Duran Duran will perform at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool tomorrow night (Friday, October 23), with band members describing the city as the "spiritual home of pop music."
In an exclusive interview with the ECHO ahead of the show, Simon Le Bon, Roger Taylor and John Taylor spoke about why returning to Merseyside feels like a homecoming.
A Homecoming Feeling
Drummer Roger Taylor, a founding member, said: "We are so excited to be coming back to what we call 'the spiritual home of pop music' – we have so many great memories, going back to the early days playing at the Royal Court Theatre and The Empire."
He added: "Liverpudlians have always been amongst the most vociferous of fans…and I'm sure it will still be like that this time around!"
Although the band formed in Birmingham, bassist John Taylor has a close connection to Liverpool through his family. The 66-year-old said: "For me, whose mother was born in Liverpool, and her family who moved to Birmingham in the 1930s, there's always a homecoming feeling. Plus of course the giant shadow of The Beatles boys, without whom none of this would be happening."
Memories of Liverpool
Frontman Simon Le Bon recalled a recent show in the city and a late night with Liverpool-born comedian John Bishop. The 67-year-old said: "Not so many years ago we came to Liverpool and played a blinder of a show."
"The crowd went completely bananas, as a Liverpool crowd is wont to. We'd invited John and Melanie Bishop to the show, and afterwards, a few of us stayed up with them in the hotel bar, telling stories until the small hours. It was the perfect evening."
45 Years On
Duran Duran formed in 1978, and hits like Rio, Hungry Like The Wolf and The Reflex remain classics. John Taylor reflected on the band's longevity, saying: "Survival against many odds, both individually and collectively, keeps me grateful. I never dreamt it possible that we would still be in the game so many years after forming."
Roger Taylor credited their shared influences for keeping the band together, saying: "I think it's about being in a solid group of people that shared the same cultural influences growing up – spanning The Beatles, David Bowie, Roxy Music, The Sex Pistols and beyond – during a fundamental period of our lives."
He added: "A sense of humour is also important… Having a laugh is a great antidote to egos getting too inflated!"
