toxicat, music experimental project in the electronic medium:

Well, yeah. I’m surprised they aren’t already. At this rate Kajagoogoo will beat ‘em to it. J

Pete Ross and the Paesanos (band):
If it’s good enough for ABBA then it’s good enough for DD

Julie Ann Rhodes (former model and actress):
I sincerely hope the Hall takes recognition. They really do deserve it.

Diverje (Electro/Inustrial music):
Tommy Rapisardi: HELL YEAH!! They totally do! Such an influential band for the early days of new wave/ electronic/ rock!! They made a huge impact in the 80's for sure!!

Robert Sherer, Green Star Produce (business owner):
Getting them into the Hall of Fame is just a stamp of approval that they meant something to so many people. If it fails, they didn't, I did. They are more deserving than some that are in there now.
DNR, Eurovisual band, Ash (drums), Sieg (guitar), Mantis (voice), Delord (keyboard):
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recognize how important an artist has been for history of music regardless to his influences, and yes, Duran Duran definitely fits the category.

Tenboy, band, formed by singer/songwriter/drummer Dean Cook (formed in Birmingham):
yeh absolutely!...why not...it’s the duranies....they have been around a looooooong time now! And they have definitely had an influence on pop music as a whole....so yeh what's not to like!

E-men (synth, techno, electric band):
Of course they deserve being part of that selected group. Either for their music contribution to music, or their Sci Fi videos. I remember someone said as Pink Floyd over abused stereo, Duran Duran did the same with audio and vision.

Elliot Avnon, Discovering Arts Group:
I don't understand how DD have not yet received the spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A band that added a massive mark in the 80's and 90's i am sure if you will ask any person in the world to name few bands from the 80s Duran Duran will be one of them.

Special Mention, M. Douglas Silverstein, Producer, Director, recently released Duran fan documentary ‘Something You Should Know’. M also was not directly asked about the Rock Hall, however he did answer the question ‘How do you feel Duran Duran has made music history and are legendary?’:

I think that its absolutely clear that almost no other band was as instantly recognizable for their videos, their fashion, their flair and their looks. At some level there are people who keep them in that 80’s box. Or they dismiss them in the 80s as being too good looking and didn’t concentrate on the music. But when I listened to the first three albums in particular I think that stuff is still incredibly interesting…relevant…its so clear how much they’ve…I think almost in the way that they’ve influenced so many other artists and bands…they were early sponges to what was happening around them and their scene. They have created such…I mean god…so many bands whether they even realize it or not owe them a sliver of their career to the inspiration of Duran Duran. I mean you could say in Something You Should Know alone, in the documentary, you got people like Moby and Barenaked ladies talking about how they were sitting out in the snow and in the rain begging to get in…couldn’t get in…Moby bragged his way (I think he said he used the term ‘bragged’ his way in)…he actually forced his way in to getting a ticket. And so these are people who…Johnathon Davis of Korn, just like them…these are people who grew up to have very substantial music careers…chart toppers and trend setters in their own respective genres and they were HUGE fans of the band. And not just like ‘Yeah, they were good’…’ I like that Rio song’ or ‘I like the Hungry like the Wolf’ they were substantial fans who made investment like what we remember being so turned on to them as young music fans. And they still dig them so they’re just like you and I and all the people covered in the film.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

'Something You Should Know' about M Interview!



(Cover of Something You Should Know--The Duran Duran Fan Documentary)

M Douglas Silverstein is a producer, director, and recently released the Duran Duran Fan Documentary, Something You Should Know. He has interviewed hundreds of artists, many very famous, and has found joy and bliss in doing what he does best...film. Kirk from DDTTRH had the pleasure and honor to interview M (as he is also called) in a phone call between Cleveland and Los Angeles.

'Something You Should Know' about M, that Kirk learned in this interview, is that M is not just a talented film artist but is also guided as a a person by passion, a love for people, by ethics and moral principle. I hope you will enjoy this interview with M as much as I did. DDTTRH proudly presents...the 'Something You Should Know' about M interview....

It was Saturday morning...that the call came in from Los Angeles to Kirk (K) in Cleveland...

K: Hello? Is this M?

M: Yes it is, how are you?

K: Good...good...you having your coffee?

M: I'm trying.

K: Thank you for interviewing with us. I feel so honored. I watched your documentary and I just love it.

The First question is…did you make it out to a concert this year and what did you think of their new material?

M: I did not get to a concert this year, it was really sort of funny my schedule. Every time I thought I would be going to a certain location for example LA, for example New York among others…it just…with my production schedule, it was always a day before or a day after that I would be able to do it. And its not to say that I wouldn’t love to see them again. I’ve seen them probably 60-80 times or something based on all the travelling around the world for so many years with them. Now…what do I think of the new material? I think its pretty damn good.

K: Yeah—Mark Ronson’s great…

M: Yeah but I just I think a lot of people they look back retrospectively and sort of slam other stuff like of the more recent albums…I thought there were great tracks on Astronaut and I thought there were great tracks on Red Carpet Massacre….now it doesn’t mean that the public as a whole really embraced them and that’s why people have had negative feedback within the fan community.

I think it was valuable stuff…I think they still have a tremendous amount of energy, creativity and desire to consistently aspire to relevancy. I know that that’s individually really important to the members…that they don’t want to just be a play the hits band and maybe that’s what they’ll wind up doing when they feel satiated with it, but you know…you’ve got to give them a lot of credit. They’re still doing it they’re still going for it. I think they deserve a lot of credit not just from Duran Duran fans but from the music community in itself.

K: Right! They take great care…

M: They’re fighting for it….you know what I mean? They’re really fighting for it…to put their stamp in music history. I think it proves how much they love doing this. I’m sure their bank accounts are fluffy enough where they don’t need to go through the rigors of the road but its clear that they love it…they should be lauded for that.

K: Right….right…what I appreciate about them is that they take their time and do something really meaningful. This album has been a long time coming and just the fact that they took the time to do it right..to me they put it off a couple of times and they told their fans this but I think the end product is just fantastic.
Did you see the ‘Girl Panic’ video…did you like it?

M: I think its fantastic. I think its really well done. I think its interesting. I feel honestly that John is a little underserved visually. I feel like he’s like always the reporter or the limo driver but Simon, Nick, and Roger have charming cameos…as the hotel staff and so forth and you know John is more serious than people realize. And maybe that what they were more comfortable with when they were discussing it with Jonas the director but I mean its really cool…I’m curious if they’re going to do a short version for commercial applications as opposed to the extended version, but they have all the tools to make a phenomenal short form video of it as well.

K: Right…right…I’ve been thinking that too…that a short version would be really good. I probably told you this, I sent you a link about it…here at DDTTRH we are changing our direction and mission and we’re going to be less focused on just ‘getting Duran Duran to the Rock Hall’, though we are still supporting our petition, we want to build more awareness…we want to show the world that they’ve made music history…we plan to continue to interview bands, artists, and organizations and people like yourself. We want to reach out to music historians, industry specialists, do some research and data analysis in the next coming years. I mean you…you’ve listened to the band for a long time. How do you feel Duran Duran has made music history and are legendary?

M: I think that its absolutely clear that almost no other band was as instantly recognizable for their videos, their fashion, their flair and their looks. At some level there are people who keep them in that 80’s box. Or they dismiss them in the 80s as being too good looking and didn’t concentrate on the music. But when I listened to the first three albums in particular I think that stuff is still incredibly interesting…relevant…its so clear how much they’ve…I think almost in the way that they’ve influenced so many other artists and bands…they were early sponges to what was happening around them and their scene. They have created such…I mean god…so many bands whether they even realize it or not owe them a sliver of their career to the inspiration of Duran Duran. I mean you could say in Something You Should Know alone, in the documentary, you got people like Moby and Barenaked ladies talking about how they were sitting out in the snow and in the rain begging to get in…couldn’t get in…Moby bragged his way (I think he said he used the term ‘bragged’ his way in)…he actually forced his way in to getting a ticket. And so these are people who…Johnathon Davis of Korn, just like them…these are people who grew up to have very substantial music careers…chart toppers and trend setters in their own respective genres and they were HUGE fans of the band. And not just like ‘Yeah, they were good’…’ I like that Rio song’ or ‘I like the Hungry like the Wolf’ they were substantial fans who made investment like what we remember being so turned on to them as young music fans. And they still dig them so they’re just like you and I and all the people covered in the film.

K: Certainly the effect they’ve had on fans is big! I can’t believe how many fans just come in to our site from all over the world and I don’t know if you’ve read through the petition, but its pretty amazing what fans say about them.

M: Yeah I mean I know that while we document 800 fans being interviewed in the film…that’s how many we have signed clearances from….meaning that they give us a permission legally to put them on film (that they should make the cut)…but we posted many many more and there are still people just finding out about the film from…I forget the last count…but I think it was 84 or 87 countries…unique countries who said ‘Oh my god I just found out about this…is there any way I can be in it…is there going to be a second one…oh my god please…’

K: Actually that was one of my questions…because we’re actually excited to promote this documentary to our fans. I was really excited that Andy…I saw Andy (I’ve been talking to him) and also Salvo from Duranasty…we’ve interviewed them and they’re very strong supporters of us.
Do you plan on expanding this documentary? I was thinking you could make it something like ‘Something You Should Know Too’…like its ‘T-O-O’…some play like that.

M: Do I have your permission to use that name?

K: Sure! If you like!

M: I don’t have any current plans to do that. I would be interested to hear what fans would want from the next one. There are some subject matters…that ah man it was so difficult to make the cut… with over 250 hours spanning…of filming over 5 years and a couple years of post…it was really really difficult. There are things that I wanted to make it that couldn’t make it. There are fans I wanted to make it that couldn’t make it. It was arduous…it was emotionally devastating and painful to make the cuts in order to make it…you know, because my first earliest cut was 5 hours or so.

K: Oh really? Wow!

M: And no one can watch a 5 hour documentary. And I think that as long and as perfect as it is now…there are…because of timing there are some additions that we had clearance to interview…there were some super models we had cleared to interview that we didn’t have worked out…

K: Ah, that’s too bad….

M: So there are things like that I’d like to put into another one. I guess if I would do another one I would definitely like to follow up on how the band feels everything has gone since the reunion but I’d like it to be a more intimate ‘at their homes’ look as opposed to during their big promo period. I actually would like to film the band during a down period when they’re not promoting so it would be more intimate and I would like to catch up with the fans…I would like to do some sort of Duranie convention…these are things I’d like to cover in the second movie that…I went to great fan parties and that’s cool…I mean maybe there’s life at 40 if you know what I mean…Life begins at 40 as they say. So maybe we’ll do it like the 7up series so every seven years I create another 7 year project (laughs)…

K: Yeah…why not? You know I think there’s a convention coming up in the UK…someone was talking about it…

M: Yeah, I saw that…I know that there was some in the 80’s and early 90’s that had several hundred people and I think that these are limited to under 100 and it would be really amazing if there was a way to get…maybe do it on three continents…do one in the US with the band involved, one in the UK with the band involved, maybe one in Australia because I think they have a big fan base, Italy, Brazil, as far as big fan bases that respond to me a lot…

K: Right..Italy definitely…

M: Yeah! Salvo, so cool…

K: I know…he is…good guy…

M: (laughs) I hope I answered that…

K: You answered that perfectly!
Something you said in the Gimme a Wristband interview that I really liked that you said…and it says…and you’re speaking about the film, and I quote this…
“What some people would call an obsession or a wild fascination, or whatever, could be for anything — it could be for a church group, a sports team, or a family reunion. The film to me is all about people who are willing to do whatever it takes to be a part of something that is special and meaningful to them. They don’t care what people think or do around them because this innately brings them joy, happiness, meaning and purpose in their life.”
Would you call this a trademark of your work to try and discover people’s emotions, how they think and act…why is this meaningful to you?

M: What do you mean, in what context?

K: I mean for example have you done any other work in film where you’ve explored this kind of…people emotions…how they think and act…why is that meaningful to you…to explore that…as an artist…as a film artist?

M: You know…I can’t point to anything specifically, but in my work with 600 artists ranging from Madonna, Green Day, Taylor Swift, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Rihanna…I always try to…in fact…I think the reason I’ve been so successful or fortunate is because I always do more research…I think than anybody…I’m kind of famous for…with people who work with me who think I’m crazy…they think its crazy how much effort I put into it.

I’m really passionate about people in general and passionate to find out things that are different, unique to them…like when I worked with Rihanna I knew she grew up in Barbados. So I asked her things, you know, just as a starting off point…‘If I were in Barbados with you and we could go to your favorite place to eat…where would we go…what would we eat…who would pay the bill…and what would we do after that?’.



(Rihanna with M>)

K: …What did she answer?

M: Oh gosh—I don’t remember at all now…

K: That’s fine…that’s fine…

M: But she certainly got a kick out of it…and I often have artists say ‘How do you know that about me?’ And its not because I’m…I think I’m sort of going around what you’re asking…let me try to be more direct which is…I’m really really…I love people…and I love…I’m a very passionate and creative person…and I admire people who are individually or collectively passionate and creative and I just think its really inspiring to watch people take any lengths that they’re willing to do to be happy. I think in the end this comes down to being happy and finding eternal bliss, and yeah…I hope that answers it…I mean I just love people.

K: No…that perfect…that’s great…

M: It is also a mark or a trademark (to use…to coin your term) of what I will and want to be doing in my future projects about in anything which is to find the essential heart and soul. There were many opportunities to have huge commercial and film festival success at the risk of…with this project I mean..huge success that I was guaranteed…that I turned down because it wasn’t who I was to make a film…to change my own personal ethos…I was not willing to change the core of my mission and to turn the characters on themselves or have any exposition that would make them look you know cuckoo or something…because its not who I am…I’m not an asshole and I don’t think its fair…and I wanted to…as I do in life…in my art…I want to be about integrity…always being honest and I want to be sort of a pure heart, even if that’s a little whatever…a little esoteric to say…you know I’m just a sweet guy and I’m not going to make asshole films…it would be counterintuitive to my entire being to be ‘quote on quote’ ‘that guy’…its just not me.

K: Yeah…I read in the Gimme a Wristband interview how you left out some things because they explored sort of that negative side of fans…and I just want to say kudos to you for doing that…for standing up to the industry in a way I suppose…because you know the industry likes dirt and that’s great…

M: You have no idea. I was in the Sundance Film Festival and they were like this is too not enough lets see some other footage, what else do you have…and I explained the types of things that I had and they were like ‘Yes’...I knew though that once it was out there, it was out there and I would have compromised my integrity…and I would have been ‘quote-on-quote’ ‘that guy’ and in my life an asshole…I just like….you know what man…I sleep great at night…

K: Yeah…its not worth it…

M: I mean that’s…I’m supremely proud of that…

K: Good for you…good for you…
You were mentioning that…and I did read this too…that you’ve interviewed 100’s of artists and legends in politics and music and you’ve probably been asked this before, but who has been your favorite person to interview and why?



(M with Willie Nelson)

M: Hmmm…good questions

K: And I’m going to ask about Paul McCartney next…I’m really interested in that…

M: I guess there’s a couple of moments where like..oh my god…where I can’t believe I’m like here…and one of them is…when I worked with Madonna within 3 minutes of her accepting her…she got on stage to accept the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame award…she walked off the stage and onto my set to interview for me to interview her with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland…so like to be with Madonna at that seminole moment in her career was kind of fuckin neat..I was like..’oh shit…like who gets to do this..thats cool’. That was pretty amazing…

I’ve had the good fortune to work with or meet all of the Beatles (except for John Lennon)…and you know some of them were like quick handshake things or whatever and that was just one of those things that you don’t really tell a lot of people…there’s no reason to bring it up…and also to me its so deeply personal…like the time when I shook Paul McCartney’s hand and I was like ‘Oh my god’…

And I have a very intimate story (about BB King) that I don’t really like to tell people, but he’s embraced me in a very loving way held me in his chest and told me I was a good person and doing things right..and I just…you know…and I have a tie tack of theirs that he gave me…there’s just some moments that you can’t even explain them…you know…"

K: Were you able to interview Paul or was it just a meeting?

M: I worked for him.

K: Oh—you worked for him.

M: I did…I was in-between school…I had gone to music school in the early 90’s and had injured myself on a play and like five bands at once I injured myself so…I literally needed something to do…and a buddy of mine called and said..’hey dude, I’m working on the Paul McCartney tour…you want to come?’…and I’m like ‘uh huh’

K: I would say yes too…

M: It was just…it wasn’t hard to say yes…and you know..I’ll tell you a really neat story…and just a fact about Paul that not everyone knows that I just think is super classy and really neat…Paul McCartney is incredibly aware of the effect he has on other people…so literally he can spot it like 10seconds before anyone else…he can see someone walking up towards him and they go ‘oh-mi-gosh-oh-mi-gosh-oh mi-gosh’

K:

M: ‘Its Paul McCartney!’ right? Like they can’t even speak…’oh…oh…oh…P-P-Paul’ or they scream..but because he’s like a mellow gentleman and he just doesn’t want to deal and that’s like when ‘from when you’re 20’ so before anyone can freak out…like before their internal software registers ‘Holy shit that’s Paul McCartney’ he says ‘Hi, how ya doin?’…and everyone is like…’P-P-P-P

K:

M: …That just freaked me out that Paul McCartney said hello to me’…you know what I mean…they don’t know what to do…it gives him that few seconds to be the good guy and walk away and not have to sign an autograph cause that really not what he wants to do. He’s trying to have a normal life…and its so fuckin funny…I have seen him do that so many times…and I’ve heard other people I know say the same thing (who hang outside with me or whatever you know)

K:

M: And I was like…when I worked with Paul I was the low guy on the totem pole…I I worked on the tour as a roadie…as a tech…so…anything else?

K: Yeah…I’ve probably got probably two more questions, is that ok?

M: Sure!



K: How have you been adapting your art to the new media spaces out there? I mean we have Twitter and Youtube and the ‘digital revolution’ with the internet…

M: I don’t know…I think I’m like many people…I think I’m adapting to it…and I don’t know…like I’m not like someone who…because…there are a lot of people who are new media ‘content generators’ who aren’t ‘quote’on-quote’ professional, and they’re trying to create buzz for advertising, but I get paid for my work so I don’t need to focus going out to shoot and generate ad sales…also for me I know a couple of friends who do it…there’s not enough money to be made in my opinion…even with many millions of hits…so its not the kind of money that would be interesting for me to do. Now…I do have a social media adviser who sits me down and asks what kind of contests do you want to run, what kind of fun facts…Duranie polls…all the Duranie polls come from me…

K: I saw those…I saw those…those are great…

M: I think it’s a good way to have a conversation with people and…again…how…let me again see if I answered you on…how does the new media…how is the new media affecting my own art work…mostly its just that my clients need me and I’m aware that I have to shoot in certain…and I’m technically aware of the types of framing, angles, even down to the types of films, lenses that will be better for something that could be broadcast on a a film, a filmscreen, to a TV screen, to a mobile screen…so its complex…it can be very complex…you have to put a little thought into it…and sometimes because there are shrinking budgets out there and people want to spend less…you know…and if you think about it from their angle…if I could pay one guy to createe cool content and cut it up into different stand-alone segments and put it across our platform you know like from our mobile division to our cable division to onsite promotions…why wouldn’t they? I don’t blame them…I don’t blame them because they’ve got…an executive has to be responsible for their budgets in the end and in the long run.

K: Ok—one last one and that’s the fun question of the whole interview and I’ll let you choose which one you want to do...here we go…one is I read you were trying to adapt a book to movie form…and the other is about your part in a Law and order episode…which one would you rather talk about?

M: What book I’m adapting?

K: Yeah! I mean you don’t need to tell me ‘what book’…just like

M: I can tell you…I can give you a little brief about my background in voiceover and TV film stuff. So I have been on Law and Order, I’ve been on Law and Order Special Victims Unit, and I’ve been on Saturday Night Live…

K: Yes, I’ve read about Saturday Night Live too…

M: I’ve done really big voice-overs for national and global campaigns for Canon video cameras, Toyota, Kelloggs Raisin Bran, a bunch of other stuff…I have a funny story to talk about that I…so…

K: Oh! I want to hear the funny story!

M: I don’t think it will translate into the written word so much but I tell you when I was doing this Kellogs Raisin Bran it was…I had to say this line and I got it within like 4 or 5 minutes and it was “MMMMM those two scoops…two scoops strong, all morning long…its delicious’

K:

M: Right? And what I didn’t know going into it is was there was a producer who was a real asshole to me and he kept saying ‘oh no no’…he was british…and he was saying ’you’re saying da-licious…you’re not saying de-licious…you’re saying da-licious’ and like I kept doing it like over and over ‘MMMM…two scoops strong, all morning long…its de-licious’, Right? And what I didn’t know, and I was like in there an hour, an hour and a half is that he was the producer of the spot…he created a test spot with his voice and they said ‘We love it! But we don’t want a British accent’ so he couldn’t fill in the spot and he tried to be an American and they kept saying ‘You sound like a british guy trying to be an american’ so they asked me to be exactly like him…like the same kind of deep voice, whatever voice I have…and gravelly and like he hated me…

K: Because you were American

M: Oh no, not just that…he knew it was $100,000 or more for a big fucking campaign…

K: Yeah, Kelloggs, they’re big…

M: And you make a lot of money doing those kinds of spots…and he just put me through HELL…and he was like…I kept looking up at the engineer and up at the producer and they were lowering their heads, shaking, mouthing ‘I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry’…but I didn’t know until the end why he was such an asshole…so they pulled me aside and said ‘Just so you know…he created the spot, he did the voiceover, he was supposed to get it and you know he lost it to me because he couldn’t do it with a convincg American accent. So that’s why he was a prick to you’. And I was like ‘Oh wonderful.’

K: That’s funny…

M: On law and order special victims unit…

K: Yeah—you were a judge or court clerk…

M: That was on Law and Order…but on Law and Order Special Victims unit I was a

K: Which is my favorite by the way of all of them…I love Law and Order special victims unit

M: Oh yeah? I was a head of the jury and like the whole angle was that I was the young guy and and I had all these great scenes and it was like my first real meaty role…boy…I called all my friends…and I had like you know…I had a star trailer…I got treated like a king…I’m a starring role on Special Victims unit…and I’m like ‘Holy Shit this is awesome!’…and everybody I knew, my family, my parents they’re a little older but they stayed up late to watch it and again…cut to watching it and all you see is like an exterior shot of the jury deliberation room and like me sticking my head out of the jury and like giving a ‘hmmm’ look…they cut the entire scene…

K: Are you kidding me?

M: It happens all the time…and someone would be like…I just saw you on the show and I saw you for a half second and I would be like ‘Fuck…fuck’

K: Oh well…

M: And not long after I was on Saturday night live and what happens with Saturday night live is that they shoot a pre-show…they shoot two shows back to back, one that’s like the rehearsal show and they determine whats going to make it to air and what isn’t. And then they shoot the live show…and for time…they’ll cut in…if theres a scene that does really well in the warm-up show…the first showing…then they just cut it in, or they’ll use it for the west coast feed, they’ll cut it in afterwards as well. So what happens…I had like a tiny one line…it was a scene on a Halloween special with Will Farrell and Drew Barrymore…

K: Oh..I love Drew Barrymore…

M: Yeah—shes a Duranie…

K: I’ve been trying to reach her but she won’t contact us, so…I know she’s really busy, but…

M: I don’t know her, otherwise I’d hook you up.

K: Can you hook us up? That would be awesome.

M: I don’t know her, I don’t know her.

K: Oh you don’t know her, oh darn…

M: No, but if I did I would. So yeah…it was the same kind of thing…which is…it made it to the rehearsel which they filmed and then it never made it to air and so I called all these people…and after that I just stopped calling people so when the Law and order came on that was just basically a couple of lines ..’oh the defendant…bla bla bla…de de da de de da…and the court case….bla bla bla…your honor’, you know it wasn’t really a big role but I’m still getting paid for it.

K: You’re getting paid for it, that’s what matters, huh? I mean when you’re doing something you love.

M: Not as much as you think. I’ve been very fortunate to do whatever I wanted…whatever I’ve wanted to do creatively and make a living doing it. And when I see other people and they ask me ‘How the fuck do you do it?’ And I have friends who…one of my best friends is fireman, another friends works in finance…and those are like real jobs…and I just tell them ‘I do it’…and that what I tell everyone else…’If you want to have a career…a creative career…work your ass off be honest about your talent and what you’re good at, what you’re not and just keep doing it. Keep doing it.

K: Yeah.

M: And do it because you love it, don’t do it because you expect to make money. I’ve been very very lucky and there are a lot of really talented people who can’t pay their bills doing what they love doing…and that’s really unfortunate, but that’s just sort of the odds game.

K: Please tell us a little about Extrovert and I understand you have locations in New York City, Los Angeles, and Nashville, and we’d like to know what type of projects you typically work on…

M: Extrovert is my company and its really the production wing of what I do and sometime…so I have crews people that work for me on a regular basis, and sometimes on a semi-regular basis, and sometimes on a once in a while basis…but I have people that I know and trust…very good shooters and producers, sound people, writing people…in many cities including, as you mentioned, New York, LA, Nashville, London, Miami…I don’t keep fully staffed offices…that’s only New York and LA and we’re not a huge company, we’re you know…we keep the lights on

K: Yeah…we’re not huge either

M: …and we do everything from 15 camera HD concerts for television or film, documentaries to commercials to behind the scenes to…and its stuff from our earlier conversation, it’s a wide range of content, mostly in the Rock and Roll pop star world that gets distributed to…we also do a lot of stuff with really big brands, and again projects in and around the music space…we have Samsung, LG, Blackberry, Verizon, Google…so you’ve heard of some of those references

K: Right…of course…who hasn’t?

M: I don’t know? So Extrovert is really an extension of me and its named that not because I’m shy

K: Right, right Extrovert…it’s a great name!

M: Thanks, I appreciate it.

K: I like the big ‘M’ that’s next to your name on the front page…that’s very cool.

M: Yes, I’m very shy.

K: Well thanks so much for interviewing with us (and having your morning coffee with us) and I definitely look forward to promoting Something You Should Know on our site and we wish you luck and happiness on your future endeavors!