30 years ago today Duran Duran released their fifth studio album “Big Thing”. This album was a step for the band to shred the pop boy image with a much more mature, diverse and sexually driven album and percence. It is clear to see that with some of the songs and the remixes that followed that Duran were taking a jab at house music but when it came to the album as a whole it is plain to see that even though they were trying to maintain their mainstream success that this album was made to expand their musical ability and tread a brand new path. As the lead singer and lyricist Simon Le Bon said in an 1989 interview: “Right now I think its the time of the fans who stayed with us and have said ‘Duran Duran are something serious, there not just a bunch pretty boys.’. Those are the ones who are having a great time at the moment because thats what everybody’s saying about us right now.”. ’Big Thing’ was a risk that the boys believed in and even though the critics were not too thrilled about the album at the time, it is undeniable that the album stood the test of time because listening to this in 2018 it most definitely sounds like something you could hear on modern radio. ‘Big Thing’ has always been the underdog of Duran Duran’s catalogue, forgotten and neglected until every now and then someone brings it up, then it fades away again. Yet when you talk to fans of the band this album and the words “underrated” and “one of their best” seems to come up quite often. Hopefully now at the 30th anniversary of this magnificent and diverse album we can all come together and appreciate it, give it the love and respect that it truly deserves!
Big thing - Lust
I don’t want your love - Nonchalant
All she wants is - Pleasure
Too late Marlene - Unsureness
Drug - Pompous
Do you believe in shame? - Sorrow
Palomino - Sincerity
Interlude one - Try-out
Land - Safe heaven
Flute interlude - Dwam
The edge of America - Realism
Lake shore driving - Liberation
