Reports that MTV has “banned” Duran Duran’s ‘Girl Panic!’ video have been all over the internet this week, stating that the network has refused to air the nine-minute film directed by Jonas Akerlund due to explicit sexuality and overt use of product placement.

Sound familiar? Back in 1981, The ‘Girls On Film’ video was banned by the BBC for titillating our pre-pubescent minds with images of nude models frolicking around in mud and shaving cream. This wholly premeditated effort provided the just-naughty-enough patina to the the band’s (until then) wholesome image that was so often the death knell for burgeoning boy-bands of that era. Duran Duran knew what they were doing then, and they know what they are doing now.

Things are just a little bit different this time around. There has been no official statement from MTV stating that the video has been banned. In fact, MTV is still featuring the video as “Buzzworthy” and continues to highlight fashions from the video in their “MTV Style” feature.  Yet nearly a month after the video’s premiere, online music news outlets such as Gigwise are reporting that the video has been pulled from the airwaves, inciting cries of outrage from fans and providing a very convenient opportunity for “a source very close to the band” to deliver their marketing message. Says this inside source, “The band had an amazing time filming the video and certainly don’t take themselves too seriously, playing cameo roles as waiters, bell hops, chauffeurs and paparazzi. The video reflects a supposed day-in-the-life-of expose, that has every ounce of trademark Duran Duran tongue in cheek humour and glamour.” Why, of course it does!

I find it a bit hard to swallow that it somehow took MTV a month to notice that they had been promoting what is (certainly not just) an advertisement for Swarovski and champagne  sprinkled with pretty girls in expensive bondage gear playing a little tonsil-hockey. Perhaps not coincidentally, this same “MTV has banned it! Shock and outrage!” cry was rallied for Akerlund’s Lady Gaga’s ‘Telephone’ video, prompting MTV to release a statement soon after that they had in fact not banned the video at all, and that “no one even checked with us to see if that was true.”

The video already has nearly five million views on VEVO, a company who sees no shame in product placement. Rio Caraeff, Chief Executive Officer for VEVO has proudly stated that the company “works as a conduit between the world’s largest music companies and brand marketers,” and they also don’t seem to to take any issue with the fact that sex sells.  Duran Duran don’t need people to watch their ‘Girl Panic!’ video on MTV. They just need people to keep talking about it, a month after it’s release and as the band kicks off another world tour. And thanks to a bit of spin-doctoring, that’s exactly what they’re getting.

Girl Panic! is a gorgeous video that we will all be talking about for a long time, I’m sure. You can watch it here. And if MTV actually even plays music videos anymore, I’ll bet you can still watch it there too.

A down and dirty Durantime with two things on my mind:

1. What’s up with the facial hair, Simon? Departing Heathrow airport this evening for the gig in Sao Paolo, the frontman was sporting less Le Beard and more Le Stache. Is it Movember? A shaving mishap? Will I need a new logo? Only time will tell.

2. In just three days, Duran Duran’s video for Girl Panic! has reached over ONE MEEEELLLLLION VIEWS. Compare this with the video for All You Need Is Now, which after almost eleven months is at just under 762k. It’s kind of interesting to compare the statistics, but the disparity probably has much to do with Girl Panic having the built in supermodel press story. Still… well done, boys!

I gotta wonder, though… why is there no link to buy the album on iTunes in the video description? How come we can’t BUY the video on iTunes? How come there isn’t a Swarovski-encrusted USB pendant necklace containing the video and a bunch of killer Girl Panic! remixes for sale at duranduran.com? C’mon… give us something fun to spend more money on.

Girl Panic! YouTube Stats

All You Need Is Now YouTube Stats

Thanks to Billy M. for the fervent text discussion about the YouTube hits

Photo of SLB horked from Roger Taylor’s #1 Fan

I should warn that as I type this, I’m in the heady throes of bliss, mesmerized and atomized. The new Duran Duran video for Girl Panic! is nine minutes long, which means you can watch it all the way through six times in one hour. It’s just premiered, and you can watch it here.

I’ll admit that I was apprehensive about the video. I mean, a bunch of miming supermodels? And what’s with the heavy-handed Swarovski and Harper’s Bazaar promos? I shared my deepest, darkest and snarkiest fears with a friend the other night as we wrung our pale hands over what had the potential to be a Falling Down redux, with anorexic models slumping in hallways and lothario band members doing their best to muster up the dashing. And what happened to that whole new “accessible and human” trajectory they spun off on with All You Need Is Now?  Still, we couldn’t help but squee with anticipation. “A co-sponsored event video for a dead album track? Count me in!”

Turns out the video is sexy, sassy, flashy — and funny as hell. Another masterpiece from Jonas Akerlund, it’s like a sparkly little pill that lets you imagine yourself as a supermodel AND a rock star AT THE SAME TIME! Flinging the bling in times of economic downturn is what put Duran Duran on the map, and the coolest thing is not simply that the band hasn’t forgotten this, but that they still do it so damn well.

Below are some snaps from the Harper’s Bazaar Women Of The Year Awards last night at Claridges Hotel in London, where the video premiered. It’s no wonder our boys look so happy… they nailed it!

Muchas gracias y besos to Den and Sil for sharing the photos

[Show as slideshow]

Though exhausted by a whirlwind trip to New York, full of surprises and good times with friends new and old, I feel that I must honor this important day with at least a short update. Happy birthday to our cherished front-man, Simon Le Bon. His birthday message to fans cuts straight to the heart, and even if Simon is not proud of himself, I hope that all of our undying love and support can fill at least some of that hole. We love you, Charlie.

The show at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night  was nothing short of magical. The band were full of energy and smiles, there were trousers tight and sparkly, and special guests (Ana Matronic and Mark Ronson) appeared onstage with all of the gossamer wonder of Glenda the Good Witch. I wouldn’t have clicked my heels for anything, and felt like I could have happily stayed in that moment for all of eternity.

Monday night was also nothing short of stellar, as Chekhov’s Wig, DJ Candy and Anthony DeVito gave it their all at the G!MME A WR!STBAND! party at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. It was an action-packed meetup for fans from around the world, and I’d like to give my heartfelt thanks and many more kisses to everyone who came out that night. Because of your generosity, G!MME A WR!STBAND! raised almost $500 for The Amy Winehouse Foundation, once again proving the positive power of Durandom.

It was a bittersweet night for Chekhov’s Wig and their always enthusiastic fans, as they bid adieu to the stage for the last time. This band is so damn talented, inspired and inspiring that I can only hope this is the first of many farewell shows. Crispin, Les, Mark and Carl… you are truly princes among men. Even Mr. Mishlove‘s depravity became almost endearing, and I’m not shy to admit that a few tears are falling as I watch the Chekhov’s Wig Farewell Video again.

Many thanks to to Patty Palazzo of Punk Masters, Julie Anne Rhodes of Jewels From the Roving Stove, Matthew Chojnacki of Put the Needle on the Record, M. Douglas of Something You Should Know, Kirk and Christian of Duran Duran to the Rock Hall of Fame, Andy Taylor, Chekhov’s Wig, DJ Candy and Anthony DeVito for donating their time, energy, and fantastic prizes to such a worthy cause.

New York, I really do love you… and hope we can freak out together again someday.

It wouldn’t be a Durantime post without a couple of juicy tidbits, so get this: Sean Drinkwater of Freezepop just posted a totally charming chat with Nick Rhodes and asked about John Taylor’s upcoming book. Nick replied, “… I guess eventually there will probably be a full set of books. I don’t know when I’ll be doing mine. I don’t know when Simon will be doing his but I imagine there will be a set, and that will give you all the different perspectives as to why Duran Duran is what it is.” OOOOH!

And I’m not sure if it’s premature to enter into this same speculation for the eightykajillionth time, but in their review of the Chicago gig, the uber-reliable Consequence of Sound busted out with the rumor that Duran Duran will be doing the theme for the next James Bond movie. The flick is set for release in October 2012 and said to to be called “Sky Fall.” Most media outlets have latched on to the rumor that Adele is a shoo-in the next Bond theme, but with Duran Duran pulling out all the stops lately it could just maybe totally happen. What do you think?

There is something you should do.

Call your friends, your family, your loved ones… the people who care for you, but maybe don’t quite “get it” when it comes to the whole Duran thing. Gather them ‘round, plump the pillows on the couch, make them a nice cocktail, and pop “Something You Should Know: The Duran Duran Fan Documentary” in the DVD player. I guarantee that the end result will be a universal feeling of love and long-overdue understanding.

Or better yet, get together with a group of Duranies to lose yourself — and  find yourself — in this incredible documentary about Duran Duran fans, shot around the globe from 2003 to 2008 with support and encouragement from the band. The film was culled from over of 250 hours of footage, exclusive performances, and more than 800 fan and celebrity interviews from the likes of Moby, Dido, No Doubt, Kelly Ripa, and the Scissor Sisters. It is epic.

I spoke with the creator of the film, M. Douglas Silverstein, the other day to find out how it all came together and was astounded not only by the time and resources it took to create, but also by just how much this massive undertaking was a true labor of love for this high-profile filmmaker. “I tried to make the film and cut it in a way that would allow people to “get it” and really become a part of it. 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.

Silverstein is a whirlwind of highly-focused energy and has directed everything from fifteen-camera HD concerts for Green Day and the Country Music Hall of Fame to heading up projects for Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, Kanye West and Jay-Z among others. Having clearly amassed the street cred to make things happen, Silverstein told me he was at a point in his career where he “really wanted to do a passion project… something not hired by the band or the label or one of their branding partners. I grew up like everyone who’s a fan of Gimme a Wristband and the band, thinking this band is really important to me.” His first step was to hit the internet and the old Duran Duran messageboard and as fate would have it, he quickly learned of impending reunion of the Fab Five.

M. Douglas Silverstein with Fergie

Calls were made, blessings were given, and Silverstein soon found himself on tour for all of the early Astronaut dates and well into the Red Carpet Massacre tour. Slowly, the lead characters of the film began to emerge and Silverstein diligently followed their trials and tribulations over the next several years. “I met people at concerts, at fan get-togethers, at parties and online. I wanted to show the widest range of fans as I possibly could, but  also people who had really put in ten or twenty years of their life, people to whom it was just that valuable.”

The Duraniverse is vast and though there were many, many more people he would have loved to include, the main characters came forth as those whom Silverstein could get to a little more easily and see more frequently. At one point he told me that it was “honestly emotionally devastating to have to give up on some characters.” He was also looking for a certain emotional component. “I feel that many of the lead characters represent some of the best aspects —and I guess what you would call some of the more dedicated aspects — of the fan base. For example you have Durandy, who is an amazing archivist and a lovely, sweet guy. I think he’s a class act and an incredibly inspiring guy. His incredibly dedicated focus is so much about the artwork, and (Durandy’s fiancée) Christine obviously is with the audio collection. Vader Vader became interesting because he had an incredible t-shirt collection. And fans like Eileen Ikuta had so many unusual personal things, like Vaseline that John Tayor had used for his fingers, towels that they had used, and even a hot dog from 1985 that Andy Taylor took a bite out of. To me, they each had their own distinct passion. I mean, no one is going to rival the archival level of Durandy in his specialization of it, but all of the collections are equally important in my mind because they are all so personal. We all have takeaways from important moments of our life. Whether it’s going to a concert or an art exhibit or a wedding, we all have these little keepsakes.”

One of the things that I’ve found most striking about Something You Should Know is that it really is a genuinely respectful account of the Duranie phenomenon. It would be all too easy to veer into the tawdry or mean-spirited side of fandom but Silverstein has deftly sidestepped this viper’s nest, staying true to himself and his subject.  To this day, Silverstein tells me, he has not had any negative backlash from those who participated in the film. “It was always really, really important to me to not make fun of the people. For example, ‘Trekkies’ is a great movie, but you feel a little bad for them, like maybe they’re sort of making fun of the fans or having fun at their expense. It’s so important to me to avoid this in my own mission, just because I feel that I’m a nice person and the type of films I want to continue to make are about being honest.”

This alone speaks to Silverstein’s conviction: The judges of the Sundance Film Festival came calling a couple of years ago, keen to include Something You Should Know in the prestigious competition. The judges were eager to see a more salacious or potentially demeaning side of fandom upon viewing some of the juicier raw footage. Though he had plenty of shots that would foot the bill (and popping just a few of those in may very well have gotten him into the biggest independent film festival in the world) Silverstein chose to treat the Duran community with fairness and dignity. He didn’t sell out, and Something You Should Know was cut from the festival. Without a trace of regret, Silverstein says, “ I have to live with myself. And also, I feel that the community was so good to me that it … I just… I guess I’m not a jerk.  I would never want a film that was making fun of people, even if I never make my money back in the end. I have footage from every angle of the band and around the band that could shine in a way that would hurt people’s feelings or make them look bad. That’s just not who I am.”

All of this is not to say that the film was shot through rose-colored glasses. It may not be brutal but it is an honest depiction of the lengths that so many of us go through as Duranies — the paychecks spent on tours, the collections that take over our homes, and the conflicts we endure with our non-Duranie loved ones. Particularly touching are the scenes shot at the home of uber-fan Vader Vader with his straight-laced family. Recalling the shoot, Silverstein says, “His dad is a cop, a real hard-ass, and he has this moment where he goes, ‘You know what? If it makes him  happy and he’s not hurting anybody… as long as he’s happy… I’m a father, and he’s my kid.’ To me, that’s one of the big heart and soul moments in the film. It says what’s really important in life, and enabling that moment meant a lot to me.”

So if you don’t already have a copy of Something You Should Know, get one DVD for yourself and one for someone who loves you. The open-region DVD is available globally via Amazon.com — just make sure you order from the US site if you’re overseas. And OMG HEY — even though M. Douglas Silverstein himself can’t make it to the G!MME A WR!STBAND! party in NYC next week, he is totally hooking us up! Says the waaaay-too-generous genius, “I think what Gimme a Wristband is doing with the party in New York is exactly the sort of good energy that the film is all about. I’m putting together some never-before seen clips that will be screened at the party, and as a special bonus for attending you’ll see footage that has never made it in any of the exclusive extras (a lot of people don’t know that there are two hours of extras on top of the DVD) and has never even appeared on the web. Plus, we’ll have the DVD on sale at the party for a massively discounted price that is so low I can’t even say it — the only way you’ll get it at this price is to go to the party!” Now THAT is something you should know.

“Something You Should Know:The Duran Duran Fan Documentary”

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