An old romantic feeling

By GRAHAM REID

For five men whose style epitomised the decadent 80s, Duran Duran arrived at their press conference yesterday looking like slightly hip undertakers. Dark jackets, crisp laundering, and only guitarist Andy Taylor making some concession to being a Famous Rock Star. He wore sunglasses.

But for men who enjoyed the fully hedonistic lifestyle their hit-machine allowed, and are now in their 40s, they looked remarkably well preserved and healthy. An advertisement for excess even.

Quietly spoken singer Simon Le Bon is a slightly more inflated version of his former self; keyboard player Nick Rhodes still has that talcum-powder complexion but is clear-eyed and quick; bassist John Taylor's hair suggested he'd just ridden a fast motorcycle into a headwind; and drummer Roger Taylor could have stood next to you in an elevator and you would have picked him for someone in middle-management.

For those who grew up with their colourful posters on the bedroom wall - and there were a number among the assembled journalists who unashamedly admitted to that - they could have looked just like ordinary people.

But Duran Duran - who have never played here before - were far from ordinary and the media responded as fans might.

There was a palpable frisson of excitement at a press conference which was well on the molten side of soft: journalists applauded when they entered, clamoured for autographs at the end, one was tongue-tied and couldn't get a question out, and a couple wore New Romantic-style outfits. Weird times.

The band - who open for Robbie Williams at Western Springs tomorrow night but are currently without a record label - were given a gentle ride. No knotty questions about their various fallings-out over the decades, but a couple about why they weren't headlining over Williams when they were clearly the more popular.

Polite smiles about whether it really mattered came from the podium. They feigned embarrassment at the suggestion, but were quietly chuffed and aware of their pulling power. Very gracious.

A decade ago I had the misfortune to attend a Duran Duran press conference in London. It was an evil affair and at a bad time for them. Their career was in limbo, they were sullen, arrogant and bored, and they looked they wanted to be elsewhere. Le Bon didn't bother to show.

Yesterday couldn't have been more different. They were witty and teasing ("Don't mention the rugby"), seemed genuinely appreciative of the attention they are getting here ("I'm surprised by the passion and love for the band," said Le Bon who doodled quietly between questions) and flicked off one-liners with aplomb and humour.

Asked if they were all married, Rhodes grinned back: "I'm not married, I'm happily divorced." Laughter.

Asked about their New Romantic sartorial style of the 80s Taylor responds, "We came along when there was glam rock, disco and punk rock so you can imagine how confused we were." More laughter.

And what do their children think of seeing their dad on stage. Le Bon said that after one show his kids attended, John had said they were thinking, "Now I get what Mum sees in him".

Lots of laughter.

So it went. They basked in the attention and little new was learned other than Le Bon likes the OutKast album. "It takes music to somewhere that it hasn't been for a while and it's great to hear a hip-hop artist doing that."

And it was done. Question time was over and all that was left was for those gathered to hustle an autograph from a gracious middle-aged member of a band which defined 80s excess and video extravagance. And once sold an awful lot of hairspray.

Tomorrow's show times

* noon - Gate sales of tickets open

* 4pm - gates open

* 5.50pm - Nesian Mystik

* 6.45pm - Duran Duran (90-minute set)

* 9pm - Robbie Williams

There is limited parking at Western Springs and in the neighbourhood. Stagecoach have extra buses from K Rd. More info: Live in Concert