Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon names financial decision as crucial key to the band’s longevity
Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon has put the band’s longevity down to one crucial decision related to finances.
Le Bon was reflecting on their career, which began all the way back in 1978, ahead of their huge headline date at BST Hyde Park in London on July 5th.
In a new interview with ITV News, Le Bon was questioned about how Duran Duran have managed to maintain their core line-up, which consists of him, John Taylor, Roger Taylor and Nick Rhodes, for close to 50 years.
For the frontman, this is due to them all being paid the same, sharing, “We like each other, we like working together. We rely on each other for musical ideas, as well. We split all the income equally; it doesn’t matter if you write something or if you don’t write on it, you get an equal share of the publishing.”
Le Bon continued, “That way, everybody is happy and only the best material gets on the album. It means there’s no resentment for financial reasons. I don’t know how many other bands do that.”
In the same interview, the Duran Duran frontman also threw the band’s hat in the ring to make another James Bond theme after previously recording ‘A View to a Kill’ for the 1985 film of the same name.
When probed on the subject, Le Bon said “let’s see what Amazon wants to do with it” but did say “course we would, 100 per cent” upon being asked if Duran Duran would be interested.
He also again spoke about his band’s intentions to only appear at Glastonbury “if we get the right slot”, rather than the “disco tent at 3pm on a Saturday”. Notably, they have never appeared at the legendary festival, despite ticking off just about everything else there is to do in the British musical landscape.
In the past, he’s maintained that headlining the Pyramid Stage would be the only slot of interest for the band, but now, he’s opened the door to the Legend’s Slot, stating to ITV News, “That is a kind of headline slot for me, I’m sure we’d do that.”
Only last month, Le Bon told The Sunday Times that “we shouldn’t be below anybody on the bill,” and “we’ll hold out because we’re a headline act — that’s all there is to it.”
Meanwhile, later this year, they will embark on an arena tour across the UK and Europe. Their UK run will begin at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro Arena on October 15th, before snaking over to Belfast on October 18th.
From there, the iconic group will appear in Birmingham, Liverpool, and Leeds, before two final dates in Brussels’ ING Arena on October 26th, and Paris’ Accor Arena on October 28th.
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