A BLOG FROM ROGER

[CrazyFan]

A BLOG FROM ROGER
January 6th, 2012

Sitting here on a warm Peruvian balcony enjoying a long South American day as exotic birds sing (the feathery kind of course) in the midday haze, I feel a million miles away from our closing tour of 2011 – cold days, dark evenings and draughty British hotel rooms that shudder and shiver when the first bitter days of winter arrive…but what a tour! Had to be the best run of shows on British/Irish soil that I can recall in my time with Duran Duran, and when on a UK tour one cannot fail to recall the early 80′s shows that were awash with hormone-fueled teenagers screaming at the mere glimpse of one of their ‘teenage obsessions’…but this was something totally different, an audience that came in droves to listen, to watch, to hear our new work and to welcome us back to a world that is the closest to our hearts in every way. This tour was also so special because we were so intrinsically aware that Simon had really come back from the brink and had put so much work into re-rehabilitating himself to the point of a very personal salvation. UK tours are just so special to us..and who knows when the next one will be? So I continue to savour all the moments that will remain with me for years to come, and as I look back to 2011, I also recall all the great nights in America including Coachella, Madison Square Garden and the David Lynch filming of Unstaged to name but a few moments in an incredible year that also included the birth of a new son, Julian.

So here’s to 2011 and hoping that 2012 brings another year of great adventures!

Wish You Were Here,
Rtx
http://www.duranduran.com

[CrazyFan]

A POSTCARD FROM ROGER – THE SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA
March 23rd, 2012
I’m writing from one of the most beautiful cities in the world..Perth. We are on the final run of our latest and greatest Australian tour.

Ever since I landed in the warm humid air of Brisbane, and walked in the beautiful light of a late afternoon in Melbourne (which one would really only expect to experience during a summers day in Provence), I have felt lifted by the ‘spirit of Australia’ , something that’s hard to put your finger on, but it’s something that’s been very tangible over the last couple of weeks here.

We have so many memories , so much history here…John and I stopped by to see music television guru Molly Meldrum the other day, he has been through a very tough personal journey recently but looks great and well on the way to recovery. Molly was a great champion of Duran Duran in our early days and ensured that we achieved our first no.1 record in the world and has remained a great friend and supporter ever since ..so thank you Molly , we love you. Australian Russell Mulchay directed the best of our early cinematically inclined videos, we wrote and recorded most of “Seven and The Ragged Tiger” here ..in fact the photograph on the cover was taken on the steps of The New South Wales State Library , our tour here in 2003 was a very formative part of the re-union and it’s where the band seemed to ‘tick ‘ again…the list seems to go on, but the biggest thing I feel here is a great future, a country that’s still on the move and moving quicker and quicker every time I come here…

The reception at the shows has been exceptional …as someone said the other day ..”it feels like home from home” so god bless ‘The Spirit of Australia’ can’t wait to get back down here again…

Rt x

http://www.duranduran.com

[CrazyFan]

A BIRTHDAY MESSAGE FROM ROGER
April 26th, 2012
We stopped off in Antigua ‘en route’ to South America for our concert dates there to say hi to ‘Eilaen,’ the boat that was featured in the “Rio” video on this very island. She has been fully restored to her former glory and it feels very nostalgic to be walking her decks and around the locations of the video 30 years later…and Antigua is a wonderful place to be for any reason!

I will be in Brazil for the “big day,” I couldn’t wish for a better place to celebrate the coming of another birthday!

Thanks for another great year.

Rt x

http://www.duranduran.com

[GaryDDfan]

Вау! не плохо он отдыхает

[CrazyFan]

A POSTCARD FROM ROGER (ITALY)
July 22nd, 2012
‘La Dolca Vita’ is the phrase that springs to mine we I reflect on our latest run through Italy , the country that we have had a long love affair with …in fact it seems like a marriage that gets stronger and stronger with time and the relationship between us never seems to fade…I felt that these have been the most well received show’s in Italy since my time back with the band..with particularly amazing nights in Rome, Verona and Lucca. We’ve also had great shows in Istanbul, Thessaloniki and the Exit festival in Serbia seemed to see the band reaching new heights.

It’s been also very pleasing to witness the success of ‘A Diamond In The Mind.’ The idea for which came about in the dressing room one night at the beginning of the U.K tour when Nick said “I’d really like to have this show preserved on film..it’s just so great at the moment”..so hat’s off to Gavin Elder for stepping up to the plate with very little notice and pulling off something which I think re-defines the boundaries of concert film footage.

Anyway..I have a ‘real’ day off today..no show, no travel and no phoners!!! So I am going to absorb myself in the view that is beckoning me over the beautiful city of Florence …all in glorious summer sunshine.

Oh yeah…Olympics here we come!

Ciao,
Rtx
(c)dd.com

[CrazyFan]

A POSTCARD FROM ROGER (PUNTA DEL ESTE)
January 21st, 2013
Just been in Punta Del Este, Uraguay for a few days, and I have to say that it’s one of the most beautiful places I have been to for years. Punta is rich in natural beauty…green…beaches that go on for miles and great weather. I generally come down to South America every January to spend time with family, and more importantly, miss out on the coldest month of the year in London …although the ‘guiltometer’ went into overdrive when I saw the freezing conditions back home, I have to remind myself how much work the band has put in over the last couple of years, and that we really should enjoy our ‘down time’ without too much self flagellation. I did, however, do some work down here! I spun at an event on the beach, and got a great reception from the mainly Argentinian crowd – who remind me of our Italian fan base, always full of life, enthusiasm, kindness and enormous loyalty to the Duran Duran cause.

Thoughts are now turning to starting the new record in March. With preparations already under way, there is a palpable excitement growing in the camp as time ticks towards the start of the 14th (yes, 14th) Duran Duran album.

Hasta Luego
Roger X

[CrazyFan]

A BIRTHDAY MESSAGE FROM ROGER

April 26th, 2013
Pre-birthday week found me in Florida as the sun shines down on another year, another April, another Birthday. No…I’m not wearing a pair of tartan slacks, golf sweater and a flat cap, Florida ‘retiree’ style..not quite there yet! Just getting some R&R before the big day, which finds me working in both Chicago on the 25th in to the 26th (my actual birthday) and the a private gig in New York City!

The first album sessions are going just great, so life is good in my Birthday world right now. No complaints, just a lot to look forward to. So… Happy Birthday to me – and anyone else that shares my Birthday in the extended family of the world according to Duran! And as always, thank you for all the wonderful messages/tweets/Facebook posts I’ve received.

Besos
Roger x